[Modding] Creating my first scenario

[Cablenexus]

The only struggle with adding a resource eventually is which resource to replace. Since they are all important. Iron and coal was important and is for units buildings etc. But also if I replace stone, they start building villages from cowhides?
So thats's why it only make sense when you make a real mod or if you can add an 11th resource.

[pavelk]

One argument to power my argument to use lower settings in editor mode. This is perfectly normal in all Heroes of Might and Magic editors since III to VII, perfectly normal in Unity and normal in Unrealed.

Honestly I dont want to force user to anything. User can change the graphic settings to whatever he wants and start the editor. Trying to "be smarter than users" is a bad design in general.

So it can create an extra button next to the already existing buttons?

Yes, if you add another resource, the list of resources will extend and new "button" added.

I do agree with system limitations, not with hardcoded restrictions. Let's say the 100 x 100 is available for one and not for another, depending on hardware used.

Why do you think that all the Civ games also have hardcoded restrictions?

It's a principal that as a PC user you want to test your system to the max, that's nature of pc gaming, didn't you do that in the passed?

Testing the performance of the system/game/app to the max is one thing. Another is to allow it later on to the casual players.

Honestly, restrictions like max size of the map (in this case around 6500 tiles) is not a real restriction. How many players would even want to try create bigger maps? This is too big for most of the players anyway. I dont see this as a problem at all. If someone wants to play around with the files and create bigger world, fine by me. This is for 95% of players acceptable (or at least from my point of view).

The only struggle with adding a resource eventually is which resource to replace. Since they are all important. Iron and coal was important and is for units buildings etc. But also if I replace stone, they start building villages from cowhides?
So thats's why it only make sense when you make a real mod or if you can add an 11th resource.

Not really. You might simply change the mod to not use influence, coal, etc. That's what modders want. Change stuff. Not just add more stuff.

Cow hides you can't eat.

You can mod it. When you set the cows to not move and add to scripts code, which will increase the food production of tiles where are cows, you are good to go.

[Cablenexus]

I agree with the map sizes ingame.

I wonder, in the Aggressors log I always have two lines that warns me about:

WARNING: Bridge.mesh is an older format ([MeshSerializer_v1.40]); you should upgrade it as soon as possible using the OgreMeshUpgrade tool.

And a lot of these:

Can't assign material Units.Horse to SubEntity of UNIT-id=1108_alphaGlow because this Material does not exist. Have you forgotten to define it in a .material script?

[pavelk]

I wonder, in the Aggressors log I always have two lines that warns me about

Those are really minor things and have no impact on the game. It can be fixed but just for the feeling that there are no warnings in log:)

[Cablenexus]

While the tooltip states a left click brings you to the aggressors library it doesn't happen for me:

[pavelk]

While the tooltip states a left click brings you to the aggressors library it doesn't happen for me:

Perfect spot, thank you. Fixed!

[Cablenexus]

Smart AI, the Wes Frisii and the Frisii signed a conf.

- btw could this screen use some more flavor probably? Like the portraits of both tribes showing up?

[pavelk]

btw could this screen use some more flavor probably? Like the portraits of both tribes showing up?

I was thinking about that initially but the dialog windows should be as easy to read as possible. If you see this image you know straight away that new confederation/federation was signed.

[Cablenexus]

btw could this screen use some more flavor probably? Like the portraits of both tribes showing up?

I was thinking about that initially but the dialog windows should be as easy to read as possible. If you see this image you know straight away that new confederation/federation was signed.

Also true, I agree, it is actually cnvinient if you look at it that way.

[Cablenexus]

Testing the map again. highest settings (16aa), no edit mode, no demo mode, 89 x 89 map, 7000 + tiles, over 700 objetcs, made it 3 hours ingame now, no issues, turn 23.

[pavelk]

Testing the map again. highest settings (16aa), no edit mode, no demo mode, 89 x 89 map, 7000 + tiles, over 700 objetcs, made it 3 hours ingame now, no issues, turn 23.

The scenario is really getting into its shape. It looks very nice

[Cablenexus]

Every core feature is implemented now. I have hundreds of added city names, many series of army names (I'm trying to find a way to make them appear random in script), 20 custom tribes, COWS, altered tree and animal settings, new terrain tiles for SWAMP (since it has to represent water on sand), and mountains so they look more like hills (since Holland was/is really flat).

TO DO

Work continues now on the introduction text for all tribes.

Adding custom sound effects (in Dutch) for unit orders.

Learning how to implement objectives.

[pavelk]

Really nice!

Learning how to implement objectives.

I am not going to lie to you - objectives (ans state decisions and winning conditions) are the most difficulty part related to mod definitions/scenario definitions. Above that are only C# scripts and AI implementation:)

[Cablenexus]

Really nice!

Learning how to implement objectives.

I am not going to lie to you - objectives (ans state decisions and winning conditions) are the most difficulty part related to mod definitions/scenario definitions. Above that are only C# scripts and AI implementation:)

I have in mind the most simple one I can imagine. I want at Frisii start a prompt that notice player about the large amount of swamp tiles (wadden, terps so how they call it). And the winning condition to research fields/farms and so the "drain" capability. Maybe a settler unit as a reward.

- That's also something on the TO DO list (this one also is growing)
Which tribes can research which units and which techs they start with.

[Cablenexus]

I was experimenting with the terrain all day, I try to get a terrain that is in match with the terrain color overlay without the terrain is getting ugly.
Will continue to find what can be improved in my opinion. This is also for forts and mines. The forts are somewhat light (since there are no shadows) but you can for example give the roof a darker or lighter color so it will not look that flat.

[Cablenexus]

Original texture, actually not that bad either. I have to sleep a night over it and will listen to feedback if anyone has ideas.

[Cablenexus]

- Together with the terrain I think of a few minor changes you might want to implement. I made the gold mor gold in the goldmine instead of yellow and give the fort roof a darker tone then the wood.

- I think the stone mine can have some smoother texture and a bit lighter.

- The scrub can have some more detail.

- the forest tile somewhat darker background.

- The terrain color overlay and the real terrain should at least the same color green for terrain. If grass is light green, the terrain overlay also should show light green and not dark green. If the plains are dark green etc.

- The coal and iron mine somewhat darker (to distinct more from terrain).

- Lower somewhat the fooliage on the grass or the plains. (to distinct them better)

- I also reduced the transparency on the colored player borders so they are more straight lines.

- I gave the circle overlay for units some more detail.

- (The swamp tiles I edit specific for this scenario).

Just some suggestions, for me it's already perfect how it is.

[Cablenexus]

See you all tomorrow!

[pavelk]

I would probably say that your texture looks better (except of the forest which I really dont like:) On the other hadnd - original swamps look more like swamps.
I would really like the others to say something about it.

[Cablenexus]

Good morning,

Thank you for the reply.
Is it the darker tile from the forest you don't like? I can imagine. It doesn't really fit the surrounding tiles indeed.

The swamp tile is a unique Holland map tile

I try to finish the scenario this week to release an Alpha version to you. If you can pack it for me, we can give it to a few testers probably?