Map Editor, Custom Races and Minor races

How can I add custom races and minor races to my sandbox map?

from GalCiv2 Forums

I'm trying to create a simple map for sandbox play - I'm a compulsive CTRL-Ner - and just looking to set up a (gigantic) map including my custom races...  I'm using the TA map editor to do it.

However, I cannot for the life of me figure out how to include other custom races.  The TA map editor only has one slot for "Custom Race".  I figured if I set multiple systems to "Custom Race", I just end up getting one of the systems I set randomly, but they all end up assigned to me... same with ships, etc.

I find nothing in the forum beyond this --https://forums.galciv2.com/310708

The race handling in the game itself isn't really designed for multiple custom races. So if you need to use them, you'll need to manually replace the base races with them, then just reference the base races in your map.

Can someone demystify this for me?  Does this mean I should overwrite the existing races in raceconfig -- or -- should I just be adding my own custom races into Raceconfig?  If the latter, are the custom race settings and attributes available anywhere in a file I can just copy/paste from (I created my custom races directly in the game interface).

Or.... is this saying that I should just create the map, set the homeworlds using the "standard" races, then edit the *.gc2map... and replace... what?  The <race></race> values? 

Finally - I want to include the full boat of 8 minor races... I haven't yet run across any minors as I've been working through these other map issues - are minor races automatically assigned somewhere if my sandbox game settings call for 8 minors (assuming my map can support 8 minors - and it should).   Do I have to manually assign minors - and if so, how?

Thanks in advance.

modding
8,741 views 9 replies
Reply #1 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
OK - It looks like I just assign 'standard' races but simply select my custom races during game setup...

But now, a different problem.... I included the standard 3 starting ships... but ALL custom race ships end up next to me... mine + all other custom races.

is there any way around this - or do I have to just start without any ships?
Reply #2 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Never mind...

That doesn't work either... I keep getting shuttled to a small planet, not the "Custom planet" I set up.

I give up.

I hate to be a PIA, but this is kind of ridiculous... Why can't the editor more elegantly handle custom races? Is this something that will be addressed in future releases?
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Reply #3 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
All of this *MUST* be setup into & directly from a specific mod folder for any given custom races (replacing all default slots with your names & values) for anything to work or to be 'handled' by a custom map which, in turn, has to adhere to the 0-12 structure of race IDs as they'd be initialized differently FROM the mod folder instead of being pulled off a raceconfig.xml (be it customized or not, btw) only.

Normally, a Total-Conversion type of mod does just that -- it converts - everything. There's plenty of examples in the library, including mines.

The Minors get automatically assigned upon selecting the usual option and they too would be represented as modded items if there is a proper set of files in the afore_mentioned **MOD** folder.
Reply #4 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
AHhh -- Thank you very much!

Any chance you can link to one such mod? I tried searching through the library, but I'm not sure exactly what I'm looking for... I'm really just looking for an example I can use.

I assume I need to assign the mod in TA, and then map editor uses the TA settings, right?
Reply #5 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
The only 'currently' compatible with TotA mods which make use of both the custom race and planets is 'Asa of Yggdrasil' by MrKorx and mine, CoSH(05-A) but without Minors... i may have a new version up for that one in a few days or possibly, weeks.

Have a visit into the Modding threads (X-Worlds, CoSH, etc) while parsing through the library with the category option 'Mods'... most are old DarkAvatar stuff but each of these contain a bunch of examples which might help.

Read the stickies in the Mod section also. Lots of info there.
Reply #6 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
It is surprising that the map editor doesn't seem to be tailored to handle the same custom races that you have created and use for your other games. After having played the standard races you naturally want to diversify. While I loved the TA expansion overall, the editors were a big disappointment for me - not user friendly, no custom races and repeated problems with various crashes. It still feels like it's a beta, months after the offical release of the expansion.
Reply #7 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Thanks again, Zyxpsilon -- I figured it out.

I basically just used the default mod folder (what screwed me up-- the TA install doesn't create a /mod/ folder in /Twilight/, rather -- it placed in my galciv2/ folder... so the missing piece of the puzzle was that I had mods in a TA inaccessible location).

OK... now another question.

When I used a custom map with the standard civs, the planet tiles changed each time I used it.

When using mods in a custom map - the tiles (in particular, tile bonuses) seem to be "stuck". One of my custom civs, which plays perfectly balanced on random maps - runs away with it on my custom map. I just found out why... they have the single best home planet I have ever seen in my life (a 7X and 3X IC bonus, plus a 3X science).

Is there some way I can force randomization of the tiles?

I spent a lot of time building a really well-balanced map -- giving each civ a solid home sector with ample high PQ planets, asteroids, and even race-appropriate resource bonuses... the problem is -- the luck of the draw seems to have given one civ a real head start over everyone else.
Reply #8 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Is there some way I can force randomization of the tiles?
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Sorry Zonk there is no way.

Reply #9 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
When I used a custom map with the standard civs, the planet tiles changed each time I used it.
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Sadly, like Nasty just replied, it is a Random occurance which is hard-coded during the setup phase.

It's one of those things that would need to be 'fixed' by SD coders for the map editor to be much more efficient or with better & powerful features.