Cradle III...the download

[thistleknot]

My suggestion is NOT to use the Apolyton Pack (i.e. Source Code) project with Cradle unless you are comfortable with trying to get the files to work with the current Source Code build, and you are willing to ask Maq or Martin for assistance if something does not work. The AP files that are posted are keyed into a version of the Source Code that is about 2 years old, so I cannot promise that it will be compatible anymore.

Who's Maq and/or Martin... is there a follow up thread discussing using this with the AE?

Update:

Nevermind, found them on the 1st page of this thread.

[thistleknot]

so far I found these files to modify for timeline

gamefile
script
traits
const
feat
diffdb
advance


either a combination of g.year, turn, or duration

[thistleknot]

here's my x4 mod of Cradle III

http://www.mediafire.com/?mp112p458aggy0t

for some reason, one of the .slc files wasn't taking unless I removed the -

using ae patched to 3.04

[Martin Gühmann]

here's my x4 mod of Cradle III

http://www.mediafire.com/?mp112p458aggy0t

for some reason, one of the .slc files wasn't taking unless I removed the -

Why do you upload your mod to a third party site, if we have our nice CTP2 download section whey you can upload your mod?

-Martin

[thistleknot]

old habits, and it's not a comprehensive mod I guess... no interest seems to be generated in it (other than admin comments), and it's not really playtested beyond turn 200.

Upon further note...

how do I upload... I don't see a link in the downloads section to do so, and checking the fact, there is no term listed for upload... hrmmm...

oh snap... you had the link in the post.

well thanks for the invite.

done

http://apolyton.net/local_links/jump/c-mods-28/5777

[thistleknot]

btw, this comes up when I load the cheat page

ICON_UNIT_KHUFU { FirstFrame "LkhufuL.TGA" Movie "NULL" Gameplay "UNIT_KHUFU_GAMEPLAY" Historical "UNIT_KHUFU_HISTORICAL" Prereq "UNIT_KHUFU_PREREQ" Vari "UNIT_KHUFU_STATISTICS" Icon "LkhufuA.TGA" LargeIcon "LkhufuL.TGA" SmallIcon "LkhufuB.TGA" StatText "UNIT_KHUFU_SUMMARY" }

the .tga file comes up as missing...

[thistleknot]

w a x4 tech length. i dont think the enemy is building all the buildings i am. can i just add all the buildiNgs into the buildbuildings file in aidata

any ideas on how i can tell the enemy civ to make exterior cities have priority on things like walls and military units

btw i think x3 tech cost would work just as fine. i have just a wee bit too much time to build things, but its not that bad

[Martin Gühmann]

w a x4 tech length. i dont think the enemy is building all the buildings i am. can i just add all the buildiNgs into the buildbuildings file in aidata.

In the Apolyton Edition I added all the buildings to the build lists, you would have to check whether this is also the case with Cradle, vut the AI has also other priorities, like building units and wonders.

btw, this comes up when I load the cheat page

ICON_UNIT_KHUFU { FirstFrame "LkhufuL.TGA" Movie "NULL" Gameplay "UNIT_KHUFU_GAMEPLAY" Historical "UNIT_KHUFU_HISTORICAL" Prereq "UNIT_KHUFU_PREREQ" Vari "UNIT_KHUFU_STATISTICS" Icon "LkhufuA.TGA" LargeIcon "LkhufuL.TGA" SmallIcon "LkhufuB.TGA" StatText "UNIT_KHUFU_SUMMARY" }

the .tga file comes up as missing...

So I guess those files are not in your ..\ctp2_data\default\graphics\pictures folder. Those files are referenced in the uniticon.txt. I just don't know which one is used by the version of Cradle you are using. So you have to the one with the right prefix.

-Martin

[Norolia]

I wanted to say how much I enjoy this mod. I did notice a few things I wasn't sure about, whether it's a bug or intended in the game design. I've looked in the readmes and read things on the forums here but I haven't seen anything pertinent.

I've noticed this more than once but an AI will suddenly discover an advance and start building a wonder. The wonder will somehow cost the city 1/3 or 1/4 of the regular cost. I've checked this in cheat mode and it's happened more than once with more than one civilization.

As for the advance, at first I thought it was from a trade but no one else had yet discovered it. As for the wonder, it's not pre-production or production from disbanding units as anything else costs the usual amount. These two events seem to be tied together somehow. In both instances there has been a sudden discovery (for instance, 13 turns according to the science manager) followed by a sudden cheap wonder (3000 production only costing 500-600).

[hexagonian]

Wow, somebody still plays this??? (Actually after a two-year break from playing, I did start a Cradle game earlier this week.)

Several things to take into account...

Depending on what level you are playing will determine how much of a bonus the AI will get. At the higher levels, the AI will get a large boosts across the board. It will start off with advances that the player does not have, it will get production and gold bonuses throughout the game, it will get more settlers. As much as I dislike these cheats, and as much as I tried to minimize them in the mod design, they are necessary to keep the game competitive for the player.

There are several things the player can do to offset these things. Rush buy and disband units in the producing city will cut the time needed to get a wonder. I am certain that the AI will not disband specifically to cut time, but it will rush buy (and it does start off with a sizable gold reserve on the highest levels).

Free Advances can come from goodie huts too.

On a sidenote, there is a bug in the Cradle Timelines setup where the AI will not build it's unique unit, nor will it build flanker units. The quick fix is to locate the file
CRADLE_IIIG_gamefile.txt
open it and change the entry
CRARR4_advancelists.txt
to
CRARR4G_advancelists.txt

[hexagonian]

One other thing...

If you are playing one of the later Cradle add-ons, each civ has a scripted golden age which grants a variety of gold/happiness/military/production bonuses. Depending on the civ (based on the civ's actual historical significance and the period of time the civ actually was powerful), those bonuses can be very substantial too. Remember though that you also will get a golden age so plan accordingly...

[Norolia]

Thank you for the info. I guess wasn't prepared for an AI to have 300+ units or the sudden jumps in science and production but now that I know what to expect I can plan for it. Choosing a civ with some decent traits helps a ton.

I find myself going back to CTP II every year or so between SMAC campaigns. I think the blend of history and future techs has always been one of the best parts about the game. The Civ series lacked a proper ending point for me...I felt like I reached the end of the game just when it was getting good. That didn't stop me from enjoying countless hours of them but I always wished they had taken it beyond the present day.

[MisterEd]

Wow, somebody still plays this??? (Actually after a two-year break from playing, I did start a Cradle game earlier this week.)

You're damn skippy. I also just started a Craddle game this past weekend (after a year+ off) with the 1111 version of CTP2 AE. Its still fun. You and Martin, and everyone else that added to this community, have made this the longest running program in my PCs' history.

[MisterEd]

Hey Hex--I started a Timelines game (with AE 1111) and I keep getting a "GU172.SPR not found in the asset tree" error message during some of the AI turns. Any idea how I fix that? Thanks for such a great mod.

[hexagonian]

Duplicate the existing chariot sprite named GU156.SPR from the sprites folder onto your desktop. Rename it GU172.SPR and put it back. Weird because I do have it in my folder...

BTW, you're getting Timelines to run on AE 1111? Fill me on how you got it to work. I've been running Cradle on Activision Patch/Modswapper because I could not get it to run on the Source Code when I had set it up a few years ago.