Test-of-Time - Escape from Sol - Scenario V1.0 Alpha Now available

[Kestrel]

Yes folks,

The Test-of-Time scenario I have been working on for the last few weeks is now available for download from : http://www.users.bigpond.com/kestrel17

For further details see the Overview Synopsis which can be found at : http://www.users.bigpond.com/kestrel17/UM-OVIEW.htm

Yet more details can be found in the embedded read-me file and in the Civilopedia.

Doubtless it still contains one or two bugs, but it appears to play-test O.K. and most things even work (gasp) !

Any constructive criticism welcomed.

Enjoy,

Kestrel17@Bigpond.com

[Kestrel]

Whoops...

That Overview Synopsis URL should, of course, read ...
http://www.users.bigpond.com/Kestrel17/ESCOVIEW.htm

Regards,

Kestrel17@bigpond.com

[Walterwise]

Hey Kestrel,
I am having trouble downloading you scenario get disconnected from server about 95% of the way through. I can go back and finish but then nothing is there?

I also hope that you are some other CivII scenario maker is willing to help me get started with TOT. I have been working on a couple of scenarios in CTP and am finally fed up after a couple hundred hours of work. I have never tried in Civ II to make a scenario. The Cheat editor is self explanitory but How do I:
1. set up the files. ex. do I create a scenario file and where do I put it, do all the altered text files, etc go in this file?
2. can you use civII units in TOT?

I hope someone is willing to help me out as I was going to download your scenario and see how you set up everything. I have a couple of good Ideas that I want to carry over from what I was working on in CTP. They really made it almost impossible to put anything out as you can tell by not very many real CTP scenarios.

Thanks to anyone willing to take the time to help me get started.

[Fast_Eddie]

SLeague Design Tips

Here are some tips that you might be looking for.

[Kestrel]

Hmmm, regards your download problem, not sure if I can help you there. The Scenario file IS big, and if you phone-line / modem / ISP combination is noisy it might be causing you grief, I can try to mail you the zip file if you like, but that still has to come down your line in the same way. Mail me at Kestrel17@bigpond.com if you would like me to do this.

If you just want to see a Rules.txt you can download the "RealMove" add-on to Mod-Pack Unit-Mania.
Its only 20Kb and so may sneak through you line 'noise' window.

URL = http://www.users.bigpond.com/kestrel...lMove-V2.1.zip

"How to Set up the files"
I just use Notepad or Wordpad to change the basic parameters in the Rules.txt.
And to create the Events.txt and modify the other text files.
I always found the FW editor somewhat limiting.

"Do I create a scenario file and where do I put it, do all the altered text files, etc go in this file?"
As far as where to put the Scenario files, they should go into a separate directory under your Test-of-Time directory (for example, if your Test of Time directory was /MPS/CIV2-TOT then they would go into a directory /MPS/CIV2-TOT/YOUR-SCENARIO which would sit 'alongside' the directories "Original" "ExtendedOriginal" "Fantasy" etc.

The folder "Midgard" in Test-of-Time is actually a scenario folder that illustrates this approach.

"Can you use Civ2 unit (icons) in ToT ?"
Most certainly. (I did for some of the non-vehicle unit icons because I find the Test-Of-Time warriors , horses etc. hard to tell apart) You will need a graphics editor program (such as Paint Shop Pro) to cut & pasted them into the Units.bmp file. (You will need to "get rid" of the other Unit sprites or be running the Test-of-Time patch V1.1 for them to appear properly however - See one of my "read-mes" for further details.)

Much of this is alluded to in the "Tips" document alluded to by Fast_Eddie

There is also an excellent guide entitled "Advanced Scenario Design" by Leon Marrick and Harlan Thompson - This can be found at http://www.cyberaddiction.com/guide.htm

Test-of-Time seems to offer a whole extra set of "levers" that makes Civ2 mod-packs and Scenarios more customisable. Details of this can be found in the Forums Test-of-Time Sub-section.
See also Macro.txt in your Test-of-Time directory. (Best if you read it alongside some example Events files)

You can see also the Rules.Txt files (This is the main "Logic" file apart from the Events files that generally gets modified) at my Web-Site for some extra stuff on ToT which might not be yet covered in the SLeague_Design_Tips.

That is, assuming you can download it... Good Luck.

[Walterwise]

Kestrel,
Thanks for taking the time to help me out, I really appreciate it!!! I was real frustrated after spending so much time on CTP and ending up nowhere. I will start studying all over again. I am enjoying the challenge. I just installed units mania yesterday and have started a game. I am working on a historic scenario series with 3 or four different ones that follow one after the other. I got rid of my CivII game so I guess I will have to learn this in TOT, but it sounds like they have added a few things so maybe this is a good thing.

Thanks again Im sure I will have more questions down the line. Also thanks to Fast Eddie for your help.

[Tornado7]

Dude, I went to download the scenario from your site. I got it ok, unzipped the sound file fine, but I had serious trouble getting the scenario file unzipped. My evil computer said the file was corrupted and download it again. I will on Friday, but I thought you should know in case it's something on your end.

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"And how much, my fellow warriors, can a world change in a mere 800 revolutions??!!"
-Shiplord Kirel, Worldwar:In the Balance

[Kestrel]

Thanks for the tip.

I just tried downloading it from a different computer (I'm at work now) and the zip
Civ2-ToT-ModPack-Unit-Mania-V1.47.zip does appear to be O.K. at this end. (at least, I can unzip it after download and access / read all the files.)

It may be that it got corrupted whilst downloading to your computer (this has happened to me with other files from other sites on occasion.)

All I can suggest is to try downloading again, and if more people have the same problem I'll bust the zip up into smaller chunks so that it might guarantee a better download success rate.

If anyone else strikes grief (regards that web-site) please let me know and I'll try to figure out some alternatives.

Regards,

Kestrel.

[Kestrel]

Whoops,

The OTHER zip :
Civ2-ToT-Escape-From-Sol.zip
DOES appear to have a problem.

It must have happened to the V1.1 version in the upload to my ISP from my home PC. I will repost the zip tonight (my time i.e. GMT +10hrs) and hopefully it will be fixed tomorrow.

Thanks for catching it.

[Kestrel]

O.K. I've uploaded that Zip again, hopefully that has fixed the problem.

(When I re-downloaded it seemed to be O.K.)

Sorry about that folks...

[Tornado7]

No problem, glad I managed to catch it. I'll dowmload it again later. =)

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"And how much, my fellow warriors, can a world change in a mere 800 revolutions??!!"
-Shiplord Kirel, Worldwar:In the Balance