TP, idea for powerslics

[TP]

Alanus,


I think it is important to show information only once, thus we should find a solution to show only one messagebox or alertbox for the capitol with no other messages around.

Did you try to work with this built-in variable for the capitol (quoting from the SLIC documentation):

player.capitol - The player's capitol city. Can be used in place of "city" in many places. Triggers at the beginning of the player's turn.

I wonder whether there is a way to simply put something in the messageboxes for the standard 1.2 building/unit/wonder built messages like (no real code, just the principal what I think could be done follows):

if city==player.capitol
then StandardText (standard patch 1.2 code)...
else BewareWeAreTalkingOfTheCapitol Text

Maybe then the [action.1.name works]. May be worth a try, but maybe you have already tested that... just tell me.

Yes I also find it very "interesting" that city.queue is 1 when it is empty. I found that out very soon when playtesting and have incorporated it correctly in the unit-building-queue bugfix.


TP


Interested in playtesting some of the new features ? I could send you a first alpha on the weekend...


[This message has been edited by TP (edited September 08, 1999).]

[Alanus]

TP,

I was not able to perform additional tests yesterday (I was a little bit sick), but I'll try to see tonight what can be done using your suggestion. However, the trouble is that the [action.1.name] built-in is called already from a messagebox. Your idea may work, if one can call an alertbox from within a messagebox. I'll test that in addition to other ideas I've got.

Yes please send me your alpha version. I cannot commit that I'll test it next week-end, but I'll do my best.

Alanus

[TP]

Alanus,


Hope you are feeling better now. Don't panic, I do not want to push you in any way on testing my alpha version. I'll send it to you in the late weekend - feel free to comment it and test it whenever you want (as version 2.0 will surely have to wait until we have the SLIC documentation from Activision).

I think my suggestion may work. You are right that the [action.1.name] is called from a messagebox, but it is actually called in the add_str.txt, and not within the messagebox code itself. So I think we can use new hardcodes strings with [action.1.name] in case a city is identical with the capitol (to be checked within the respective standard messagebox). Also, I did a similar thing to get rid of the endless-unit-building bug and it worked. So you may have success...


TP

[Alanus]

TP,

Thanks, I’m fine now. I posted yesterday to your attention the script and string parts of my Capitol alert box modification, to be included in your PowerSLIC. Everything is now working well

Eventually, calling an alert box from within the standard 1.2 building built message is working, and the [action.1.name] can be used in its local context. So, it means that a message box or alert box can be called from another one, which is interesting (cascading messages). I didn’t try how deep you can do this.

I have added another alert box that appears when the capitol that you have put in a city queue has now started to built. This is a workaround for not having this message all the time when you select the capitol in a city queue. However, there is still one case where is doesn't work : when you select the capitol as the first item in the city queue. In this case, there is no message of any kind

While testing my modification, I noticed that when you build a wonder, you now have two messages : the new wonder built message, and the old 46WonderComplete message. There is definitely one too many, and I suggest to eliminate the second one (we could merge the strings, so that the message text is more solemn). But, maybe did you notice that too and make the necessary.

Also, another suggestion for installation of your PowerSLIC, in line with a former suggestion I did to you, but which is now more interesting with the scenario support. I guess you will keep PowerSLIC as an independent modification package, in parallel to having it included in the Apolyton’s pack.

So, I suggest that the files are zipped with the right directory, so that they install directly where they have to when unzipping the files. Using the scenario support, you can put the new strings into a file called ‘scen_str.txt’ and the additional SLIC into a file called ‘scenario.slc’. Obviously, you have to provided a modified ‘script.slc’ with the concerned messages outcommented and a modified ‘messageicon.txt’, but to install in the scenario directories. Also, since there are now 3 languages (English, German and French), if you provide 3 ‘scen_str.txt’ files in their respective directories (\scenario\PowerSLIC\[language]\gamedata), it will work whatever of these 3 languages you are using.

I know that your argument is to say that people who use modifications know what they are doing, but I guess that, still, they prefer to have smart installation, that doesn’t jeopardize the default game (using scenario support). Those who will merge PowerSLIC with their own modifications will know what to do then, starting from this default installation. Those who are not familiar with modifications will be happy to install and play without doing nothing.

Alanus

[TP]

Alanus,


I am writing this here still in my office. As I will travel directly after close of business for a nice week-end in Barcelona, I just wanted to say Thank-You for your code (have not looked in it yet). I will incorporate it and send you the latest version of PowerSLICs 2.0 Beta late Sunday night.

On the installation of PowerSLICs, I have read your suggestions but am still not convinced that much to be honest.

You write that "Those who are not familiar with modifications will be happy to install and play without doing nothing." But that is not true in all cases: Some people play with patch 1.2 only, a lot of people play with patch 1.2 PLUS CD's MOD, fewer play with other MODs that may change the "script.slc", "messageicon.txt" or "info_str.txt". If I follow your suggestion, PowerSLICs would only be installable for patch 1.2 players only and for noone else.

However I think PowerSLICs is a good addition to all kinds of MODs (especially as there are no changes in game balance in there) so people who want PowerSLICs will always -rightly- want to be PowerSLICs compatible with other MODs.

I simply can not guess all possible combinations of MODs and all potential future versions of existing MODs and provide people with different versions of the files.

So I will most likely keep the installation instruction (I reorganized and rephrased them to make them easier to understand). In parallel I have written a Visual Basic code which is able to dynamically change the necessary files on the hard-drive of players. However not everyone has VB installed (my version is coming from Office 97) so this is a dead-end, too. If somebody could write a installation script which can be used on all possible Windows-Platform AND which is able to incorporate future changes as well (without compling or rewriting that script again, i.e. it should read the changes from a database including all current changes), this would be a great help.

There is another point: Actually the scnenario support in patch 1.2 will be a major MAJOR issue for all Mod-Makers including for me as the creator for PowerSLICs. Let me give you an example:

ModMaker1 publishes a MOD1, uses the sceneario-feature and thus his files are in an own folder.

People love MOD1. They are crazy for it. They download it, install it and play with it. Everyone is happy including those who can not or do not want to change files manually.

ModMaker2 makes another MOD2 which is complentary to MOD1 and enhances MOD1 even more. However it could also be used as a stand-alone MOD or as an addition to other MODs (that could be PowerSLICs for example). This ModMaker either uses the standard folders or a seperate folder via the scenario-feature.

People love this MOD2 as well. They are crazy for it. They download it and install it.

Issue: Without changing files manually, noone will ever be able to play both MODs at the same time in one game. Which will be a desaster for ModMaker1 (getting a lot of partly very unfriendly support questions around "Why is your dumb MOD not compatible with others - Do something !", it will be a desaster for ModMaker2 (getting the same questions) and it will be a desaster for people who can not or do not want to install Mods manually.

Thus to be sure that PowerSLICs are compatible with all possible combinations of other MODs or scenarios, I need to tell people to install it manually as I do not want to limit PowerSLICs to patch 1.2 without any further MODs only. Also I do not want it to be an add-on for CD's MOD as the most used MOD. PowerSLICs is something for everyone who likes its features.


TP

[This message has been edited by TP (edited September 10, 1999).]

[Alanus]

TP,

Have a good week-end. I'll be out of town next Monday, so I won't probably be able to do anything else on CTP before Tuesday.

I agree that ModMakers like to mix mods, but my installation suggestions were not for these people.

Alanus