Will Civ3 Have A Scripting Language?

[Peter Triggs]

Well, it's October: the month that Civ3 will finally be released. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I, at least, have not heard the slightest hint that it will come equipped with a scripting language. If we haven't heard anything by now, it looks to me like we ain't gonna get one.

[tniem]

It seems the more we know about the game, the more questions we have. And little answers seem to be coming. But I would guess that your assumption is correct.

[Inverse Icarus]

oooh a scripting language would be too cool.

i mastered UScript within a few weeks, and im sure if Civ had something like it i'd be set.

source code would be better

[Sirotnikov]

Scripting would be cool.

Source code would not, as C++ is usually more difficult to follow, and completely unnecessary for scripting AI, once a good scripting language has been defined.

If we could tweak the AI, or suppose, create new leaders besides the default ones it would be great.

Imagine if I could with a script change the romans from caesar to - musolini and change their bonuses and overall strategy.

Imagine if I could refine the behaviour of AI ships!

Imagine if I could make some sort of script driven events for a scenario!

Imagine all the people...

[java4me]

Originally posted by Sirotnikov

Source code would not, as C++ is usually more difficult to follow, and completely unnecessary for scripting AI, once a good scripting language has been defined.

I think that source code would be fine too, just because some people can read it fine!!!

[player1]

Some people still play (and MOD) CTP2 just becausce it has wonderous
scripting language. CIV 3 should have one at least as good scripting
language as CTP2.

[Mister Pleasant]

Don't hold your breath for a scripting language. I get the feeling that if it hasn't been hyped by now . . .

[Roman]

Actually, Firaxis has already confirmed that Civ 3 will indeed have a scripting language. I don't remember which thread this was in though...

[Mister Pleasant]

Actually, Firaxis has already confirmed that Civ 3 will indeed have a scripting language.

If so, soon it will be alien time . . .

[Buck Birdseed]

Originally posted by Roman
Actually, Firaxis has already confirmed that Civ 3 will indeed have a scripting language. I don't remember which thread this was in though...

A "comprehensive civilization editor" and a "macro language" do not Scripting Langauge make. Still, they go a good part of the way.

[squid]

Having to develop and write code 8 hrs a day, I don't think I'll be playing with Civ's language. It may be useful for scenarios, but all of the interesting AI hooks are buried in the code...

Who asked for the source? Yeah right.... you clearly do not get capitalism. The only reason Red Hat and the Linux distros make it is because they sell technical support. Code does not write itself for free!

[Roman]

Originally posted by Snapcase
A "comprehensive civilization editor" and a "macro language" do not Scripting Langauge make. Still, they go a good part of the way.

Oops, I thought macro and scripting language are the same thing. What is the difference?

[MarkG]

Originally posted by squid
It may be useful for scenarios, but all of the interesting AI hooks are buried in the code...

have you seen what people have done on ctp2's ai?

[Roman]

Originally posted by MarkG
have you seen what people have done on ctp2's ai?

Since I don't own CTP2, no I have not. Have they managed to improve it significantly (say compared to the deity ToT AI)?

[Peter Triggs]

Debatably. Actually most of the modifications to CTP2's AI were done by tweaking the data in the text files. But there are some nice hooks that let you get directly into it. For example, I've been playing around with the "WW2 scenario" that was provided. You can add your own user defined strategies to Strategies.txt, so I added two: WW2_GERMAN_LAND_GOALS (which sends the Panzer divisions to capture cities) and WW2_GERMAN_AIR_GOALS (which sends the Luftwaffe to bomb the hell out of anything nearby). To get the AI to use them:

if (tmpPlayer == 1) {		// If current player is German
	      ConsiderStrategicState(tmpPlayer, 9900, StrategyDB(STRATEGY_WW2_GERMAN),-1,-1,-1);
	      tacticalGoals=Random(100);
	      if (tacticalGoals<66) {
	           ConsiderStrategicState(tmpPlayer, 9999, StrategyDB(STRATEGY_WW2_GERMAN_LAND_GOALS),-1,-1,-1);    
	      }
              else{
	           ConsiderStrategicState(tmpPlayer, 9999, StrategyDB(STRATEGY_WW2_GERMAN_AIR_GOALS),-1,-1,-1);
		   SendTroopsToTheater(); //Blitzkrieg land tactics
              }

"SendTroopsToTheater()" is a function that picks up any spare German troops and sends them to where the action is. So on any given German turn there's a one in three chance that the Luftwaffe will go for you, otherwise the Panzer divisions will. This randomness, I believe, makes the game a bit more interesting.

This is the sort of thing I've been hoping that we'll be able to do with Civ3, but so far things don't look that promising.

EDIT: I almost forgot. The award for the most *imaginative* analogy of the day goes to Sirotnikov.