Newbie Modding Questions

[Eusebio Ptolomeu]

As I've said in other posts, I was reading about Mp2 Dragoon and I got interested in some of its features. I also understand that Freeciv is a "modular" program, composed of both server and client. I would like to know if is it possible to run the Mp2 client using the Freeciv local server (the one which comes with the downloadable version), or some of its features require specific changes only present on the Freeciv-Web server.

Another question about Freeciv modding involves building it from source code. According to this link, a UNIX system would be required, and the Freeciv-Web github page states the same thing. Is it possible to do this using Windows 11 without the need to download a virtual machine?

[cazfi]

Another question about Freeciv modding involves building it from source code. According to this link, a UNIX system would be required, and the Freeciv-Web github page states the same thing. Is it possible to do this using Windows 11 without the need to download a virtual machine?

Like the first link states, it's a really outdated, and the second link is about freeciv-web (not freeciv), and not even freeciv.org's freeciv-web, but about Lexxie's fork.

Recommended way to build freeciv on Windows is Msys2. See doc/README.msys2 within the source code, or e.g., https://www.freeciv.org/wiki/Msys2_As_D ... nvironment

But if you are not really looking to start freeciv development, but modding it, then you might just want to download it: https://www.freeciv.org/download.html (or some snapshot from Test Builds forum).

Some modding information on wiki: https://www.freeciv.org/wiki/Game_Anatomy_%26_Modding

[Eusebio Ptolomeu]

Thanks for the info. I admit my interests were more in adding new mechanics to Freeciv, for single-player experience, but I figured some of them would require a more deeper tinkering the game than what is normally allowed. For example, I would like to change some settings involving Civil War (eg, a city in disorder could have a chance of spliting and becoming a new civilization), some things about how unit visibility and exploration work... I also like the "Senate" concept in Mp2 (with governments such as Republic or Demcoracy, you can't declare war as you like it), and the hability to do tile claims. Do you think modifications like this are only possible trough changing the source code?

[cazfi]

Do you think modifications like this are only possible trough changing the source code?

Don't see anything there that would obviosly be outside the scope of what you can do with rulesets, though not everything via the simple .ruleset files - some lua scripting required.

[cazfi]

Oh, and likely you want to go with freeciv-3.1 at this point: https://www.freeciv.org/wiki/NEWS-3.1.0 ... _/_modders

Later branches do not have their datafile formats frozen, so developing a modpack against them could be frustrating at times (what you implemented against yesterday's build doesn't work with today's build).

[Corbeau]

I also like the "Senate" concept in Mp2 (with governments such as Republic or Demcoracy, you can't declare war as you like it)

The Senate is an original concept from Sid Meier's Civilization, only coped through most rulesets.

I don't know how much experience in this you have. Modding has two levels: ruleset and coding. Ruleset is simple and doesn't require meddling with the executables, compiling etc. You don't even have to know any of the Cs. Coding is a higher level.

If you're interested in rulesets, there are many already in play. Apart from Lexxie's MP*, there are Longturn (with Royale as it's single-player version), Simulation, Aviation, Augmented...

If you'd like to take part in an active fork coding community, drop by to the Longturn Discord channel: https://discord.gg/98krqGm , but for the record, we are mostly interested in multiplayer, but you may get a lot of general info there.

Or for some solitary reading, and to get some feel for the wider (sub)community(es), you can start here: https://longturn21.blogspot.com/

[cazfi]

If you'd like to take part in an active fork coding community

There's plenty of things to implement in freeciv itself, if one is ready to contribute

https://osdn.net/projects/freeciv/ticket/

[Eusebio Ptolomeu]

Thanks for both answers. I will take a closer look at this Lua suggestion by cazfi, from what I've seen, it could reproduce some of the effects I would like to implement (but I will need to take a closer look in order to make sure). I do think that some of the changes I would like to make couldn't be done trough ruleset alone (like revolting cities turn into a new Nation), but I think I could make it work with Lua. I will try this experiment to see what happens! Thanks once again for the help

[cazfi]

(like revolting cities turn into a new Nation)

Yep, creation of the new nation is possible only via lua. I'm not entirely sure if there's a feasible way to check such bit of city status in freeciv-3.1. Freeciv-3.2 has, e.g., "CityStatus" "Disorder" requirement type: viewtopic.php?t=91844&start=6

[cazfi]

(like revolting cities turn into a new Nation)

I'm not entirely sure if there's a feasible way to check such bit of city status in freeciv-3.1.

Well, guess Lua side itself has necessary functionality: https://www.freeciv.org/wiki/Lua_reference_manual#City