Creating Other Races for Custom Game

from GalCiv2 Forums
I posted this in the main forum when I wanted to post it here. I'm still learning this site, but here goes.

I have created several races for a custom game. I currently have added; The Klingon Empire (ST), The Cylons (BattleStar Galactica), The Shadows (Babylon5), and Sexy Women (My own creation). I plan on adding other races from other shows as well such as the Dominion (DS9), The Go'ald (SG!), The Wraith (SG-Atl) and maybe even the Nox.

I can do this fairly quickly. I go the the {GalCiv2 \ Data \ English} directory and edit two files. The CustomPlanets.xml and RaceConfig.xml. In these files, I put the names and attributes of my new race, makng sure the planet names match wth both files, and put in the file names of my new race. I make sure that I keep the XML tags correct and I also make sure that the.png files of my new race are put the proper folder {The GalCiv2 \ Gfx \ Race} folder. I will be developing ships for each race following the advise from other posters in this forum. It's not hard to do. They made this game very easy to mod and I do love that aspect of it.

But my question is this. I can't find a way to alter the little movie files that you see when you talk to another race.The ones you see after you click on the Foreign Relations button, then the "Speak to" button. I have found the folder and I'm sure that they are the 0_Trade00.bik files (0=any number from 0-9) that are in the {GalCiv2 \ Movies} directory. Does anyone know if there is a small program that deals with this BIK format?

Thanks for any info
modding
6,401 views 6 replies
Reply #1 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
It is simple, this happen when you have downloaded the additional movie pack via stardcok. without it the game uses trade portraits which are refrenced in raceConfig.xml, but if the game detcets the movied for foreign releations it will use them instead (thi seems to be hardoced)..so go into movie directory create some backup folder there and move all trade/foreign releations movies to that folder...game will no longer detects them and will use your custom race pictures instead.....

the BIk file stands for BINK video format and I am not sure whether there is some freeware tool to create/edit movies in this format...try to google it
Reply #2 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
The "Sexy Women" race? you gimp. lol

Other than that, good going. I'm doing something similar myself. Time for Optimus Prime to lay some beatings down on Megatron! I really need to alter the trade dialog, but that's soooo much work!
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Reply #4 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Thank you het2. That answered everything.

Thanks to Galactic Ambassador for the link to the editing program. Now if I can find some time to really make some neat movies.

And Monkey Pants, I was thinking of some really, um, Interestinjg graphics, but my wife looks over my shoulder at the game sometimes. I don't even offer a trade to that race if she is around.
Reply #5 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
This simply doesn't work for me sadly. I have set up the files like this below, Please take a look:








I have even tried all sorts of things from renaming the obvious planet Sol conflict above to New Sol, to try to make the race appear in a scenario.

I am ripping my hair out , any advice? Are the descriptions too long? Should all the bonus values be 0 for minor races?
Reply #6 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Bah it won't let me edit the post to remove the tags due to a server error

Sorry it should be displayed like this, I am removing the <> and replacing with ( ) though on one entry to show you.

(Race Name="Narn")
(DisplayName)Narn Regime(/DisplayName)
(Alignment)60(/Alignment)
(Description)The Narns were a peaceful race of mostly farmers before the Centauri invaded their world. Over several decades, the Narns stole Centauri weapons and learned how to use them to drive their conquerors away. The Narn homeworld was largely stripped of it's natural resources, being turned from lush green to desert wasteland. But having leftover Centauri weapons and spacecraft technology to study, the Narns became a recognised military power in local space. In fact, by fifty years later they were considered one of the most powerful governments in known space.(/Description)
(Homeworld)Narn Homeworld(/Homeworld)
(Homestar)Narn(/Homestar)
(RaceLeader)G'kar(/RaceLeader)
(ShortEmpireName)Narn(/ShortEmpireName)
(Portrait)Gfx\Race\narnM.png(/Portrait)
(Logo)Gfx\Race\NarnRegime.png(/Logo)
(SmallLogo)Gfx\Race\Small\narnM.png(/SmallLogo)
(DefaultTradePortrait)Gfx\Race\Trade_Race7_Neutral.png(/DefaultTradePortrait)
(RaceColor)237, 88, 19(/RaceColor)
(ShadowColor)221, 146, 172(/ShadowColor)
(UndefendedStarColor)236, 81, 82(/UndefendedStarColor)
(DefendedStarColor)237, 88, 19(/DefendedStarColor)
(SectorColor)237, 88, 19(/SectorColor)
(BaseColor)208, 160, 62(/BaseColor)
(TrimColor)64, 0, 0(/TrimColor)
(EngineColor)255, 255, 0(/EngineColor)
(InterfaceColor)237, 88, 19(/InterfaceColor)
(ShipStyle)1(/ShipStyle)
(ModuleStyle)1(/ModuleStyle)
(ECONOMICS)10(/ECONOMICS)
(WEAPONS)0(/WEAPONS)
(DEFENSE)50(/DEFENSE)
(SPEED)0(/SPEED)
(POPULATIONGROWTH)0(/POPULATIONGROWTH)
(SOCIALPRODUCTION)0(/SOCIALPRODUCTION)
(MILITARYPRODUCTION)25(/MILITARYPRODUCTION)
(RESEARCH)0(/RESEARCH)
(INFLUENCE)0(/INFLUENCE)
(TRADE)0(/TRADE)
(DIPLOMACY)0(/DIPLOMACY)
(HITPOINTS)0(/HITPOINTS)
(REPAIR)0(/REPAIR)
(SENSORS)0(/SENSORS)
(ESPIONAGE)0(/ESPIONAGE)
(SOLDIERING)0(/SOLDIERING)
(INTERESTRATES)0(/INTERESTRATES)
(PLANETQUALITY)0(/PLANETQUALITY)
(TRADEROUTES)0(/TRADEROUTES)
(CRIME)0(/CRIME)
(CABINET)0(/CABINET)
(RANGE)0(/RANGE)
(LUCK)0(/LUCK)
(COURAGE)0(/COURAGE)
(CREATIVITY)0(/CREATIVITY)
(GOVERNMENT)0(/GOVERNMENT)
(LOYALTY)10(/LOYALTY)
(LOGISTICS)6(/LOGISTICS)
(MINIATURIZATION)0(/MINIATURIZATION)
(CustomizationPoints)9(/CustomizationPoints)
(Tech)Galactic Warfare(/Tech)
(Tech)HyperDrive(/Tech)
(Tech)Xeno Engineering(/Tech)
(Tech)XenoIndustrialTheory(/Tech)
(Tech)IonDrive(/Tech)
(Tech)StellarCartography(/Tech)
(/Race)