Making mods for Dominions II. [Basic editing/modding discussion.]

[Zerger]

I ripped out some cool unit graphics already, perhaps we should make a site to host them or something?

[MStavros]

I think we forgot about a very important part.

The mod tools must contain the following: Weapon/Armor/Item editor. [For units and for leaders as well.]

[Saber Cherry]

I plan to make a Japanese nation, and to do this I would need:

1) Unit creator.
2) Theme creator (ideally, with nation name-changing support).

Additionally, I would like:

3) Unit editor (ability to change existing units, not just make new ones).
4) Theme editor.
5) Spell editor (just for spell stats, not graphics, sounds, or effects).
6) Special site creator and editor.
7) Sound effects in wave files.

I don't know how the DomII data is organized, though some of it seems to be hidden in the executable. If I were to make the game ideal for modding, I would make each unit a single file, in zip format, renamed to *.unt. The zip package would contain a text file with units stats and description, and the 2 bitmap files. This way, a person could easily create a unit without proprietary tools, and mod existing units as well. Furthermore, Illwinter could alter the game quickly and easily without having to do a recomplie each time. All units (official or custom) would be thrown together in the DomII\Units directory.

A theme could be a simple text file in the DomII\Themes directory, listing the nation(s) that can use the theme, starting special sites, units available, and special effects. For example:

NihonTheme.txt:

*******************

[ThemeName]
"Feudal Nihon"

[ValidNations]
"Man"

[ChangeNationName]
True

[NewNationName]
"Nihon"

[DesignCost]
0

[SpecialSites]
"Imperial Palace"
"Shaolin Monastary"
"Pink Ninja Training Cave"

[Units]
Militia03.unt
Militia04.unt
Cavalry07.unt
WaterBuffalo01.unt
SushiChef01.unt

[Commanders]
MonkCmdr03.unt
NinjaCmdr01.unt
ShogunCmdr01.unt
IronChefItalian01.unt
IronChefFrench01.unt
GenericMage17.unt

[Pretenders]
DrunkenNinjaMaster01.unt
Pichu01.unt
Pikachu01.unt
Raichu.unt
GundamZero01.unt
VashTheStampede01.unt
SupaaIdoruAyumiHamasaki01.unt

[Effects]
"Restless Worshippers"
"Ocean Travel"
"Bonus Food Production On Coast"
"Pokemon Cult"

*******************

Obviously, there would have to be a list of valid effect names and valid special site names. Each unit would correspond to a specific filename in the units folder. Then, when the nation theme is done, you can put it into the themes folder, and it will be selectable next time you load DomII.

Anyway... that's what I'd do.

-Cherry

[st.patrik]

Originally posted by Saber Cherry:
[Units]
SushiChef01.unt

I would love to see an army of these guys

[Mortifer]

I will make a site, but let us wait for the game first. [Also the mod tools]

[Pocus]

Originally posted by Kristoffer O:
[QB
3. Black is transparent. Magenta (100R.0G.100B) is shadow (on the ground beneath the unit).

QB]

Kristoffer meant 100% R, 0% G, 100% B, as on a 0-255 RGB scale this would translate to (255/0/255)

Magenta, the color which is so ugly that every developer in the world uses it as a transparent color

[Mortifer]

Originally posted by MStavros:
I think we forgot about a very important part.

The mod tools must contain the following: Weapon/Armor/Item editor. [For units and for leaders as well.]

Oh yea, I forgot about this too.
Hopefully we can add, delete and edit those as well!

[ October 06, 2003, 10:06: Message edited by: Mortifer ]

[Zerger]

What about spells?
I hope that we can remove or disable any spells what we want. That shouldn't be hard to implent for the devs. I don't wanna make new spells, I think that would require scripting. However we must be able to remove or disable spells.
A LotR mod with these spells would make no sense..

+++
I really hate some spells in Dominions like Doom,Magic Duel,Master Enslave etc.
It would be good if I could remove them, if I want to...

[Mortifer]

Originally posted by Zerger:
What about spells?
I hope that we can remove or disable any spells what we want. That shouldn't be hard to implent for the devs. I don't wanna make new spells, I think that would require scripting. However we must be able to remove or disable spells.
A LotR mod with these spells would make no sense..

+++
I really hate some spells in Dominions like Doom,Magic Duel,Master Enslave etc.
It would be good if I could remove them, if I want to...

Hm frankly I would be the happiest fan, if we could do that...but do not expect that we can.
I think the AI will be confused without spells, that is hard-coded in the game. [I am not sure of course.]

IF we can do it, propably the devs must script a new AI for it more than likely.
Well I am not sure as I said, so who knows.
Maybe an Illwinter dev could answer to this.

[LordArioch]

I can also see how removing spells could make sense in mods...but it doesn't seem too major a priority. Almost none of the spells in the game would really fit too smoothly into a LOTR mod really...but that's more because there wasnt all that much in the way of spells being thrown around. I can't see anyone there casting master enslave or any other high level astral spell equally. But that's just because Gandalf had nothing on RADAGAST! Radagast was my favorite wizard even though he never appeared. Course neither did half the other wizards in Middle-Earth, but no matter.
But anyway if you think the spells dont fit too well in a LOTR setting a general weakining of magic power would be advisable...I'd say low level elemental spells would fit best, maybe some low level nature/death for the appropiate people.