I modified and deleted XML files and nothing happens

from Elemental Forums

I started to play with elemental files to see how the game react. The results are sometimes surprising and frustrating.

I first tried making minor modification to terraintypes.xml like changing terrain name, with a few other parameter and nothing works. So I decided to go the agressive way, I deleted the XML file. Nothing happens either. I used a software called "text crawler" that allow searching in the content of multiple files and there are no terrain type definitions elsewhere.

Then I said to myself, I'll try modifying other parameters in case the terrain types have a special treatment. I emptied the city level up bonus entries and I made modification to the number of people required to level up. I started the game, none of these changes applied.

Then I said to myself that maybe reloading a game does not makes the change apply. I would need to start a new game. Still I thought I made the test before but I tried again. Now a new game start up freeze (or loop indefinately). I thought that it might be because I deleted the terraintypes.xml was previously deleted.

So I restored terraintype.xml and modified terrain name "submerged" for "water" to see if he actually pass into the file.

I started a new game again. Now it works. The terrain change name, and there is no options when leveling a city up but the min population required to change a city level(that I changed) had no effect. It still use the default values.

So in general, it seems that something is saved in the save game which overrides any modification to the XML. I thought that maybe each save game has a binary blob of it's own? Else, how could a game run if some xml files are deleted. Where does it gets it's information?

Does any people have experienced the same kind of problem?

I just find it annoying for mod play testing that I would need to start a new game all the time to make sure the new parameters applies. I know there are cheat codes, but sometimes, you want to test something fast and starting a new game all the time is not the way to do it.

 

 

 

 

2,952 views 4 replies
Reply #1 from Elemental Forums Top

Yes, unfortunately, it is a known fact that saved games have their own xml "blobs". This is most commonly discovered by players who update the game, but find themselves playing with old xml values (you usually see a couple of threads asking about this around every patch).

You'll have to start a new game every time. I find that building a custom map in the map builder with all the things I need to test speeds the process up a lot.

Reply #2 from Elemental Forums Top

The map in the builder is a good idea especially if you can set up developped cities right away.

 

But now my question is why some values are not considered by the game. For example:

I changed the nb of tiles you can build per city level and the nb of people required to level  up a city to 10/20/30/40/50.

None of these changes appears in the game.

I change the probability to get forest to 0% and it generates maps full of forest.

 

I really don't know why some changes does not apply. Either there is another variable elsewhere in the xml structure. Or either the game ignore the variable in the XML. But if the game ignore the variable, why did they placed it there in the first place.

 

The Political Machine 2024
Reply #3 from Elemental Forums Top

The city thing should work. The forest probability won't work because none of the maps we play are generated, they are all pre-generated and saved and then drawn by random from a list when a game starts. Originally, the maps were generated and I think they plan on putting it back in the game at some point.

 

Reply #4 from Elemental Forums Top

So that is why the maps always seems the same.