Hidden Nationality SLICable?

[Martin Gühmann]

It's slic. Ordid you ever see a compiler with such useful error messages? OK OK maybe Hugs, but even hugs didn't give me thousends of error message where actual no error was.

-Martin

[mapfi]

For decompiling slic is really great, you're right about that. The basic concept of global and temporary variables so abused, that's pure torture to any programmers heart Thanks Martin, I hope this baby is going to work nicely tonight. I've already enhanced the battle routine and introduced stack attacks (though with my settings not really a reasonable thing to be doing). I won't let the pirates stack though. I don't think they used to have more than one ship in those days, or did they? Anybody know for sure?

[mapfi]

Ok, here it is, the first really working version of this pretty thing:

• it's zipped and set up to be a mod on it's own with the original version of the game as a base in order to make it easier to test
• the very special unit is the LONGSHIP since I haven't bothered to create a new one yet
• to attack a ship on a adjacent cell you have to give the longship the order to entrench/fortify (this is in my opinion a good workaround since ships can't do that anyway)
• the code will look clockwise from north for an enemy ship/stack and attack the first one it finds
• you'll get a messagebox with all the calculated numbers, for testing purposes, for the calculation look up in the code
• if the attacked enemy was a human player he'd get a message about the outcome
• so far you can attack an only by your possibilty to move into the range of more enemy ships limited number of times - this also for testing

I'd be glad if some would try it out and report back on what they think of the balance in the battles

[mapfi]

Nobody looking at it?

I've already got new ideas:[list=1][*]The unit won't cost you any production upkeep. Instead I'll include a turn counter for every unit and when you want them evil pirates to attack an enemy you have to pay their salary/bribe that has added up since the last attack. The idea is that the pirates aren't really your unit but for money they do the dirty work for you... Or in another version juat every few turns the request for gold for them would come up and if you don't pay you won't be able to move the unit anymore...
[*]If you move a unit in a city for healing or any other reason, the city will get unhappiness due to those bastards roaming your streats...
[*]I don't really understand diplomacy but don't you get a drop in regard with other players when you attack somebody? If so, only when the attack is without declaring war beforehand? Because one could include a function that'd allow you to attack an enemy after they've used pirates to sank your ship and you discovered it.
[*]connected to 3, I'm thinking about how to teach the AI how to use the unit. What comes to my mind is that AI pirates automatically scan every turn for nearby enemy ships and attack them if promising...[/list=1]So what do you think?

[SMIFFGIG]

Ive just thought, this code could be used for the "Bandit Horserider" in MM2 mod (unit from one of the official scenarios) it could also be used in HotW which im presuming and hoping will have the bandit horserider in it

P.S. Is there anyway to change the fortify icon to one that is specific to privateer attacking. Use the same code but have a seperate icon for it?

[Caranorn]

Mapfi, just thought I'd add some historic perspective to this threat.

Privateers were generally either sucessful business men, or average fishermen. The first category used to buy a letter of marque and was thereby authorised to engage enemy shipping (generally extended to ports etc.), the privateer generally paid for the letter of marque and in return received the largest part of the prize money (money perceived from selling captured enemy ships and cargo, much of that prize money went to the crown). So for traders, privateering was a lucrative side venture during wartime. Fishery fleets were at times fully converted to privateering (corsairs) during wartime, I expect they received their letter of marque for free (but their share of prize money must have been less).

Both types of privateering were generally a great nuisance to enemy nations (a formal declaration of war need not have existed at the time). Both types could form large privateering fleets (still not worth stacking on the CTP2 scale) or operate a single ship. Some privateers brought their country great financial profit (Drake and Hawkins for instance) and were absolutely dreaded by their enemies.

Privateers should cost nothing to the owning player. A random risk for the privateer to convert to a barbarian unit might be a good idea though (they were walking a very thin line). I'm not sure whether players/ai currently receive any income for pirating trade routes, if so, this should also happen with privateers though if possible at a lesser level (also when they attack and win).

You should also give privateers either the ability to spot other privateers, or create an additional unit to chase privateers (able to spot and attack them even when not at war). Concernign their strength, privateers should be slightly lower then frigates I expect (a privateer attacking a regular warship should have a hard time indeed).

Most real privateering ships by the way were rather small and nimble, the largest corresponded roughly to a medium frigate, the smallest hardly more then a large rowboat with sail.

Marc aka Caran...

[mapfi]

Originally posted by Caranorn
Mapfi, just thought I'd add some historic perspective to this threat.

It's not like I wanted to threaten anyone with this code but I soon will if noone looks at it. Feel free to add something to the thread though

Just some general question. The privateers and the pirates were not the same thing then? I've been thinking of pirates all the time but actually now that you explain it makes more sense that they took privateers.

Privateers should cost nothing to the owning player. A random risk for the privateer to convert to a barbarian unit might be a good idea though (they were walking a very thin line)

Not difficult to do but rather hard to balance - I mean the risk would have to be very small - maybe once in 50 turns?

I'm not sure whether players/ai currently receive any income for pirating trade routes, if so, this should also happen with privateers though if possible at a lesser level (also when they attack and win).

Income from pirating trade routes yes - see Pedrunns thread - and some income when an attack is successful? - no problem

You should also give privateers either the ability to spot other privateers or create an additional unit to chase privateers (able to spot and attack them even when not at war).

As it is set up now - only privateers can see other privateers. I think there's no other stealth naval unit so far as the sub is not stealth but underwater (I think). If you got a stealth unit on the shore you'll see the privateers too. If we had an appropriate name and sprite it would not be difficult to add such a privateer hunter though. Good idea. (name and sprite? )

Concernign their strength, privateers should be slightly lower then frigates I expect (a privateer attacking a regular warship should have a hard time indeed).

I agree - they've got the surprise effect on their side though. So what do you think should be the odds of privateer - frigate? And for the transport units, shall they loose every time?

[mapfi]

Originally posted by SMIFFGIG
Ive just thought, this code could be used for the "Bandit Horserider" in MM2 mod

no problem - just the battle balancing issue that'll take some time

P.S. Is there anyway to change the fortify icon to one that is specific to privateer attacking. Use the same code but have a seperate icon for it?

I don't think we can change that picture just for one unit.

[SMIFFGIG]

Hey this is crazy, no one is tryin it... dont worry ive downloaded it and im gunna try it on my clean install of CtP2 (duel installed)
I will get back to you on what i think, possible improvements etc etc.

Right, im not exactly sure how this code works but
There is an error which I have mentioned before in MM2 mod. This error is with the noble, it gives him loads of extra functions (that dont work). hang on ill just copy/paste my old post

"the second is the Noble in it, on the options display for the unit (bottom right on GUI) it has the normal (establish embassy, hold reception) etc but has three extra ones saying i think its "Build detecter" "Build Airbase" and build "fortification", im hoping this is just an error in MM2 and not in the general way the noble has bn made (thinking of when it goes into HotW mod. Thats if it will be in there (i hope) "

They all have the move unit icon. Could you not do the same with Privateer ony purposly and as it is a TOTALLY new function add a TOTTALY new icon for it. (obviously your function will work) ????

[Martin Gühmann]

Originally posted by SMIFFGIG
the second is the Noble in it, on the options display for the unit (bottom right on GUI) it has the normal (establish embassy, hold reception) etc but has three extra ones saying i think its "Build detecter" "Build Airbase" and build "fortification", im hoping this is just an error in MM2 and not in the general way the noble has bn made

Not a bug but a feature. You obviously playing GoodMod for Medpack2. I made some new orders to make the AI building some stuff liek fortd and air bases aand other stuff. My original intention was to hide these orders but unfortunatly they appeared in the context menue, so I gave the ones that could be usefull for a player buttons in the latest version of GoodMod they have the correct icons. To see these orders in action you the following condition must be true, you need enough PW and you must have own the location if it is not the fortification order. In the theroy all units have these three orders, the buttons appear if there is no other button that is layed on top of them.

-Martin

[mapfi]

So Martin does this mean I can even create a new function and don't have to use the entrench order? And I can give the thing it's own button?? If so how?

[Martin Gühmann]

Originally posted by mapfi
So Martin does this mean I can even create a new function and don't have to use the entrench order? And I can give the thing it's own button?? If so how?

First you have to create a new order modify the orders.txt it. Note that the EventName must contain a valid event from the slic event list, I don't know if fuctions would work, too. Or other slic object. But for the event here you can use an unused event and trigger an event handler on it. This way I use UseSpaceLadderOrder, DescendOrder and RustleOrder. These slic events have an build in army array so I can place a tile improvement on the army location. Then go to the goals.txt and add a new goal for the AI and add it with all the priorities to the strategies.txt so that the AI can use the new order. Finally you have to know that new orders should added at the beginning of the orders.txt to avoid that the knew orders will hide old orders on the button bank. As I started a new I got crashes, because I added orders with buttons that are'n available on the buttons bank.

-Martin

[SMIFFGIG]

Is there a list anywhere of all the unused events ? and a description with them on what they where going to do or did do in ctp1???

P.S. Can any of them be mode to work properly again (eg rustle whatever that was meant for)

[Martin Gühmann]

Originally posted by SMIFFGIG
Is there a list anywhere of all the unused events ? and a description with them on what they where going to do or did do in ctp1???

P.S. Can any of them be mode to work properly again (eg rustle whatever that was meant for)

I don't have a full list of unused events, first you can guess and you can count all the events with the order suffix that aren't included in the orders.txt.

The space ladder order made a unit to go into the space without any costs, but unfortunatly there is Space Ladder wonder anymore in the game so you can't use it for its original purpose. I don't know what the Descend order is for possible the drop back order to earth but I don't know. The Rustle order was for stealing cattle in CTP1 you have the cow sprite in CTP1 and this unit is included in CTP1 but it has the can't build flag. Just remove it in the CTP1 unit.txt and invade your enemy with an army of cattle, actual it is good to slow down the enemy invasion army, the cattle unit added five food units to the terrain on that it was sitting. That would have made me to fill all the terrain with the cows for each tile 9 cows. So for every city 20*9 cows that would have been a lot if you consider that I had more then 300 cities in the end of a game. So that would have been a 10000++ cattle bug instead of a 200++ settler bug.

-Martin

[Pedrunn]

Martin, in your goodmod i have seen some new orders related to create improvement.
How do you trigger those slic orders? Is there a entry in the orders.txt to make a newly created order trigger them?

[Martin Gühmann]

Originally posted by Pedrunn
Martin, in your goodmod i have seen some new orders related to create improvement.
How do you trigger those slic orders? Is there a entry in the orders.txt to make a newly created order trigger them?

ORDER_BUILD_FORT {
  Gold 0
  Move 100
  EventName "UseSpaceLadderOrder"
  GLHidden

  LocalizedName str_ldl_order_build_fort
  StatusText str_ldl_order_build_fort

  TargetPretest:None
  UnitPretest_None

  CPIcon "upsi44.tga"
  ButtonLocation 10
  DefaultIcon ICON_TILEIMP_FORTIFICATIONS
  
  Cursor 1
  InvalidCursor 2
}

This line is the key line:

EventName "UseSpaceLadderOrder"

Whenever the order is added, the quoted event is triggered. Then go into the GM1_TileimpOrders.slc there you find this event handler:

HandleEvent(UseSpaceLadderOrder)'MG_BuildFort' pre {
	if((TerrainType(army[0].location)<=9)
	||((TerrainType(army[0].location)>=18)
	&& (TerrainType(army[0].location)<=21))
	&& (HasAdvance(army[0].owner, ID_ADVANCE_STONE_WORKING))
	) {
		Event:CreateImprovement(army[0].owner,army[0].location, 8,0 );
	}
	if((TerrainType(army[0].location)>9)
	||((TerrainType(army[0].location)<18)
	&& (TerrainType(army[0].location)>21))
	&& (HasAdvance(army[0].owner, ID_ADVANCE_SUBNEURAL_ADS))
	) {
		Event:CreateImprovement(army[0].owner,army[0].location, 39,0 );
	}
}

It is triggered by the UseSpaceLadderOrder and will create a fort, if your unit is on land terrain, you have enough PW and the necessary advance. If the army is on a sea tile it will create an underwater fort (tile imp index 39 in GM1_tileimp.txt), presuming you have subneural ads actual I did not implemented this underwater base so far, I think I have to fix it, by the way I added some CTP1 tile imp graphics to the purple hill tile file. (The graphics of this underwater base including all construction graphics and the sea mine graphics, of cause this kind of sea mine that explodes.)

-Martin

[mapfi]

Here's an update:
-Changed the battle outcome a little and found a small, little, minor bug
-The AttackButton now says "hidden attack" and will trigger with the spaceladder thingie - I used CanSue as a Unit pretest - I hope the privatter won't be around long enough to take advantage of that
-Pillaging now works without the enemy seing who did it and it gives 50 gold. How much should it give?

[J Bytheway]

Originally posted by Martin Gühmann
the cattle unit added five food units to the terrain on that it was sitting. That would have made me to fill all the terrain with the cows for each tile 9 cows. So for every city 20*9 cows that would have been a lot if you consider that I had more then 300 cities in the end of a game. So that would have been a 10000++ cattle bug instead of a 200++ settler bug.

That's not true. Only one cattle on any square has an effect, adding further cattle gives no additional food. So you only get 1000+ cattle.

[Pedrunn]

Thanks martin

[SMIFFGIG]

mapfi
Check your PM

[Pedrunn]

mapfi, could you make a summary of what this code does. I read the thread but i got confused on what has been changed or added since there are several different codes.

- Thanks in advance

[mapfi]

@SMIFFGIG I read that one ages ago...

@Pedrunn
Well, the coding is on hold till Caranorn comes up with a sprite of the privateer unit. But it's in my head and the tga question that Martin answered was actually connected to this because I wanted to introduce a new order button.

The latest posted code does the following:

-gives the longship (testunit) the ability to execute an attack on an enemy ship:
-----the unit can't be seen, it's stealth
-----the enemy doesn't know who attacked
-----the outcome of the battle is calculated by the code - no regular battle taking place

-the attack is started by the clicking the order button or right click on unit and select hidden attack, so far the code look clockwise for an enemy unit (planning to change this)

There are a few other things that I plan to put in - most of them already mentioned here - but as I said I'll wait till I get that sprite and then code it and pack it up.

[Caranorn]

Maquiladora was working on the privateer last I knew. I'm not sure how far he got. I myself consider myself on break concerning CTP2 for a few days more, after that I will have to uprade all sprites I already converted before i start with additional ones.

Marc aka Caran...

[Ekmek]

How's things going on this? I was also maybe wondering if its possible for a modern Special Forces unit with the hidden nationality ability but also have the Spy's ability to start revolutions in cities, is this doable? who am I kidding you CTP2 slicers are good enough for anything.

[Martin Gühmann]

Originally posted by E
How's things going on this? I was also maybe wondering if its possible for a modern Special Forces unit with the hidden nationality ability but also have the Spy's ability to start revolutions in cities, is this doable? who am I kidding you CTP2 slicers are good enough for anything.

That is only a modification of the unit.txt. No additional slic needed for that.

-Martin

[mapfi]

No problem at all - but I'd need graphics - I mean a good sprite. and of course I'd have to have time...

[Ekmek]

flc for mapfi, but i think a sprite was already done int the civ3 conversion thread.