Civilization VII Modding Documentation Guide

Overview

This guide provides a comprehensive listing of all documentation available for Civilization VII modding, including contextual descriptions, use case scenarios, and target audience information. Use this document as a map to navigate the documentation based on your specific needs and expertise level.

Documentation Categories

The documentation is organized into the following categories:

1. Introductory Guides - Essential starting points for new modders
2. Architecture & Framework - Understanding the fundamental structure of the modding system
3. Content Creation - Specific guides for creating new game elements
4. TypeScript Modding Tools - Documentation for the code-based modding approach
5. Example Implementation - Complete example of the Dacia civilization
6. Reference Materials - Technical reference documentation

Difficulty Levels

Documents are marked with difficulty indicators to help you find resources appropriate for your skill level:

• 🟢 Beginner - Suitable for newcomers to Civilization VII modding
• 🟡 Intermediate - Requires basic understanding of modding concepts
• 🔴 Advanced - For experienced modders with technical knowledge
• 📊 Reference - Technical reference materials for all skill levels

Introductory Guides

Getting Started 🟢

• Description: An introduction to Civilization VII modding with basic concepts and setup instructions.
• Use when: You’re new to Civilization VII modding and need to set up your environment.
• Target audience: Complete beginners with no prior modding experience.
• Related documents: Modding Architecture, Mod Patterns

Architecture & Framework

Modding Architecture 🟡

• Description: Overview of Civilization VII’s modding framework and systems.
• Use when: You need to understand how the modding system works at a structural level.
• Target audience: Modders who want to learn about the underlying architecture.
• Related documents: Database Schemas, Base Standard Module

Database Schemas 🔴

• Description: Technical details about the game’s internal data structures and relationships.
• Use when: You need to understand how game data is organized and linked together.
• Target audience: Technical modders who need to work directly with the database.
• Related documents: Modding Reference

Base Standard Module 🟡

• Description: Detailed information about the base-standard module that defines core game elements.
• Use when: You need to understand or modify foundational game systems.
• Target audience: Modders working on substantial gameplay changes.
• Related documents: Age Modules

Age Modules 🟡

• Description: Information about the Age system in Civilization VII and how content is organized by historical period.
• Use when: Creating age-specific content or understanding how progression works across ages.
• Target audience: Modders adding content that spans multiple historical periods.
• Related documents: Base Standard Module, Age Architecture

Age Architecture 🟡

• Description: Detailed explanation of the Age system’s technical architecture and implementation.
• Use when: You need to understand how the Age system works at a structural level.
• Target audience: Modders creating content that integrates deeply with the Age system.
• Related documents: Age Modules, Age Gameplay Mechanics

Age Gameplay Mechanics 🟡

• Description: Detailed explanation of age-specific gameplay mechanics and transitions.
• Use when: You need to understand how gameplay changes across different ages.
• Target audience: Modders creating content that spans multiple ages or affects age progression.
• Related documents: Age Modules, Gameplay Mechanics

Mod Patterns 🟡

• Description: Common modding approaches and best practices for different types of mods.
• Use when: Planning your mod’s structure and implementation approach.
• Target audience: Modders who want to follow established patterns for reliable results.
• Related documents: Creating Civilizations, Creating Leaders

Content Creation

Creating Civilizations 🟡

• Description: Step-by-step guide for adding new civilizations to the game.
• Use when: You want to create a new civilization with unique traits and abilities.
• Target audience: Modders with basic understanding of game mechanics.
• Related documents: Creating Leaders, Dacia Implementation Guide

Creating Leaders 🟡

• Description: Guide for implementing new leaders with unique abilities and agendas.
• Use when: You want to add a new leader to an existing or new civilization.
• Target audience: Modders with basic understanding of game mechanics.
• Related documents: Creating Civilizations, Modding Guide: Civs & Leaders

Modifying Existing Content 🟢

• Description: Guide for altering or enhancing existing game content.
• Use when: You want to change or rebalance existing game elements rather than create new ones.
• Target audience: Suitable for beginners looking to make simple modifications.
• Related documents: Modding Reference

TypeScript Modding Tools

TypeScript Modding Tools Overview 🟡

• Description: Introduction to the TypeScript-based modding toolkit for Civilization VII.
• Use when: You want to understand the code-based approach to modding.
• Target audience: Modders with programming experience, especially in TypeScript/JavaScript.
• Related documents: TypeScript Modding Tools Technical, Environment Setup

TypeScript Modding Tools Technical 🔴

• Description: Technical implementation details of the TypeScript modding toolkit.
• Use when: You need to understand the inner workings of the toolkit or extend its functionality.
• Target audience: Advanced modders with strong TypeScript/JavaScript skills.
• Related documents: TypeScript Modding Tools Overview

TypeScript How-To Guides 🟡

The following how-to guides provide step-by-step instructions for specific modding tasks:

Environment Setup

• Description: Setting up your development environment for TypeScript modding.
• Use when: Starting with TypeScript modding and need to prepare your workstation.
• Target audience: Newcomers to TypeScript modding for Civilization VII.

Creating Units

• Description: Step-by-step guide for creating custom units with TypeScript.
• Use when: Adding new units to the game using code-based modding.
• Target audience: Modders with basic TypeScript knowledge.

Creating Buildings

• Description: Guide for implementing new buildings and improvements.
• Use when: Creating custom buildings and improvements with TypeScript.
• Target audience: Modders with basic TypeScript knowledge.

Creating Civilizations

• Description: Comprehensive guide for implementing new civilizations with TypeScript.
• Use when: Creating a full civilization using code-based modding.
• Target audience: Modders with intermediate TypeScript experience.

Leaders and Ages

• Description: Guide for creating leaders and age-specific content with TypeScript.
• Use when: Implementing leaders that change across game ages.
• Target audience: Modders with intermediate TypeScript experience.

Unique Quarters

• Description: Guide for creating civilization-specific quarters and districts.
• Use when: Adding specialized quarters for new or existing civilizations.
• Target audience: Modders with intermediate TypeScript experience.

Traditions

• Description: Implementing custom traditions and policies with TypeScript.
• Use when: Creating new tradition trees or individual traditions.
• Target audience: Modders with intermediate TypeScript experience.

Progression Trees

• Description: Guide for creating technology and civic progression systems.
• Use when: Designing custom advancement paths in the game.
• Target audience: Modders with intermediate TypeScript experience.

Modifiers and Effects

• Description: Creating gameplay modifiers and effects using TypeScript.
• Use when: Implementing custom gameplay bonuses and effects.
• Target audience: Modders with intermediate TypeScript experience.

Assets and Icons

• Description: Guide for incorporating custom visual assets into mods.
• Use when: Adding custom icons, textures and other visual elements.
• Target audience: Modders interested in visual customization.

Advanced Techniques

• Description: Advanced patterns and techniques for TypeScript modding.
• Use when: Extending the basic capabilities of the modding tools.
• Target audience: Experienced modders with strong TypeScript knowledge.

Example Implementation

Dacia Civilization Ideas 🟢

• Description: Conceptual design document for the example Dacia civilization.
• Use when: You want to see how a civilization is designed from concept to implementation.
• Target audience: All modders, especially those planning new civilizations.
• Related documents: Dacia Historical Reference

Dacia Historical Reference 🟢

• Description: Historical background information for the Dacia civilization example.
• Use when: Researching historical context for civilization design or as a template for your own research.
• Target audience: All modders interested in historically grounded content.
• Related documents: Dacia Civilization Ideas

Dacia Implementation Guide 🟡

• Description: Complete walkthrough of implementing the Dacia civilization in-game.
• Use when: Following a practical example of civilization creation from start to finish.
• Target audience: Modders who learn best through worked examples.
• Related documents: Creating Civilizations, Creating Leaders

Dacia Mechanics Alignment 🟡

• Description: How the Dacia civilization’s mechanics align with game systems and historical themes.
• Use when: Designing balanced and thematically appropriate civilization mechanics.
• Target audience: Modders focusing on gameplay design and balance.
• Related documents: Gameplay Mechanics

Reference Materials

File Paths Reference 📊

• Description: Comprehensive reference of file paths and directory structures for Civilization VII modding.
• Use when: You need to locate specific game files or understand the organization of mod files.
• Target audience: All modders, essential reference for finding and organizing files.
• Related documents: Modding Architecture

Modding Reference 📊

• Description: Technical reference for the modding system, including API methods and structures.
• Use when: You need detailed technical information about modding interfaces and methods.
• Target audience: All modders, especially those working on complex modifications.
• Related documents: Database Schemas

Gameplay Mechanics 📊

• Description: Detailed reference of game mechanics and systems that can be modified.
• Use when: You need to understand specific game mechanics to modify or interact with them.
• Target audience: All modders working on gameplay modifications.
• Related documents: Modding Reference, Age Gameplay Mechanics

Modding Guide: Civs & Leaders 📊

• Description: Technical reference specifically for civilization and leader modding.
• Use when: You need detailed information about civilization and leader data structures.
• Target audience: Modders creating new civilizations and leaders.
• Related documents: Creating Civilizations, Creating Leaders

Learning Paths

For Beginners

1. Getting Started
2. Modifying Existing Content
3. Dacia Civilization Ideas
4. Modding Architecture
5. Creating Civilizations

For Content Creators

1. Mod Patterns
2. Creating Civilizations
3. Creating Leaders
4. Dacia Implementation Guide
5. File Paths Reference

For TypeScript Modders

1. TypeScript Modding Tools Overview
2. Environment Setup
3. Creating Units
4. Creating Civilizations
5. Advanced Techniques

For Technical Modders

1. Database Schemas
2. Base Standard Module
3. TypeScript Modding Tools Technical
4. Modifiers and Effects
5. Modding Reference

Document Relationship Map

                                      [Getting Started]
                                            │
                      ┌─────────────────────┼─────────────────────┐
                      │                     │                     │
             [Modding Architecture]  [Modifying Content]  [Dacia Civilization Ideas]
                      │                                           │
         ┌────────────┼────────────┐                      ┌──────┴──────┐
         │            │            │                      │             │
[Database Schemas] [Base Module] [Age Modules]─────[Dacia Historical] [Dacia Implementation]
         │            │            │     │                │             │
         │            │      [Age Architecture] [Age Mechanics] [Dacia Mechanics]
         │            │            │                      │             │
         └────────────┘            │                      │             │
                │                  │                      │             │
           [Mod Patterns]          │                      │             │
                │                  │                      │             │
         ┌──────┴─────────┐       │                      │             │
         │                │       │                      │             │
[Creating Civilizations] [Creating Leaders]              │             │
         │                │       │                      │             │
         └────────────────┼───────┘                      │             │
                          │                              │             │
                    ┌─────┴──────┐                       │             │
                    │            │                       │             │
      [TypeScript Overview]──[TypeScript Technical]      │             │
                    │                                    │             │
         ┌──────────┼────────────┐                      │             │
         │          │            │                      │             │
     [Environment Setup]     [Advanced Techniques]       │             │
         │          │            │                      │             │
    ┌────┼──────────┼───────────┐│                      │             │
    │    │          │           ││                      │             │
[Units] [Buildings] [Civilizations] [Leaders]           │             │
    │    │          │           │ │                    │             │
    │    │          │ [Unique Quarters]                │             │
    │    │          │           │ │                    │             │
    │    │       [Traditions] [Progression Trees]      │             │
    │    │          │           │ │                    │             │
    └────┼──────────┼───────────┘ │                    │             │
         │          │             │                    │             │
 [Modifiers and Effects]     [Assets and Icons]        │             │
         │                        │                    │             │
         │        ┌──────────────┐│       ┌────────────┴─────────────┘
         │        │              ││       │
 [Modding Reference]  [Gameplay Mechanics]│
         │        │              ││       │
         └────────┼──────────────┘│       │
                  │               │       │
         [File Paths Reference]   │       │
                  │               │       │
                  └───────────────┼───────┘
                                  │
                     [Modding Guide: Civs & Leaders]

This diagram shows the relationships and recommended reading paths between documents, with arrows indicating logical progression or references between documents.

Developer Notes: Embedding external files (Docsify)

• Prefer embedding example sources instead of copy/pasting.
• Reference: Docsify Embed files link.
• Sites load docsify-include-template and a local plugin plugins/code-slicer.js to support line slicing.

Pattern:

<details class="code-example">
<summary>filename.ext (excerpt)</summary>
</details>

• Use lines=START-END to slice; lines=40- means from 40 to EOF.
• Keep paths relative to the site root so they work with pnpm docs:all and per-site servers.