Adding new civilization with 1.29f

[jezuskryst]

I just downloaded v1.29f, and I am trying to add a new civilization, but I am having some problems.
I am going to describe exactly what I have done so far and explain where I am having problems. I hope some of you can offer suggestions.

I downloaded the camel icons from http://apolyton.net/dir/index.php?si...20&t=sub_pages and placed the camel folder into the units folder. No problem there. I found some .wav sound effects and put them into the camel folder, then edited the configuration file so it will know when to use the .wav files.
Using CivIIIEdit, I added a new civilization, Arabia. I have no problem editing this civilization, but after this point, I am completely lost. Here's why.
I want to add the camel as a new unit called the jihadi. I think there are 65 units already in the program, but there might be 74, I'm not sure because there are 74 in CivIIIEdit, but only 66 in the ...\civilopedia\icons\units folder. The units folder does not contain the leaders or armies. CivIIIEdit contains leader and army icons as well as two settlers and two workers, one at the beginning (0 and 1) and at the end (72 and 73). So where am I supposed to add the camel icon? Do I go to the units folder and create 66jihadilarge.pcx and 66jihadismall.pcx or should they be called 74jihadilarge.pcx and 74jihadismall.pcx? In CivIIIEdit, am I supposed to erase unit 66 and replace it with a picture of a camel, or is this supposed to go under icon 74? I don't know what to do here.
I also don't know what to do with the ...\Art\units\units32.pcx file. There are 74 units shown here. I think I am supposed to add a camel icon in box 75. How do you do this? I remember trying to edit this file in CivII a few years ago. After weeks of trying to figure it out, I gave up. I still don't know how you change a file like this.
Then, I tried to edit ...\text\civilopedia.txt and got an error message I have never seen before. I did not know you could have a problem editing a simple text file. The error is:

Notepad
Cannot create the C:\Program Files\Infogrames\Interactive\CivIII\Text\Civiloped ia.txt file. Make sure that the path and filename are correct.

What is going on there? How can you not edit civilopedia.txt? All I did was create a new entry for the new unit, following exactly the format for the units already in there. Then I pressed save, nothing fancy.
So there it is. I've tried to explain the problems I'm having as clearly as possible. I hope some of you can offer advice and explain exactly how I can solve these problems.

[Krayzeenbk]

Ok here's how you add that unit:

First, obviously, you want to add the sounds, .ini file, and flics that came with the unit to Art\units\Jihadi\ if you haven't done so already (the Jihadi folder and the .ini inside must have the same name as your unit).

Then, open units_32.pcx and add the camel icon right after the privateer icon (move all the leaders and armies over one spot).

Next, add the unit in CivIIIEdit by using the add button. Your unit's icon should be number 66.

If you want to use the civilopedia with this unit, you will need to create a civilopedia entry (heh)... To be able to save civilopedia.txt, you need to unset its read only attribute. Find it in windows explorer, right click on civilopedia.txt, select properties, and uncheck the read-only box in the dialog that pops up. Then create your entry (PRTO_Jihadi) and have the unit link to it. To add civilopedia icons, you will need to create a large and small icon in Art\civilopedia\icons\units\ (you can name them anything you want). Then you have to edit PediaIcons.txt. At the end of the unit section (search for ICON_PRTO_Privateer), add the following lines:
#ICON_PRTO_Jihadi (assuming PRTO_Jihadi is the civilopedia key)
art\civilopedia\icons\units\jihadilarge_filename.p cx
art\civilopedia\icons\units\jihadismall_filename.p cx

That should add your unit

[jezuskryst]

getting there, sort of

Thanks, your advice helped to partially solve the problem, but I'm not quite there yet.
I am now able to build the unit, but not as the Arabs, who don't even show up on the menu as one of the civilization choices. Forget about that for now. First, I want to understand how to make the new unit work right and show up where it is supposed to.
The program was crashing before I could even see the opening screen, so I erased everything and reinstalled it. I found that when I edited units_32.pcx, the program would not work. So I went back to the original units_32.pcx. Now the program does not crash. I made the Jihadi unit available to the Babylonians. In the build menu, the Jihadi unit shows up as a leader, not as the camel. However, once the unit has been built, it is a camel. It looks and sounds like I wanted it to.
I know it shows up as a leader because I am using the original units_32.pcx file. I have been trying to edit it according to your instructions, but any change I make to the file causes CivIII to crash immediately after I press B with the initial settler.
I am sure that the way I am trying to edit the file is wrong. You can't open a .pcx in Windows Paint, so I have been using IrfanView to open it. I select an icon square and move it over one space. It looks terrible. The lines are not lined up and the icon has become distorted. Of course, CivIII crashes when it tries to access this mangled file. How are you supposed to edit this?
Is it very important to have the grid lines perfectly in line?
Does every non-icon pixel in the square have to be pink?
When you cut out an icon square, do you include the grid lines in the cut area or do you try as best as you can to leave the grid lines out when you cut? How exact does this have to be? I'm not sure I have the right tool to do this.
I have not edited the civilopedia or added 66jihadilarge.pcx into the ...\icons\units folder yet. I'll do that once I learn how to solve the current problem.

[Krayzeenbk]

I am sure that the way I am trying to edit the file is wrong. You can't open a .pcx in Windows Paint, so I have been using IrfanView to open it. I select an icon square and move it over one space. It looks terrible. The lines are not lined up and the icon has become distorted. Of course, CivIII crashes when it tries to access this mangled file. How are you supposed to edit this?
Is it very important to have the grid lines perfectly in line?
Does every non-icon pixel in the square have to be pink?

By 1 space I meant one by one of those big squares. Yes, the lines should be aligned.
I think your civ crashes because the program you're editing the pcx with saves its header in a format that civ can't read. I'd recommed you use Paint Shop Pro (ONLY for editing) or Photoshop (both for editing and new .pcx creation) to make civ3 pcx files.

To add the arabs you need to go to Civilizations and click Add, then set all the settings.

I attached a sample units_32.pcx just so you can see what I mean (this one has 3 extra icons added).

Hope that helps

[jezuskryst]

editing units_32

I found a shareware editing tool on CNET and used it to edit units_32.pcx which now works without crashing. The camel shows up in the build menu, with white space around it because I didn't do a very good job filling in the background with pink. But at least it doesn't crash. Thanks for your help on that.
Now, I'm going to try and create the Arabs. While I still can't get it to work, Arabia now shows up as a choice on the start screen. I hadn't selected Arabia as a playable civ in the scenario properties tab. It crashes anyways if you select it.
If anyone from Firaxys is reading this, you really need to provide some basic documentation. Not all of us think like programmers.