Need help with unique scenario design...

niteowl · January 17, 2001, 12:11

I want to design a scenario around a special map that I have in mind. What I want to do though is limit the types of units in play. I want to limit the units to ground based units only. No naval or air units allowed.

I am thinking that if I simply go into the appropriate txt file and delete those units, I can achieve the desired result. However, I have never designed something this radical before so I don't know if there will be any "side effects" from an action such as this.

I would like to limit the level of technology in this scenario to maybe pre-industrial revolution.

Also, this needs to be an "All Out War" Scenario -- meaning NO communication with other civs, no trade, and highly aggressive civs.

And finally, I would like to somehow set it up so that ALL huts discovered release a hoard of barbarians.

You are probably wondering what sort of bizarre scenario I am trying to develop... All I can tell you right now is I want to see if I can turn a Civ game into an RPG type adventure campaign.

Any advice that you can give would be greatly appreciated. And all contributors are welcome to a complimentary copy of this scenario once it is finished.

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Please post your responses here or send me an email to niteowlsc@netscape.net
[This message has been edited by niteowl (edited January 17, 2001).]

Cam · January 17, 2001, 18:59

No problems with anything other than the last one - but there's a trick you could use that might half-work...

quote:

I want to limit the units to ground based units only. No naval or air units allowed.

Change their domains to '0'. When going through rules.txt's units area, the first column of numbers determine whether units are land-, sea-, or air-based. You will notice that the first unit in the list that doesn't have a '0', is the fighter unit, with '1' (for air-domain).

quote:

I am thinking that if I simply go into the appropriate txt file and delete those units, I can achieve the desired result.

No - don't delete lines in the rules.txt file, it will 'confuse' the program. You need to turn things off by using 'no' as a prerequisite.

quote:

I would like to limit the level of technology in this scenario to maybe pre-industrial revolution.

There are a few different approaches here - one might be to edit the technology tree, so only ancient and renaissance technologies can be researched, and substitute Future Tech's prerequisites to Railroad and Banking. Almost all Industrial and all Modern era technologies being removed from the game by using 'no' as a prerequisite. (This is but one fairly crude strategy).

quote:

Also, this needs to be an "All Out War" Scenario -- meaning NO communication with other civs, no trade, and highly aggressive civs.

When setting up the scenario, the cheat menu can allow you to turn off the possibility of space flight. Removing space ship parts from the build list will work as well (change the area in rules.txt; @IMPROVEMENTS for SS Structurals, Components and Modules from 'SFl', 'Pla', and 'Sup', to 'no' in each case), and the civilopedia will reflect this (ensure pedia.txt is included in your zipped files).

To prevent communications, you will need to create an events.txt file with a pair of 'negotiation' events for each tribe. See the file macro.txt for a bit more information on that.

Trade units may be made unbuildable by changing their prerequisites to 'no'.

When setting up the scenario, choose "Customize Rules" and check/tick the "Select Computer Opponents". Then select from; Russians, Zulu, Viking, Spanish, Persians, Carthaginians, and Mongols. You may further use the events file to 'Make Aggression' every turn for each tribe on each tribe (again, refer to macro.txt), or set their initial relationships to 'war' or 'vendetta' (via the cheat menu; edit king > edit treaties).

quote:

And finally, I would like to somehow set it up so that ALL huts discovered release a hoard of barbarians.

This is (to my knowledge) not possible, although 'they who hex edit' might be able to make this objective a reality. I would suggest you create zero-move, zero-defence barbarian units that have the hut graphic with the shield hidden, and use the events folder to create barbarian units when one of the units is destroyed. Unfortunately in order to use this approach, if you want to have a lot of huts, you need to use a lot of unit slots so the barbarians appear around the right 'hut'. The AI will 'go nuts' about attacking these huts also, as AI tribes really hate barbarians. Furthermore, the attacking unit will generally not enter the square where the hut is, but attack it from the adjacent square in that turn. This is a little messy, but can be achieved.

I invite you to familiarise yourself with the Design Tips section of the Scenario League site for more information on setting up scenarios if you've yet to check that site out. These are rather quick and expedient answers/ideas, but still may be a bit confusing if you're unfamiliar with scenario design. Please don't hesitate to seek further clarification if you're not sure about something. Also, there are often several different legitamate approaches to dealing with some objectives - I've tried to offer some of the more straightforward options.

[This message has been edited by Cam (edited January 18, 2001).]

Snog · January 17, 2001, 19:16

Wow, thanks, Cam, you put a lot of effort into that response. I saw all those questions, but I didnt have time to give the answers.

For more info, niteowl, consult the section in the civ II manual about editing scenarios. You can also search the forum archives to see if your questions have already been answered before.

niteowl · January 19, 2001, 19:11

Update #1

Just to let you know, I got the basic land mass of this map completed (just using grassland tiles for now). I have to say this is absolutely the hardest map I have ever designed. I partially playtested it the other night and even with 7 civs, I am yet to make contact with anyone else (year = 1500bc).

Cam · January 20, 2001, 09:32

quote:

Originally posted by niteowl on 01-19-2001 06:11 PM

I have to say this is absolutely the hardest map I have ever designed.

Dare I ask - all grassland and "absolutely the hardest map"?

Prometeus · January 20, 2001, 09:51

are you talking about sea shores profiles, maybe?

niteowl · January 22, 2001, 14:11

Update #2

I am referring to the difficulty from a playability standpoint.

As soon as I have the map completed, I will post it so you can have a look at it. Then you will know what I mean by "hardest map I've ever done"

niteowl · January 26, 2001, 12:32

Update #3

Due to extenuating circumstances, I have been unable to work on this scenario for the last week or so. I hope to be able to complete it some time next week.

Thanks for all the info I am getting on this project. All comments and suggestions are welcome. Keep 'em coming.

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"My dear girl don't flatter yourself. What I did this evening was for king and country. You don't think it gave me any pleasure do you?

--- James Bond
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Feel free to contact me via email:
niteowlsc@netscape.net

niteowl · January 31, 2001, 15:03

Update 3.1

Does anyone know where I can find a *good* fantasy modpack? I need a couple dragons and trolls for this scenario.

Prometeus · January 31, 2001, 16:44

Sorry, i have no dragons, but i can find out a troll somewhere - once I'll remeber where i've placed it...

Mercator · February 1, 2001, 06:33

One correction: To my knowledge you can't disable space flight through the cheat menu. You have to select "Blood lust" under the "Customize Rules" bit when you start your game!

Prometeus · February 1, 2001, 08:47

Nite... your e-mail?

Otherwise I can't send it to you. Need a gryphon, a winged horse or something like that also?

niteowl · February 1, 2001, 10:35

Sorry, I forgot the email I give out is part of my signature tag and not under my profile. See....

p.s. Yes I will take gryphons, orcs, goblins, and anything else you have that would fit into a fantasy world. Thanks.

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"My dear girl don't flatter yourself. What I did this evening was for king and country. You don't think it gave me any pleasure do you?

--- James Bond
<><><><><><><><>
Feel free to contact me via email:
niteowlsc@netscape.net
[This message has been edited by niteowl (edited February 01, 2001).]

St Leo · February 1, 2001, 21:01

1. Using Glacier instead of Grassland to sketch out the landmasses results in a better final product.

2. Contents of the Ziggurat:
Age of Wonders Conversions
Prince of Darkness
Underdark
Lord of the Rings
Ripoff Pack

3. You should also seek out Dungeon at Platehead's, Darklord at Carl's, and City of Atrinon on North Star.

4. I take orders for specific units to rip from Heroes3, Heroes2, Age of Wonders, Warlords 3, and Warlords Battlecry.

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St. Leo
http://www.sidgames.com/hosted/ziggurat/
http://www.sidgames.com/forums/
[This message has been edited by St Leo (edited February 01, 2001).]

Prometeus · February 2, 2001, 15:29

Stuff posted... check out your e-mail.

niteowl · February 5, 2001, 10:43

quote:

Originally posted by Prometeus on 02-02-2001 02:29 PM
Stuff posted... check out your e-mail.

Got it! Thanks.