cIV E3 stuff

[Harovan]

Originally posted by Locutus
I'll be the last to be overly optimistic and I agree with Sir Ralph that it remains to be seen how much we can expect from this source code, but source code it definitely is.

My standpoint is still that to achieve binary modability the release of the source code is not a necessity.

There are 2 possible approaches.

Approach 1 allows a DLL with additional code, which extends the AI. If this DLL exists, it will be called by the game AI on defined events and overrides the standard AI behavior. This approach does not need the AI source code, but merely a set of headers, documentations and maybe examples and an import library for the game DLLs. The source code to be compiled and linked against the (possibly existing) game library you would have to provide yourself. This would be like modding by scripting (reacting to events), only in binary form. This approach was my favored interpretation until the second link was posted.

Approach 2 provides a DLL which replaces the game AI. This approach would need the source code of the game AI to be released. However I still can not believe that it will be realized. It would mean they give the user the opportunity to screw the whole game, while it still holds their name.

Extension or replacement? Only time will show.

[GAZ082]

I dont wanna lazy workers! I want cities rioting and doing nothing! In late game, if a worker does nothing has no impact, but a couple of cities rioting...

[GAZ082]

Originally posted by Sir Ralph

It would mean they give the user the opportunity to screw the whole game, while it still holds their name.

Extension or replacement? Only time will show.

I can make a mod with nuddie pictures as resources and still say its CIV III.

So, your point is irrelevant!!!! Irrelevaaaaaaant!!! AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

[SpencerH]

It certainly looks like Firaxis have listened to the fans (but then they always did that IMO).

Some points:

Soren mentioned a server that (as I understand it) will allow MP games to be saved and continued. If correct thats great.

Are there any indications about interdiction of trade? IMO that was a big loss in civ3. Micromanaging caravans was a pain but it gave meaning to navies.

[Solver]

Most probably, the SDK will be something like what Valve did with Half-Life and Half-Life 2. That is, the engine code is not released, but the entire code to the game itself, including all game systems and AI, is released. In that case, the game essentially consists of an exe file that is the engine and calls the DLL for all game-related functions. But you can compile an entirely different DLL and create a different game (there have been racing games built on the Half-Life engine with the SDK).

The main reason I don't believe Firaxis will be releasing the full source code is the Gamebryo engine, which is also used for Pirates. It's a somewhat new engine, and it does not seem plausible to me right now that someone would give away the code to a new engine. Granted, Gamebryo is not the Source Engine or Unreal Engine3, but still...

[Psycho Billy]

Originally posted by Solver
The main reason I don't believe Firaxis will be releasing the full source code is the Gamebryo engine, which is also used for Pirates. It's a somewhat new engine, and it does not seem plausible to me right now that someone would give away the code to a new engine. Granted, Gamebryo is not the Source Engine or Unreal Engine3, but still...

And more importantly, Firaxis doesn't own it...

[GAZ082]

The 3D engine has nothing to do with source code. The 'engine' is a set of libraries.

But if you mean about the grahics, man, i bet because the graphics and music the game is being delayed, otherwise it would be gold now.

Oops, i forgot: "and thats why they will never release the graphics in 3D Studio or whatever program they are using, it is a lot of work and money invested in artists."

[Solver]

The 3D engine has nothing to do with source code. The 'engine' is a set of libraries.

What, so the engine does not have source code to it? The FULL source code for a game is engine, game systems, AI and whatnot. The engine we're obviously not getting.

[GAZ082]

Aye, the 'engine' has source code, because it has been programmed. Now i got it, and i bet that Firaxis will never release the source code of it because a single reason:

If they have the choice of releasing it, it is because they actually bought the source code, and doing that is DAMN EXPENSIVE. DAAAAAAAMN expensive. So i bet they will not be glad to release the engine code.

[Spiffor]

Originally posted by SpencerH
Are there any indications about interdiction of trade? IMO that was a big loss in civ3. Micromanaging caravans was a pain but it gave meaning to navies.

There will be "automatic trade routes" once you broker a deal. The statement can be interpreted as if a route is physically present on the map, and can be interrupted by hostile action (as in CtP).

However, it can also be interpreted as a way of saying "trade will be like in Civ3, but there'll be stuuf you can trade"

[Zoid]

Originally posted by vovan
Fascism (I think??)
- Enables Police State
- Can Construct Mt. Rushmore

Mt Rushmore is fascism?

[vovan]

I know... Weird, huh?

[Shogun Gunner]

It is very "nationalistic", no?

[alva]

Men, that means 'source code'. In Python you cannot make dlls coz is an interpretative language (like BASIC) and you cannot compile a sh1t, no DLLs, no EXE no nothing! You need Python or a program that understands Python, having a kind of embebbed Python interpreter in CIV.

If I'm not mistaken, you can compile Python too, though it was not the way it was intended to work.

[Zoid]

Originally posted by Stefu

They get about a million un-PC points for including real-world religions, though. Oh, the debates in ol' Civ3 List Religion thread...

What´s so controversial about including real world religions? This crap about leaving out terrorism is so pc it makes me wanna vomit. You can become a fascist dictatorship and nuke the hell outta everyone, but you can´t poison their water supply or blow up goverment buildings to cause panic and general mayhem?

Damn hypocrits