MODIFICATION: Bic file with 32 spots for new units

Mercator · October 30, 2001, 22:18

Yep, that´s right, you can add units... Here´s a scenario made by Jack Jackman aka Tulcas (Apolyton Civ3 Release chat) which demonstrates the fact...

heardie · October 31, 2001, 04:48

I understand you did this in Hex Workshop. Nice work. Once the damn game comes out in Australia I can actuallly try it out

BeBro · October 31, 2001, 05:03

Good.

But for what are all those empty folders? Art is clear, but for example what is the "redist" folder?

Gramphos · October 31, 2001, 08:06

Why are the Americans allowed to find out everything before I have had a chance to check on it.

When I get the game, possible earlier if I get the original BIC or another BIC will I make an app to add units. (And possible other stuff as well)

Mercator · October 31, 2001, 08:45

Just for the record... I didn´t do this, I just posted this for Tulcas, who is on the verge of becoming a member...

He seems to be having problems getting a registration confirmation mail from Apolyton though, so Markos? I think we can definitely use Tulcas as a member

, so hurry!

Gramphos · October 31, 2001, 09:08

Looking into the BIC-file I believe I know the format to add anything. I'll do a miniapp and make able for someone with the game to test.

Gramphos · October 31, 2001, 12:12

If anyone with the game (and the editor could test if this program work...)

http://apolyton.net/forums/showthrea...threadid=31391

It has currently support to copy the BIC structure of a unit and the mapsizes.

If it works I'll add some more structures that can be copied.

(I don't have the game so I can't test is)
(Make a backup of the BIC file when you use it)
(The file does not copy any files, it just copies the unit in the BIC structure)

tulcas · October 31, 2001, 13:07

Here is the scoop from what i have gathered hacking through the .bic files:

These new files are pretty cool, they combines rules.txt and the map into one file and support for the file type is built right into the game itself (just select load scenario)...furthermore a .bic file can be just a map or a just modification of the game rules, or both

Unfortunately there seems to be no scripting (supported or hackably implementable), which is quite upsetting, and probably the reason why firaxis didn't put out any real scenarios (they couldn't).

On the plus side in the file header for each of these .bic files is the version number 1...I am sure that there will be a 2 and a 3 and so on as firaxis finishes coding Civ3.

Now responding to some of the big questions:

Starting Locations: Yes there are starting location tags which can be placed on a map...but they CANNOT be assigned to any particular race. So you can mark 16 spots on a huge map where you would like to see 16 civs start at, but there is no way to guarantee that the Germans start in Germany for example. This may be over come by editing a save game file, but that would require someone to hack the file...there is no direct firaxian support.

Now as far as what you can do with scenario's..
-No scripting as far as i can tell..Firaxis is gonna have to patch this to get it in
-No scenario's that are more complex than a map with starting locations assigned randomly to the civ's, and modified rules.

--These two together mean-->NO scenario the complexity of the WWII scenario from civ2 that is no scenario has predefined civ's with units and cities and a developed map, and NO conditions for victory beyond the default goto centauri get a load of culture etc. in Civ3 at this time

Once again if someone once to hack into the savegame files it may be possible to write an editor..everything in them is pretty straightforward, but even that will get you a WW2 with no specific conditions for victory, pulling that off would require hack the executable from as far as i can tell (70% certainty on the only way to add conditions is to hack hack hack) but i may be mistaken ...Can you confirm or deny any of this Gramphos?

Now onto some other things in response to Lemmy's 'Post:

this is what i know now:
change/add units ? Can Add by Hacking, then edit with editor
change/add techs ? Can Add by Hacking, then edit with editor
change/add government ? can add with editor and edit
change/add buildings & wonders (big and small)? Can Add by Hacking, then edit with editor
change/add terrain tiles ? Not positive but most likely: Can Add by Hacking, then edit with editor, though the images are gonna be tough to work out
change/add a new age ? Can Add by Hacking, then edit with editor but i am not sure how predicatable this is gonna be on gameplay, it will be a roylal pain
change/add graphics ? Yes but the .flc format they use is proprietary, they mentioned that the game's engine may support uncompressed .flc files in chat i believe..furthermore i think that non animatted gif files may work as for units, but don't quote me there

change/add civs ? Can Add by Hacking, then edit with editor
change/add civ atributtes ? Actually, it's more detailed than that, Yes.
change/add victory conditions ? Nope from what i see but there may be a way to jimmy rig something
add levels of visibility ? Negatory

If there are any other big questions post them in this thread and i will answer what i can...Gramphos also seems to have a good grasp on what is going on too so he will be able to answer quite a bit as well...

Jack

Gramphos · October 31, 2001, 13:29

I can add support to add all those things in my add as soon as someone with the confirms that it works correctly.

And it is actually DWords used as a limit for everything. In that way you could get up to 65535 units, but my program made in VB will max support 37276.

And I can neither confirm nor deny the conditions issue, but from what I've seen it is not possible.

How do the game respond to more then 16 (17 with Barbarians) civs?

Have you tested to add all that? Does it work with the game. I know it is compatible with the fileformat, bot I don't know more.

Gramphos · October 31, 2001, 15:57

My Copy Tool now supports Techs as well. I still need to know if it work together with the game.

Please inform me, and do testings.

A never version of civ3copytool can be found here

Hohenzollern · October 31, 2001, 21:05

Hail all,

I am a fellow civ scenario fanatic. When I discovered the editor had nothing more than a meager map editor, and also I was very upset to learn also that you cannot even put the Germans in Germany.
Has anyone here came up with a program that I can get my hands on to allow me to place civs on a world map, and play a game with all the civs in their historical-geographical starting points??

If so, toss it on the forum!!

THANKS!

Diety · November 3, 2001, 16:40

Perhaps someone, somewhere has a place on the web to give Gramphos a CD-image of the game ??? Just a one-shot crack ?

Mercator · November 3, 2001, 18:25

Something tells me he already has *something* of civ3...

Gramphos · November 3, 2001, 20:02

Quote:

Originally posted by Mercator
Something tells me he already has *something* of civ3...

If *something* is a lot of BIC-files, map-files, savesfiles, screenshots of all possible things updated graphics, a hacked editor that can't run because it needs some graphic files and so on, then you are right. Otherwise you are wrong. As I don't can run the editor I have to stick to files other people create for me.

It is good to be able to request BIC-files with certain settings from people from ICQ. (And send them untested BIC-files as well.)

I also have great help from other apolytoners testing out my stuff I post here.

Mercator · November 3, 2001, 20:27

You truly are great!

The screenshots can help a lot. When I opened up the rules editor almost everything from the bic files just fell into place.

Ecthy · November 4, 2001, 07:22

Cool idea

I personally have modified my Civ2 rules in a way that there are now about 70 units instead of 51. I'm never content with the given scheme, so I tend to add new units, techs etc... thing is, editing graphics files might become harder in Civ3..