1.35 Cradle game repots request...

[J Bytheway]

It is this problem which prompted me to permit combinations of mods in ModManager - you can specify that Cradle needs the ApolTileFile - it won't work if the tile file is not installed and it is obvious to the user why not.

[Kull]

Is there a known bug involving the unit update code? Because sometimes it works, and sometimes it doesn't. A while back I got the advance that upgrades Horsemen to Cataphracts, and all the upgrades occurred perfectly. But now after finally making it to the Dark Ages, the game gives a message that asks whether I'd like to proceed with a unit update - and when I answer "Yes", nothing happens. No more messages, and no upgrades. Earlier there was a similar problem involving the upgrade from Belfroi to Catapult. In that case I didn't have enough Gold to upgrade them all. A message appeared which indicated we'd begin to cycle through the list and I'd be given an opportunity to select units for upgrade, but that never happened, and none were advanced. I was able to solve this problem by delaying the Tech until I had enough cash to upgrade all Belfroi units. On the other hand, earlier in the game this incremental upgrade option worked fine (when going from spearmen to hoplites). Any thoughts on what's going on here would be appreciated!

Another oddity involves Naval battles. I've noticed that if I attack an enemy stack with a navy composed of heptiremes and triremes, my heptiremes do not receive "archer-type" support from the triremes. On the other hand, if the enemy attacks my force, the triremes sit in the rear of the battle and lob stuff at them. In effect, this means I can't initiate naval battles and have to maneuver my forces in such a way that the enemy attacks first. Aggravating to say the least. What's especially odd is that I've never seen this behavior from land forces. Any thoughts?

Oh, and one more. The music no longer plays during my game. Even if I start a new one! Unit and Event sounds aren't affected, and the music which accompanies the opening credits works fine. Only the in-game music is affected (a check of the options indicates that it should be playing, but it just doesn't)

[Martin Gühmann]

Well for the unit placement in battles I already saw this on land, my archers that should be in the second row instead in the first row. Finnally I solved the problem by regrouping the stack, I removed all the second row units, and added them again so that these units weren't anymore on the front positions in the stack.

-Martin

[stankarp]

I have always had trouble with the unit updater in cradle. Does not work all the time as Kull described.

With the naval units I think also there is an error in one of the early naval units in units.txt that means it does not bombard and I wondered if it caused the lack of ranged attack in combat.

I'll have to try Martins suggestion and see if it makes a difference.

[stankarp]

Back to unit updater, how about people keep a record of updater failures in cradle to see if we can establish a pattern.

Or can U look at it Martin please as I find it very annoying. The AI updates everything automatically and we cant, even if we have saved the gold.

[Peter Triggs]

AAK! You guys are still playing with the old version of the updater.

Here's a new version. If you've installed CTP2 in the normal way, unzip to the drive you've got it on (probably C: ). Otherwise, unzip to your desktop and then cut and paste.

I don't have Cradle 3.5 installed, so I didn't have any saved games that I could test it on. But it works fine in my mod and I've just changed some data so that it should work with Cradle.

Here's the main differences between this and the old one:

1) You can update when you get the advance. At this point you have the option of updating land units that are in cities or forts, sea units that are in cities, or air units that are in cities or airbases. There is a cost involved and if you don't have enough gold you won't be able to update your units.

2) An easier way is to use the 'Sentinel' button. To update units that are still obsolete because they weren't in the proper location or you couldn't afford it, you can move them to a city (or fort, or airbase) and press the 'Sentinel' button. You'll then get a message asking if you want to update the unit. This procedure can be automated.

(Also, the AI will not necessarily update all it's units.)

Another oddity involves Naval battles. I've noticed that if I attack an enemy stack with a navy composed of heptiremes and triremes, my heptiremes do not receive "archer-type" support from the triremes. On the other hand, if the enemy attacks my force, the triremes sit in the rear of the battle and lob stuff at them. In effect, this means I can't initiate naval battles and have to maneuver my forces in such a way that the enemy attacks first. Aggravating to say the least. What's especially odd is that I've never seen this behavior from land forces. Any thoughts?

I've noticed this sort of thing too. I think the game must handle naval battles differently from land battles.

Oh, and one more. The music no longer plays during my game. Even if I start a new one! Unit and Event sounds aren't affected, and the music which accompanies the opening credits works fine. Only the in-game music is affected (a check of the options indicates that it should be playing, but it just doesn't)

Exactly the same with me. Not that I miss it, cause I like listening to the radio but does anyone know why this is happening?

[stankarp]

Hi Peter,

I have been using the latest updater and still had trouble.

However, I am working on a mod which involves 12 new units for the ancient period of cradle.

To include the new units in the updater, would I simply have to add aditional entries in the following arrays?

1) EN_ADV[0]=AdvanceDB(ADVANCE_BRONZE_WORKING);
OLD_UNIT_TYPE[0]=UnitDB(UNIT_SPEARMAN);
NEW_UNIT_TYPE[0]=UnitDB(UNIT_HOPLITE);
PER_UNIT_UPDATE_COST[0]=280;


2) if (theAdvance== AdvanceDB(ADVANCE_BRONZE_WORKING)){
if (HasAdvance(thePlayer, ID_ADVANCE_BRONZE_WORKING)){
advanceChk=1;
}

New wadvances/units include migration (Hun Raider), seamanship (Galley), animal husbandry (heavy cavalry), and a few more and several new units with existing techs are reached such as scout at water lifts and swordsman at copper smelting.

However, the new updater is great for the human but not for the AI. Is it possible to combine the two updaters so that the AI updates automatically in the old way but the human does it the new way? This is simply for play balance purposes as any experienced person can wear down the AI in succession with relative ease.

[Peter Triggs]

Hi Stankarp,

To include the new units in the updater, would I simply have to add aditional entries in the following arrays?

1) EN_ADV[0]=AdvanceDB(ADVANCE_BRONZE_WORKING);
OLD_UNIT_TYPE[0]=UnitDB(UNIT_SPEARMAN);
NEW_UNIT_TYPE[0]=UnitDB(UNIT_HOPLITE);
PER_UNIT_UPDATE_COST[0]=280;


2) if (theAdvance== AdvanceDB(ADVANCE_BRONZE_WORKING)){
if (HasAdvance(thePlayer, ID_ADVANCE_BRONZE_WORKING)){
advanceChk=1;
}

Yes, that's all you need to do.

However, the new updater is great for the human but not for the AI. Is it possible to combine the two updaters so that the AI updates automatically in the old way but the human does it the new way? This is simply for play balance purposes as any experienced person can wear down the AI in succession with relative ease.

The only restriction on the AI's updating is that now it won't update units that are on your territory. If you want to allow this, the easiest thing to do is find the following segment of code in the AI_UnitUpdater handler (line 345 if your editor has line numbers):

     locChk=0;
     locOwner=CellOwner(tmpUnit.location);
     if (locOwner == -1){
          locChk=1;
     }
     elseif (!IsHumanPlayer(locOwner)) {// IsHumanPlayer(-1) causes IPF
          locChk=1;
     }
     if (locChk){//on unowned or non-human ground
          OBS_UNIT_ARRAY[NUM_OBS_UNITS] = tmpUnit;
          NUM_OBS_UNITS =NUM_OBS_UNITS +1;
     }

Change "if (locChk){//on unowned or non-human ground" to "if (1){//on unowned or non-human ground". This will make the AI revert to the original system. I changed it because I thought it looked odd that on one turn I'd be threatened by a stack of one type of units but on the next turn, I could see them morphing into other units. I don't think that this will make a big difference in gameplay though, and if you don't like the way it turns out, you can easily undo the change that you'll make.

[hexagonian]

I'm stumped on the music issue, because in the Succession game that I'm playing with stankarp, I'm able to get the music to play with no problem.

As for the status of Cradle, stankarp and I are currently addressing some of the issues that are cropping up in Cradle 1.35, and there will be a v1.36.

One of the issues we are looking at the city cap/happiness issue with the AI, which seems to a problem on games on gigantic (+) maps. As a sidenote, my personal games were on huge maps, so this problem was not an issue for me.

He is doing all of the actual work - I'm just adding my 2 cents to the process...

[stankarp]

I have never had a problem with music, I even start the game, put a different cd in for a change and have no problem.

I hope to be ready for play testing all new features for 1.36 in about 4-6 weeks. I am trying to make the time line play out more historically and add a few features to give it a new feel and make it fun to play, mainly to provide rewards for positive action and forward planning.

I am concentrating on the ancient period as a start. There are about 12 new techs, 11 new units, tweaked a few things, 3 new concepts (pillage bonus, advance from city capture, supply train). Specialist infantry units(peltast, hypaspist and Roman Auxilliary) have a flanking ability to reflect there special training. Fast ranged units have a small bombard ability which the AI does use. Later ranged units can also bombard and counter bombard.

With kind help from David, IW, Pedrunn and Martin, I hope it will give people a new experience:-)

[stankarp]

Hi Peter,

What would be the best approach re power points and my new units. I wanted some of them to upgrade if possible.

Choose the same power point no as a comparable unit ? I want to upgrade warriors and advanced warriors at copper smelting. Create new details above for them and advance copper smelting?

[Peter Triggs]

Here's the current system (with the units I'm coding up):

PowerPoints Coding System


0 - UNIT_CATEGORY_GENERIC

UNIT_CITY
UNIT_OCEAN_CITY

1 - UNIT_CATEGORY_SETTLER Land Settler

UNIT_SETTLER
UNIT_URBAN_PLANNER

2 - UNIT_CATEGORY_SETTLER Sea Settler

UNIT_SEA_ENGINEER

3 - UNIT_CATEGORY_SPECIAL

UNIT_DIPLOMAT
UNIT_SLAVER
UNIT_ABOLITIONIST
UNIT_CLERIC
UNIT_SPY
UNIT_LAWYER
UNIT_CORPORATE_BRANCH
UNIT_TELEVANGELIST
UNIT_EMPATHIC_DIPLOMAT
UNIT_NUKE
UNIT_CYBER_NINJA
UNIT_INFECTOR
UNIT_ECO_TERRORIST
UNIT_ECO_RANGER


10 - UNIT_CATEGORY_NAVAL can't bombard
[these and only these should be transports]

UNIT_AIRCRAFT_CARRIER
UNIT_CARRACK
UNIT_CATAMARAN
UNIT_CLIPPER
UNIT_LONGSHIP
UNIT_RAIDER
UNIT_TROOP_SHIP

11 - UNIT_CATEGORY_NAVAL Naval can bombard Water

UNIT_FRIGATE (PT boats)

12 - UNIT_CATEGORY_NAVAL Naval can bombard Land, Mountain, and Water

UNIT_FIRE_TRIREME
UNIT_BATTLESHIP
UNIT_DESTROYER
UNIT_GALLEON
UNIT_IRONCLAD
UNIT_PLASMA_DESTROYER
UNIT_SHIP_OF_THE_LINE

20 - UNIT_CATEGORY_UNDERSEA

UNIT_CRAWLER
UNIT_DREADNAUGHT
UNIT_KRAKEN
UNIT_SCOUT_SUB

21 - UNIT_CATEGORY_UNDERSEA can bombard Water

UNIT_SUBMARINE
UNIT_MOREY_STRIKER
UNIT_NUCLEAR_SUBMARINE

30 - UNIT_CATEGORY_AERIAL can't bombard [air transports]

UNIT_CARGO_HELICOPTER
UNIT_SPACE_PLANE

31 - UNIT_CATEGORY_AERIAL can bombard Land, Mountain, and Water

UNIT_ATTACK_HELICOPTER
UNIT_BIPLANE
UNIT_BOMBER
UNIT_FIGHTER
UNIT_INTERCEPTOR
UNIT_JET_BOMBER
UNIT_STEALTH_BOMBER
UNIT_STEALTH_FIGHTER

38 - UNIT_CATEGORY_AERIAL Aerial Special

UNIT_SPY_PLANE

39 - UNIT_CATEGORY_AERIAL is Missile (cruise and nukes)

UNIT_CRUISE_MISSILE
UNIT_NUKE

50 - UNIT_CATEGORY_RANGED

UNIT_ARCHER
UNIT_ARQUEBUSIER
UNIT_COMPOSITE_ARCHER

+ all Great Leaders

51 - UNIT_CATEGORY_RANGED can bombard Land, and Mountain

UNIT_BOMBARD
UNIT_CANNON
UNIT_CATAPULT
UNIT_EARLY_CATAPULT
UNIT_HOWITZER
UNIT_WAR_WALKER (+ air)

52 - UNIT_CATEGORY_RANGED can bombard Land, Mountain, and Water

UNIT_LIGHT_ARTILLERY
UNIT_ARTILLERY
UNIT_MOBILE_SAM (+ air)

60 - UNIT_CATEGORY_FLANKER

70 - UNIT_CATEGORY_ATTACK

80 - UNIT_CATEGORY_DEFENSE (special) [immobile]

UNIT_LEVIATHON
UNIT_PILLBOX

81 - UNIT_CATEGORY_DEFENSE (proper) [bonus against flankers]

UNIT_HEAVY_MACHINE_GUNNER
UNIT_HOPLITE
UNIT_MACHINE_GUNNER
UNIT_MUSKETEER
UNIT_PIKEMEN

82 - UNIT_CATEGORY_DEFENSE is Militia (all have Defense bonus against flankers)

UNIT_HOPLITE_MILITIA
UNIT_PIKEMEN_MILITIA
UNIT_MUSKETEER_MILITIA
UNIT_MACHINE_GUNNER_MILITIA
UNIT_HEAVY_MACHINE_GUNNER_MILITIA

The thing is that, although you can use UnitDB(tmpUnit.type).field where the field value is an integer, you can't get strings this way. So I've used the powerpoints field to first of all duplicate the UNIT_CATEGORY entrys and then sometimes, within these categories, I've subcategorized to get at other strings.

[stankarp]

Thanks. :-)

[stankarp]

Hi Peter, for future reference, does the following entries have to be in any order (to save having to renumber all advances in the list each time i ad one)?

) EN_ADV[0]=AdvanceDB(ADVANCE_BRONZE_WORKING);
OLD_UNIT_TYPE[0]=UnitDB(UNIT_SPEARMAN);
NEW_UNIT_TYPE[0]=UnitDB(UNIT_HOPLITE);
PER_UNIT_UPDATE_CO

With these entries, any order as well?

if (theAdvance== AdvanceDB(ADVANCE_BRONZE_WORKING)){
if (HasAdvance(thePlayer, ID_ADVANCE_BRONZE_WORKING)){
advanceChk=1;
}

Thanks.

[stankarp]

I managed to add new advances and other changes for the updater.

Very happy to report that my first two upgrades, copper smelting/advanced warrior to heavy swordsman and bronze working/spearman to hoplite were perfectly successful.

My honest congratulations Peter, looks like a job really well done. The old updater was such hard work, this one matches one of the few features of Civ3 that was better than Ctp. Now its on a par.

I tried to alter line 345 for the ai updates but it led to over 50 slic errors. I was very careful re the placing of the space, and double checked but it did not work on both times I tried it. However, on reflection, I wont bother with it thanks. Most Ai units will upgrade anyway because they are in cities and the few that are left wont hinder the ai that much, it gets such big bonuses that it actually will probably benefit from the need for the human player to capture a city or march all the units back to another city.

Again, great work Peter.:-))))))))))))))