Apolyton Pack for CTP2

[Dale]

Well guys, we've got a few MODS out now, and there's some really good stuff in them. I'd say it's time to get an Apolyton Pack for CTP2 going eh?

- Already in pack and being tested with.

I'll put together the pack with:
- Dale's Mods:
diplomod (fixes diplomacy to how it should be)
withdraw (fixes withdraw troops bug)
airunits refuel (fixes AI's crashing air units)
capturecity (fixes the buildings destroyed on capture)
- Med Pack II Alts:
capitals (fixes bug so AI's rebuild capital)
sliders (fixes original settings of wages/food/production sliders)
terrain (fixes terrain generator to create better worlds)
terrain output (fixes terrain output rates to encourage variety of tile improvs)
const.txt (fixes AI settings to make it better)
personalities.txt (fixes AI personalities)
orders.txt (fixes various bugs including lawyer)
goals.txt (fixes the goal stupidity)
- Cradle Alts:
strategies.txt (fixes agressiveness of AI)
risks.txt (fixes agressiveness of barbarians)
diffdb.txt (fixes difficulty settings)
- Martin:
CityMod2 (fixes city pics)
- Frog_Gamer:
advances.txt (fixes problem where very hard to research all techs with time for Gaia Controller)
- Klaus:
pop.txt (fixes AI mayors not using entertainers)
wonders.txt (fixes Aristotle's notification bug)

Oh yeah, at this point I'll be packing it for the original CTP2 setup. It's more to fix CTP2 than to add new stuff to it. Any other suggestions for additions?

If any modder doesn't want me to rip some of their mods with credit, let me know.

[hexagonian]

I would suggest using Wombat's Wonder unit code, as that is a very nice touch to adding a historical atmosphere to the game.

Make sure you use the Capital rebuild SLIC from Locutus, as this fixes a gameflaw, and should be standard for all modders - same with your Air refuel SLIC code Dale.

And whatever you want to use from my Mod is OK - I did a lot of trial and error on my own, but a lot of my stuff was compiled from suggestions from the Forums. Taken by themselves, the suggestions were minor, but add them altogether and you can get the AI to do a lot.

IMO, just using my alts in strategies.txt, risks.txt and diffdb.txt will add a lot to the default game, as far as the AI is concerned - the rest of my Mod is more atmospheric (as the changes on the tech tree/units/gov/wonders is to allow me to play the game in my favorite historical periods).

[Dale]

IW's wonder code actually adds units to the game. I'd prefer at this point just to fix things that are there already. Maybe later we can look at other good ideas Apolytoners have had and add them later.

When a new good suggestion is made, I'm just going to update the list at the top of this thread. That way there's a complete list in one spot all the time.

[Frog_Gamer]

Dale

I have found that in the original game the Advances are to expensive to complete by the end of the game (Hard setting, ie no penalty, no advantage). I have tested the game with advance costs at 80% of original as suggested at one time by WesW. It proved out ok , and if you are interested I could give you the file to save you the tedium of the 0.8 multiplications.

Good idea to have this Apolyton Pack

[Martin Gühmann]

As far as I know the original ApolytonPack contains a costumized version of Haraln's Citymod for CTP1. I already modified it for CTP2 and added some city styles and ages as CityMod2 It work with savegames saved without CityMod2. You can find it on my homepage. By the way I plan to rebuild my page. We don't need screencaptures any more since we got the zfs-reader/rim-to-tga-converter. I will kick them from my page when I will release GoodMod.

-Martin

[Immortal Wombat]

I would agree with CityMod2

BlueO's city expansion maybe?

[hexagonian]

I could change the name of Cradle to 'the Apolyton Pack' Maybe that would get it posted in the download section here.

I've written enough emails to Markos and Dan...

I see that they still haven't posted your SLIC work yet either Dale.

If you use my risks.txt file for your barb settings, you probably will have to set up a militia unit in new cities. I spent a lot of time trying to work around that issue without using a militia, but had no success. Otherwise thebarbs run roughshod over the weak AI civs.

[Dale]

Frog_Gamer:
Great idea! Send it across mate and it'll go in.
dale.kent@alphawest6.com.au

Martin:
Last night I decided on CityMod2, so I'll be putting that one in.

Hexa:
I haven't got as far as testing the risks.txt of yours yet, but I'll put it in and see how the AI handles it. If need be I'll just tame down the risks.txt a little, or add a militia code using the standard units instead of special ones.

Guys:
Scenario or not? That's a major question I'm up against right now. BTW, I'm so freeking close to getting diplo photos working!!!! Now that'd be a definite addition right?

[Dale]

Good news! I got it working!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Diplomatic photos work.

So do you want that in?

[ENGINEER]

You mean photos of the leaders in the dipolmatic window? That would be cool! What did you have to do?

[Dale]

Okay, this is how I got diplomatic photos to work.

1 - Diplomatic parchments are all UPDG**.TGA files, ending at UPDG41.TGA.
2 - By checking in CIVILIZATION.TXT there is a setting in every civ that refers to the parchment index:
CIV_PARCHMENT **
3 - The number after this entry corresponds directly with UPDG**.TGA.
4 - I started with Australia (since I always play the Aussies ) who are CIV_PARCHMENT 3.
5 - Opened UPDG03.TGA into Corel and imported WHITLAM.TGA from Med Pack II pictures and placed over the top of the Coat of Arms.
6 - Voula, whenever I initiate diplomacy I see a parchment with a picture of Gough Whitlam with the Aussie flag in the background. BTW, might I just point out that the flag in this graphic is the Naval ensign, not the National flag.
7 - Opened UPDG02.TGA and placed the picture of George Washington and bingo! When America initiates diplomacy I see a piece of parchment with George Washinton on it with the Stars 'n Stripes in the background.

Not too shabby.

[hexagonian]

Dale,

What is the size of the UPDG.tga file (by pixels)? I will probably go ahead and make a customized set of leader pics for Cradle...

[Immortal Wombat]

That's great news Dale! BTW, see Nordicus post in CTP creation. He has just made about 200 new leader pics

Oh yeah, and find out what FixMod does, and include that.

I would say not a scenario. If it is a mod (using modswapper) then scenarios can be made to run off it, like the OCC scenario.

Does anyone remeber the talk about natural disasters from ages ago? Well anyway, I thought my SLIC might be up for trying to revive that Any takers ?

[Dale]

Hexa:
The pic has to be 248 X 315 pixels. Any different and CRASH! I remembered last night that BlueO had an Amazon govt and checked that out. He did it the exact same way, so it's tried 'n tested.

IW:
Natural disasters would be great! Bring it on mate. If you can get it going I'll put it in the Apolyton Pack. That would be brilliant. I haven't used FixMod yet. Does it fix correctly what's in the readme? I remember something about the Sea-cities in FixMod not working correctly all the time.

Anyways, I've attached a screendump of a proposal window with the diplo photos done. This is how I'm setting them up. I'll include a full walkthrough how I did (including settings, programs used, contrast/brightness, etc) soon. I'm just working through converting all the parchments to the diplo photos. NOTE: I'm starting a standard. In civilization.txt, all the civs have that CIV_PARCHMENT setting. I'm adding 50 to that value and using it for the UPDG** number. The new civ parchments will be UPDG51.TGA to about UPDG97.TGA.

[ENGINEER]

I think any pack should work in such a way we can use other peoples mods with it. Both the user created and those that came with the game. I asked this once, but does anybody know if Harlan is going to finish the Alexzander scenario? I know he was talking about it for awhile. He said to wait and not play the one that came with the game, but I started it this week. It's pretty good. Do you all feel like CTP 2 is starting to actually be fun. It's all thanks to the modder/screnario community.

I'm amazed by what you can do with CTP 2. Much more than any other Civ game I have seen.

[Martin Gühmann]

Does it fix correctly what's in the readme? I remember something about the Sea-cities in FixMod not working correctly all the time.

Unfortunatly it deosn't fix that. Klaus realized that therefore he started a thread about sea sprite bug obversations. You can leave out these files that are removing the diamond age and so you can combine it with CityMod2 easily.

-Martin

[hexagonian]

Originally posted by ENGINEER
Do you all feel like CTP 2 is starting to actually be fun. It's all thanks to the modder/screnario community.

I'm amazed by what you can do with CTP 2. Much more than any other Civ game I have seen.

...now if we could get some more people in here to play what we have done. With CIV3's release day in flux, maybe our little community will grow. Personally, I hope they keep pushing CIV3's release date back further and further.

Dale,
Is the area that you are working on only the area that includes the leader photo? This is so I can figure out just how to lay out my image. I have some ideas in mind as to how I want my parchment to look.

[ENGINEER]

Maybe we could get Mark or post in the Civ 3 forum a sort of CTP 2 challege This is of course after a few more loose strings are tied up like 2nd release of Med Mod II, Craddle 1.2? and an Apolyton Pack for CTP 2. Many other cool mods/scenarios also.

[Frog_Gamer]

My pennies worth: I believe the Apolyton pack should be what CTP2 ougth to have been at the outset. Hence it should not be a mod, but an enhanced basic version that will be the reference in turn based strategy games!!

To obtain it start from the CD rom + patch 1.11 + patch Apolyton.

[Dale]

Hexa:
The size of the screen you get to work with includes the full piece of parchment plus the section above the parchment where it puts the year and civname. I'll put a blank template in the doco when I'm finished and send it off to ya.

PACK UPDATE: (The first one)
I've played 300 turns of a game (hard, 8 civs, 2nd lowest barbs, huge) and can give you some details of what's happened. My civ totally controls a continent with space for 7 cities. I was the only one to start on the continent. I found early on the continent to my left which has England, America and France (America in the middle). This continent stretches from the south edge for two-thirds of the height of the map. It's huge! Overall I'd say this continent is about a third of the map space. The English have pushed northwards and killed off the Americans to one city left. There's peace now. The Americans stole a couple of cities from the French early on, but lost them back to the French when the English pushed through. I've got one city on this continent so I can keep up contact and military presence for threats and defense. The rest of this continent is claimed. At this point, I've had no wars. At the north end of the map a huge continent wraps around the whole globe with a straight to the edge of the map in the middle of the map. Three civs inhabit this continent. Due to glaciers, one civ is isolated, but has made contact with it's neighbour across the straight. So far there is no contact between continents as SOL's have only been available to a few civs for about 20 turns. The Scottish is the biggest on this continent having been in a war with Native Americans for a long time and completely surrounding them leaving the NA's with only 4 cities left. Both the English and Scots have about 20 cities, which is increasing their unhappiness. All AI civs have gone nuts with mines, farms and roads, and the Scotts have a city surrounded by grassland that is size 25! My biggest city is only 15 so far. No AI has a sizable navy yet, but that's more due to science than no desire to build them (only 3 civs have ironclads at this point, with only a couple of SOL's floating around exploring). However, there's quite a few stacks running around and most cities have 6+ defenders and walls. Both continents wars are reaching a stalemate situation as cannons are currently in most civs research options. I have SOL's, ironclads, infantry, cavalry and currently researching cannon. My civ is currently 3rd on the overall graph, but the only thing holding that up is military (2nd after English) and economics (3rd after English and Scottish). My science is coming 5th, but equal with 3rd and 4th. At this point in time, the English and Scottish are runaway leaders. But this could all change as it is reaching the point in the game where the other side of the world is within reach (transports soon, cannons, infantry/machinegunners). I've only been able to get one wonder so far (Hagia Sophia) as the AI's are pinching them from under my nose. The barbs have only appeared on one continent (to my right at the bottom) and wiped out the last civ early on when they only had 3 cities.

This game is being played with Med Pack, Cradle and my mods as noted at the top of the thread. Since these three sets contain most of the changes in text files and slic to the game, I'm testing these out first. I'll start a new game soon with the addition of the 80% science cost that Frog_Gamer contributed. (I received it this morning)

All up I'm pretty happy with how the AI is going. Considering I'm only testing on the Hard level and only just catching up in science and military after 250 turns, it's looking good for the harder levels. I'll let you know how I go with more additions.

[Dale]

Since I've been doing some debugging for the Med Pack this pack has had a few days off. But it's back to it this weekend. Also, being oncall at work hasn't helped much in the development stakes. I HATE being oncall!!!!

This weekend I'm going to put all the additions to the Apolyton Pack that haven't been tried yet:
- 80% science cost
- CityMod2
- Fixmod.

So hopefully we should have version 1.0 ready for testing on monday.

I hope everyone who plays it enjoys it as a LOT of work has gone into the MODS included for our enjoyment by various people.

[WesW]

This all sounds great, Dale. Nice to see someone set about making a good "plain" version of the game.
One thing, I would add the goals and personality texts from the aidata section of the medmod, too. I do not think there will be a problem putting them into the basic game, and the goals.txt especially fixes and improves upon several things.
I also fixed a bug in the orders.txt which affected the Lawyer. I moved some of the buttons around due to conflicts with the medmod, but that should not be a problem.

[Dale]

Okay, all MODS 'n ALTS are in the Pack! Time to test.

List of stuff to know:

- On Monday, I'll setup a download at Hex's mydocsonline site.
- There'll be two download files, graphics & texts.
- Apolyton Pack is Modswapper enabled (no scenario folders to fight with )
- More to be added if wanted!

Stay tuned for Apolyton Pack in a couple of days.

[Nordicus]

Hey, Dale...

This is shaping up nicely --Almost makes me wanna buy CtP2

Again, good job getting the dip pics in there!

I was looking at the your post up there, with the the diplomacy image...hmmm...Roosevelt looks awfully faded--is that how they all look in that box??

Later

[Immortal Wombat]

The diplomat pictures are transparent because all the text has to go over the top of the pictures. If they were completely opaque it would be hard to read.

[Todesengel]

I know you don´t want to include new things, but what about a useful AI?

[Nordicus]

Immortal Wombat:

Hey...

Yeah, I kinda thought it was the text... hmmm...
Would there be a way to change that text color to something more attention-grabbing---like red...? Red would be perfect.
That way, perhaps the resolution could be sharped by {even} 10%...that would really help {cuz many pics are going to be difficult to see without obscurity}...if one can find the corresponding file for opaqueness
{I wouldn't want them all to be crystal clear, of course--if the text must be slopped over them, it would be hard to read--even if it was in red...cuz of red flags, say...}

Yunno, now that I think of it...that's ridiculous--first the leader pics do not even work, which deserves its own Column ....but why why scribble text all over it!? I mean, *several* I have worked on for days--and nothing subtle will show up: they'll all look frosted over anyway! Too bad there wasn't a way...hmmm...well, I'd have to test it myself--but have no copy of the game yet

Oh well--thanks anyway


Dale, anyone:

Do you know if there is one file which puts the text in the box?--is the text a file which also makes that box fuzzier? So *if* there is a way to make that box more transparent, would it also make the text more transparent--black *or* red text?

Thanks in advance

T.

[Martin Gühmann]

Nordicus you could rezize the diplomacy window and modify the window in this way that you don't need to make the pictures transparent. We can't add buttons or images to the UI but we can modify its componets. I recall someone increased the size of the trade window in CTP1. I think to rebuild the diplomacy window is a little bit more dificuilt but possible.

-Martin

[Immortal Wombat]

There is a blank spot in the top-left corner of the screen which never has text over it. I think the problem is that they were never intended to be diplomat photos, they were meant to be the parchment which the diplomats wrote their request on, like a letterhead.
Nord, the game doesn't transparentise is, the picture must be transparent in the first place. I did manage to change the colour of the "Message", but I don't really understand the colors00.txt file well enough to try and figure out what each line does.

[Martin Gühmann]

There is a blank spot in the top-left corner of the screen which never has text over it.

I guess you mean a spot in the top left-corner of the parchment. This corner was intended to be covered by a small diplomatic photo. It looks that that Activision didn't finish this although the pictures are already in the game. Now here are two example from diplomatic screen. The first one can be found here on Apolyton. The second one I found somewhere. I can put a image on that place. Unfortunatly it will only work for a screenshot. I can put there a picture of the greek leader and it will be shown for every civ.

-Martin