Info regarding Modding ability in Game Developer Magazine

[The_Aussie_Lurker]

Hi guys.

Warpstorm, from Civfanatics, has just posted some info HERE regarding the extent of modding power in Civ4-which is in the latest issue of Game Developer Magazine. Not much info given in the thread but, at 4-pages in length, it sounds like the magazine is worth picking up!

Yours,
Aussie_Lurker.

[GAZ082]

Good aussie.

[Adm.Naismith]

I'm afraid the posts are a bit light on details, also for copyright reasons, I suppose, but I can't buy that mag here in Italy, so...

An interesting point is mentioned by "joethreeblah"

there was a brief paragraph about some kind of new "capacity point" system for railroads...

.

Is infinite railroad movement gone? (or at least limited by capacity, like airport limited to a flight every turn).

[The_Aussie_Lurker]

OK, at the risk of violating copyright , here are some primary issues raised in the article.

1) Reaffirmed the four-tiered modding system (world-builder, XML files, Python Scripting and the Software Development Kit).

2) Key issue is that all changes are 'hot swappable'-meaning that the computer detects any changes and can load them in 'on-the-fly'.

3) Full control of the formation that the multi-figure units, and city layouts, can take under any circumstance.

4) The Gamecore DLL will be a 'pluggable Module', which will make no assumptions about the underlying platform and hardware.

5) XML data includes 'Camera Variables', asset file locations and scales, scripting hooks et al.

6) Every Major, High-level Game function and event is exposed to Python Scripting.

Beyond this info, a lot of it is high-tech jargon and NO , there is no mention of Capacity Points in the article-I sense Joe was having a Lend of us.

Yours,
Aussie_Lurker.

[Solver]

If you are merely stating several main points from an article, or even quoting a sentence or two, you're not violating the copyright .

And it sounds good .

[Stuie]

Originally posted by The_Aussie_Lurker 2) Key issue is that all changes are 'hot swappable'-meaning that the computer detects any changes and can load them in 'on-the-fly'.

Ooh, I like this. I hated having everything stored in the save-game file when making changes in Civ3.

[Adm.Naismith]

Originally posted by Solver
If you are merely stating several main points from an article, or even quoting a sentence or two, you're not violating the copyright .

There is a very thin line between the right of speech about a written book/article and the infringment of copyright, in most of laws around the world. Recent enforcement of the matter is a silly reaction to the new digital opportunity in copy & republishing.

Don't worry Aussie, we'll snail mail to you hardcopy print of CIV IV screenshots, this winter while you'll be held in prison. :

Originally posted by Solver
And it [the news] sounds good .

I agree! But this is not the positive post, so may be I'm off topic!

[Solver]

By official decree of The Powers, every thread except those started by Yin26, the Eater of Cardboard, is hereby declared to be positive.

[Aro]

Originally posted by Solver
By official decree of The Powers, every thread except those started by Yin26, the Eater of Cardboard, is hereby declared to be positive.

[Robert]

Originally posted by Solver
By official decree of The Powers, every thread except those started by Yin26, the Eater of Cardboard, is hereby declared to be positive.

[yin-mode]
This is really bad news. This most obviously means that the game sucks and the developers want the fans to finish it. I even think that the game won't be patched at all. Firaxis will just say: "Why should we patch it? You can patch it yourself"

Not to mention the fact that all the time Firaxis was building and working on these hot-moderatable features they couldn't come with new concepts and ideas. A waste of time I might say.

Perhaps Firaxis should not release this game before July 2239 because of these issues.

I'll print this thread and eat is if in the end civ 1.23 isn't anything more then a scripting tool in which you *could* write a civ-game.
[/yin mode]

[CyberShy mode]
This game will rock so hard! Can't wait!
[/CyberShy mode]

[Aro]

ROTFLMAO!

[yin26]

Actually, I've said all along this is an issue of great promise. Cyber: Keep trying! You've yet to understand me.

EDIT: Just to flesh this out a little bit, I think Firaxis (as a business) will make a Civ 4 game that appeals to the masses. I, frankly, think that version of Civ will be tedious and predictable. But I don't try to blame Firaxis for that (too much). With these mod abilities, however, the neurotic among us can craft our own version of the game, and that's awesome.

For that ability, I must say, I give Firaxis huge marks.

[H Tower]

Originally posted by Solver
By official decree of The Powers, every thread except those started by Yin26, the Eater of Cardboard, is hereby declared to be positive.

I remember a thread not started by yin where we made fun of the melding of a tree and railroad tracks

[yin26]

I think I remember that thread, though I didn't make the comment. The screen shot was pretty funny, though.

[Robert]

I think trees should grow over railroads when railroads aren't used for a long time

And spearmen should have spiderwebs between their spear and their helmet when they've been on 'F' for too long