Tharios Tharios

Something Occurred to Me

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Something Occurred to Me

from GalCiv2 Forums

I'm not a modder, not yet anyway, though I am making my first sincere effort right now with GalCiv2 TotA.

This is something of an irony because I've always wanted to try it, and have spent all kinds of time creating, "houseruling", and otherwise altering various non-digital types of games.  It's an even greater irony because I am, as I write this, taking a course for a Bachelor's Degree of Science in Game Design.  I'm sincerely considering of course following it up with appropriate degrees in 3d digital art and programming.

I mention this with a certain degree of disappointment about two things.

First, has anyone ever actually FINISHED a mod?  It seems to be an astonishingly rare event, even for the simpler ones that don't include new or altered models.  It just seems that both interest and support die off relatively quickly, and whoever was working on the mod simply drops off the face of the internet.  No posts at least notifying those who ARE still interested that they've given up their efforts, let alone an explanation why.  I understand they're not obligated, and they get nothing for their trouble, but to not even say "I'm not working on the mod anymore" just seems rude anyway.  I mean, if you're doing it for yourself, then who cares if there's interest from others?  If you're doing it for others, then couldn't you at least tell them you quit?  Ah well.

Second, is it just me, or do the .xml files in most games seem ... well ... cluttered and sloppy?  This actually kind of leads back to my first observation, in that modding is a difficult thing to do because of the intensive effort needed to alter the right files in the right ways, especially in instances involving major revisions.  Obviously it's a tedious, time-consuming, and somewhat difficult task in its own right, to say nothing of the fact that in any given file, nothing is consistent in its organization.  Looking over it all, it seems glaringly plain to me why certain games need so many patches, and in some cases remain quite buggy.

In such cases, I kind of understand why some mods aren't finished, while I think the rest aren't finished because the modder(s) didn't get enough attention by it.  It's unfortunate in either case, especially when an idea has massive merit.

On a final note, as I pointed out I'm currently working on my own mod.  I'd like to make it available to the community and see what everyone thinks, but I'm not yet sure how to go about that.  Never done it before, after all.  But even so, I'm forced to ask myself, would anyone even care to begin with?  Does anyone even really bother with mods for these games anymore?  I guess I'll find out.

modding
24,932 views 36 replies
Reply #26 from GalCiv2 Forums Top

Okay well let's assume that your XML is right.  You definitely need to put your modded Terran tech tree file in the Data\TechTrees\ folder of your mod.  As for TechTree.xml, that seems to go in the root of your mod's Data folder, so not in the same folder as the Terran tech tree.  If the file isn't in the right place, it won't do what you intend.

Reply #27 from GalCiv2 Forums Top

Only the modded files have to be part of a mod, correct?  I don't have to include normal copies of everything not getting changed?

The files are in the same relative locations...Data/English for the base tree, Data/English/Techtrees for racial tech trees, and everything matches up.

I do seem to be having an issue where I put all the altered files needed into my mod, but everytime I boot up my computer it fills with empty copies of all the other folders.  It does this even with the mods I've downloaded though, and those aren't affected, so I'm not sure if it matters.  Still odd though.

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Reply #28 from GalCiv2 Forums Top

Yeah you only need to include the modded files.

The standard directory structure is a normal feature.

Actually, you want to skip the English folder inside the Data folder, that part does not seem to work and, as you can see from the above, you're provided with a TechTrees folder inside the Data folder, you should use that for racial tech trees.  I ran into this issue already so, trust me on this.

:)

Reply #29 from GalCiv2 Forums Top

YES!  It works!  Unfortunately, I now seem to have the issue that my games start with all but a handful of techs automatically researched, including all those that can be traded from other races.  Which I don't recall altering at all.  All I did was add that planetary government tech to the base tree and the terran tree...

Reply #30 from GalCiv2 Forums Top

I think that may be the result of having a particular scenario picked during game creation.  So, not the fault of the mod I don't think.

Reply #31 from GalCiv2 Forums Top

I'm not sure about that since most of the names of the techs inside the game are completely blank, and none are grouped like they should be.  Most of them are completely separated from each other with no prerequisite connections or anything, all lined up along the leftmost edge where the starting techs usually are.

Now, I did reorganize the base techtree file, but I didn't change any of the code aside from moving techs around so that it was easier to find any particular ones I might be looking for.  Just in case though, I plan to use the original base tech tree with my little experiment and see if that works.

Edit: That worked, so apparently I messed something up while making the file look pretty and making it manageable.  Maybe I'll clean it up another time after I figure out exactly what I want to do first.

Reply #32 from GalCiv2 Forums Top

Quick question...the I-Mod XML reference for the tech trees states that there are 7 categories, which is correct except that there are apparently 8 including government.  Did the devs stop using government, or did the boys at I-Mod drop the ball?

What it boils down to is, should I change all the government techs to culture, or should they remain separate?

Edit: Also, is there any way to actually alter the effect of the government types themselves, and perhaps create additional ones?  If not, that's alright, but it would be good if I can.

Reply #33 from GalCiv2 Forums Top

Since it crossed my mind ... does anyone happen to know if it's possible to make a given invasion tactic require a specific module?  It always annoyed me that any tactic was available no matter what you sent.  Considering what some of them are described to do (cosmetically anyway), no standard warship or troop transport is going to be able to do any of that except for traditional warfare and information warfare.

I suppose the cost of each option is an indicator of the ships having to go the extra mile to pull it off, but I think it would've been better to represent the options with module requirements.  Could've led to more unique racial options also.  Ah well.

Reply #34 from GalCiv2 Forums Top

Well, you can make race-specific invasion options. Just have the tech that enables that option be unique to that race - there's some already enabled, I think.

But nothing to do about modules, though.

Reply #35 from GalCiv2 Forums Top

I've tried a few experiments in the InvTactics file to make specific ones require certain modules.  On the upside, none of it adversely affects the use of the tactics, on the downside, it doesn't make the modules a requirement either.  Ah well.

I'm still not sure if it's possible to create additional government types or how, maybe I'll experiment with that next.

Edit: Looked at the I-Mod XML ref for TechTree again, turns out they can't count.  There are 8 categories even without government as one.  Doy

Reply #36 from GalCiv2 Forums Top

Alright...I'm seriously bloody confused.  I was as meticulous as possible, I double-checked EVERYTHING.  I even made sure to keep all of the techs that appear after that stupid "all these are for twilight" tag separated from the rest by that tag.

Yet any attempt to organize the tech tree at all, whether alphabetically by tech, by category, or prerequisites fails miserably.  It always ALWAYS grants nearly every tech in the game including those of other races.  There's no rhyme or reason to the order they're in by default, and I don't change any of the entries in ANY way other than organizing the list.  I don't even alter the indentations of each entry.

What gives?  I mean...I've got to be screwing up something, but I can't for the life of me find or imagine what.  I'm stretching myself as far as I can in believing that there's just no way the devs could've made a base code that won't recognize any organization beyond "sloppy and flawed as all heck".  I just can't believe anyone could or would do something so grossly incompetent.  So...what am I doing wrong in trying to clean up the disastrous mess that is Techtree.xml?