A question about making a scenario

Juggler · June 3, 2001, 10:57

Just wondering, how much time does it take to make a good scenario (with new maps, maybe units and cities)?
I know it takes a very long time, but how long?

Tallincourt · June 4, 2001, 06:27

It depends. If you work on that scenario 24 hours per day, then it doesn't take that long. If you work on it an hour per week, then it takes longer.

techumseh · June 5, 2001, 03:10

Juggler, that is such an open question, it's impossible to answer! It can be as little as 10-20 hours, to one thousand + ! Maybe you could tell us what you had in mind? If you use FW/MGE it's a bit faster because of the editors. Do you intend to make all new units? That's very time consuming. Will you use new sounds? How big a map? That has a major impact on time costs.

If you're trying a scenario for the first time, read Leon Marricks' paper on advanced scenario design. It's available from the Scenario League site. Start by making a simple scenario for your own enjoyment. Don't plan to distribute it. Use a small or medium sized map, import some new units from other scenarios, a few sounds, and try a few simple events. Experiment with the rules text file, it's perhaps the most important file to become familiar with. The main thing is to make something that YOU think would be fun to play. If it is, then chances are others will enjoy it too.

Once you've done this once or twice, you'll be in a postion to decide if you want to make a scenario for public consumption. Good luck.

Ben E Gas · June 5, 2001, 09:03

What does FW/MGE stand for?

Tallincourt · June 5, 2001, 10:36

FW means Fantastic Worlds, an add on to Civ2. MGE means, if I remember right, Multiplayer Gold Edition, a multiplayer version of Civ2.

Eyn · June 5, 2001, 14:40

Civ2 MGE (Multiplayer Gold Edition) is the Last "version" of Civ2
it supports Civ2, Civ2 CiC (conflict in civilization - 1st Civ2 addon) Civ2 FW (Fantastic worlds -2nd Civ2 addon) of course MGE scenarios and add multiplayer option
FW supports only Civ2, CiC, FW scenarios and Civ2 is needed
CiC supports only Civ2, CiC scenarios and Civ2 is needed

Civ2 ToT (Test Of Time) supports only ToT scenarios BUT Civ2, MGE, FW and CiC scenario can be translate to ToT version with "Civconverter" (from Angelo Scotto, latest 1.4 version can be found on Apolyton ToT section) ToT add new scenario edition function, animated units, multiplayers options and multi-map scenarios

JPetroski · June 8, 2001, 06:29

One thing to remember is that more time spent on a scenario does not always make a better scenario (although usually it does have something to do with it). I spent about a month and a half on UP THE DEADLY BOOT and I enjoy it more, and feel it a better scenario than ANSTEIG which took a good ten months or more, not counting the year's worth of work I had accumulated from THE NEW GERMANY which went into it.

Also, a few years ago I thought that long, extensive readme's were a sign of a good scenario. They're not. All that you need in them is enough information for someone to know what they are doing. I spent hours on ANSTEIG'S readme - what was the point? That time would have been better spent working on a more detailed civolopedia.

Hope this helps,

JP

Juggler · June 8, 2001, 07:32

Thanks for all the help guys!
I'll start woking on my first one in a couple of months.

Masis · June 8, 2001, 13:37

If making a historical scenario it requires knowledge of the subject to make a good playable scenario, but even then it needs embelishments likes relevent sounds and techs to make it really good, as I am learning now after making the Age of Alexius scenario...

The ANZAC · June 8, 2001, 22:31

JP, just wondering how do you get through the defense belts in Italy? I always get clogged on it.

JPetroski · June 9, 2001, 01:40

Pick a point, and throw everything that you have at it

You can usually get away with losing a few units in the belts as after you break through them, there is not much else in your way.

JP

Masis · June 10, 2001, 11:27

Does the size of the map and the number of cities placed cause bugs to occur in the game? Just asking because I have finished the making the actual scenario game for Age of Basilius (still to make Multi-Events) and noticed that one or two small towns have disapeared even though I built them. When placing Barbarian units to take a city that was placed on the edge of the map, the units either turned into Slave (settler) units or disapeared. When moving units they 'haze' leaving a 'shadow' effect in their wake. Otherwise I am pleased to note that editing the titles for the Bulgar civ to make King into Tsar actually registers for once! In other scenarios when I hade done this to a civ the edited government title never apeared in the scenario. Thanks to Arne for converting the BMP version of the Title into a GIF version!

Oh yes, and on the subject of how much time does it take to make a decent scenario-the Age of Basilius was concieved a week and a half ago, and I reckon 1 week to make the Multi-Events given the work schedules I have at the moment...

So we shall see if a quality scenario can be made in less then a month!
Like Age of Alexius (, Constantine, Battle for Rome and Arturius) this scenario is an original by me whereas Fate of Europe, Justinian and Heraklius's Last Battle are only edited versions of other folks scenarios...

JPetroski · June 11, 2001, 17:13

I can't really help you with your questions regarding map size, but your question about your units having a "Haze"... I'm assuming that this is made by the shield? If so, you just need to move the shield a little more to the center of the unit to fix your problem.

JP

Masis · June 16, 2001, 12:11

Quote:

Originally posted by Juggler
Just wondering, how much time does it take to make a good scenario (with new maps, maybe units and cities)?
I know it takes a very long time, but how long?

Mine (Age of Basilius) has taken just over 2 weeks to make. It has been sent to Das Civilization Universum, Spanish Civilization II site and the European Civilization II sites. When they host it then you can download it for play. Otherwise e-mail me to play it. In case you think 'ah such a short time, it must be small and simplistic' well I could tell you but I'd rather you downloaded it to find out...

Masis · June 17, 2001, 04:13

...of a screenshot from Age of Basilius, the eastern frontier of the Roman Empire bordering Armenia around the 10th/early 11th centuries AD.

Masis · June 17, 2001, 05:30

Now for the sequel to Age of Alexius-Age of Osman.
About the rise of the Osmali Sultanate from a mere Emirate under Orhan in 1361 (Ottoman) until the death of Selim the Grim in 1520 with his conquests of Syria and Egypt. Of course if playing the Romans you might just be able to re-write history, but only by a few words at best...
After that I am going to edit the other scenarios I have edited from other creators or made myself. The first in the series is to be Age of Romulus about the founding and rise of the Roman kingdom up until the Republican Revolution of 500BC under Brutus.
And then Kaisar's Gallic Wars and a scenario that is meant to continue from BeBro's Imperium Romanum about the Crises of the Third Century during which the western and eastern halves of the Roman Empire split away leaving Rome itself very little to govern. Followed by Age of Constantine-a updated version.

jleonidas · June 23, 2001, 23:25

How do I use my own wav files with Civ 2 TOT? I've tried using some that I downloaded and they wouldn't work. An error message would say that the sound format was not supported or something along those lines. I thought it might be a problem with mono vs. stereo wavs but tried some mono wavs and it did the same thing. Anyone?

Kestrel · June 28, 2001, 22:02

RE: Wav files for ToT

Check out the format of the Wav files that come with ToT using something like "SOUNDREC.exe"

Any wav files that you create for ToT have to be in the same format.

(from memory its 8-bit , 22Mhz, but don't quote me).

Juggler · June 29, 2001, 05:55

I've downloaded Age of Basilius from the European CivII Site and your scenario really looks great. You must have put a lot of effort into it and I just love those new special effects. Especially great look the cities and units.
What I don't understand is the rating (only 50%).

Exile · June 29, 2001, 06:19

I once had the same problem with a .wav file in a scenario. There is a hint/tip in the Scenario League's hints & tips section about how to alter .wav files so that the civ2 program will play them. It was a good, thorough explanation and it worked.

Salutations,
Exile

Masis · June 29, 2001, 15:43

Quote:

Originally posted by Juggler
I've downloaded Age of Basilius from the European CivII Site and your scenario really looks great. You must have put a lot of effort into it and I just love those new special effects. Especially great look the cities and units.
What I don't understand is the rating (only 50%).

Many thanks Juggler for the feedback.
Esentially I just had to adopt the relevent graphics from it's sequel Age of Alexius which is why it took less time to make and still looked good.
Bear in mind though that it is the first version, made in just over 2 weeks, and has a lot of room for improvements.
I am reading Virgil's Aeniad for the future Age of Romulus scenario, but I have only been able to jist the refuge period in Carthage, the landing in Latium and the magnificent shield given the Aneas by Diana that depicts the events of future Roman history, something to make as a unique unit like the Mandylion unit in Age of Basilius.
The European Civilization II Site has some teething troubles it seems, they have removed the Voting option that was available previously. Plus they have given a victorian diplomat (!) unit to represent the Age of Alexius scenario which is set in the 11th-12th centuries AD, there is a variety of relevent units available from the scenario that could have been used, like the one I am using for my Avatar...

jleonidas · July 3, 2001, 00:31

I tried to find the hint/tips section of HS-Scenario League, but couldn't find it. Someone else also told me about the bitrate, etc. but as yet I still haven't been able to find out how to alter existing wav files to fit such specifications.

HELP!!!

Exile · July 3, 2001, 08:30

Ok, here's how to do it.

1.) First, scroll down to the bottom of this page. Look at the bottom left. There is a lot of writing. One of the little blue titles says; "Scenario League." Click on it.

2.) The Scenario League site will come up. Find the "Design tips" button, it has a picture of a wizard's hat. Click on it.

3.) The Design tips section will come up. Scroll down to the tip called; "Sound Advice; All about replacing . . . " This tip's author is Gothmog (a very patient gentleman who is willing to help beginning scenario designers, too) Click on the picture of the beaker.

4.) This very detailed tip will now come up. Read the directions. IMO, this tip is one of the more complex ones, but it works. I was able to follow Gothmog's directions and create a specific sound file for a scenario that I was working on successfully, and was very happy with the result. You can do this too.

Hope this helps,
Exile