Testing the Waters

Chris Kirchgasler · February 20, 2001, 04:41

Hi guys,

I've been a forum lurker for a few months now (posting very infrequently); though, I've been keeping up on the development on certain scenarions (Imperium Romanum, and Captain Nemo's Secret Project, are examples). I really like this board, even if I don't have much to contribute.

At least until now.

For several months now, I've been working on and off on a scenario for my own enjoyment. Understand, it's nowhere near as complex of innovative as Captain Nemo's professional work; though, I've been getting the idea that maybe some other people would like to give it a shot, regardless.

Basically, it's a World War II scenario (a vastly improved version of the original wwii.scn, to be specific) combined with many of Captain Nemo's innovative ideas, along with some of my own modifications for good measure.

I've still a good bit of work to do before I could consider it done, but it's starting to take real shape. Knowing that other people would want to play it will definitely make me work that much harder.

So, I'm testing the waters -- is there a receptive audience here, or is the whole WWII "Germany does Europe" scene just played-out?

If there is, I'll try and post some screens and stuff, and implement suggestions from anyone interested.

Thanks!

Chris Kirchgasler

PS. I forgot to add that I would need Captain Nemo's permission to use his units and terrain art if I was to post the scenario, at all. CN, if you're out there, do you mind?

Just think of it as an homage to your awesome work.

[This message has been edited by Chris Kirchgasler (edited February 20, 2001).]

Chris 62 · February 20, 2001, 05:37

I don't think there can ever be enough scenarios on any subject. I'll try it, and I bet so will many other people. Don't concern yourself with living up to anyone else, I'm sure you will have many good ideas to add to the many that are here. So bring it on!

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All knowledge begins with the phrase: I don't know.

kobayashi · February 21, 2001, 04:38

I have always had a place in my heart for WWII scenarios (it was my first try and failure at making a scenario).

I have plenty of info, especially on german secret weapons and subs. (I think the best balance for a WWII scenario is to give the germans seuperio units, Americans superior manufacturing and Russians superior population growth. but that's just what I think).

If you want any ideas or info, even test data on cannons firing at armour plating, please contact me.

pchoo@netvigator.com

(I think this makes it the 1000th post on the HS forum)

Chris Kirchgasler · February 21, 2001, 08:48

Thanks for the offer, Kobayashi, but I already have most of the actual gameplay set up. Right now, I'm trying to write in events and tweak the AI.

I do have a question, though, that maybe someone can answer. If I delete Wonders is there any way to get them back? Do I have to go in and manually switch some trigger, or something?

Chris Kirchgasler

Henrik · February 21, 2001, 10:18

How do you mean delete? As in creating them and destroying the city they are in?

Chris Kirchgasler · February 21, 2001, 14:07

Yeah, originally, I was using most of the default wonders, then decided to use some of the one Cap'n Nemo had thought of. I thought I could delete them from the city and be able to build them again, but I guess not.

Anyway, does anyone have a clue, or am I screwed?

PolarisGL · February 21, 2001, 14:19

Post some screenshots.

Henrik · February 21, 2001, 14:22

If you use a wonder and want to take it away from a city: A: edit city, take away all wonders (there is no other way to do this, if you destroy the city you wont be able to use the wonder again!) B: create the wonder in another city.
[This message has been edited by Henrik (edited February 21, 2001).]

St Leo · February 23, 2001, 20:59

One WW2 scenarios is one too many.

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St. Leo
http://www.sidgames.com/hosted/ziggurat/
http://www.sidgames.com/forums/

BeBro · February 24, 2001, 09:58

I also prefer ancient/medieval scns, but in the end it´s the quality, not the topic that makes a good scn.

Speaking about WWII, has somebody ever made a Dunquirck (-sp?) scenario? I think it would be a nice idea. You can make it as a race against the time (evacuate the British forces before the Germans destroy them completely)...

And Chris, I also would like to see some screenshots...

Chris Kirchgasler · February 27, 2001, 10:32

This is really frustrating.

Any Wonders I deleted using the "City Edit" feature disappear completely.

This, of course, will really screw up some of the Civ's abilities to wage wars and have accurate production/civilian temperments.

I'm trying to figure out an alternative solution to the problem. If anyone has suggestions, I welcome them.

PS. Screenshots will come when I start final playtesting. I'm not going to pique interests too much when the scenario still has major problems (like the aforementioned).

Chris Kirchgasler · February 27, 2001, 19:54

God bless you.

Edit: Argh, the link is "forbidden." Anyone else know another place I can snag this all-important guide?
[This message has been edited by Chris Kirchgasler (edited February 27, 2001).]

Allard HS · February 27, 2001, 23:05

Strange that the link to my page doesn't work for you. It works fine for me.. But fortunately, mr Gothmog has been so nice to upload it to his homepage too. Here is the direct link:

http://users.sgi.net/~harden/downloads/hex-edit.zip

Kull · February 28, 2001, 01:02

Why not take a look at Allard's Hex Editing Guide? He shows where the Wonder information is stored, and explains how to change status from "destroyed" to "unbuilt" (change a single letter from E to F). You can download the document from here:
http://allard.8m.com/hexediting.htm

Chris Kirchgasler · February 28, 2001, 14:13

Thank you Allard, I was able to download it.

Onward with my merry scenario-making ways!

Captain Nemo · March 1, 2001, 23:21

No problem, use my units, ideas, terrains, cities etc... at will. Scenario creators need all the help they can get.
Back to work on my next project.

Chris Kirchgasler · March 3, 2001, 01:11

Thanks, Nemo!

Unfortunately, I'm back to report more bad news. Unless I'm stupid (which is very possible), my Wonders have been technically corrected ("FF FF" for the pertinent offsets), yet when I go back to the scenario, they're still not available to be built.

I guess I'm missing something.

I've combed through the read-me.txt with no help, so I've come back here to see if anyone can provide some help/advice. I can make the scenario information available to look at, if that would help.

Sorry to be a bother!

Henrik · March 3, 2001, 16:14

Has the apropriate tech been discovered by thee civ you are using when you are placing the wonders?
I allways make all wonders/improvements need nil as tech when editing, then I give them preqs when they have been placed.
[This message has been edited by Henrik (edited March 03, 2001).]

Kull · March 3, 2001, 17:02

Should your Wonders still be "unbuildable" after setting the pre-req to nil,nil, then try this:

1) Find the city code for one of your already placed Wonders.

2) Apply that code to one of the previously destroyed Wonders.

3) Restart and see if it appears in that city.

4) If so, then it's just a matter of placing them in the correct cities.

OR, after getting it to appear once, try resetting the code to "unbuilt" and see if that makes it available again. I'd suggest trying this with one of your existing Wonders, but lets not make things worse!

It's still disconcerting that changing the E to F doesn't solve the problem. That implies there's at least one more hex code out there controlling these things.

Henrik · March 3, 2001, 17:58

quote:

Originally posted by Kull on 03-03-2001 04:02 PM
OR, after getting it to appear once, try resetting the code to "unbuilt" and see if that makes it available again. I'd suggest trying this with one of your existing Wonders, but lets not make things worse!

Interesting prospects! If you change a wonder to unbuilt when it allready exists in a city, you might be able to place it again, having many wonders whit the same effect (you would probably only see one of them in the "wonders of the world" list though). Has anyone tested this?

SCDARS · March 3, 2001, 18:28

Wait a minute...
You deleted them with "city edit" and not by destroying cities, right?

Then maybe its even simplier... how about your victory conditions?
If you cannot build ANY more wonders then you're perhaps using "count wonders" for victory points... try to deactivate it.

Otherwise you can still place the wonders via hexediting by entering the city number.

If it doesn't work, feel free to send me (email see above) your .scn and rules.txt files (no others needed) with a list what wonder locations you desire.

Edit:
Henrik - I'm sorry you cannot do this. The info is stored in a kind of wonder list. "unbuilt" means that no city index number is assigned to the respective slot.

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SCDARS
scenario_feedback@hotmail.com
[This message has been edited by SCDARS (edited March 03, 2001).]

Chris Kirchgasler · March 3, 2001, 22:48

Oh, hell yeah!

SCDARS, you're an angel in disguise.

I can't believe that such an innocuous little switch was the cause of all my troubles, but apparently it was -- all the Wonders are available for placement again.

Well, at least I learned a little about Hex Editing in the process. Thanks to everyone who offered help. Those Wonders were becoming a major obstacle to finishing this damn thing!

Kull · March 3, 2001, 23:52

Isn't that a great feeling? All seems lost, and then from the distant depths of left field comes....THE ANSWER!!!