PROJECT: Playtest (Thread No. 5)

[Martin Gühmann]

Previous Threads:

PROJECT: Playtest
PROJECT: Playtest II
PROJECT: Playtest Thread III
PROJECT: Playtest (the 4th Thread)

Mini-FAQ

General playtest info / questions:

#1 Do I need any additional files to make the playtest work?

IF it is a build created with the .NET compiler. Therefore you need the .NET runtime environment to run the *.exe.
If you dont already have it it is avalaible at windows update or here.
Or at least you need those two dlls if you don't want to install the .NET runtime.

#2 How do I make a mod work with these playtest versions?

Although not all have been tested thoroughly, most mods should work with this playtest version without any changes. If you suffer any difficulties please post about them.

#3 Do I need to install the official Activision patch before this playtest version?

It makes no difference whether you do or not. So it is just a waste of time.

#4 How should I report a bug?

Include as much relevant information as you can. If possible explain how to replicate the problem. If appropriate, attaching a screenshot or a savegame is helpful. If the bug involves a crash to desktop, then it is helpful to include the crash log. You can enable crash logging by editing your userprofile.txt (in [Your CTP2 directory]\ctp2_program\ctp\) to set EnableLogs=Yes. The log can then be found at [Your CTP2 directory]\ctp2_program\ctp\logs\crash.txt.

#5 When will a new playtest verson be released?

When a code monkey feels like it . This will usually be either when some serious bug is fixed, or enough minor fixes have piled up that need to be tested. If you want to test some recent change, you can post here to request a new playtest build and they will try to oblige you.

#6 When will a new playtest thread be posted?

When the old thread is full meaning it has reached or has exceeded the 500 post limit.

#7 How do I refer to a certain version?

You refer to a playtest by posting data or by date of compilation of the executable, you can find the date on the opening screen of the playtest. For instance our first playtest is dated from December the 9th 2003 or in other words it is playtest from 2003-09-12. In the latest playtest readme files we also included the code revision number, so you can also this.

#8 Why did you not use version numbers like Activision did?

We decided that we don't give them a version number until we reimplemented all of the useful features of Activision's v.1.1. Unfortunately there are still a few features missing from the patch. Therefore we haven't yet assigned a version like v.1.2 or v1.3. Well something above 1.2 or 1.3 would be more appropiate since we have been adding much more new features and fixes than the patch added. - Well let's see if this ever happens.

LATEST PLAYTEST: October 20th 2007

Originally posted by Martin Gühmann
It is time for a release of a new Apolyton Edition Playtest version. We are now at revision 812. This time we got human to human diplomacy HotSeat support. If everything works well this is also true for PBEM.

All you need is is the following file and follow the instructions in its readme:

Edit: Removed link

By the way E, could you replace the old playtest in the directory with this one so that I can save some space and remove the outdated source code archieve from the directory. It even links to a non-Apolyton space.

Here is the brief changelog since revision 787 from the readme:

2007-10-20 (Revision 812)
Fixed:   The wonder tab of the info window shows again the right construction 
         year of wonders, also the date of messages is shown correctly again.
Fixed:   The diplomacy window cannot be closed by using hotkeys that open other
         screens, so that you cannot close this screen without rejecting or 
         accepting diplomatic proposals.
Fixed:   The scenario editor cannot opened in PBEM mode per hotkey.
Added:   HotSeat (tested) and PBEM (untested) human to human diplomacy support.
Added:   The following civilizations: Han, Yamato, Sumer, Kush, and Macedonia
Fixed:   The map editor generates now the coast line again if needed.
Fixed:   Savegame power graphs

[Tamerlin]

[SIZE=1]
Originally posted by Martin Gühmann[/SIZE=1]

Well it will be part of future versions, even this means I have to find some defects to make it work as supposed. And there will be an option to disable the updater so that my test games aren't interfered by the updater.

-Martin

Thanks Martin, I have not tested the Updater along a full game but I have not seen any problem.

Are there bugs or is there a problem with the game flow ?

Sorry, I saw the note about the 500 posts limit after my last post

About the mods like the SAP2 and so on, is it possible to install them like scenarios ? I suppose that they were meant to be installed this way. And by the way, are the scenario running adequately ?

[Ekmek]

yeah I believe its possible to install them as scenarios except you'll have to get rid of the apol_prefix since the scenario looks for the original file names. thats a project we are looking for volunteers

Everything seems to work find with scenarios loading as mods except the civilizations, it always gives you the default game civs but then in game its messed up. We need to find a way to load the scenario civ names when you play a game.

[Martin Gühmann]

Originally posted by Tamerlin
Thanks Martin, I have not tested the Updater along a full game but I have not seen any problem.

Are there bugs or is there a problem with the game flow ?

The only problem I saw was that the war elephant appeared in the game even if it isn't suposed to appear. And the other problem with my game is that I cannot compare them so easily pre and post updater, since I use the army strength to compare them and with the updater the comparision gets totally messed up, of course.

Originally posted by Tamerlin
About the mods like the SAP2 and so on, is it possible to install them like scenarios ? I suppose that they were meant to be installed this way. And by the way, are the scenario running adequately ?

Why should we do this with the Apolyton Pack, I don't see any benefits from it. The only stuff it contains are additional city styles, we have more and also additional goods. Than the modified civ parchments in order to have leader image there. This issure was fixed long ago. Than we have some text file tweaks, they should be in at least partly. Since we have to decide what is good and what not.

Then the slic maybe there is also something needed, but there is no need for frenzy since that would interfere the AI. Instead of it the AI should select its goals properly and don't go there, just because there is a human player out there. The AI shouldn't be supposed to upset the human player, but it should play its own game in order to win it.

-Martin

[Tamerlin]

Originally posted by Martin Gühmann

Why should we do this with the Apolyton Pack, I don't see any benefits from it.
-Martin

I agree, most of (if not all) the features of the SAP2 are implemented in the AE, it was just a question about the way mods can be installed or not. One of the first things I heard when I registered here was that the CtP2 scenarios were not working.

The question is about making my own mod or testing some other mods (like E's Civ3 mod) without replacing the main files. A scenario folder would be the best way to test changes without replacing the AE files.

Unfortunately, I don't know exactly how to create a scenario nor the way the whole thing is working and interacting with the main files.

[Ekmek]

downloading my civ3mod should show how to make a scenario since thats how I set it.

but basically if you look at a standard ctp2 one you'll see you need to have the scenario/xxxyourscen/xxxyour other folder

so two folders to create then you need the packlist and text and some other stuff. then in the xxyour other folder you need to create a tree with default etc just like the basic game.

what the AE does now once you select a scenario is look in that folder first for a file then loads if it, if the file is missing in your scenario folder it takes it from the default folder.

Mess around a bit, we'll help

[Tamerlin]

Originally posted by E
downloading my civ3mod should show how to make a scenario since thats how I set it.

but basically if you look at a standard ctp2 one you'll see you need to have the scenario/xxxyourscen/xxxyour other folder

so two folders to create then you need the packlist and text and some other stuff. then in the xxyour other folder you need to create a tree with default etc just like the basic game.

what the AE does now once you select a scenario is look in that folder first for a file then loads if it, if the file is missing in your scenario folder it takes it from the default folder.

Mess around a bit, we'll help

Thank you for the answer E, it is still a bit cryptic for the moment but I think I will make it after a few fumbles.

By the way, I think that we should halve (rounding down) the number of turns needed in order to raise the Military Readiness level.

IMHO, the numbers are so high that the player is always at war all the time. If strategy is about choice, there isn't any strategy here. IMHO again, halving the TurnsToNewReadiness makes the choice interesting and it becomes a matter of strategy.

[Ekmek]

i agree they really should only be 2 or 3 turns to be something considered. my calltociv/civ3mod uses the sliders more since impact the gold cost per turn for units so I used it a lot (gold gets eaten a lot more in my mod)

PS my mod needs some updating too but I think its still playable

[Martin Gühmann]

Originally posted by E
i agree they really should only be 2 or 3 turns to be something considered.

If you think this is a good idea, then you have to make sure that the AI can use it, too.

-Martin

[Ekmek]

Yeah I need to learn a lot about the AI. So far I just got around it by having the AI stay at war and use the gold "cheats"

[Ekmek]

Fixed UnseenCell since a uint16 just contains 16 bits and so you cannot use more. Therefore you have to find another way to store the icons about the religious nonsense on the map

Do i need to even have it in unseen cell? What happens if I make unseen cell a uint64?


SECOND a more important issue. I made a build with 689 and it causes this weird hang at startup, it wont even start up and i have to go to task manager and its not responding. Then i have to go to end process to actually get it to stop. Do you get this too? or should I just do a reinstall?

[Ekmek]

Revision Build 689

LATEST PLAYTEST: September 9th 2006

Edit: Removed links

LATEST BUILD REV 689: February 6th 2007

Edit: Removed links

For the latest version of the Apolyton edition look here.

@Tamerlin, I added the AE mod in the scenario folder. It should give you a good example of the basics you need to make your own scenario folder

[Protra3211]

This is a good build E. Best start by the AI .Only 95 turns into the game and already Japan(nation next me was the first one I met so far) and has 8 cities 20 units.Well balanced AI as it expands it also builds up military for good defense.Also Japan is building a wonder.
Now for back ground I did not add any cheats what so ever.Just playtest and build.With tiles the game seems picture perfect.
On highest level with map on largest setting with these numbers 7,4,6.7,11,9 which are varibles that build the map.Big factor to help the AI is to have mostly land with some water .
Want to post quick as I feel your on the right track and will stick this out to see how far the AI can keep it up.
Also as a in house rule will not touch military readiness setting as it can give you extra production speed and we all know the AI never uses this setting

[Ekmek]

Awesome. Are you sure your old if DffDB isn't there. If so feel free to add it to AEmod I included this time. And let me know how the AE mod works out if you give it a shot.

Thanks again Protra!

[Tamerlin]

Re: Revision Build 689

Originally posted by E
LATEST PLAYTEST: September 9th 2006

@Tamerlin, I added the AE mod in the scenario folder. It should give you a good example of the basics you need to make your own scenario folder

Thank you E, this is exactly what I needed in order to figure out how all this is working. Thank you again for all the good work.

There seems to be more and more options available in the userprofile.txt file.

Is there a document where all the options are explained along with their effects in the game when they are not obvious (for non-progammers like me)?

If not, I think that we should make such a document.