Custom Mod Pack

[TracerFox]

Hey all! Just visited the files area of Apolyton and grabbed a bunch of addons and mods. However I could use a bit of help now.

I was hoping if there was anyone here who might be able to help me create a custom mod-pack using the specific features and/or mods I would like to use?

Essentially I would like to use A, B and Z mods, but each one's installation requires you to overwrite files.
If I was just using A, it wouldn't be a problem, except that when I install B, it overwrites some of A's changes. And so on...

I was hoping that there might be someone here who could help me figure out what each mod changes, and integrate them all together into a single set of files, then create a self-extracting archive Or better yet, if someone could create a true installer for the mess.

As soon as I have a list of specific mods and individual features, I'll post a reply with that list...Right now i'm going through the docs on each of the different mods I downloaded to find the stuff that I want to use...

[TracerFox]

Feature List for Pack

Here is a list of the specific mods and their features that I would like to use. I have all of these Mod files, but would like to get some help or advice on how to integrate all this into a single Mod, Installer, or Scenerio Pack:

CD's Mod 'CTP as it was meant to be':
I've read through the docs on this one, and I like all the changes this mod makes.

Seems to be a well-developed balancer mod. I want to use everything here...

Alan Beale's 'Alt Colors' Mod:
This mod changes the civ flag colors, as well as the colors the mini-map uses, to

make things more easy to see. A good idea, since in the default game it's sometimes very

hard to spot enemy units and cities on the minimap.

"whtedrgn"'s C130 Transport Plane Unit:
Just a single unit addon. If there is no kind of air transport midway through the

game (Seems like it's available during Modern Age), then I think adding this unit would be

a good thing.

UNIT GRAPHICS FOR VERSION 4.2 OF CELESTIAL DAWN'S "PLAY CTP AS IT SHOULD BE" MOD:
I don't know if this mod overwrites any files needed for CD's or other mods.

Obviously having graphics for CD's new units is a good thing...

'Cow Mod':
Supposedly this mod is supposed to put the 'Cattle' unit back into the game.

HARLAN'S GRAPHICS MOD:
This Mod adds a bunch of new stuff to the game. I want to keep the new city

graphics, the new Industrial Age. I can even handle having the civilizations and leaders

changed...

Avvv's improvement mod:
This mod has only function which I actually want to use. It changes the

timeline so the game ends at 4000AD rather than 3000AD. I prefer longer games so this

appeals to me. The other changes this mod makes: Adding a Cruise Missile (Allready done in

CD's mod), Adjusting the difficulty ratings (Don't want to). There is one function I might

want: Adding a Herculese Transport Plane. I need someone's advice on how this unit compares

to the C130 Transport Plane above. I might even choose to add both.

LW1 ADD-ON – FOR CELESTIAL_DAWN’S MOD:
This Mod has a bunch of changes, some of which alter CD's origonal balance changes.

I really only want to keep the 4 new governments and their Library entries. If possible I'd

like to see how these new governments balance with the changes CD made to the origonals.

Nordicus New Trade Goods:
This Mod is supposed to add a bunch of new Trade Goods to the different terrain

types, replace some of the existing in-game ones, and give new values to each Good. If

possible I would like to get a balance review on the Goods values set in this Mod.

TP's PowerSLICs:
This mod is a collection of SLIC code which improves the game interface, especially

the messages interface.

World Report:
This Mod adds a new message. A report on various world information which displays

every ten turns.

Maps:
There are also two maps which I would like to see integrated into the pack.

[J Bytheway]

To a certain extent you can mix and match, but you'll quickly run into problems because all of the files interact. If you really want this you'll probably have to do some significant work on the files, it won't just be a case of picking the correct files from each mod.

It's possible, but you'll have to put some work in. People around here (including myself) will be happy to help with the details.

[TracerFox]

Well considering I have no skill with scripting myself, would you perhaps be willing to help me figure out which sections of overwritten files are changed?
If I can figure out what parts of which files each Mod changes, then figure out what each of those changes does, I can then figure out which total changes I need to make.

[Martin Gühmann]

Originally posted by TracerFox
Well considering I have no skill with scripting myself, would you perhaps be willing to help me figure out which sections of overwritten files are changed?
If I can figure out what parts of which files each Mod changes, then figure out what each of those changes does, I can then figure out which total changes I need to make.

Basically you have to do some file comparision and learn the something about the text most or actual all names you find in the *.txt files have a meaning. For instance if you find a name like this:

IMPROVEMENT_FLAG_CANT_BUILD_IN_SPACE

Then it should be easy to guess what this does mean for a city improvement.

Once you understood something of the the text files (of course you don't need to understand everything), you can do what you want with the gained information. Of course you can also learn by the princip of trial and error.

-Martin

[J Bytheway]

Essentially you should just check what files are included in each mod, and look to see what they're doing. Except for things like CDs mod in your list above there's little which has many files in. I will shamelessly refer you to a guide I wrote available at:

http://www.geocities.com/jbtwuk/civctp.htm#ACCTPSD

which might help you with the details of what the various flags do, if you have trouble figuring it out, and there's modding resources available here at Apolyton too, of course.

[Locutus]

TracerFox,
Save yourself a truckload of trouble and download the Apolyton Pack From memory, I think it's got all but one or two of the mods you listed and maybe one or two you didn't list (I'm sure the readme explains in detail which mods are and aren't included)...

If there's still stuff you *really* want to add afterwards, you can still do so afterwards, and it'll be a whole lot easier...

[J Bytheway]

Shame on you, Locutus, going around making life easy for people .

A good point, though - if you want a revised but not-much changed version of the basic game the Apolyton Pack is almost certainly a much better starting place than CDs mod (primarily because it was created later, and thus has had more tweaking/perfection time).

[TracerFox]

Thanks for all the advice guys! I've had some experiance with modding Star Trek Armada, which also uses text files for much of it's info, so I think I can figure out what does what.

I have just a couple more questions though.

First off, does anyone know of any decent free, freeware, or shareware programs for file comparison?
That way I can compare old and new files directly to see what has been changed in each instance.

Secondly, once I've synced all the changes I want, how do you go about putting them into a scenerio pack, so I don't have to actually overwrite anything?
I've looked through all the readme files and docs that came with the game and the upgrade patches, but I can find nowhere specific instructions on how to go about making an actual scenerio pack.

Thanks again!

[J Bytheway]

The instructions on making a scenario should be in the readme that comes with the v1.2 patch - it should be in the help directory, readme.doc, under "Advanced User Notes".

[geoffrey arnold]

watch the appolton mod evertime i lod it it ceps making my system crach