Some (probably) silly questions

[FriendAtArms]

Like I said in my Community post yesterday, I've been making a custom ruleset in v2.6. (I'll update it to v3.x in a few months, when I've got a computer able to run it. But all in due time.) I ran into a few problems, and I'm hoping the folks here can help.

First, in the Units file. Am I correct in assuming the only "work" that counts for veteran_work_raise_chance is terrain-based activity? Roads, bases, transforming a tile into a new type?

Am I also correct in assuming the CanPillage flag is required for ships to destroy oceanic "bases", like buoys?

[cazfi]

First, in the Units file. Am I correct in assuming the only "work" that counts for veteran_work_raise_chance is terrain-based activity? Roads, bases, transforming a tile into a new type?

Yes

Am I also correct in assuming the CanPillage flag is required for ships to destroy oceanic "bases", like buoys?

Yes

[FriendAtArms]

Heck yeah, I'm two-for-two!

Next question: I've got a custom tech-tree, with custom tech costs. So in the Game file, I've set tech_cost_style to "Classic+". But every time I test the ruleset (only 2 tiers right now), tier-1 techs cost 1 bulb and tier-2 techs cost 2 bulbs, regardless of what changes I make to either the Game file or the Techs file. I know this isn't a problem for other Classic+ and Experimental+ rulesets, like Sandbox and Civ2Civ3. But even after comparing my ruleset's Game and Techs files, with those rulesets' Game and Techs files, I can't see what I've done wrong.

From my Game file:

[research]
tech_cost_style = "Classic+"
base_tech_cost = 20
tech_leakage = "None"
tech_upkeep_style = "None"
free_tech_method = "Goal"

And a sample tech from my Techs file (I'll fill in the helptext with actual helpful text later):

[advance_aristocracy]
name = _("Aristocracy")
req1 = "None"
req2 = "None"
flags = ""
graphic = "a.feudalism"
graphic_alt = "-"
helptext = _("\
Lorem ipsum \
blah-blah-blah.\
")
cost = 25

[FriendAtArms]

Update: I've changed tech_cost_style to "Classic", as below. I also added a tech_upkeep_divider value, even though it shouldn't matter since tech_upkeep_style is "None". The game still assigns 1 bulb to tier-1 techs and 2 bulbs to tier-2 techs. Since I'm using Classic style, the price of a tier-1 tech should be 20 bulbs (base_tech_cost), correct?

[research]
tech_cost_style = "Classic"
base_tech_cost = 20
tech_leakage = "None"
tech_upkeep_style = "None"
tech_upkeep_divider = 1000
free_tech_method = "Goal"

[cazfi]

Since I'm using Classic style, the price of a tier-1 tech should be 20 bulbs (base_tech_cost), correct?

What value of server setting sciencebox are you using?

On a more general note, if you don't already do so, when developing a ruleset you should 1) run the server manually (not forked by the client) and 2) use commandline parameter --warnings when doing so. First point allows you to see the server output, and second makes that to include warnings about deprecated constructs and e.g. unused entries (likely typoed ones).

Code: Select all

 $ freeciv-server --warnings
 ...
 > rulesetdir <your own ruleset>
 ...

[FriendAtArms]

Well, I couldn't find a "sciencebox" setting in the Game file, so I inserted one myself, set to 100. Unfortunately, techs still cost 1 to 2 bulbs each.

In the server, the rulesetdir command gives me this:

2: Loading rulesets.
1: Could not find a readable "techs.ruleset" ruleset file.
1: Could not find a readable "buildings.ruleset" ruleset file.
1: Could not find a readable "governments.ruleset" ruleset file.
1: Could not find a readable "units.ruleset" ruleset file.
1: Could not find a readable "terrain.ruleset" ruleset file.
1: Could not find a readable "styles.ruleset" ruleset file.
1: Could not find a readable "cities.ruleset" ruleset file.
1: Could not find a readable "nations.ruleset" ruleset file.
1: Could not find a readable "effects.ruleset" ruleset file.
1: Could not find a readable "game.ruleset" ruleset file.

Which is...um...all the .ruleset files. Frankly I'm not sure how my client (currently GTK+3) can run my ruleset at all if I've fouled it up this badly. At least my .lua and .spec files apparently pass muster.

The $ freeciv-server --warnings command doesn't seem to do anything. Nor does typing freeciv-server -- warnings, or --warnings, or just warnings. The command server --warnings does ask for "Server ID", which I cannot find, despite typing help <server> and help <serverid>.

I'm starting to think I don't have the technical background required to mod this game. Which is a darn shame.

[cazfi]

Can you attach your current work, so I can have a look?

[FriendAtArms]

...Possibly! Bear in mind:

1. I've got a bunch more tiers/ages/whatever to write up, once I'm sure I have a handle on the basics. So a lot of units, terrain features, etc., will either be missing or (temporarily) hidden behind a semicolon. For all I know, this itself might be what's throwing off the rulesetdir command. (Although the ruleset's still playable in the client...well, "testable" anyway...so I'm not sure what's going on there.)

2. I'm probably stating the obvious here, but I'm basically Hank Hill from the "do I look like I know what a JPG is, I just want a picture of a got-dang hot dog" clip.

Which of my fouled-up ruleset files would you like to see?

[cazfi]

Which of my fouled-up ruleset files would you like to see?

Full set, so I will be able to run actual tests on it.

[FriendAtArms]

That's what I was afraid of. Well...I did some housekeeping stuff this afternoon, mostly formatting help text, and now the game freezes and crashes as soon as I hit the "Turn Done" button. Even after I reverted every change, the ruleset can't even be played in the client now. I'm embarrassed to even post these files, but the alternative is giving up on the project altogether, and I'm not quite ready to write it off yet.

PS: The ruleset isn't anywhere near the point I can write a coherent ReadMe file, but there should be enough in the help text and semicolon-comment-bits to understand the basic ideas that I'm aiming at. The stand-in graphics are a mash-up of Amplio2 and stuff from Wahazar's "Augmented2" modpack. I'm hoping to make my own (very simple) graphics to replace at least some of this, but that's faaaar down the priority list.