The Computer Game That Changed the World

There have been many computer games that I fondly remember, from the days of the Commodore-64 with such classics as Ultima III and Reach For The Stars, to the present day monster computers with quad cores and gigabyte graphics cards with such titles as RIFTS, Diablo II, and Grand Theft Auto.

But through it all, I cannot think of another game that has changed how I game so much more so than Civilization IV. I played the hell out of the game for five years before realizing that I could mod it as well. A little more than a year ago, with a few friends taunting me to try and create my own content, I began to fool around with the maps, the models, and simple XML changes.

I now am the creator of three separate mods for Civilization IV: Multiverse, Extreme2, and the Age of Discovery. Each time I dip my fingers into the modding jar, I find some new delectable capability or nuance of play I never thought of before. I am creating so much new content that often my friends cannot keep track which game we are on or which mod where the new units will appear in.

I have a long way to go with this game, but the horizon is far beyond my reach. I am still enjoying and exploring all the possibilities of simple XML changes. Beyond that, there is the python coding and even further out is the C++ coding I could do with new sets of DLLs. I am happy at the present time of just creating new model variants, such as my recent additions of the Fiat 3000, an Italian light tank from World War I, or the English Hurricane the aircraft that truly won the skies over the UK during that Battle of Britain.

Exciting Week of Play Testing

I continue to test and tweak the new systems for Multiverse and Extreme2. Largest challenge now is to tweak all the values of units and buildings so that they fall into a step chaotic order. I kick myself now for not being more organized and had the foresight to record the statistics of each unit.

Here are some new screenshots of the game while being played in multi-player test:

This screen shot is of turn 438 in Extreme2. I am playing the Cherokee nation while another playtester was an early Indian (that is from India) civilization called the Chandagrupta. This is still very early on in the game and we have just cleared the medieval era — as you can see the dating system needs to be tweaked as it is surely not 235 BCish. There are three other AI opponents: Bismark, Hitler, and Theodore Roosevelt. Only Hitler seems to be very effective in this game, but sometimes we are surprised how things shake out in the end.

The above screenshot is from another game we are testing, starting from a much later point in the game the AI are actually beating us — smaller map but more opponents for them creates more opportunities. We are struggling in the game, with me playing Abraham Lincoln and my other tester as Louis XIV of France.  This game will end in a big slugfest!!

 

Tech Tree

Thoughts on Civilization IV Modding

So, as I sit here on the cusp of ending two development cycles at the same time, I can look back at the two and clearly see the direction I am going on both.  As with any mod for Civilization IV, it is always hypothetical game of chances, what if’s, and possibilities. With that said, however, I wanted to create two different kinds of games with the mods.  The first mod was born in the early days of my modding experience and included some rather fanciful stuff, while the second mod was based more on more or less realistic boundaries.  I preface that phrase knowing all to well that the game itself lends to weird possibilities such as Lincoln with long bows, Hitler with the jets, or even Solomon with a tactical nuke — that is just the game.

In the first mod, ExtremeMod, I decided to rename it so that it better represents the game at large. Drawing from my RPG of the 1990s, I gave it the name Multiverse.  Rightfully so, it is full of magic, steampunk technology, dinosaurs, psionics, weird technologies, and endless combination of the bizarre.  I also wanted to make the game a resource battle, and thus I placed almost every item and building on the need of owning a particular resource. I also created at least 30 new resources and the appropriate technology and improvements to support it.  Multiverse will grow in the coming years, if I have the chance, to be the pinnacle of fantasy design with new player cultures  (such as the elves, amazons, dwarves, dark forces, and perhaps even a zombie king). It will also have new units, technologies, and experiences.

In my second mod, I wanted to create a game that had a rich source of Unique Units and Buildings, drawing on history to recreate some of the greatest technologies and wonders.  It is not necessarily about having specific resources, but more about experiencing all the different cultures and civilizations in the game.  There are some aspects of the game, most notably combustion units, that require a specific resource (oil), but for the most part it is open to building anything with the minimal number of resources.  This game so far has proven great fun in play testing and I hope the game will continue to grow with new UUs and UBs.   I am finishing up the second test phase of latter half game play, basically starting after the Renaissance.

I also want to specfically thank the designer known as Tsentom for provided me with such a great base to design my game. I love what you have added and have learned so much from you.  I have never met the guy, nor even had a correspondence with him, but feel indebted to him. It has been a scant year since I started modding for the game and I have learned so much — I wonder what another year will hold for me.

Troy

August 21, 2011

Extreme2 Pict of the Week

Here is a picture of some of the units added since the last update:

Starting in the Back and Left: Grand Fusilier, Foreign Legions, Partisans, Dragoons.

Middle Line: Early Tank, Armored Tank, Trench Tank, T-72 Battle Armor, Siege Weapon

Front Row: Jeep, Machine Gun Truck, Predator Drone, and Sopwith Camel.

Not pictured is a half dozen ships.

Also new rules are implemented for Helicopters.

Multiverse Grows

I had a great day adding so much incredible content to my Civilization IV mod now called Multiverse. Originally the mod was called ExtremeMod and was my first mod I ever developed for Civilization IV, but with my second mod the names started getting confusing — even I often mixed the two up.

Multiverse is going to be all about the “What if?….” scenarios of Civilization IV. Although the basic game often can be considered a “what if” play because leaders often exist outside their normal historical element and thus it creates odd paradoxes where Churchill has knights and Lincoln has sherman tanks. In Multiverse it goes a step further with adding neanderthal, dinosaurs, science-fiction, fantasy, and steam punk to the mix.

As I was saying, today was a great day for me. I added a whole new culture to the game, the Lizardman. And also added about 10 new units. It is getting really crazy now and I need to test out a ton of stuff, but my head is swirling with so many new ideas. How can I add all the content I want!!

Here is a screen shot of just some elements in the game:

A myriad of different units just waiting to conquer the world

Multiverse Mod

My first Civilization Mod, ExtremeMod, has been renamed to Multiverse to better differentiate between my second mod Extreme2. The Civilization mod is also being redesigned to make it more difficult but also adding of many new units both magical but also technological.

A Year of Civilization IV — A Reflection.

I have kept a simple little diary over the last year of my Monday night game group and what we have been doing. Mostly it has been Civilization IV, and the latter half playing my mod.  the mod still boggles my mind that I could actually write (things aren’t ever as complicated as they seem) something so cool and complicated.

My friend Wade comes and goes throughout the year as we tire of his shenanigans then having him over for a riotous round of gaming. Throughout the year, Joe and I almost always get together for a fun night of gaming, in one form or another.  What will next year hold?

So without further discussion, and for whatever use it may offer, I offer this simple little commentary of three guys and a gaming night:

10-13-10 Wade, Joe, and I got together and played Civilization IV: ExtremeMod. First two hours were plagued with errors, but we figured out Wade’s computer did not get updated correctly. After that the night went without a hitch – in the end Joe and I were in the middle of the pact, but Wade was at the bottom again. He still has not learned how to play the game.

10-05-10 New Month! Just Joe and I played. Wade needn’t come over for awhile. Had a tough night with multiple restarts. Learned allot about the game and made some good notes.

09-27-10 Just Joe and I – play a mean game of V2.0 – made some changes after we played but it may be getting mean. Gave up on Wade – he is just too difficult.

09-21-10 Joe, Wade, and I started a new game using V1.55 in an Immense Earth map. Joe played the Hawaiians, I played the Australians, and wade played the Ethiopians. I actually was doing the best at the end of the night, followed by Joe. Wade was dead last – he stinks. Fun game all around – AI still seems a bit sluggish.

09-13-10 Joe and I finished what we could of a two week game – we lost, which is good because that means the game is a challenge. Tweaking the mod to version 1.5 for another release on Sept 18th.

09-06-10 Wade could not get over so Joe and I played a new game with the heightened AI. Real fun. Great night. Always fun.

08-30-10 Stopping developing for the mod and just going to play for a while and think of what changes to come—hopefully will not do any sort of changes for a couple of months. Going to play on a Immense world.

08-10-10 Modding is going well. Great fun with just Joe and I last night. We didn’t want to quit. So much fun !!

07-27-10 Great fun last night, even though we had problems with the mod and the balance. Later I was so excited to correct some mistakes – fixed the Chinampas.

07-20-10 Still having a blast modding the game. So tired of Wade and his crying and whining – not going to pursue him coming over any more. It isn’t worth it.

07-05-10 GREAT JOY IN MODDING THE GAME. NEED TO START MY OWN MEGA MOD AT SOME POINT.

06-28-10 Played around with a mod of Civ 4 that I am calling TroysAncient. Needs allot of work.

06-22-10 Since last time, Joe and I started looking into making our own Mods for this venerable game. Joe keeps saying he is going to buy a new computer but never does. The game went well – a continuation from the week before. Wade destroyed the Mayans, and Joe and I are whacking away on Rome and the Egyptians.

06-15-10 Wade, Joe, and I played another rousing game. First game, Joe got slaughtered playing Simon Bolivar. The next game I played the Vikings and Joe played England. Wade played Sitting Bull. Great night, full of laughs.

06-08-10 Wade, Joe, and I played a rousing game of Civ – Joe did very well as the Japanese. Wade did horrible as the Inuit (but the culture is very difficult to play). I tried to play Yagan of the Australians but the land mass was not developed correctly. I have corrected some features of the map for better balance for next week.

06-01-10 Joe has got the game so we are playing not on Mondays so much.

05-24-10 Wade couldn’t get over, so Joe and I played a mod called Final Frontier. Cool but not as fun as the regular game.

05-17-10 Didn’t play last night because Cherry was leaving on vacation.

05-10-10 Wade arrived a bit late. He decided to come over, rather than playing from his house. He did much better than the last couple of games, but I still pulled out in front. Joe took up the rear, but towards the end of the night he started to shine – he still needs to make up a lot of ground.

05-03-10 Wade typically fouled the night up by not being able to get his skype to work then having to leave to help his mom (cant blame him for that). Will try next week.

04-27-10 HAD A GREAT TIME last night. Found out in the end that we were at a constant PEACE with all nations – so that spoiled it for us. Started a new game with that off.

04-19-10 I had JOE on a new Computer (dual core AMD with 2 gigs RAM and a 7900GS video card). Great fun all around eventhough my empire fumbled throughout the night with bad luck, barbarians, and horrible financial problems.

04-12-10 Getting a little old again. May give it a rest for a bit.

04-06-10 New month and same fun. WADE did not show this week because of his leg. Tried to show Joe Runes of Magic but he was not interested as he is always with everything new you want to play.

03-30-10 New game with same results, but still fun. Wade is such a dick!

03-29-10 Looking forward to our game tonight! Must destroy WADE!!!

03-16-10 New game and having fun. No game next week because of our anniversary.

03-09-10 New game without raging barbarians but with 9 opponents. Great fun. I am winning!

03-02-10 Wade came back again. First game Joe lost, second game I lost, third game I won.

02-23-10 WADE HAS RETURNED

02-16-10 we played a bit of Monster Fandango and found some issues. We then played Civ. Today is the release of the new expansion for EQ2.

02-01-10 Didn’t play test BB II—must force myself to play it next week to test. Joe got his ass beat twice in Civ – he sucks.

01-25-10 Showed Joe – BLOODBATH II – then played Civilization IV the rest of the night. Next week I want to create characters. And play through a couple of rooms.

01-18-10 Probably will skip this week – Diablo though fun is just too much clicking. Might just end up playing Civ again next week or the week after – no sense getting together if we are not looking forward to it.

01-12-10 Played another night of Diablo II – killed Diablo and now on to the real expansion.

01-04-10 Played Diablo II again. Joe does not return to work until the 18th, which I am sure will postpone our game for a couple of weeks.  Got to Act III of the game. Maybe Next week we will play test my new game engine.

12-28-09 Played Diablo II – jow starts work next week and I fear the game night will be over . . .

12-21-09 Still fighting Hitler – Mussolini is in the mix as well. Still a tough fight.

12-14-09 Tonight we finish up Hitler and destroy him?

12-07-09 Going to hopefully play tonight with Jow – Huge world, Raging barbarians, and 1 AI aggressive (Hitler). Will report tomorrow for what happened. [[Great game = Hitler is on the run]]

11-23-09 We played a game with Wade over the internet – Wade got mad when Joe attacked him he said without provocation. Joe had warned Wade a number of times about his encroachment, but Wade said he never saw them.

11-16-09 Wade never showed. Joe and I are in another pitch battle and its going to be tough. Fun as always.

11-09-09 Going to try and bring Wade and Joe over to play. Not sure if I can get this third machine working correctly.

11-02-09 Played and had great fun until the game cheated

10-19-09 Going to play tonight but the war is almost one – mop up is going to be tough.

10-12-09 Last week we had fun. Going to try and continue the game this week.

10-05-09 Going to try and start playing again – this time a new era in civilization where it is King of the Hill. No AI just us three, fighting it out for supremacy.