Map Request

[klesh]

Hello again fellas,


Went in today and gave all the units there names. Adjusted their sheilds to fit just right. Made some assorted fixes here and there. Still haven't decided on stats for them though. I have decided on abilities, but I don't know where to start as far as fp, hp at, df etc.

Got the first look at some units grouped together out in the field. They sure look snazzy. I'm sure allthe units will look very familliar to you guys.

A few more Questions


13) Is there a way to have no shield for some units?

14) I am going to have to alot 1 tech for each Civ that needs a government right? Can I use the other gov techs (unneeded such as Monarchy) for other things? I would do this by removing the original tech's category of 'social' correct, and move it to something else?


Okay, thats all for now.
FMK
[This message has been edited by Field Marshal Klesh (edited April 09, 2001).]

[Marko]

Questions 8-9

Use for this case Prereq=no and obsl=nil. Then AI uses given unit and don't disband it.
But even better is to use unreachable tech (which nobody has) as Prereq. Then units appear in Civilopedia (with Prereq=no they don't).

Question 10

Go on, it sounds great!

Question 11

There is Koybashi spreadsheet too. Ask him. It is Excel program which simulates 100s of battles.

Question 12

Cost influences AI only when it uses missiles. But don't forget to check unit roles.

[klesh]

Yeah MARKO!!!

Thank you so much dude. Those really help me.

quote: Originally posted by Marko on 04-09-2001 05:31 AM You can do this way: 1. Take existing units.gif (convert to bmp) 2. Replace unit pictures with Paint 3. Change unit attributes in Unit Editor (You see there unit picture and recognize your units) - it makes changes to Rules.txt

Yeah man, this is pretty much what I ended up doing. Haven't gone into the game to rename yet, because I haven't decided on unit values yet. But I have all the unit graphics in there ready to go!

quote: There are some very good Scenario making guides around. Check them out.

The only ones I've seen are at http://sleague.apolyton.net/ and they are very job-specific help topics. I'm looking for more of a step by step beginner version that will help me understand what is going on, not just what file to change.


Question 8

Let's say I want NO units to be able to be built.
Should the prereq and obsl be nil,nil? Or should it be no, nil? I want no prereq's and no obsolescence. I want to give the units via events and keep them there.

Question 9

Can the AI disband units that it does not have the tech to build?
Meaning, if I give the AI a ton of free 'NON' units that it can't build, it won't get rid of them, right?


Question 10

If units do not need corresponding techs (except the tech to keep national units on their respective side) then I can use the rest of the technologies to enhance the gameplay by intertwining them with events to make things more deep?

I'm thinking like this:

If
Unitkilled
unit=SomethingSpecial
attacker=Germans
defender=Soviets
then
givetech
tech=SomethingSpecialHappened
justonce

and later on...

If
recieved tech
tech=SomethingSpecialHappened
then
createunits


This could allow me to develop a very historical battle correct?

I know those weren't correct events and triggers, but you get the idea.


Question 11

How does one come to deciding on attack and defense stats?
How do I keep the numbers relative?

For instance: I need to have Soviet units to be overpoweringly strong on the defensive, but breakable. I want the German palyer to have to slam lots of units into the city, but not too many.
Is it just trial and error with minibattles, as Nemo suggested, to see if the right things are happening?

Question 12

Unit Cost. I've heard that this effects the AI's decision to attack a particular unit or not. If my units are free via event, should I give them cost values or not? It would be a waste of time if it was not nessicary, but if I can manipulate the way the AI will attack I will try to do so.

Okay, that's it ofr now. Again, thanks for all the help guys!
FMK

[klesh]

Major progress gentlemen!

I have finished with all of the units that I have ideas for so far. They have their cost (which I sorta remebered was relative for missile use, which is exactly what I want it to be ), their attacks, defense, hitpoints and firepower levels. They have their roles set as well. I am now debating the actual gameplay (with events in mind) for the rest of the units. I'd like to get some very interesting pop ups etc when things happen. I'm going to have to try and draw the weirdest things.....

Marko, Thank you so much for your interest and help. Now, what is this about the Civlopedia? I'd love to have the units in there to save an exhaustive readme. So I just make the prereq=no and obslescence=no? Then I would have to tie the units into their particular tech. Sounds interesting, I'll have to think about it more to understand it.

So I have made a Alpha-test. It is the attempted breakthrough into the southern suburbs of the city. Merely a test to get a feel for the unit values etc. Still a long road ahead, and there is alot of work to do just to be able to build a more encompassing test.

Now I need sleep.

[klesh]

Question 15

How does one say Flamethrower in German?

Flamwerfer? I am pretty sure Flammenwerfers is the correct plural usage, but I am not sure of the singular.


Thats all for now. Great ideas are pouring in and things are comming along well
[This message has been edited by Field Marshal Klesh (edited April 11, 2001).]

[Henrik]

I don't know if it will help but Swedish is usually rather simmilar to German and in Swedish it is called "Eldkastare".
Then again some words are completely different, most words are simmilar though...

[Marko]

You have messed with numeration of questions

13) You can draw unit this way that it shadows the shield.

14) Yes. Tech's category is connected only with its icon graphic, nothing else.

Units which prerequisite=no don't appear in Civilopedia. Same about techs. You can design an unreachable tech and make it prereq for all units. Check only that any civ doesn't have this tech from start. This way nobody can build these units but they are in civilopedia.
Also don't forget to make science rate VERY slow - so nobody DISCOVER techs which you want to give by events. Also all civ's must be able to research Future technologies - otherways the game crash.

[klesh]

quote: Originally posted by Marko on 04-11-2001 04:17 PM You have messed with numeration of questions

quote: 13) You can draw unit this way that it shadows the shield.

No dice, the units I want to do this with are very small. No way to really cover the shield....but I can try.

quote: 14) Yes. Tech's category is connected only with its icon graphic, nothing else.

Hmmmm, Very, very interesting...

quote: Units which prerequisite=no don't appear in Civilopedia. Same about techs. You can design an unreachable tech and make it prereq for all units. Check only that any civ doesn't have this tech from start. This way nobody can build these units but they are in civilopedia.

How exactly is it unreachable? I guess I don't understand the explanation. Is a tech 'unreachable' because of the slow science rate, and all of the Civs' inability to DISCOVER advances, or because ther tech itself has been given some kind of 'flag' or property or characteristic thatmakes it 'unreachable'?

quote: Also don't forget to make science rate VERY slow - so nobody DISCOVER techs which you want to give by events.

Okay, what would be a good rate? I suppose it depends on the ammount of turns in the game (not decided yet). I could also make it so there is no trade value in any of the terrain, so as to stop any beaker production, correct? That would in effect disallow any science progress whatsoever.

quote: Also all civ's must be able to research Future technologies - otherwise the game crash.

Okay, where do I make this option available? I'll try to find it as best I can.


I have got a few absolutely fantastic ideas that have developed in the recent days. The meat of the scenario is starting to take shape though the process is a long one. I am thinking of using the 4 square terrain2 trick, though I have no idea how. I'm going to look in on it soon.

[This message has been edited by Field Marshal Klesh (edited April 11, 2001).]

[BeBMan]

quote: Flamwerfer? I am pretty sure Flammenwerfers is the correct plural usage, but I am not sure of the singular

The correct German singular is "Flammenwerfer" and the plural is - surprisingly - "Flammenwerfer" They are used with different articles (sing. "der", pl. "die")

For the Future Tech, if ALL other techs are given via event, give the Future tech the prerequisites nil/nil and make the science rate vvveeerrryyy slow, so that would be impossible to reach the future tech within the game. A good rate? Hmm, haven´t experimented with such high numbers, but perhaps you start with 500 or even higher?

Unreachable techs: a tech that has no/no as prerequisites can´t be researched, so all units that would be available trough this tech can´t ever be built in the game. But you can make a "normal" tech (let´s say tech X) and relate some units Y and Z to it. Give tech X to a civ via cheat menu, then change its prerequisites to no/no. Result: the civ that has received tech X can build units Y and Z, all other civs can´t, because they are not able to research the tech


------------------
Civ2000 hosted by CivII Universum
[This message has been edited by BeBro (edited April 11, 2001).]

[klesh]

He he, 'Flammenwefers' and 'Flammenwerfers'.... Oh, you crazy Germans!

Thank you, BeBro

quote: Originally posted by BeBro on 04-11-2001 06:36 PM Hmm, haven´t experimented with such high numbers, but perhaps you start with 500 or even higher?

I looked via the in-game editor, and found the numers allowable were 1-10, 10 being the slowest rate. Perhaps a larger # than 10 can be inserted via the 'notepad' method? I've never done this.

quote: Unreachable techs: a tech that has no/no as prerequisites can´t be researched, so all units that would be available trough this tech can´t ever be built in the game. But you can make a "normal" tech (let´s say tech X) and relate some units Y and Z to it. Give tech X to a civ via cheat menu, then change its prerequisites to no/no. Result: the civ that has received tech X can build units Y and Z, all other civs can´t, because they are not able to research the tech

That would work under normal cercumstances, but I am thinking of having all units be given( both player's and AI's) via "as close to historical as will allow" events.

What I need is to have units viewable in civlopedia, unbuildable, devided into 3 Civs.


Maybe like this?

I. 'Battle o' Stalingrad tech'

A. Germany Theme Tech
i. tech for unit
ii. Tech for unit
iii. etc...

B. Soviet Theme Tech
i. tech for unit
ii. tech for unit
iii. etc...

C. Soviet ThemeII Tech (alternate Sov. Civ)
i. you get the point...


This is very confusing for an actual first timer. I've never looked this deep into the game of Civ before: Mind Officialy Blown.

I had a minor let down today as well. One snazzy idea i read about in the Civ2 Creation forums didn't work. Damn, it was a good idea too.


[This message has been edited by Field Marshal Klesh (edited April 12, 2001).]

[Mercator]

quote: The only ones I've seen are at http://sleague.apolyton.net/ and they are very job-specific help topics. I'm looking for more of a step by step beginner version that will help me understand what is going on, not just what file to change.

There are three brilliant scenario making guides over here: http://gene.wins.uva.nl/~jvermeir/civ2/guides.htm

[BeBMan]

FMK, you can slow down the science rate via the "Tech Paradigm" settings (via Cheat Menu > Scenario parameters, or directly in the rules.txt).

The standard entry for the tech paradigm is 10, any higher number means a slower rate, and you can enter very high numbers here easily (as said, I´m not sure what the highest allowed entry is). A tech paradigm of 20 means that research is as half as fast compared to the standard settings. I a big scn with lots of cities and many turns this can be still too fast. I experimented with 30 or 40 in my scns, but that would probably not enough for your scn (if Future tech is the only available tech, and should not be reached within the game), so I think you need much higher numbers

------------------
Civ2000 hosted by CivII Universum

[klesh]

quote: Originally posted by BeBro on 04-12-2001 07:06 AM If Future tech is the only available tech, and should not be reached within the game, then I think you need much higher numbers

Well, how about this? Can you rename future techs to something like "Urban Tactics". Then if the Civs do discover them (which won't give them any units or anything) then it'll be like the Civ's have "learned" how to do battle within Stalingrad. Merely an atmosphering alteration, but I like the idea. So there is no problem renaming Future techs right?

[Marko]

Yes you can rename Future Techs to whatever you want.

You will get some feel about science rate values when you have finished your map and sat up civilizations. Then change the rate in Cheat menu and look how fast the science is in different nations.

[klesh]

Ran into some trouble today. Apparently some of my terrain graphics were protruding beyond the limits, resulting in wierd graphics effects. Spending time repairing the situation before I forget. Big thanks to WarVoid for showing me what's up.

Hoping to get alot done this weekend, including getting some largerscale test battles simulating all kinds of things. Steady as she goes.