How much will the game be customizable?

[IS_NormanDuck]

Hi all!

I was thinking about different RTS games and i was asking myself how much will 0AD be customizable without making a mod of the game.

For example: will the game allow custom AIs? Will it allows also custom random maps (if any), custom scenarios, custom campaigns or anything else without modding it?

[Kimball]

Atlas, our trusty scenario editor, will be available as a user-friendly solution to customized scenarios and campaigns, comparable to the editors of the 'Age of' series (except maybe with less bugs than AoEIII's ). New units and other aspects of gameplay will require modding, which we've made as easy as we possibly can - made by modders for modders. That's not to say, though, that some nice person won't come along and develop a generator for things like random maps and AIs.

[IS_NormanDuck]

A powerful scenario editor is good

I would like also the possibility to put into the game custom AIs, (also without modding it) making sme sort of AI wars and such

[feneur]

I guess that depends on what you mean by modding Some people might consider writing a custom AI modding, at least in the sense that it needs a bit more than just moving some sliders or clicking some buttons. We will make it as easy as we can to add custom AIs though, though again that's a complicated area so it's not possible to make it very easy.

[MrBlack103]

I reckon Atlas should have an "import model" function so you could put your own in a scenario.

[feneur]

It will be a little bit more complicated then that since one need to add some more options etc, but there will be tools to enter models into the game.

[MrBlack103]

Cool. Another idea I had was that all the modding tools, scenario editor etc all have an "open" button in the main menu of 0 A.D. so that it all acts as a single program and you can test your mods etc directly with the modding program.

[Kimball]

Converting and compiling your mods will never have been easier than when you begin modding for 0 A.D.

[MythicRuler]

Thats good to know because aom was pretty easy to begin with!

[MrBlack103]

I'm just wondering - Will it be possible to create tunnels (multi-levelling) in custom maps?

[janwas]

"Multi-levelling" is not possible because the terrain is representated via heightmap. With exactly one height value per tile corner, the terrain is "2.5D". Something like Starcraft's Nydus canals / C&C's attack holes would still be possible but aren't planned for.

[MrBlack103]

Sorry, I haven't played StarCraft or C&C, so I have no idea what you mean by Nydus Canals and attack holes.

[Justinian]

"Multi-levelling" is not possible because the terrain is representated via heightmap. With exactly one height value per tile corner, the terrain is "2.5D". Something like Starcraft's Nydus canals / C&C's attack holes would still be possible but aren't planned for.

You mean like the 'caves' of AoE 3, which where really just sprites/models which where semi-transperant and gave the appearance of a cave without actually being 3D.

[IS_NormanDuck]

So if i have understood well, there would be the possibility to add a custom AI in a scenario or so using scenario editor or also some other sort of tool bun that AI can't exist alone. It would be taken from a scenario and such and placed in another but it wouldn't exist like a "free" object

[Mythos_Ruler]

No. An AI will remain a separate script, however we plan to have the functionality to allow AI scripts (and other modifications) to be bundled with Custom Scenarios.

[MrBlack103]

So, are you saying that you could, if you wanted to, build a custom scenario and an AI with the same program?

[Mythos_Ruler]

Not the same program. AI's are usually programmed by hand in a script editor or text editor. What I am saying is some files and mods, perhaps including custom AIs, may be possible to bundle with Custom Scenarios for playing multiplayer. To transfer everything in one file to all the other players in the game. That is our aim anyway.

[IS_NormanDuck]

That is good! It gives the possibility of putting into an AI new strategies - for examples from online gamers - and many new ideas of various players and scripters. I think that allowing (quite) easy AI scripting adds a plus-dimension at the game (this, but also generally to wichever)

[Apomonomenos]

In Battlefield Vietnam in certain maps there are places were you can go both above and below underground.