27-03-2005 05:41									#1
	Project: Unit Upgrading Get a bigger avatar today!

I'm hoping that Upgrading units becomes part of the code (I'm sure many do)

I figure it will involve a lot of code, and I'm hoping others may be interested. I've done some initial digging and see that we'll have to add a button (like I've done under the expel boot):




Then I think we'll have to add the upgrade flag of course (I already added it to the cdb)

A CanUpgrade function that will entail if the unit is at a city, if an advance is available and (possibly) if a building is available.

Next the cost. The slic is pre-set but I think if we calculate the shield cost of the unit minus the cost of the upgrading unit times a number of Gold (is there somewhere that gives a gold to shield ratio? I didn't see it in DiffDB and thought infrastructure or capitalization would have it)

Then the upgrade paths. this may be hardest for me since I'm not sure how to get it to check if you've missed a few upgrades (say a warrior to infrantry but you didn't upgrade to pikemen)

Finally, AI. Should we make it free for the AI like the SLIC or try to teach it. I notice Civ3 isn't good at this and I tend toward giving the AI free, automatic upgrades (for the challenge factor if anything).

Please post comments and I hope some are willing to contribute (because I have to finish show on map first).

	27-03-2005 06:25									#2
	Inflate your Upload Space

love the button idea, can it go dark if it cannot be used? like how some attacks go dark when inside a city

and if we have a button, do we want that they need to be in a city?

	27-03-2005 11:29									#3
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Units can only be upgraded within a city, a fortification or perhaps when grouped with a "supply" unit?

As for the AI, it should at least be tried to use it properly without giving it a cheat of free upgrades first. /Martin G.

	28-03-2005 01:09									#4
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fortification and supply unit hmmm I guess it would just require addind an additional flag for imps and units and then a check at the position of the unit...

Yeah I'd like the AI to "think" about it to, but as my code attempts show I think AI is out of my league for now.

Last edited by E on 28-03-2005 at 08:34

	28-03-2005 08:36									#5
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Just a little research as I fix (again) my code. I think the CDB may have to have something like:

code:

	Struct UpgradeTo {
		Record Unit Unit
		Int Cost
}

	28-03-2005 22:47									#6
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quote: Originally posted by E fortification and supply unit hmmm I guess it would just require addind an additional flag for imps and units and then a check at the position of the unit... Yeah I'd like the AI to "think" about it to, but as my code attempts show I think AI is out of my league for now.

The easiest solution to this is, to check on the BeginTurnUnit event whether the unit can be upgraded and if it can upgrade it. Of course this has nothing to do with strategic planing but is better than nothing.

quote: Originally posted by Maquiladora Units can only be upgraded within a city, a fortification or perhaps when grouped with a "supply" unit?

Why so restrictive? It should be up to the modder how it works, whether the unit needs to be in a city or can be upgraded on high sea.

-Martin

	28-03-2005 23:16									#7
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Well that was my point Martin, that it should be possible with a unit (called "supply unit" as an example) with a flag present on the same tile as the unit wanting to be upgraded, a certain city improvement present in the city, a flag for tile improvements capable of it, whatever, so its all possible.

	29-03-2005 15:21									#8
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In the case of naval units, assuming they're being considered, I don't think that upgrading should be possible. Ships cannot be modified to the extent of the Tech leaps in CtP2. You can't really convert a Ship-of-the-Line into an Ironclad! The only item to carry over would be the crews.

Also, once Tech reaches a certain level, some upgrades won't be possible in the field, ie, Cavalry to Tank, as they are equipment specific.

	30-03-2005 08:52									#9
	Avatar Enlargement: We've got the solution

actually you CAN "convert a Ship-of-the-Line into an Ironclad", but not into anything after ironclads...

but what if upgrade had different cost depending on situation? fort cost more than city (forts dont make extra stuff for soldiers) and then quite a jump for when grouped w/ some supply or hero unit? possible?

	30-03-2005 17:35									#10
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I should say that the struct describing the upgrade should add any other requirement. e.g. the struct could also have RequiredBuilding if a building is required, etc...

On the other hand, it would really be nice to have arbitrary logical combinations of requirements, and the only way to do this is to hand off to SLIC - perhaps some simple text-file based method like requiring a building, and then hand off to SLIC (via a new mod_ function or an appropriate event) to allow modders to do anything more complicated that they want (like supply units, etc.).

	30-03-2005 21:33									#11
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J,
are you recommending something like a SLICflag that in the SLIC code you could have the SLIC see if a unit has that flag and then have an operation with it. OR create a SLIC flag that you specify the slic file and if you have the unit at the start of the turn it runs the slic file?