Empire Deluxe Enhanced Edition
Game Customization Notes
Quick Links:
Other Details Links:
A good deal of effort has been taken to make sure that there are many customization opportunities possible in Empire Deluxe Enhanced Edition. Within this chapter you should find many clues as to where to look to modify your overall Empire experience.
The computer player is available for you to Enhance in two different ways. By either editing the "ScriptedAI" scripts, or diving in and re-writing the AI Player program.
Editing Computer Player Scripts
The game identifies files with the extension ".eai" as computer Player Script files. It will look for this file type when looking to load an AI script.
The contents and language of an AI script is completely up to the AI developer. It can even be a binary file.
The "ScriptedAI" computer player requires a script to run. The AI scripts for that came with the game distribution and are located in the Data\AIScripts directory off of the root directory of the game.
The script titled "StandardAI.eai" is the script used by the "StandardAI" computer player. Note: You should not edit this script. It may damage your ability to play the game.
A copy of this file, Default.eai, is provided with some explanation of the entries inside.
The best way to learn how to change the AI is to read the script file, experiment with the settings, and talk about it with like minded individuals on the forums such as Killer Bee's Swarm forum.
Do note that altering the script could cause things like AI Player crashing to occur.
For the really adventurous amongst us, you can get into the nuts and bolts of the computer player by exploring the AI source code. This source code is not distributed with the game, but should be available from Killer Bee Software's website shortly after the release. The package should contain all of the source code and game libraries needed to build the "ScriptedAI.dll".
It is well beyond the scope of this document to explain how to do this, but one needs a working knowledge of Windows Programming and C/C++ to be successful at creating your own Computer Player DLL. The game's API consists of a set of Events and Commands that could be sent and received by the computer player.
Enough control has been given to the computer player to be able to crash the game. In cases such as this, you should be notified that the AI player is what caused the crash. Sometimes you are able to save the game and restart it later.
Sooner or later there will be some fan developed AI DLL's generated that you will want to check out. Always remember that a DLL is a computer program, and you must be careful in regards to viruses and malicious code. ONLY use DLLs from sources and people you can TRUST. You USE THEM AT YOUR OWN RISK.
To add a player DLL, you must enter it in the AI Registry, off the Main Menu in the Editors Menu Options. Then take the DLL file delivered to you by the AI Developer, and drag it and drop it on the AI Table. Its interfaces will be checked and it should be added to your set of available Computer Players the next time you start a game.
Players may now change to order of entries in the AI registry by selecting the entry to be moved and pressing either the up or down buttons. The order is relevant to how AI types appear in the game setup during player type selection.
Altering The World Build Process
Using External World Build DLL's
Like the AI DLL, the World Build DLL is also open sourced and will be available for modification. As always, when using fan made DLLs, remember that a DLL is a computer program, and you must be careful in regards to virus' and malicious code. ONLY use DLLs from sources and people you can TRUST. You USE THEM AT YOUR OWN RISK.
To install a World Building DLL for use with the game, place the DLL in the root directory of the game. Then, in the game setup, select the Advanced Option from the Map Tab in the Game Setup and load the DLLs you wish to use for Terrain Building and unit placement.
The source code for the World Building AI will be released shortly after the game's release, and should be available from Killer Bee Software's website. The package will include the necessary source code and libraries needed to build the DLL.
Changing The Graphics in The Game
All of the graphics in the game are open and exposed, so that you can alter them and change them if you please.
All image files need to be in Microsoft's BMP image format to be loaded correctly.
Be aware that some of the image files have transparent colors in this. These colors are not always consistent. but are generally either "Near Black" :( RGB 1,1,1), or White (RGB 255,255,255). Examination of the files of interest should reveal if they are using transparent colors.
The image files used in the game can be changed by editing the Properties.ini file, located in the Data directory of the game.
The Propeties.ini file is located in the "Data" directory off the root directory of the game. It is a classic subject/key Windows INI file. Several of the properties in this file can be adjusted to customize your game. Be aware that they could also affect your game in an adverse way. Edit this file at your own risk. (and make a copy of it BEFORE you edit it).
A Note About Setting Paths
You may desire to save some of the game files to a directory structure or drive different from one the game is in. To do this, you will need to indicate that the appropriate path properties are full paths. How to do this is explained within the Properties.ini file.
If you have a technique you would like to share, or possibly blow by blow commentary on replayed games, you can add your own tutorial files and share them with your friends..
The structure of the tutorial file is simple. It is a text file, with the extension *.etu (Empire Tutorial).
The first line of the file is the tutorial's title.
Following that, are "tutorial screens", which make up each screen of the tutorial display. This is a few paragraphs of text that you write.
A line with only "TUT_LINE" indicates the end of that tutorial screen.
At the very end of your tutorial, instead of placing "TUT_LINE", you place "TUT_END" to indicate the tutorial is finished.
To install a tutorial *.etu file, just drag and drop it onto the game and it will be copied and stored in the appropriate place. The default location for this is off the root directory of the game at help/tutorials.