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Jonnan001
Jonnan001
Join Date 05/2008
+37

Compatiblity between GC2:DL, GC2:DA, and GC2:TA Mods

Changes in XML, DLLs, and executable?

June 27, 2008 4:23:54 PM from GalCiv II ForumsGalCiv II Forums
My apologies, I just won my first Dark Avatar game a week ago, and downloaded Twilight last night, and I'm playing with Modding the  xml 'just to see' what can be done.

The obvious question in my mind that I haven't seen addressed is what is the level of compatibility between the series? are the Binaries and dll's identical in each, backwards compatible, etcetera?

If I took the seven 'mod directories' and copied them directly from dread overlords into the Twilight of the Arnor mod folder, would I have in effect a Dreadlords sandbox game with Twilight of the Arnor level graphics and interface? By the same token, what would be lost, or unusable, if I took the Twilight directories and put them in the dread lords or dark avatar mod folders?

So much between the games (even in interface terms) seems to be that moddable that it looks to me as a newbie that this is probably backward, and maybe even forward compatible, but I would like to know what has actually been verified.

Thank you - Jonnan
modding
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Jonnan001
Zyxpsilon
Join Date 02/2006
+80
Reply #1 June 27, 2008 11:15:21 PM
from GalCiv II ForumsGalCiv II Forums
I'll trust that somebody at SD will try to answer this important question as thoroughly as possible since, i believe, whatever we get to read about this subject would be a fundamental reference for anyone daring enough to try converting a Mod between versions.

As of now, i AM working at making X-Worlds loadable (or even, playable with a few alterations to key files, be it new or only slightly edited, btw)) in TA & CoSH to be directly compatible with DA.

So, Jonnan001 - you may get some kind of an answer from me once these versions start to roll out into the library.

Until then, Coders should really give us the bottom line truths - right here.
Re-RE-Please.!
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Jonnan001
kryo
Join Date 05/2003
+458 moderator
Reply #2 June 27, 2008 11:42:15 PM
from GalCiv II ForumsGalCiv II Forums
The obvious question in my mind that I haven't seen addressed is what is the level of compatibility between the series? are the Binaries and dll's identical in each, backwards compatible, etcetera?

If I took the seven 'mod directories' and copied them directly from dread overlords into the Twilight of the Arnor mod folder, would I have in effect a Dreadlords sandbox game with Twilight of the Arnor level graphics and interface? By the same token, what would be lost, or unusable, if I took the Twilight directories and put them in the dread lords or dark avatar mod folders?


Simply put, no, and maybe. Most DL mods won't be forward compatible without updates, but DA mods are at least fairly likely to work with TA as-is. Trying to copy the entire data folder as a "mod" though is a recipe for crash. Much of the functions in the different variants have elements within the game code, and will be expecting certain formats in the xml files to correspond with them.
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Jonnan001
Macmatt
Join Date 06/2006
+7
Reply #3 June 28, 2008 6:54:18 AM
from GalCiv II ForumsGalCiv II Forums
If you go to the I-Mod Wiki and search for an xml file, you will find a breakdown of all the tags in it and how the file has changed from version to version.
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Jonnan001
Zyxpsilon
Join Date 02/2006
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Reply #4 June 28, 2008 4:55:20 PM
from GalCiv II ForumsGalCiv II Forums
...and will be expecting certain formats in the xml files to correspond with them.


E_X_A_C_T_L_Y what i wanted to hear!

Namely...
a) the config versions for Races are either 25-DA or 27-TA
the techno trees are waaaay more "complex" in TA (Terror Star path being just one of many other specifics)
c) the planet surfaces are completely revamped for efficiency reasons (RAW has been
simplified in the process)
d) Etc!

By truly comparing some files between versions, one can simply find whatever is necessary.



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