Adding a command for commanders

Quietly · #1 October 16th, 2006, 01:11 AM

I want to mod dom so that there is a option to "Move and Search (for magic sites)". I don't think that needs explanation.

I glanced over the modding pdf that came with the game, but I don't think it covers modding extra functionality into the game. Is it possible? How much trouble? Is there a tutorial, or tools?

Recently programming C# for a living (3 monthes), in case you want info on the audience seeking your help.

Thanks for any help.

Arralen · #2 October 16th, 2006, 04:37 AM

Modding cannot alter the game mechanics, it can only alter the units/items/spells stats and chose different 'hardcoded' functions for them. (Btw., this is pretty obvious from the modding manual...)

A "move and search" funktion is not possible without substantial changes to the game engine: "search" is a monthly order, while "patrol" is a state. "move and patrol" lets the unit move, then set it to "patrol" - which will carry over to the next month. "search" cannot carry over, because its a monthly order like movement. There can't be 2 monthly orders anyway ... .

If that was easily possible, we would have movement along waypoints or at least over 2 turns (to a distant target) for a long time.

At least that's what I have deduced from seeing how the game works and some of the devs comments. Maybe I'm all wrong and Johan is simply lazy ...

Btw., I have done some programming at University 17 years ago - using Fortran77. Anyone who remembers that language?

Quietly · #3 October 16th, 2006, 05:42 AM

Well I was afraid of that...

In fact, (in anticipation of this rejection) I moved it over to the main board's "patch suggestions" thread earlier, and gave a description of how to can implement this behaviour state based...

In short, I didn't mean it to be like move and patrol. :-P I guess I was stretching a bit far to think it was self-explanatory.

In the search/move state, the mage either searches whatever province he is in, (if it makes sense to do so,) or chooses a nearby province to move to... much like the recurring state of cast ritual searching spell selects a monthly action based on given criteria.

I was hoping maybe there was an sdk, or perhaps some sort of applicable scripting option.

PS, I think there are plenty of systems still working under fortran (and hence probably work available in maintenance)... In spite of its age, it lingers places, since if it ain't broke, don't fix it. A bunch of our clients still using COBOL servers (same era right?) for sure, anyway.

Foodstamp · #4 October 16th, 2006, 06:03 AM

Hey hey, don't discout those languages yet, I am required to take COBOL in the spring. Imagine my surprise when I saw that course was even offered, much less required!

Gandalf Parker · #5 October 16th, 2006, 11:46 AM

Ive hired programmers (to help maintain internet systems) and I refuse to hire experts in one language. Like a C++ expert or a java expert. The systems are an amazing collection of code from just about any language you can name. I will hire someone with 3 "dead" langauges over an expert in one.

Why? Because if something breaks its often something simple like a path that changed. Someone who knows multiple languages tends to be willing to look at it and give us a 10 minute fix where the expert wants to spend 2 weeks rewriting it into the language he knows (and often giving us something that only he can maintain). There ARE times when a specific language is needed. We always outsourced those.

So dont knock other languages. They are still in use even if new things dont tend to get written in it. And even a "dead" language that you never use can give you the wider view that can be helpful.

Nerfix · #6 October 16th, 2006, 12:17 PM

I think people are knocking at COBOL being roughly 46 years old and Fortran, ah, anything with a version that ends with "77" is old.

But I don't knock on them. I think I saw a Fotran compiler or somesuch in the list of programs of the company I worked a small while for in summer.