What do you want in Mod Guide?

[Darkknight]

I am writing a modification guide to help beginners to modify practically anything in the game. I was looking for what chapters people wanted and what layout eg: Technologies, What files and examples on how to change certain things.keep the chapters simple like terrain units techs. I've begun work on chapter one after a failed chapter on terrain * it's small but ive only had an hour half of which was making mistake with terrain and having to reinstall the game


[This message has been edited by Darkknight (edited January 04, 2001).]

[Locutus]

Well, I don't need it myself, but I think step-by-step how-to guides would be very useful for many people (including a section with frequently made mistakes), such as how to add a unit (feel free to steal from me ), how to add an advance, how to add a wonder, city improvement, trade good, civ, government, etc. for just about any game-object. The good thing is that 90% of this info is already in the forums somewhere, you just have to find, reorganize and possibly rewrite it, how much work can that be?

[Darkknight]

Unfortuanetly i mucked up my first eg. so revision of it will take half an hour will post new revised version it 30-40 minutes.Hark i hear ctp2 installation music.
I really mucked it up

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" mind over body "

[Darkknight]

here is the revised and correct version of chapter 1.Units. This is only one part of it there will be many more examples like how to add units and change individual characteristics and yes a wot-not-todo section.
Modification Guide V1.0 Written by Darkknight


Chapter One : Units

To modify units these are all the text files you will need:
From D\Program Files\Activision\Call To Power 2\ctp2_data\default\gamedata
Newsprite.txt
Sounds.txt
SpriteID.txt
Uniticon.txt
Units.txt
Units_historic.txt
Units_release.txt
From D\Program Files\Activision\Call To Power 2\ctp2_data\english\gamedata
Gl_str.txt
Great_Library.txt
Junk_str.txt
Ldl_str.txt
From D\Program Files\Activision\Call To Power 2\ctp2_data\default\aidata
UnitBuildLists.txt

Changing a units name:
Step One: Open the file sounds.txt change all of the old units names to new units name.
Step Two: Open SpritesID.txt again change all old names to new names.
Step Three: Open Units.txt change ONLY the sound names eg:
## UNIT 64
UNIT_SWORDSMAN {
Description DESCRIPTION_UNIT_SWORDSMAN
DefaultIcon ICON_UNIT_SWORDSMAN
DefaultSprite SPRITE_SWORDSMAN
Category UNIT_CATEGORY_ATTACK
Attack 20
Defense 10
ZBRangeAttack 0
Firepower 2
Armor 1
MaxHP 10
ShieldCost 460
PowerPoints 250
ShieldHunger 5
FoodHunger 0
MaxMovePoints 200
VisionRange 1
EnableAdvance ADVANCE_IRON_WORKING
ObsoleteAdvance ADVANCE_INDUSTRIAL_REVOLUTION
ActiveDefenseRange 0
LossMoveToDmgNone
MaxFuel 0
CanEntrench
CanExpel
CanPillage
CanPirate
ExertsMartialLaw
DeathEffectsHappy
IsSpecialForces
SoundSelect1 SOUND_SELECT1_LEGION
SoundSelect2 SOUND_SELECT2_LEGION
SoundMove SOUND_MOVE_LEGION
SoundAcknowledge SOUND_ACKNOWLEDGE_LEGION
SoundCantMove SOUND_CANTMOVE_LEGION
SoundAttack SOUND_ATTACK_LEGION
SoundWork SOUND_WORK_LEGION
SoundVictory SOUND_VICTORY_LEGION
SoundDeath SOUND_DEATH_LEGION

CanAttack: Land
CanAttack: Mountain
CanSee: Standard
MovementType: Land
MovementType: Mountain
Size: Small
VisionClass: Standard

CanReform {
Sound SOUND_ID_REFORM_CITY
Effect SPECEFFECT_REFORMCITY
}
}
Here I have changed the samurai units name to Legion changing only the Sound names. The Samurai's sprite file was named swordsman.

Step Four: Open Units_Historic.txt change all old names to new names
Step Five: Open Units_release.txt again change all old names to new names
Step Six: Open gl_str.txt change old name on the right to new name. Eg:
UNIT_SWORDSMAN "Legion"
Step Seven: FOR GREAT LIBRARY EDITING ONLY. Open Great_Library.txt change all old names to new names. Except for when this line appears!!:

The ATABASE_UNITS,UNIT_SWORDSMAN>Legion
(or old units name!!)
Then just change second name.

OR WHEN THIS LINE APPEARS!!:

[UNIT_SWORDSMAN_HISTORICAL]
(or old units name!!)
Do not change.



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" mind over body "

[Paul]

units_release and units_historic are obsolete files left over from CTP1, so there's no need to edit them.

[Calphor]

How about a section for the AI modifications developed thus far? This would be very useful to those of us who enjoy the game, but want more of a challenge (and don't have the time or savvy to figure it out on our own!).

[MrFun]

I have no problems learning modifications for the text files. What I would REALLY like to see now is a SLIC manual for those who have no knowledge in computer programming.

For instance, right now, I do not know what modifications would require SLIC and what modifications would only require changes to be made in the text documents.

Is anyone up to that challenge?