Method to convert ai players to human players for BTS

[Kragroth]

I've seen a thread about this on civ fanatics but it seems to be for warwarlords. What's the method t hawk and others have used to make this happen.

[T-hawk]

There is a game option called AI Takeover. If this is set, then a player connecting to a Pitboss game can choose a civilization currently controlled by an AI, and set a password on it to bring it under human control.

If the option was not set at game start, it's possible to set it through some DLL hackery. I might still have the compiled DLL code around to do that.

If the game in question is a PBEM, it is possible to reach the AI takeover screen by temporarily hosting the PBEM save as a Pitboss game instead.

[Kragroth]

Thanks. If you have this code it would be most helpful. I assume you can host a pitboss easily since you don't need others to connect to it?

[T-hawk]

Found the original post where we discovered the procedure. http://realmsbeyond.net/forums/showthrea...0#pid40600

The link to the code still works: http://www.dos486.com/civ4/CvGameCoreDLL...keover.zip

Anyone can host a Pitboss, just run the Pitboss program from your BTS folder. First make a backup copy of the DLL and overwrite it with mine.

[Qgqqqqq]

My civ4 setup wizard stops responding after I choose the mod and state I don't want STMP/reminder emails and so on (which history in PBEM makes me think wouldn't work anyway). I don't have any experience with Pitboss, but is there something I've done wrong?

Edit: NM

[Qgqqqqq]

Aha, I understand now. "AI Takeover" really means the ability for a player to claim a civ from the AI. Kicking a player into AI status is always possible.

So I think my test worked! Here's what I did:

- Started a Pitboss game with the original DLL and AI Takeover turned off.
- Started Civ 4 proper and connected to localhost.
- Claimed a civ and set a password.
- Closed Civ 4.
- Saved in Pitboss.
- Kicked that player in Pitboss. The score jumped showing the AI settled.
- Started Civ 4 and the now-AI civ was not available to select. This replicates the problem case in the real game.

- Closed Pitboss and put in my new DLL. (I swapped the DLL in-place, I didn't load a game mod.)
- Ran Pitboss again and loaded the save.
- Kicked the player again. The score jumped showing the AI settled.
- Started Civ 4 and connected to localhost.
- The now-AI civ is available to select! And it prompts for a new password - the civ's original password is not needed!

So, find our salvation here!

http://www.dos486.com/civ4/CvGameCoreDLL...keover.zip

Okay so I've got it working all the way till the last step. I load the save with a kicked Hyborem, but I'm wholly unable to find him (or Gabella) in the list.

Would you be able to give a bit more detail about how/where you placed the CvGameCoreDLL.dll?

[novice]

Doesn't FFH use a modified dll?

[Qgqqqqq]

Yes.

[beat]

I suppose that makes perfect sense as a problem.