Mars Mod

lev · July 2, 2002, 15:50

I've been re-reading K.S. Robinson's wonderful RGB Mars triology, and I was wondering -

What would it take to create a "terraform Mars" scenario? What would have to be modified?

First, of course, would be to create a Mars map, which should be straightforward enough. I'm envisioning it starting with no water, and no breathable atmosphere. Terraforming would eventually create seas and atmosphere.

Second, the fungus would have to go, obviously. Monoliths may or may not be included.

Third, all the land tiles would originally have no soil, only regolith, so they would produce food only with (hydroponic) farms. There should be a way to create soil, of course, through terraforming, and perhaps as global terraforming proceeds, soil would spontaneously form. A soil (as opposed to a regolith) tile would provide some food on it's own.

As for the atmosphere, I'm not sure if that can be modeled in the game. If it could, then you could make it so (for example) forests couldn't be created until the atmosphere is built up sufficiently. The first steps would be to create greenhouse gases (esp. CO2) to build up the atmospheric pressure and warm the planet; then forests could create O2, and once it's breathable, then maybe give a pop growth bonus to everyone.

The factions (except maybe Fungus Boy) would all pretty much work as they are, and you might even be able to work in the aliens as the "ancient Martians" returned.

Victory conditions would have to be figured out, though all the military-political-economic ones would work fine as they are.

Military units are all pretty much fine the way they are, IMO.

So, anyone want to help with this? Anyone have any comments or further ideas?

chequita guevara · January 2, 2003, 02:28

The atmosphere isn't such a great problem as the temperature of the planet. Normal plant life wouldn't survive, since it would freeze. That excludes forests at first, but farms could be in greenhouses.

How do you get rid of fungus, worms, and the second sun?

Static Universe · January 3, 2003, 02:00

Isn't there a scenario option to turn off all fungus and native life?

The Xenofungus site I think had a cool Mars map, which is sort of boring in single player. There's so little green most of the factions randomly start next to each other. But all the Mars geographical features are labeled, so someone put a lot of hard work into it.

Main_Brain · January 3, 2003, 13:43

mhh if you redesign the Fungus art into fertile soil it would seem as if the Planet slowly terraforms?

chequita guevara · January 4, 2003, 16:38

Where's the xenofungus site?

Static Universe · January 4, 2003, 21:22

Quote:

Originally posted by chegitz guevara
Where's the xenofungus site?

http://xenofungus.cjb.net/

It seems to have disappeared. Hopefully not forever.

chequita guevara · February 6, 2003, 03:11

Is there an editor for this game?

Static Universe · February 6, 2003, 17:20

Quote:

Originally posted by chegitz guevara
Is there an editor for this game?

Beyond the in-game scenario editor and hand editing the text files, not one I have ever come across.

Maniac · February 8, 2003, 22:20

The Mars map can be downloaded at civ.org.pl There is also a Mars scenario (v3.0 - the old v1.1 is also on LoD's site), which has been sent to civ.org.pl, Apolyton and CGN, but neither has put them on their site, though I have gotten answer from LoD and CGN they would.

Maniac · February 8, 2003, 22:28

Quote:

Originally posted by Static23
Isn't there a scenario option to turn off all fungus and native life?

The Xenofungus site I think had a cool Mars map, which is sort of boring in single player. There's so little green most of the factions randomly start next to each other. But all the Mars geographical features are labeled, so someone put a lot of hard work into it.

Man that sounds much like the map I'm talking about.

Who knows they have put it on their site without me knowing.

Tell me, as I can't access the site, are Olympus Mons and such represented by vulcanoes? What about Elysium Montes (that has changed from vulcano to no vulcano depending on the map version)? Are dunes used? Is Argyre Planitia the Garland Crater? And Hellas Planitia a bunch of 0-1000m lowlands?
If so, I can't recall ever giving the Marsmap to that site...

Static Universe · February 8, 2003, 22:51

Quote:

Originally posted by Maniac

Man that sounds much like the map I'm talking about.

Who knows they have put it on their site without me knowing.

Tell me, as I can't access the site, are Olympus Mons and such represented by vulcanoes? What about Elysium Montes (that has changed from vulcano to no vulcano depending on the map version)? Are dunes used? Is Argyre Planitia the Garland Crater? And Hellas Planitia a bunch of 0-1000m lowlands?
If so, I can't recall ever giving the Marsmap to that site...

I said I think I got it from that site. The link has been down for a few months, it seems. I'm not positve where I got it, but I know it didn't get it from Poly, CGN or civ.org.pl.

The map is exactly as you described. I assume it is an early version because Elysium Montes is two volcanoes. The map I have is called mars3.MP .

Are early versions posted anywhere on the net?

Maniac · February 9, 2003, 10:22

The only place where I know of that the map can be downloaded is civ.org.pl. I also sent it to Apolyton way back, but they didn't respond. Now I've sent the MarsSurvivors v3.0 scenario to those other sites, and in the zipfile the updated Marsmap is included. Elysium Montes are no longer vulcanoes, which means that Elysium is guaranteed to become an isle if you raise the sea levels (as in KSR's Mars Trilogy), which didn't happen while they were vulcanoes.

Static Universe · February 9, 2003, 15:39

I can post it here or email it to you if want to see if it's the same map. It's only 10k zipped.

Maniac · February 9, 2003, 15:51

Oh that would be nice. Thanks. Here's the version I have (10k too) attached btw.

Static Universe · February 9, 2003, 19:35

Here's my copy. I think I've had it for 5-6 months. Look the same to me, with very minor changes.

Maniac · February 12, 2003, 13:00

It's indeed an earlier version, one where I put way too much mineral and energy bonuses on it... If you would remember again where you got it, if it wasn't Xenofungus, please tell me, as I'd like to ask where the site owner got the map from.

Static Universe · February 12, 2003, 13:55

Quote:

Originally posted by Maniac
It's indeed an earlier version, one where I put way too much mineral and energy bonuses on it... If you would remember again where you got it, if it wasn't Xenofungus, please tell me, as I'd like to ask where the site owner got the map from.

I try to find it again. They had a bunch of maps, most of which i downloaded. Unfortunately, I lost the bookmark and the site doesn't appear to be listed in any of the link pages of the other SMAC sites that I have found. Not sure why, because they had more maps than most of the other sites put together.

Makahlua · April 25, 2003, 00:31

I've got the mars3.mp file too - mine came from http://alpha-centauri-stuff.cjb.net IIRC

I went looking for some topographical maps after playing around on the _huge_ 'Inhabitable Mars' Map for Civ3 - I want a big 'Blue Mars' map for AC

(b/c I'm too impatient to wait x years to get Eco Eng, then have to wait like a century to raise the levels to where I can go swimming

)

And um.....where can I find the updated version of your map, since Xenofungus is down?

Maniac · April 25, 2003, 17:12

Odd, I didn't find the Marsmap in the files/maps section of the link in your post.

Whatever. *shrugs*
Anyway, currently the only place where the most recent version of the map is downloadable is at www.civgaming.net . However I just edited my signature, so you can download it simply by clicking on the last link you see below in my sig.