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New to mods
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by Citizen Fridrik - 2/28/2005 11:43:55 AM
When I first bought GalCiv (the OS/2 version in the ugly box), there were no mods....and even after getting the Windows version, and the Altarian prophecy, I have never gotten into them.
Now I am starting to want some variety, and I wanted to download a set of mods that are "in theme" (no Star Trek borg cubes or Star Wars Jedi masters, please), to provide a bit more variety without making any drastic changes to the game play.
Looking at the descriptions of the available mods, I notice for example the Halut, Omega, Expanded anomaly pack, the Cultural/Religious capitals and so on.
However, it seems to me that some of those mods modify the same files, which would then have to be merged manually, right ?
Surely, someone, somewhere, must have done this already - created a single set of files like that, and as I hate re-inventing the wheel, I was wondering if such a set of files was available for download anywhere.
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#2
by Citizen Fridrik - 3/1/2005 8:12:35 AM
Actually, after downloading a few of the mods, I decided just to combine those I wanted myself - I noticed that many of the descriptions had so many spelling/grammar errors that I would have to edit them a bit anyhow.
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#4
by Citizen Chippoka - 3/10/2005 6:07:21 AM
Fridrik, you got it.
In my case, I had already begun "adjusting" things in the various data files on my own and adding political parties and changing stuff in the English STR file related to "Picks.". I eventually decided to try mods later.
It doesn't take long to discover that the mods most often require some "work" in order to be combined with the game and combined with each other, be it to change various ID numbers, spelling, shorten description texts that are too long, or adjust costs to "fit" the game per your own changes and/or expectations; some times even deleting certain parts of a mod while keeping other parts per your own desires. "GC Writer" by Dark Rain makes this much easier. I highly recommend it.
As far as a combined mod package? I imagine many have done this, but are wary of releasing thier packages for fear of upsetting some of the mod makers or local cliques, or forgetting to credit one of them. Heh, I certainly can't find all thier names in thier readme files and am clueless to who some of them are (much less how to contact them). I'll have to spend some time digging in the mod section at these forums to determine that again.
However, I plan to release an entire mod package via my ftp (my ISP provides 10 megs of online space as part of thier service to thier customers). I will provide an installion readme file where I will credit the various original mod creators and mention that many of the mods required minor changes in order to be combined and in order to be play balanced with other and play balanced with the game per my own expectations. The mod package will include many/most of the popular mods. I will add others mods when they are recommended afterwards. It's an easy process now that I know how to do it.
The nice thing about the coming mod package is that it will include nearly 20 new ship graphics in addittion to those already used by the game. Ship mods have been a problem in the mod section, since most readme files are pretty unclear in describing how to add the files. Truthfully, there are very few new ship mods which actually include a new graphics MDL file tied to a new SHIP data file.
I completed what I feel is my last play test of the package. I have gone back and set nearly all of the original game data files back to thier original settings, except the SHIP data files. It all works very well and I like it (even).
The only draw back to the package is it does include various terraforming mods which likely will prevent players who pay attention to thier score from submitting those scores. Perhaps the scores can be summitted if the players do not build the PQ improvements of the mods - I don't know in that regard. Myself, I play for the fun and challenge... and can careless about online scores and ego, especially since a savy AP player can create a special custom map, thusly making it pretty easy to win and/or get a high score; i.e., cheat in some manner or form - it appears to be very easy to do in this game, in my opinion. But that is beside the point, and I really don't care. The beauty of this game is the freedom it's creators allowed for customizing it. I can't thank them enough for having the courage to release a game which permits such great modification freedom over most of the core game variables. With or without mods, this is a wonderful game design concept and it truely in it's own class of Space 4X.
Sooo.... the package is coming in a week or two. It will include lots of new ship graphics, new political parties (plus those of other designers), new improvements and wonders, and tons of new technologies.... the data files will all be combined into simple a core set of files (MY_SHIPS, MY_IMP, etc), but still seperate from the orginal data files - but the originals will also be consolidated. The new things will be a sort of a hodge-podge of various Sci-Fi concepts; a mixture of things from Star-Trek (like Borg technologies for "evil" players, including Borg Cubes), FarScape's Moya, DS-9, Telapathic Technology Tree path/branches for "good" players, Star Gate SG-1 Ships (the Goa'uld Ha'tack ship and Asgard ship and Earth ship), plus many other things... mines, new fighter graphics, missiles, etc.... I might even might add new graphics for explosions (if I have time to do them).
The package is for the AP edition, but I think it will still work with GC since I didn't use the new ship abilities related to AP in any of the new mods for ships.
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Hi Chippoka! I'm a brand new addict of GalCiv(+AP) and was smashed by the number of downloads that are available. Then I read your announcement that you are going to release a "complete package". I can't say how much I look forward to this. Or is the package already online and I simply didn't notice?!?! Please tell me about the status of your "package project"!!!!!!! 
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| The only draw back to the package is it does include various terraforming mods which likely will prevent players who pay attention to thier score from submitting those scores. Perhaps the scores can be summitted if the players do not build the PQ improvements of the mods - I don't know in that regard. |
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Planetary PQ mods do not affect the submitability of the score. Only a having racial PQ above 40% does (techs, wonders/tradegoods, galactic events (as opposed to colonization events), party/starting picks, and anomalies).
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#8
by Citizen Chippoka - 4/29/2005 1:54:01 AM
I'll leave the PQ-score-thing to the experts... I don't know for sure... just going on what I've seen posted in these forums. I don't submit scores. I play for my own satisfaction; having no desire to "compete" with others, to be honest; playing for "fun," not necessarily for a great score.
Aside from that, the combined mod package is available now (on-line ftp):
 Link
Unpack into a temporary folder, find the readme file and follow the install instructions. This is for AP installation, not necessarily GC installations, but it may well work with GC (don't know).
When unzipping the package, it will create various folders which correlate to the AP Data/Mod folders. It is organized, in other words.
It is about a five meg zip file, large, due to all the new ship graphic MDL files. And, yes, there are some Borg Cubes available very late in the game, but you'll seldom ever see them. They are not really part of a Star trek theme, but they are just "there" along with many other ships from several TV SciFi shows: Star Gate, B5, Far Scape, DS-9 (of Star Trek), and many original creations as well. I did try to produce a play balance in keeping with the overall original dynamic or flavor of the original game... using many mods already in general use by GC/AP fans (some are "adapted" for play balance or for similar reasons).
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Its posted at NeoTech Games also edited and in our Game Guide Library.  Link stop in chat, meet new friends, discuss modding.
        
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