LokiHack '99 Patch

Patch Title: Customize Your Civ
Author:
E-mail:

Short Description:  Adds user-settable combat attributes to civilizations

Long Description:   

	This hack allows civilizations to have different game characteristics. Civilizations in the basic CivCTP implementation
are all nearly identical to each other except for their on-screen representations. A Japanese warrior is identical to a North American
warrior is identical to a Micronesian warrior.  With the Civ-Attributes hack, civilizations can be configured to have their own discrete 
combat attributes. 

Documentation:     

The attributes which are customizable are:

	MAX_MOVEMENT
	MAX_HP
	POWER_POINTS
	ATTACK
	DEFENSE
	FIREPOWER
	SHIELD_COST
	MAX_FUEL
	SHIELD_HUNGER
	FUEL_HUNGER

	In the standard CivCTP, these attributes are already part of what describes each unit. For example, the standard  Settler has a 
MAX_MOVEMENT of 100, an ATTACK of 0, and a DEFENSE of 10. These attributes are found in the UNITS.TXT file in your CivCTP gamedata 
directory (ctp_data/default/gamedata).  The CivCTP designers have balanced the attributes of each of these units. Another file in the same
directory, CIVILISATION.TXT, defines the standard attributes for civilizations. The 10 new Civ-Attributes are located in this file, under
the definition for each civilization. 

For example, the Roman civ is defined something like this:

ROMAN #17
{
	CIV_LEADER_NAME
	
	...

	# CIV-ATTRIBUTES here

	MAX_MOVEMENT 2.0
	MAX_HP 1.2
	POWER_POINTS .4 

	# the other CIV-ATTRIBUTES would follow.
	...
}

This example above means that each Roman civilization unit will have a movement allowance twice as large as the standard value for that 
unit. Consult the CivCTP documentation for the definition of a movement allowance, but basically it means the Roman units will
travel twice as far as before. The example also gives Roman units 20% more hit points, but reduces each unit's power points by 60%.
Again, for explanations of the various attributes, consult the CivCTP documentation.

***

Defined more formally:

	All ten attributes must appear in the file. A sample CIVILISATION.TXT file is included with this patch. Each attribute tag
("MAX_MOVEMENT") must be followed by a decimal value which is the attribute factor. Internally the standard value for
the attribute is multiplied by the attribute factor. For example:

	A Settler has a movement allowance of 100.
	The Roman civilization defines a MAX_MOVEMENT factor of 2.0
	Therefore, Roman Settlers have movement allowances of 100*2.0 = 200.

The attribute factor is applied to EVERY unit in the civilization. Therefore, a Calvary unit which could move 3 times as far as a
Warrior unit will still move 3 times as far as a Warrior unit of the same civilization. This preserves the balance of power
between the units.

***

What about the balance of power between players? Couldn't one player just give himself factors of 1000 and be invincible?
	
	Well, it's possible, but there are several reasons why it shouldn't happen. For one thing, EVERY player in a multiplayer
game MUST have the same CIVILISATION.TXT file. If you and a friend want to each pick a civilisation to configure, then
both of you must agree to the other's attributes. Your opponent can't "surprise" you by giving himself amazing attributes. Furthermore,
even if your opponent did try to scam you and substitute a better civilisation definition, the game will catch the discrepancy and
report an error.

	I would suggest employing a mathematical technique to keep the balance between the players. My suggestion would be averaging
the attribute factors together. If two players have the same average of their factors, they should still be equal in terms of the game.

***

	Things I would have done if I had time:

		--Enforce the equality of the factors in the game
		--Include production attributes. One player might have units which were weaker than his opponents', but be able to produce them
			much more quickly
		--Include terrain attributes. One civilization might be set up to be particuarly strong in mountainous terrain, or
			extremely weak at sea.

***

	The goal of this hack was to allow for different strategies. If every player has units which are exactly identical to his 
opponents, then every player's strategy would be basically the same. In a battle, the player with more units would probably
win. 

	But if one player had units which were particularly fast, and another player had units which had poor attacking ability
but excellent defensive attributes, and another player had units which were very weak in close combat but devastatingly
strong with ranged fire...

	The possibilities aren't quite endless, but hopefully greater than in the standard edition.


***

Known bugs:

	--Loading previously saved games doesn't work, whether or not they were saved with the same Civ-Attributes


	Who am I? I'm Chris Swiedler. My email address is ceswiedler@mindspring.com. I'm not going to have access to the source code in the
future, so I can't really support this hack, but if you have problems editing your CIVILISATION.TXT file, I can help you out. If you want
to shower me with compliments or flames, feel free.

	Disclaimer: (apart from what Loki Games and Activision will doubtless make clear to you) This hack may very well have bugs. I did
not have time to thoroughly test it. Unfortunately it's the sort of hack which affects a great deal of the code, and so has a 
greater chance of causing problems. But, well, it was fun for me to write, and I hope someone enjoys it.


Chris Swiedler
10/13/1999

---