Complete Guide to SLIC

[ahenobarb]

After several months of work, the Complete Guide to SLIC is finished. It runs to about 250 pages and is divided into three sections. The first section covers how to write SLIC code, the second section provides a walk through of writing SLIC code (in this case it is a demo script to return cattle to the game, with some changes that prevent the original problems), section 3 contains the appendices for SLIC commands etc. The document is in .pdf format, but it is about 3.75MB, so it is too large to post in the forum. It will need to be posted in the modification section, if someone just tells me where to send it.

I first conceived the idea when I was trying to learn how to write script codes with SLIC. There was not a comprehensive guide and it was difficult to sort through the bits and pieces out there to understand how everything worked. This guide hopefully will cut through the confusion.

The Guide can be found Here: http://apolyton.net/dir/index.php?&i...s=4311&cat=240

[Peter Triggs]

Sounds good Ahenobarb, but the attachment's not working.

You should be able to put it into the Directory, but you'll have to PM Locutus to get the mechanics sorted.

Actually, he'll undoubtedly PM you as soon as he sees this thread.

[ahenobarb]

I had the same problem with the attachment, but if you right-click and "save target as... " you can get the attachment. I'll wait for Locutus to get in touch with me.

[Tamerlin]

The process is very simple ahenobarb, go to the CTP2 directory and to the CtP2 web page where you would download your file, click on the Add Link link and fill the little form.

[ahenobarb]

The full SLIC guide is ready for downloading with the link above.

I added a link in the files forum, but it is not there. Do I need to await approval, or did I do something wrong?

[Keygen]

Good work ahenobarb

[Peter Triggs]

Wow! Been wondering what you've been doing for the past three months. Great job that I'm sure will be much appreciated by beginning SLICers.

[Locutus]

I added a link in the files forum, but it is not there. Do I need to await approval, or did I do something wrong?

Yup, you need my approval, which I'm in the process of giving (it's been a while so I have to get used to it all over again )

In the meantime, did you read my (unfinished) SLIC manual as well? Parts of our guides are very, very similar, which proves either of two things: (1) you used my guide as basis for yours or (2) great minds think alike. Probably the latter

[Locutus]

Oh, I did move the file to the Reference folder (as opposed to Modification/Text & Slic), as that is the place where all manuals and stuff go (Text & Slic is for actual SLIC/txt files).

Edit: Why does it say that the author is Tamerlin? The database thinks very highly of Tam, it would seem It may take some time to fix that, but I'll make sure it will...

[ahenobarb]

Originally posted by Locutus

Yup, you need my approval, which I'm in the process of giving (it's been a while so I have to get used to it all over again )

In the meantime, did you read my (unfinished) SLIC manual as well? Parts of our guides are very, very similar, which proves either of two things: (1) you used my guide as basis for yours or (2) great minds think alike. Probably the latter

Your guide is where I got my start with SLIC.

To produce the outline for the first part of the guide, I used your guide and SAM's learn C for Linux in 21 days -- that told me an acceptible order for basic programming stuff so beginners can learn. The other chapters in section I (sort of) follow the order of the documents activision produced: messages, alerts, etc.

The outline of the second part is in the order that I wrote the demo code.

I had hoped to list only functions and commands that actually work in the appendices (that's why I asked about the Duration command), but this proved too time consuming. PErhaps with the source code, commands that don't work can be made to function again.

[Tamerlin]

Originally posted by Locutus
Edit: Why does it say that the author is Tamerlin? The database thinks very highly of Tam, it would seem

It's time to tell the truth, ahenobarb is my DL...

[ahenobarb]

So it's true! Inside every European, there's an American waiting to be born.

Actually I followed the link Tamerlain provided, so I think the board thought I was him.

[Tamerlin]

Originally posted by ahenobarb
So it's true! Inside every European, there's an American waiting to be born.

I would have bet the contrary if we consider the origins of the american people.

Actually I followed the link Tamerlin provided, so I think the board thought I was him.

True, I am the guilty party.

[ahenobarb]

Originally posted by Tamerlin


I would have bet the contrary if we consider the origins of the american people.

What Frenchman is still awake at 5am Euro-time? You're not California French are you?

[Locutus]

Originally posted by ahenobarb
Actually I followed the link Tamerlain provided, so I think the board thought I was him.

Ah yes, Tamerlin didn't remove the session ID (sid) part of the link, so the Dir did indeed think you were him. One should always remove the 'sid=xxxx&' part from the URL when linking to parts of the Directory...

[Tamerlin]

Originally posted by ahenobarb
What Frenchman is still awake at 5am Euro-time?

You're not California French are you?

No, I am not, I am living in Toulouse in South-Western France, an area where people talk with a singing accent, play Rugby and are consequently happier than in northern France.

Originally posted by Locutus
Ah yes, Tamerlin didn't remove the session ID (sid) part of the link, so the Dir did indeed think you were him. One should always remove the 'sid=xxxx&' part from the URL when linking to parts of the Directory...

Sorry, for the mistake, I will take care about this in the links I will post on Apolyton...

[ahenobarb]

Quick question Locutus. Is it possible to use the picture on the cover of the guide instead of the default CTP II photo in the files forum? I can provide a .jpg of the picture if you let me know where to send it.

[Locutus]

Yes, please, by all means. I strongly prefer pictures over the default logo. If you provide me with an image file (any format will do) of 200 x 120-150, I'll gladly post it.

I don't really care how you get it to me: email, PM, ICQ, posting a link here, anything will do (contact info is in my sig).

[ahenobarb]

Originally posted by Tamerlin
No, I am not, I am living in Toulouse in South-Western France, an area where people talk with a singing accent, play Rugby and are consequently happier than in northern France.

OT: Never been to SW France, but the Northern part many times. Haven't found a place in France I don't like and I hear it only gets better the further South you go.

[Tamerlin]

Originally posted by ahenobarb
OT: Never been to SW France, but the Northern part many times. Haven't found a place in France I don't like and I hear it only gets better the further South you go.

I can't deny it.

The Midi-Pyrénées region where I am living is a beautiful area as many places in southern France. If you can arrange a visit in the Lot or the Aveyron don't hesitate a second.

Toulouse is a beautiful town with a very rich culture and history as it was once the capital of the south and a rival to Paris until the end of the 13th century (my usual avatar, which will come back as soon as the Rugby World Cup ends is the occitanian cross, symbol of both Toulouse and the region Midi-Pyrénées).

Southern France had its own language called the Oc tongue as opposed to the Oil tongue spoken in the North. Until the 13th century, the South had different culture and laws, both inspired from the romans, far more evolved than those of their northern counterpart. The troubadours (the bards of the middle ages) are thus coming from the South.

[Martin Gühmann]

Originally posted by Locutus
Ah yes, Tamerlin didn't remove the session ID (sid) part of the link, so the Dir did indeed think you were him. One should always remove the 'sid=xxxx&' part from the URL when linking to parts of the Directory...

Well Tamerlin you should edit your post, it looks the session ID is still there. Well I don't know whether there is a timeout for directory sessions, too. But in the case of doubt it is better to do it.

Now lets go to the errata, well I found just two of them but just because I didn't bothered to search for them.

You can add an infinite number of city types to CTP2 and no one has yet run into a limitation on the number of city sprites that can be used in the game -- that does not mean that there is not a limit, just that no one has reached it yet.

Well the infinite number of city types might not be right but it is probably a very high number, but actual 64 are enough (for each civ one).

But that noone reached the limit of city sprites is wrong I tried it and I found the same limit for units, otherwise CityMod2 would contain some more city sprites, like 8 sprites for each set of modern city sprites and I would have added all the CTP1 Genetic and Diamond sprites.

No one has yet reached the limit of Good sprites, City sprites, or Tile sprites. If a guess could be ventured, based on what has been seen in the unit sprites, they are probably limited to 200 as well.

For city sprites I just confirmed the limit for Good sprites I am not shure if I tries it, but it wasn't so importent to test it, but I am shure the limit is the same like for City sprites and probably the 200 limit is also valid for effect sprites even if I never tried it.

-Martin

[Tamerlin]

Originally posted by Martin Gühmann
Well Tamerlin you should edit your post, it looks the session ID is still there. Well I don't know whether there is a timeout for directory sessions, too. But in the case of doubt it is better to do it.

Done! Sorry, I didn't thought it was useful to correct it as the mistake had already been done...

I will print the guide next week and will start to study what seems to be a very good tool.

[ahenobarb]

Originally posted by Martin Gühmann

Now lets go to the errata, well I found just two of them but just because I didn't bothered to search for them.

Well the infinite number of city types might not be right but it is probably a very high number, but actual 64 are enough (for each civ one).

But that noone reached the limit of city sprites is wrong I tried it and I found the same limit for units, otherwise CityMod2 would contain some more city sprites, like 8 sprites for each set of modern city sprites and I would have added all the CTP1 Genetic and Diamond sprites.

For city sprites I just confirmed the limit for Good sprites I am not shure if I tries it, but it wasn't so importent to test it, but I am shure the limit is the same like for City sprites and probably the 200 limit is also valid for effect sprites even if I never tried it.

-Martin

That's the kind of stuff I need to know so I can update the book. There are a few places where it wasn't clear what the answers were or what certain flags did (or sometimes from sheer exhaution/boredom, I didn't bother to fill in the information), if anyone knows the answers or can correct anything in the guide let me know and I'll update the information.

of course, it would have been best to release the guide without any errors, but with only 1 pair of eyes on it, it would never have been released.

I'll be in and out for the next 3 weeks, mostly out, but I'll check back and make sure any corrections are incorporated and up date the guide.

[ahenobarb]

Martin, would this be more accurate?

Cities You can add a large but finite number of city types to CTP2. There is a limit of 200 city sprites that can be used in the game.


Sprites CTP2 only supports 200 different unit sprites and city sprites. This means that if you have more than 200 units, you will have to reuse some of the sprites and two or more units will look exactly the same in the game. No one has yet reached the limit of Good sprites or Terrain Tile sprites -- that does not mean that there is not a limit, just that no one has reached it yet. If a guess could be ventured, based on what has been seen in the unit and city sprites, they are both probably limited to 200 as well.

[Immortal Wombat]

Cities You can add a large but finite number of city types to CTP2. There is a limit of 200 city sprites that can be used in the game.


Sprites CTP2 only supports 200 different unit sprites and city sprites. This means that if you have more than 200 units, you will have to reuse some of the sprites and two or more units will look exactly the same in the game. No one has yet reached the limit of Good sprites or Terrain Tile Special Effect sprites -- that does not mean that there is not a limit, just that no one has reached it yet. If a guess could be ventured, based on what has been seen in the unit and city sprites, they are both probably limited to 200 as well.

Yes.

[Martin Gühmann]

I agree with Ben, the terrain and tilimprovement graphics are not stored in sprites but they are stored in the gtset565.til file.

-Martin

[FRITZ]

Hi Ahenobarb,

Fritz (the former king, not me) has had his castle "Sanssouci" (French words and this means: out of sorrow) and Slicers have now the script from Ahenobarb and I hope slic-programming will be out of sorrow too (sans souci).
This script is great!!
Thanks a lot in the name of present or future Slic-makers.

No study of a computer language is necessary to understand the stuff.

Locutus has made also a great job with his introduction in Slic.

Most people need examples to understand a complicated stuff. It is also very useful to look to the exsisting scenarios about to understand what is going on.

I don´t have any experience in the work with the diplomacy or diplomod. Maybe earlier in the Forum there was a discussion about diplomacy in ctp2 ? I didn´t followed all the news. There are some hints in the game but I am not able to understand these hints.

I hope your script will encourage a lot of other people all over the world to make a new mode or a scenario for ctp2. Somtimes it makes the similar fun to create something new as to play the known game. Is there any other computer game which allows outstanding people to develop something new ?

Once more fine script and I hope CTP2 will never forgotten.

Best wishes

Fritz

[ahenobarb]

Just curious to see if this has been helpful to anyone out there.

Oh, and B-U-M-P!