CivIV and Scenarios

[Broken Hawk]

Is anyone playing CivIV yet? Anyone thinking about creating a scenario?

Looking around the CivIV Creation Forum I haven't seen a single thread on scenario development. Most of the talk centers around Python MODs. Strange.

I've always loved playing the CivII scenarios that have been made. I never created one myself because I can not think of something original.

I have two ideas I think I will work on in CivIV.

[Panda]

I haven't even bought Civ 4 yet (this is something that will have to wait until Christmas, and, incidently, get SDC#5 out of the way first) so I don't really know what is packaged with the game.

Remember that with Civ2 Microprose also included two scenario files for a "Rome" scenario and a "WW2" scenario, and with the first patch then included "Alexander the Great" and "1492" scenario files. These were just scenario files with no modifications to the supporting files, so you could argue that the civ2 engine and environment already lent itself to basic scenarios merely by changing a few parameters; something that would be impossible with Civ3.

Also, if Civ3 players are migrating to Civ4 as a platform, those players will only have modding experience, rather than scenario building (unless they cut their teeth on Civ2 scenarios first). So the quuestion really is how well Civ4 lends itself to 'vanilla' scenarios that require no modding of supporting game files. If this is not plausible then expect to see more modding first before scenario creators build upon that experience.

P.S. who says scenarios have to be original? How many WW2 and Rome scenarios have we already seen that were essentially improving on the basic scenarios with the addition of new techs/units/graphics, and later, events. Don't wait.

[techumseh]

Since I can't run Civ4 on my computer, I remain ignorant of it's actual scenario making capacities. Can you actually make a historical scenario? Specifically, can you:

Make a historical map and place cities and units where you want them?

Change unit capabilities, appearance and sounds?

Reorganize the tech tree?

Program events such as the appearance of units at specified times, pop-up text, changes in terrain, etc?

If yes to all of the above, how difficult is it relative to Civ2 or Test of Time?

[Broken Hawk]

Panda,

My ideas for scenarios are:

1) The Northern Crusades: Teutonic Knights vs. Poland-Lithuania (both civs playable). The objective is total conquest by whatever civ you choose.

2) Outremer: Muslims (playable) vs. Latin Kingdoms (AI). The objective is to drive the Franks out of the Levant.

I get the impression most of the people are CivIII players. I didn't buy CivIII because it was difficult, if not impossible, to tinker with.

techumseh,

I just pulled CivIV out of the box a couple of days ago, but I'm pretty sure the answers to most of your questions are yes. It has a World Builder utility and if you know Python and XML you can do even more. The only thing I'm not sure about are the units. How difficult scenario creation is compared to CivII, I have no idea at this point in time. CivIV comes with a number of scenarios I have yet to explore and pick apart.

[Panda]

Aha!

Civ4 apparently ships with pre-figured scenarios: Greek World, Earth 1000AD, Desert War(?), WW2, American Revolution.

It all sounds really good. But i'll be patient and wait a while. In the meantime, back to work.

BH, both your themes are totally original so I hope you persist with developing them.

[Boco]

Example scenarios! That is indeed good news.

[Broken Hawk]

Originally posted by Panda
BH, both your themes are totally original so I hope you persist with developing them.

The inspiration for The Northern Crusades comes from Stephen Otto's Teutonic Knights scenario and family history that dates back to that time and place. It would probably revolve around the years before and after the Battle of Tannenberg (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Grunwald) and include Livonians, Pomeranians, Tartars, etc..

The idea for Outremer (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Outremer) comes from the Crusades & Reconquestia scenarios I have seen. Instead of Christians marching in against the Muslims, can you as, say Saladin, unite/conquer different factions from Cairo to Mosul and then take on everything from Edessa to Jerusalem. Capture of those cities in particular will set off events simulating the 2nd and 3rd Crusades, the influx of even more infidels. If it not too much, I might add the Christan Kingdom of Cyprus. If it is, that idea could be used for a third scenario involving the Knights Hospitaller (Rhodes and Malta) vs. the Barbary Pirates and Ottomans. But I am obviously getting way ahead of myself.

I will work on them as time permits and do my best to keep it all original.

[duke o' york]

Desert War is a WWII North Africa scenario.

Those ideas sound good.
Can you alter the graphics in the boxed version of Civ IV then? That's great. :eeek:

[Broken Hawk]

Originally posted by duke o' york
Can you alter the graphics in the boxed version of Civ IV then?

All the units in the scenarios are appropriate. I do not have a handle on how to alter them yet. All the scenarios are interesting.

[N35t0r]

I've been playing the Rome scen that came with Civ IV a bit and I've got to say it's pretty similar to the Civ2 one: No custom rules that I've seen, exept a few renamed wonders and I'm suspecting a bit of tinkering in the tech tree.

I haven't played a classical start yet, so there could be more differences though.

As for the world builder, I've taken a short view when I was trying out what units could get what promotions, and there's quite a lot of modding allowed (haven't checked about creating new units though).