Cradle 1.35

hexagonian · January 4, 2003, 00:18

Cradle 1.35 is up at my site.

The Land of Hexagonia

These files require that you have 1.3 base files already on your setup too. (but that is standard)

The main additions to 1.35 are some of the files that were added in Cradle 1.33, but were pulled because of incomplete testing. The zip file is large (over 6MB) due to the large number of graphics included.

Files added in 1.35 include the complete graphics package provided by Leonardo, as well as the Visible Wonders SLIC file created by Immortal Wombat. I also made an adjustment to Latifundias - they now do not provide any food benefit. This will hopefully create a more diverse Tile Improvement dilemma concerning what to build.

I have also incorporated the files from 1.34b (a more aggressive AI), but if you want to revert back to the normal 1.34, all you need is the CRA_goals.txt and CRA_strategies.txt from the 1.34 zipfile.

Finally, this is the last update that I will be doing in terms of game-balancing issues. If you disagree with the way I approached those issues, it will now be up to you to alter your files to suit your preferences. At the same time, I will not be actively adding any more SLICs to Cradle either. If you have anything that you want to add, either files that currently exist or new files, feel free to do so.

If there are any SLIC related issues with files in 1.35, I will try to address those though.

I believe that earlier versions of Cradle can be unzipped over the more recent updates if you prefer the earlier setups too, although due to space limitations on my site, I had to pull 1.31 and 1.32.

My last goal for CTP2 is to wrap up the LOTR Scenario, and post those files. I have hopes that this setup will be every much as good as Cradle when completed.

Its been a great ride. Thanks for playing and supporting this Mod.

Dave
aka hexagonian

(once again, I'm trying to wrap this all up)

HuangShang · January 4, 2003, 03:56

hell yeah

and thanx

ískallin · January 4, 2003, 05:46

this is great!
BTW for how long have you been working on cradle?

Zaphod Beeblebrox · January 4, 2003, 09:57

hexagonian · January 4, 2003, 11:00

I just noticed that the strategies/goals in 1.35 are not the same ones that were in 1.34b, so I have posted those two files as an add-on at my site. I still prefer the 1.34a setup over the 1.34b setup, so the main download will stay as is, but I know that there are warmongerors out there who might think that Cradle needs even more bloodthirsty AI forces marching around...

It's a small download too - 17k. If you have started a 1.35 game already, you should be able to unzip these files directly over the current files and continue your game.

Quote:

Originally posted by ískallin
BTW for how long have you been working on cradle?

2 years - I started work on it in January 2001. I had a working model in May, 2001. Everything else has been SLIC add-ons, GL repairs and balancing since then. Suprisingly, I feel that there is little difference between those early incantations of Cradle and what Cradle is now - most of the balancing has been minor, IMO.

In fact, the most drastic ones came about in 1.34, due to discussions with Vel and Ogie, for which I'm grateful regarding their insights. I actually had little intention of updating Cradle until Vel and Ogie gave the game a runthrough. It was nice to have a comprehensive breakdown of Cradle - in the creation process, that perspective is needed to avoid tunnel-vision.

I have thoroughly enjoyed the work involved. I've always had in interest in creating/balancing game mechanics.

Martin Gühmann · January 4, 2003, 11:37

Just a question are the goods in the current version improved. ISo far I wasn't able to find the DisableTrigger function in the CRA_CityExpansion.slc for the RemoveSubneuralAds slic object. If the goods aren't improved then you could rename it to MG_RemoveSubneuralAds, this object is enabled and disabled properly, I think it shouldn't be a problem to have this object twice in the slic database, if it a problem you can also outcomment it from CRA_goods.slc.

-Martin

hexagonian · January 4, 2003, 22:21

Pedrunn had sent me an updated file when the incompatibility with GoodMod was discovered. In testing the file, the fix didn't work and no other updates ever came to me. If the choice came down to either keeping GoodMod or the City Expansion code, I wanted to keep GoodMod.

There were a lot of good features in the City Expansion coding, but the one I did want to change was the hit a player would take if his city dropped below a certain population level via peaceful means (creating a settler) To me, that hit seemed a bit drastic. I did want the suburb to disappear completely in those instances, and have the burned-out suburb appear due to a battle.

If Pedrunn can make it compatible to GoodMod, I will post the files as an add-on to Cradle. He does not have to set it up to the specifications mentioned above regarding my own preferences though.

Azeem · January 5, 2003, 17:09

Sounds great, but have you fixed the SLIC error regarding the Diplomod I mentioned earlier?

stankarp · January 5, 2003, 18:03

Thanks for the wonderful work Hex. Cradle is so good I keep leaving my new games and going back to it. I only played Medieval Total War for 2 weeks before going back to Cradle. My wife loves and hates you you know. I spend a lot less money on new games but spend too much time playing cradle :-))))))))

135 doesnt have a gigantic map setting. Can I enlarge the map any other way (seem to recall instructions once in a thread for changing the map size).

stankarp · January 6, 2003, 17:10

Sorry (red faced), just noticed ultra-gig map in another part of modswapper.

hexagonian · January 6, 2003, 23:42

Azeem,

I haven't been able to duplicate the problem - yours is the first report of this happening too.

Are you using a localized version of CTP2? And Win2K, as that also seems to cause some problems. I am running 1.35 on my setup (Win98) without any problem.

Are you using Cradle 1.35 with Diplo 3.5? There is a separate copy of Diplo 3.6 on my site, but to be honest, that hasn't been seriously tested in a Cradle setup - at least I haven't heard of anyone using that option. Everyone seems to stick with the default Diplo 3.5.

I could suggest that you try a complete reinstall.

And are you the same Azeem on the Emperor Forums? Love that game - I play a lot more of that than CTP2 now.

Stankarp - don't let my Mod ruin your marriage

Zaphod Beeblebrox · January 7, 2003, 01:38

i played cradle 1.34 (iirc) with diplo 3.6 on a w2k-machine back in october, just look at my posts from that time, there were dozens of problems

Devil of Truth · January 7, 2003, 06:22

Hex, you should have you status changed from "King" to "CTP2 god!"

Tamerlin · January 7, 2003, 16:04

Thanks for your work Hexagonian, I haven't yet tested the Cradle mod but I will do it someday. I already know It will be a very pleasant experience as the feedback from the CtP2 community is always excellent.

Azeem · January 7, 2003, 19:49

Hexagonian, I recently played the updated Cradle mod and the problem disappeared.

I was using Diplomod 3.6 on version 1.34 so that could have been the problem. I use Windows ME, so that might also have been a problem as well.

Quote:

And are you the same Azeem on the Emperor Forums? Love that game - I play a lot more of that than CTP2 now.

I use the names "Azeem" or "Rumi" on every forum I've visited. I am indeed the same "Azeem" on the Emperor forums.

I was wondering if you were the same "Hexagonian" on the Apolyton forums as well.

hexagonian · January 8, 2003, 00:49

Thanks Azeem

I'll be pulling Diplo 3.6 off my site then.

Azeem · January 8, 2003, 01:20

You might want to test 3.6 first in case it actually does work on your computer. My Windows ME has been nothing but buggy, so it could be the possible cause of the problem. Perhaps you should put a warning on it to warn Windows ME users.

Zaphod Beeblebrox · January 8, 2003, 05:33

well, if its the os and not the mod, warn the 2k users as well

LDiCesare · January 8, 2003, 07:10

Just letting you know I downloaded 1.35 and like it a lot.
I wonder whether the AI can manage sea transport/invasions. Is there anything somewhere that allows it? Maybe I should DL the 1.34b strategy/goals?

LDiCesare · January 14, 2003, 19:40

I get repeated crashes with Cradle 1.35 games, just when things start becoming interesting. From the look of it, it happens when an AI attacks a city when there are lots of units.
I attach a save game. I crash when doing end turn. I already reloaded and saved the game every turn for four turns before that...
Anyone has an idea what could cause the problem?

Tamerlin · January 14, 2003, 20:35

Quote:

Originally posted by LDiCesare
I get repeated crashes with Cradle 1.35 games, just when things start becoming interesting. From the look of it, it happens when an AI attacks a city when there are lots of units.
I attach a save game. I crash when doing end turn. I already reloaded and saved the game every turn for four turns before that...
Anyone has an idea what could cause the problem?

Isn't it a DebugSlic=yes/DebugSlic=No issue? I think, but I am not sure at all, I have read somewhere that the Cradle mod would not need the userprofile.txt to be changed to DebugSlic=No contrary to the SAP2.

Perhaps have you forgotten to change the line or perhaps should you revert to DebugSlic=Yes... I hope the others will be able to help you if it doesn't work, as far as I am concerned there is little more I can do.

Pedrunn · February 4, 2003, 18:03

Hi Hex,

Incentivated by a french lurker who e-mailed me. I got back on working in the city expansion. And i have come up with a compatible version with the Good Bonus Code!

Are you still interested in the City Expansion for Craddle?

I know the french guy and many others are!

Martin Gühmann · February 4, 2003, 18:51

Quote:

Originally posted by Pedrunn
Hi Hex,

Incentivated by a french lurker who e-mailed me. I got back on working in the city expansion. And i have come up with a compatible version with the Good Bonus Code!

Are you still interested in the City Expansion for Craddle?

I know the french guy and many others are!

That are great news Pedrunn so what you changed? By the way also Wes was interested in the city expansion set long ago. So it will difenatly go into the MedPack version of GoodMod (when I have some time).

-Martin

Pedrunn · February 14, 2003, 10:26

Hi all, I have made a cradle version of the city expansion

This file does not give an extra modswapper option. It adds the feature to the Cradle v1.35 option. It replace some files to do so.

I also added the IW visible wonders to the pack since the request for the cradle city expansion always come together with it. But there are some minor chages regarding the city expansion: The main ones are that you only get the cities expansion in pops multiples of 6 (and not 3) as requested by Hex, the pillage fix from mrbaggins, the dead citis disppears after 20 turns (and not 100) and the compatibility with the good.slc.

Just unzip inside the Call to Power main directory. Also dont forget the regular preriquisites for the city expansion (patch, modswapper and apolyton tile filr) and, of couse, the cradle mod. Then just choose the modswapper option of cradle full version.

I hope you all enjoy.

Zaphod Beeblebrox · February 22, 2003, 11:27

i finally managed to give cradle 1.35 a try, its great as expected, but i got the following problems:
a) unit updater still doesn't update all units all the time (got bronze working, spearmen were updated, then the updater finished without asking me about the spearmen militias). note: wonder got finished in the same turn.
b) sometimes, when i built a wonder, the corresponding ti doesn't appear, instead a village is turned to rubble.
c) just conquered a city for the first time, but i didn't get the option to enslave it.

while a) and b) for sure are bugs but can be worked out easily via the cheat menu, i find c) rather annoying, especially since the ai builds dozens of cities very close. is is intended or a bug as well? and anyhow, how can i reenable city enslavement without messing up the game files too much?

info on the game: cradle 1.35 "plain" with cityexpansion for cradle. impossible/raiders. 13 civs, max 20 already a few splintercivs around. gigantic donought-map. localized (german) version tuned into the english one, win2k.

thank you :-)

Pedrunn · February 22, 2003, 12:13

So far you and the french guy I mentioned in the above post. Were the only who gave me some feedback about the cityX.
Not even Hex made any comment about it. Not even by e-mail or PM. Therefore so the Cradle City expansion is a unnoficial part of Craddle and i shoul respond about it

Quote:

Originally posted by Zaphod Beeblebrox
b) sometimes, when i built a wonder, the corresponding ti doesn't appear, instead a village is turned to rubble.

Are you sure the wonder had a graphical map TI? Since only the following wonders in the game does it:
Code of Hamurabi, Coliseum, Empire State Building, Field Dynamics Lab, Globesat, Hagia Sophia, Hanging Gardens, Hollywood, Mecca, Pyramids, Stonehenge, Temple of Jerusalem, The Lighthouse, Temple of Zeus, The Agency and the Hadrians Walls.

If it did had it appear in the next turn after the finishing of it?

Zaphod Beeblebrox · February 22, 2003, 12:22

yes, it were wonders with tis. the first i don't remember (quite a few ones in my capitol) the 2nd was the temple of zeus. don't know, if that ti would have been build. there was nothing to see except the crumbled village, so i build a new village and the wonder ti via the cheatmenu

oh, and btw. congrats to your election, didn't visit the dg site in a few days, was ill and just able to willinglessly click around in a game

Tamerlin · February 22, 2003, 13:25

The Unit Updater in the Cradle mod does not allow you to update your units in the turns following the advance enabling the updating process. It means you have to update your units in the turn of the said discovery.

I am currently testing the Updater2 designed by Peter Trigg with some code borrowed from Pedrunn's NewUpdater. This Updater2 allows you to update your units in the turns following the advance.

You can't update all your units, you should open the CRA_Updater.slc file and look at the arrays, they list what are the units that can be updated, what is the upgrade and the cost in gold. I have reworked the arrays and designed new update paths in order to adapt the CRA_Updater.slc to the SAP2 and increase the number of units that can be updated.

I am currently working on the arrays again to introduce a minor but very useful change in the updating process. The updater2 can easily be adapted to the Cradle mod though you would have to make a few changes as the units and update paths are different. Here is the link to the Update Thread:

http://apolyton.net/forums/showthrea...threadid=73752

Zaphod Beeblebrox · February 22, 2003, 15:29

ok, should have read the readme

it says city enslavement has been removed. nevertheless i inserted martins new city enslavement code. it works fine so far. too fine sometimes, bloody revolts!

Martin Gühmann · February 22, 2003, 15:39

Quote:

Originally posted by Zaphod Beeblebrox
too fine sometimes, bloody revolts!

Thank you very much, it was a lot of work to figure out how this could work.

By the way the prize for enslaving can't be as low as in the last version otherwise Dave will never consider to add it to Cradle.

-Martin