CSPL... The wait is (almost) ended...

[Angelo Scotto]

Sorry for delay but i'm very busy in this period (sometimes i think professors don't want me to release CSPL )
Anyway, as you can read in the Title i'm ready to upload CSPL library, i just have to check if all files are at their place, to re-read the manual and to re-test examples, so i should (no, i MUST) mail it to Apolyton and Cradle of Civilization this tuesday or wednesday.
The main tutorial scenario is still where i left it last time i wrote here, so you've to figure out how to use CSPL without looking at its source-code anyway i've added to the manual some examples that should explain well how CSPL works, and, after all, you can always ask me
(BTW, If you've a problem with CSPL post a thread here instead of sending me an e-mail: in this way everyone will read it and the answer will be more useful).
Expect a, probably buggy, but incredibly powerful (and complex...) new scenario design tool.

To St.Leo and DarthVeda:
I found some bugs in the CSPL library version i sent you, anyway without the manual i think the library was pretty useless...
Don't worry, the manual has been completely rewritten in HTML, it contains all functions with a lot of examples, So, don't worry if you found hard my beta of CSPL (highly probable), this version will be very very easier.

Greetings,
Angelo

[Miner]

May I be the first to say

YYYYYYYYEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS SSSSSSSSSSSSSS!!!!!!!!!!!

[SCDARS]

YES!!!! I hope so!

P.S:

quote: ... so i should (no, i MUST) mail it to Apolyton and Cradle of Civilization this tuesday or wednesday.

It's Wednesday now (at least in Europe)

[DarthVeda]

that was kind of hard to pick through...

[Angelo Scotto]

Ok, i sent it.
I tried to send it yesterday but my connection was incredibly slow so i had to give up.

Phew, it was an hard work boys, but i'm very happy now it is finished (ok, ok, probably now i have to correct a sea of bugs, but it's not as creating the whole thing from zero).

BTW forgive me for the bad english in manual, i'll be glad if someone more skilled than me (this means nearly all ) wants to correct all errors i placed into it, any volunteer ?

Greetings,
Angelo

[Kull]

Sure. Send me the manual and I'll clean her up up for ya.

[Angelo Scotto]

Thank you Kull,
i'm sending you the full CSPL so you can also have a look of the whole thing.
I don't think to upload the version with the corrected manual soon (i don't want to feel the wrath of Apolyton and Cradle webmasters...) so take it veeery easy.

Greetings,
Angelo

[Civfan]

Unwrapping the box and blowing off the dust..... Finally something cool for this game.... Thanks Angelo Scotto... Your work here is very apreciated for the TOT gamers.... May all praise you for your wonderfull skills and your devotion.... thanks again....

Civfan..

[William Keenan]

Thanks Angelo! This looks powerful beyond my greatest expectations!

Now, time for dumb questions ...

To use this new tool I must have a C++ compiler, correct?

The end result will be an EXE file, right?

[Angelo Scotto]

Thank you Civfan, i'm glad to see that you've decided to give Tot a second chance.

William,
as i wrote in the manual you'll need a C++ compiler and, at the end, you'll obtain an exe file.

I suggested also Borland C++ compiler 5.5 'cause it is free and CSPL library was realized and tested with it.
(you can download it from http://www.borland.com/bcppbuilder/freecompiler/ ).

Anyway, if well configurated, CSPLCompanion (a batch file included with CSPL) should be able to compile and link projects automatically
(calling the compiler with right parameters)

About the EXE, i wrote this also in manual but it's better to underline it here again:

The use of executables downloaded from internet can be very risky, and CSPL programs will not make an exception.
Since they will be executables they can be used to deploy viruses or other bad things on a scenario player's computer,
Personally i find this a great problem, but it was unavoidable (at least without placing heavy constraints on CSPL power).
In the manual i suggest 3 ways to avoid these problems:

1) Every CSPL designer should add the source-code and makefile of CSPL client with the corresponding scenario; in this way everyone can check the sourcecode and test for its harmless.
2) Every user worried about security should re-compile the source-code on his computer before using it (this means the user has to download CSPL and Borland Compiler).
3) Every web site hosting scenarios should execute steps 1 & 2 to certify CSPL scenarios as clean.

Recompiling the source-code should avoid viruses or other bad things, while checking the source-code should avoid "evil designer's gifts"
(What if an event formats the HD when a particular unit is killed? this is not a virus but something similar).
Following the third suggestion, instead, creates some "safe places" where to get CSPL scenarios.

Greetings,
Angelo

[SCDARS]

Sorry for my impatience, but when and where can I download it? I dont want to miss it

I also wonder if it will be possible to enforce government changes under certain cirumstances (f.i. the first civ building the "Acropolis" wonder will instantly get democracy which will otherwise unreachable, or the human player building a new palace will switch to Republic once a new palace is build)

Other ideas:
- How about Granting unbuildable wonders to an AI civ in a certain year?
- Or a wonder being "cleared" (but NOT destroyed) after some turn?
- The first city build on a certain Island will automatically get a wonder ?
- or each new city of a certain nation will have a certain city improvement (which perhaps cannot be sold)?

Would this be possible?

[Angelo Scotto]

quote: Sorry for my impatience, but when and where can I download it? I dont want to miss it

I really don't know, i sent the package to William (Cradle) and Sven (Apolyton) 25 April, so i think we've to wait still some days.

quote: I also wonder if it will be possible to enforce government changes under certain cirumstances (f.i. the first civ building the "Acropolis" wonder will instantly get democracy which will otherwise unreachable, or the human player building a new palace will switch to Republic once a new palace is build)

You mean obtaining just democracy advance or to force change as soon as circumstances are met? Anyway, you can do both things (if i haven't placed bugs in Civilizations management routines )

quote: Other ideas: - How about Granting unbuildable wonders to an AI civ in a certain year?

Yes, easy to do (if you can express the year in game turns)

quote: - Or a wonder being "cleared" (but NOT destroyed) after some turn?

Yes, easy to do

quote: - The first city build on a certain Island will automatically get a wonder ?

Yes, easy to do (If you play on a premade map, otherwise it will be very difficult)

quote: - or each new city of a certain nation will have a certain city improvement (which perhaps cannot be sold)?

Yes, easy to do (but i think it will be difficult to prevent their sale)

quote: Would this be possible?

Well, i haven't implemented them but, as i said, i don't see great problems, so again, yes, they should be easy to do.

Greetings,
Angelo
[This message has been edited by Angelo Scotto (edited May 04, 2001).]

[The ANZAC]

Excuse my ignorance, but how can this program execute events that were never made to be done in ToT?

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""I had hoped we were hurling a wildcat on the shore, but all we got was a stranded whale!"-Winston Curchill on the Battle of Anzio

"Quis custodes ipsos custodiet?" -Juvenal

"I can walk!!" -Dr. Strangelove

[SCDARS]

Congratulations, Angelo, I downloaded it just this morning!
The only mistake I found until now was in the documentation: The wonder-related decription for PHASE 3 of Chapter 11 doesn't make sense to me...

quote: Originally posted by The ANZAC on 05-06-2001 09:16 AM Excuse my ignorance, but how can this program execute events that were never made to be done in ToT?

If my understanding is right , CSPL helps creating an C++based executable file which will run simultaneously to ToT and change the ToT memory info. Perhaps this could be compared to invisible hexediting the savegame in the background, to say it in the words of a programming newbie like me .

[Xin Yu]

I have a favour to ask. I am not into scenario building but I'm interested in exploring the saved files (or 'hex editing'). It seems that not all unit and city info are displayed in this utility since there are some unknowns there. Could it be modified so that all bytes are displayed for selected units/cities for me to track the change? This way it will be easier for me to find what those bytes mean. Thanks.