Preliminary release of Mars scenario (Take 2)

[J Bytheway]

That's OK. I remember you mentioned them in Land Ahoy, now...

[J Bytheway]

OK, I've put the texts zip on another website and redirected the link on mine to point to the new copy. Anyone who was having trouble should now be able to get the working version. Please tell me of any other problems you encounter.

[FlameFlash]

Thanks J... I'll try downloading that one... the one you sent me didn't work either...

[J Bytheway]

Argh!! This sounds like it might be a more fundamental problem. If that one doesn't work either then I have another plan...

[FlameFlash]

Well... the one I downloaded from your site (the new one) worked great!

I didn't really understand how to install it other than by dropping it in the scenario folder... but it does work.

Though the city grew messages didn't really work that well... didn't properly put in the city name and city size after the alert.

I like the militia idea though, that way you're garunteed some defense from barbarians. Is Mars supposed to look all forested and stuff like Earth though or did I do something wrong in the set-up?

[J Bytheway]

If you've just dropped it in the scenario folder then you won't be using the correct Const.txt and you won't get the Great Library. See the readme for details on what you have to do... If you can't follow the instructions get back to me.

The city size messages: do you mean that they say like [city.name] or something? In that case you should set DebugSlic=Yes in userprofile.txt. (It says this in the readme too...)

There's no barbarians on Mars! AI players crash the game, and barbarians are no exception. Even a lone mob will cause a crash. I really wish I knew why.

The terrain: Yes, see the first page of this thread - I'm working on this (slowly... it's not easy to change the terrain appearance). It may look the same but the values are different.

Tell me if any/all of that helps, and then is your offer of a PBEM game still open?

[FlameFlash]

And this is why I'm a Mac user

The readme is great in PC-speak but doesn't do much for me in the ways of manipulating my Mac.

Though once I understand what's going on I can write an Applescript that will do everything your .bat files do... I just need to understand what it is your .bat files actually do first.

And I'm certainly interested in a PBEM game after I figure out what's going on.

[FlameFlash]

This afternoon I'll try looking at your .bat files with a text editor and try to figure it all out...

[J Bytheway]

I don't know how macs work, but I can give a summary explanation of the batch file:

Copy constma.txt and gamefile.txt from ...\Mars\default\gamedata to ...\ctp_data\default\gamedata

Copy everything from ...\Mars\english\gamedata\gl to ...\ctp_data\english\gamedata\gl (That's nearly 2000 files, so it'll take a while)

If you want the screenmod then copy everything from Mars\english\uidata and also Mars\default\graphics\patterns into their respective ...\ctp_data\... directories.

I think that's it. When you want to switch between Mars & normal games you need only to edit gamefiloe.txt and change the line const.txt to constma.txt or vice versa. Don't worry about the effect this has on PBEM, since the contents of const.txt is carried along with the save game, so you don't have to change it just to load a PBEM turn.

[FlameFlash]

okay... do some of these overwrite any of the original files? One thing I had tried to do is just name my Mars folder ctp_data but that didn't work because I was seemingly missing quite a few files.

I'll try all of that when I get home though.

And if you want to go ahead and start a PBEM game I'm certainly game... if the const.txt rides with the game save then all I'll really need to do is drop all of those other files in their respective directories and not worry too much about editing gameiloe.txt unless I want to start a Mars game myself, right?

[J Bytheway]

That's correct. In that case you can skip the first step and just copy the GL files (and screenmod if you wish - but that's purely cosmetic). Without the GL you'll never figure out what's going on , so it's fairly important. The GL files won't overwrite anything, but the screenmod ones will (originals are in Mars\english\uidata\layouts\orig 1.2). I'll fire up a PBEM game.

[J Bytheway]

What civ/leader name would you like?

[FlameFlash]

If the screenmod ones are purely cosmetic then I'll skip overwriting anything by putting them in and just go with the GL files into the right place... I like knowing what's going on (though I don't always anyway)

How about Native Americans: Firestarter.

What other settings are we going for?

[J Bytheway]

I was planning for warm/dry/sparse goods/uniform to look marginally like Mars, but then slightly towards ocean/island because I think that makes a better game even though it's un-Marslike. Earthworld becuase donut confuses me and Huge because I want us to have a chance to reach fairly far down the tech tree, but I do want us to meet at some point. Pollution on and Bloodlust off because thats 'normal'. Any objections?

[FlameFlash]

sounds good to me! Too bad can't have only natural resources like minerals... It'll seem strange to find beavers on Mars.

I guess in this scenario it'd be after the atmospheric terraforming and ice cap melting has taken place, huh?

I'll look forward to seeing the turn!