A Space colonization mod?

[orlanth]

Thanks for your response I'd definitely be interested in such a mod, & willing to help how I can. Unfortunately in my attempt I had similar problems to you (XML, some Python, experience with a lot of random Events, but no graphics skill to speak of..) I'll attach the XML from my unsuccessful attempt at using FF space terrain in Civ4; maybe changing the TextureBlend fields could help? I have no clue how to deactivate the waves etc. Hopefully by posting requests in a Civ4 graphics forum, we could enlist help of an artist to skin a nice-looking space terrain. Other than the space terrain issue, as you said plenty of great unit/terrain/resource graphics are already available (eg Dune Wars, Planetfall, Mars Now) so a reasonable reskin shouldn't be too hard.

Spoiler:

[CODE]
        <TerrainArtInfo>
            <Type>ART_DEF_TERRAIN_COAST</Type>
            <Path>Art/Terrain/Textures/CoastBLEND.dds</Path>
            <Grid>Art/Terrain/Textures/CoastGrids.dds</Grid>
            <Detail>Art/Terrain/Textures/StarField_Stardust.dds</Detail>
            <Button>,Art/Interface/Buttons/Units/Transport.dds,Art/Interface/Buttons/FinalFrontier2_Atlas.dds,1,4</Button>
            <LayerOrder>50</LayerOrder>
            <AlphaShader>0</AlphaShader>
            <TextureBlend01>1,180 5,270 9,180  13,270 17,180 21,270 26,270</TextureBlend01>
            <TextureBlend02>1,270 5,0   9,270  13,0   17,270 21,0   26,0</TextureBlend02>
            <TextureBlend04>1,0   5,90  9,0    13,90  17,0   21,90  26,90</TextureBlend04>
            <TextureBlend08>1,90  5,180 9,90   13,180 17,90  21,180 26,180</TextureBlend08>
            <TextureBlend03>3,0   7,180 11,0   15,180 19,0   23,180 27,0   31,180</TextureBlend03>
            <TextureBlend06>3,90  7,270 11,90  15,270 19,90  23,270 27,90  31,270</TextureBlend06>
            <TextureBlend12>3,180 7,0   11,180 15,0   19,180 23,0   27,180 31,0</TextureBlend12>
            <TextureBlend09>3,270 7,90  11,270 15,90  19,270 23,90  27,270 31,90</TextureBlend09>
            <TextureBlend07>4,0   8,270 12,0   16,270 20,0   24,270 28,0   32,270</TextureBlend07>
            <TextureBlend14>4,90  8,0   12,90  16,0   20,90  24,0   28,90  32,0</TextureBlend14>
            <TextureBlend13>4,180 8,90  12,180 16,90  20,180 24,90  28,180 32,90</TextureBlend13>
            <TextureBlend11>4,270 8,180 12,270 16,180 20,270 24,180 28,270 32,180</TextureBlend11>
            <TextureBlend10>2,0   6,90  10,0   14,90  18,0   22,90  </TextureBlend10>
            <TextureBlend05>2,90  6,0   10,90  14,0   18,90  22,0   </TextureBlend05>
            <TextureBlend15>29,0 </TextureBlend15>
        </TerrainArtInfo>
        <TerrainArtInfo>
            <Type>ART_DEF_TERRAIN_OCEAN</Type>
            <Path>Art/Terrain/Textures/FinalFrontier_SPACEGRID.dds</Path>
            <Grid>Art/Terrain/Textures/FinalFrontier_SPACEGRID_GRIDS.dds</Grid>
            <Detail>Art/Terrain/Textures/StarField_Background.dds</Detail>
            <Button>,Art/Interface/Buttons/Units/Transport.dds,Art/Interface/Buttons/FinalFrontier2_Atlas.dds,1,4</Button>
            <LayerOrder>0</LayerOrder>
            <AlphaShader>1</AlphaShader>
            <TextureBlend01>1,180 5,270 9,180  13,270 17,180 21,270</TextureBlend01>
            <TextureBlend02>1,270 5,0   9,270  13,0   17,270 21,0  </TextureBlend02>
            <TextureBlend04>1,0   5,90  9,0    13,90  17,0   21,90 </TextureBlend04>
            <TextureBlend08>1,90  5,180 9,90   13,180 17,90  21,180</TextureBlend08>
            <TextureBlend03>3,0   7,180 11,0   15,180 19,0   23,180 27,0   31,180</TextureBlend03>
            <TextureBlend06>3,90  7,270 11,90  15,270 19,90  23,270 27,90  31,270</TextureBlend06>
            <TextureBlend12>3,180 7,0   11,180 15,0   19,180 23,0   27,180 31,0</TextureBlend12>
            <TextureBlend09>3,270 7,90  11,270 15,90  19,270 23,90  27,270 31,90</TextureBlend09>
            <TextureBlend07>4,0   8,270 12,0   16,270 20,0   24,270 28,0   32,270</TextureBlend07>
            <TextureBlend14>4,90  8,0   12,90  16,0   20,90  24,0   28,90  32,0</TextureBlend14>
            <TextureBlend13>4,180 8,90  12,180 16,90  20,180 24,90  28,180 32,90</TextureBlend13>
            <TextureBlend11>4,270 8,180 12,270 16,180 20,270 24,180 28,270 32,180</TextureBlend11>
            <TextureBlend10>2,0   6,90  10,0   14,90  18,0   22,90  26,0</TextureBlend10>
            <TextureBlend05>2,90  6,0   10,90  14,0   18,90  22,0   26,90</TextureBlend05>
            <TextureBlend15>29,0 </TextureBlend15>
        </TerrainArtInfo>[/CODE] 

Thinking about the background premise; tried to come up with an intro screen blurb for how several earth nations would simultaneously get access to a set of several nearby habitable planets with humanoid aliens:

Spoiler:

The year is 2071. As constant unrest seethes beneath an unchanging balance of power among the elites, the superpowers of China, NAFTA, Russia, and the EU have reached an uneasy stalemate on a deteriorating Earth.

The world seems suspended between chaos and stagnation - until unexpectedly, a half-forgotten collaborative project between a team of international scientists detects evidence of a dormant wormhole-like anomaly lying hidden between Venus and Mercury. An exploratory craft is soon able to enter the anomaly; the spirit of cooperation quickly gives way to nationalist infighting among the project's sponsors as it becomes clear what has been revealed.

The Anomaly enables access to a handful of distant worlds; each Earthlike enough for human habitation, but home to exotic plant and mineral resources that could prove a boon to Earth's dying industry. Humanity is no longer alone - the worlds are sparsely inhabited by a handful of primitive sentient alien species with bizarre language and customs but vaguely humanoid features. Further exploration uncovers faint traces of an incredibly advanced ancient race, whose lost technology constructed the Anomaly as a means of transport, and who some believe created each of the races on the worlds it links - perhaps even Humanity itself.

===== Colonization: 2071 =====

So the "Sail to Europe" deep-ocean terrain already appears close to most continents (planets) and could simply be named The Anomaly (or Wormhole, Rift, etc), which would make sense as a cool way to travel to/from the various planets. Later in development, events could make the Anomaly unstable for several turns, temporarily preventing travel to/from Earth or occasionally cause a ship to exit near a different planet than expected.

Some ideas for replacement resource/citizen types:

Spoiler:

Uranium (Expert Uranium Miner)
Fusion Cores (made from Uranium by Expert Physicist, in building Breeder Reactor)

Xenospores (Expert Spore Farmer)
Biotech (made from Xenospores by Expert Biochemist, in building Biotechnology Lab)

Precursor Artifacts (Expert Archaeologist)
Precursor Tech (made from Artifacts by Visionary Researcher, in building Containment Facility)

Soma (Expert Soma Grower)
Narcotics (made from Soma by Expert Drug Runner, in building Narcotic Refinery)

Firebrand Preacher -> Firebrand Demagogue
Elder Statesman -> Charismatic Politician
Jesuit Missionary -> Eminent Anthropologist

Later in development, we could tweak resources to have different economic effects (eg Narcotics could occasionally be made illegal on Earth, raising their price but worsening relationship with each unit sold. Or, selling narcotics to Earth could increase cost of recruiting advanced specialists.)

[orlanth]

I actually decided to have a quick go at this mod and it went a lot faster than I expected - thanks to the simplicity of Civ4Col and a generous dose of "borrowed" artwork I was able to get a fairly decent playable version in under two weeks! So I hope everyone tries the beta and sends some feedback, I've opened a thread with download link at the civfanatics post below.

Colonization: 2071

There are lots of graphical improvements and other modding issues I could use help with (improved space and ruin terrain, buttons galore, etc) so anyone willing to help please pitch in however you can!

Screenshots

[orlanth]

Just uploaded version 0.02, including an awesome random 4-planet mapscript by TC01:
WePlayCiv thread with link

[orlanth]

Colonization 2071 v0.03 - Playable Alien Natives

I've just uploaded version 0.03 of this mod, which makes a number of gameplay changes including enabling the alien races (native tribes) as playable civilizations that can interact with Earth. Details and download link in the forum thread.