The Altera Centauri collection has been brought up to date by Darsnan. It comprises every decent scenario he's been able to find anywhere on the web, going back over 20 years.
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Call To Power 2 Cradle 3+ mod in progress: https://apolyton.net/forum/other-games/call-to-power-2/ctp2-creation/9437883-making-cradle-3-fully-compatible-with-the-apolyton-edition
Originally posted by GAZ082
Ive checked the 13 min video... i wonder if the AI will make cool promotion combos or just the same every other game.
aha, now you've touched on a very important subject: if the AI is not able to make interesting promotion combos, then the whole system is just... sort of ruined.
If they can't make intelligent combos it should at the very least be a bit random, not like the 4 end techs in RoN where the AI always picks the same tech as #1 tech
Originally posted by The diplomat
I kinda have the impression that unit stacking is out. I hope I am wrong.
You can definitely stack units. Not sure what it looks like on the map though...
PC Lamer feature article mentions that artillery now "damages every unit in a stack". And the ign thing quoted above mentions "more intelligent stacked movement".
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Originally posted by Alex
aha, now you've touched on a very important subject: if the AI is not able to make interesting promotion combos, then the whole system is just... sort of ruined.
I disagree.
In SMAC, the AI couldn't take advantage of most of the complex mechanics (including the dear social engineering). Even if the CIV AI doesn't take advantage of the promotions, it will still be an interesting mechanic that will be dear to the players IMO.
Besides, the fanbase will get to tweak the AI. It is likely that after some time, we see AI mods where the AI is significantly beefed up. It has worked for CtP2, so I think it'll work for CIV, where the fanbase will be much bigger.
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You know, I still say that The Manhattan Project is far more unbalancing as a World Wonder than as a National Wonder. Lets face it, if you are soooo far ahead that you can build TMP 'unopposed', then you have the game pretty well sewn up already-and I am hoping that the late-game will be shaken up in a way as to make things far less 'cut and dried'. Also, though, why should my enemies and allies alike benefit from all of MY hard work and investment? In fact, why should I build TMP at all-I should just sit back and wait for some other poor sucker to build it!!! By making TMP a national wonder which benefits-at most-you and your allies, you not only make every nation work hard for its nuclear capability, you also make alliances much more important!!
Originally posted by Locutus
SDK is probably the most abused term in the history of computer gaming, I've seen it being used to refer to anything from a scenario editor right down to the full source code. If Soren explains it as "basically the game and the AI code that people can use to compile a seperate DLL", then he *is* referring to the actual source code. Not the full game, I'm sure: the graphics engine and network code and stuff like that probably won't be included (Gamebryo is a licensed product so Firaxis couldn't release that code if they wanted to), but as long as Firaxis keeps supporting the game (as opposed to what Activision did) that's not the sort of code fans will want to change anyway. But IF the entire core of the game itself is exposed (big if, but that *is* what it sounds like), the possibilities are literally endless...
Want to bet money on it?
An SDK is an SDK. Source code is source code. The difference between both is clear cut.
The Windows SDK can be used to compile own applications (well, or DLLs if you wish so), which run under Windows. Same with the SDKs of countless other GUIs in present and past. Neither of these SDKs contains a single line of source code short of maybe some examples for function usage. The Civ4 SDK (still refuse to call it CIV, this name has yet to be earned) will make it possible to write your own DLL and call functions of the game engine. Call them. Not modify them. This will be enough to mod the game.
I understand your wishful thinking, but don't put your expectations too high. You will be disappointed.
Originally posted by Locutus
Can you compile those into a DLL, as Soren specifically said?
1 - No you can't. Headers contain only prototypes and declarations.
2 - Soren didn't say they can be compiled. He said they can be used to compile your own DLL. That's a difference. I use a library (= binary) file (for instance the MSC library) to compile my own programs. I don't need to compile the library itself, so its source code is not necessary. And as said above, I don't need the source code of Windows to compile a program that runs under Windows either.
Ohhh, i can see my Imperial Guard with a bonus in city fights or my Imperial Border Police keeping the AI out of my territory with a bonus in senty and perhaps a ZOC ability (if it does exist).
Originally posted by Sir Ralph
An SDK is an SDK. Source code is source code. The difference between both is clear cut.
In the real world of software development? Yes, of course. Any programmer, including yours truly, is intimitely familiar with them. In the gaming industry? No way.
As I've said, I've seen it being used to refer to anything from litterally a map editor (in some obscure RTS game, don't remember the name) to the full source code of a game. In Freelancer for example, the SDK is a large collection of INI files. Again, it is the single worst butchered and abused term in the gaming industry. If someone uses the word SDK in relation to a game, you have to listen to the context to figure out what he means, the word itself is utterly meaningless.
Originally posted by Sir Ralph
1 - No you can't. Headers contain only prototypes and declarations.
Exactly.
2 - Soren didn't say they can be compiled. He said they can be used to compile your own DLL.
Soren also said "basically the game and the AI code" -- so that's actual code, not headers. If he meant headers he would've said headers. Soren is one person who will know the difference...
Originally posted by GAZ082
... or my Imperial Border Police keeping the AI out of my territory with a bonus in senty and perhaps a ZOC ability (if it does exist).
You don't need to do that. Borders aren't violated in C4, so surround your opponents with culture ... and don't BECOME surrounded!
In SMAC, the AI couldn't take advantage of most of the complex mechanics (including the dear social engineering). Even if the CIV AI doesn't take advantage of the promotions, it will still be an interesting mechanic that will be dear to the players IMO.
Besides, the fanbase will get to tweak the AI. It is likely that after some time, we see AI mods where the AI is significantly beefed up. It has worked for CtP2, so I think it'll work for CIV, where the fanbase will be much bigger.
Well... 3 years of developing is a lot of time to tweak things like this. If i have to modify and invest time i dont have in tweaking the AI (or wait for someone to do it), someone has been 'testing' too much the game and spent very little time doing his job, this is, programming the AI.
If they implement neat features, the AI has to cope with them and actually teach the gamer how to use them in the first games. And then, when the gamer surpases the AI, the AI will have to adapt and create new special units to fight my Imperial Guard or similar unit with nice combos of promotions.
I wonder if i can name the units... Now with the abilities, you can actually make Alpine Troopers, Imperial Guard, Marines, Siege Engineers Corp, etc. etc. Let me imagine more and please tell me that you can borrow troops to an ally ala Paradox's Victoria...
Has anyone else thought of this or found an answer to the following?
Some civs have 2 leaders. If I chose to play as France, I chose from Napoleon or Louis XIV, I get that part.
But what about the AI civs? Does the AI chose randomly from the 2 leaders, or is it chosen by the player before the game?
If you can chose or chose a random setting, i figure that would be cool. But if it was a decidedly randomly generated choice, I think that could develop into some boring games if you get alot of peaceful leaders.
Ninot, a related question is "Can I Change leaders in mid-game?" !!
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What is this stuff about promotion "choices"? If my Legion makes a successful assault in a forest or city, should that enable amphibious assaults? Of course not. It should be related to the involved combat and perhaps be randomly selected, maybe giving extra weight to previous promotions received if they relate to the combat.
Originally posted by Jaybe
Ninot, a related question is "Can I Change leaders in mid-game?" !!
I would guess not simply for the fact that it would make it too easy to make sure your leader is pleased then, unless theres a penalty, in which case what is the point?
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