Barbarian packs

[The Big Mc]

The pitch

A new idea that I have had is the inclusion of barbarian packs.

The idea is that we move barbarian data in to a new folder. The folder will contain a set of barbarian packs which will hold data on different verities of “barbarians”.

This means that any person can load up a set of barbarians for a different age all without moding . This allows a person to go for alien invasion in the modern age or put it of and go with terrorist.

What will they hold

barbarian packs will hold the minimal of data:

scenario.slc (for barbarian customisation)

unit.txt (to hold data on new forms of barbarians)

Newspr.txt (holds the barbarian sprites.)

Barbariandate.txt (to hold the barbarian types chance of appearing)

gl.txt (a slimed down version of the original only holds barbarian data)

greatlabery.txt (a slimed down version of the original only holds barbarian data)

And a secondary graphics/sprites directory to hold any specific new spr files

A person will then select witch barbarian packs they want at the start of the game and when they should turn up.


conclusion

I am not saying this will be easy to implement but please only vote no if you don’t like the idea not because it may take to long. I am sure if no one else is interest the firaxis spys will be.

[Ekmek]

I like it. I thought it was discussed somewhere else too?

I would also like to see culture-specific barbarians. If they are near an Asian civ they have Asian Barbarian units. European they have the barbarian style. North American they have native american units. Nice eye candy stuff.

[The Big Mc]

Yes that’s a good idea may be done by using the slc file .

[J Bytheway]

I think this is too specific - it could be implemented via a scenario if we expanded the scenario capabilities a little, I think all we'd need is:

- Allow for stacking of arbitrariy many scenarios on top one another.
- Allow for data files in scenarios to be additive, i.e. you can have a units.txt in your scenario and the units are added to the existing set of units, rather than replacing them.

[The Big Mc]

Yes I get your point.


But barb packs should be kept aside of scenarios. A scenario could reference to the barb packs but i want a person to bring up a screen where they can customise the game on the fly not just select a scenario which some one else has made. Also a scenario has a map associated with it barb packs haven’t, a person who liked the barbarians in one scenario can just load them up in a new game.

[J Bytheway]

Well, I didn't mean scenarios in the sense of having an associated map, and customization on the fly is another feature which it would be nice to give to scenarios in general (of course, they can already do it through SLICed messageboxes, but other means would be good).

[The Big Mc]

Without maps there barb packs, ok you can have buildings, wonders etc. However barb packs remove buildings and wonders so people can specify types of barbarians for different ages with multi-layered scenarios which you are talking about a person would load up a sci-fi mod and have alien invasion in 250bc.

The second advantage of barb packs is that anybody can make them there easier then scenarios which encourages more moderes to get involved.

[Flinx]

Originally posted by The Big Mc
I am sure if no one else is interest the firaxis spys will be.

If we build a slaver unit here, will the Fraxis spies become visible when they approach this thread?

[Flinx]

Originally posted by J Bytheway
I think this is too specific - it could be implemented via a scenario if we expanded the scenario capabilities a little, I think all we'd need is:

- Allow for stacking of arbitrariy many scenarios on top one another.
- Allow for data files in scenarios to be additive, i.e. you can have a units.txt in your scenario and the units are added to the existing set of units, rather than replacing them.

Big Mc I like your ideas for barbarians, but I am not sure about your implementation suggestion.

[The Big Mc]

Originally posted by Flinx
If we build a slaver unit here, will the Fraxis spies become visible when they approach this thread?

No there invisible to slaves

Originally posted by Flinx
Big Mc I like your ideas for barbarians, but I am not sure about your implementation suggestion.

that’s the good point of apolyton we can discuss the best way to implement things even if they do get heated from time to time.