Ok, it's time to start to work with CivIV. These are some improvement for skin leaders


Julius Caesar new toga (corrected to senator ones):

http://www.civfanatics.net/uploads10/giulio1.jpg



Napoleon background: his throne room (seriously, you image an illuminist in a church? :) ):

http://www.civfanatics.net/uploads10/napoleone.jpg



Otto von Birmark with the real german uniform for generals (my favorite):

http://www.civfanatics.net/uploads10/otto1.jpg



Montezuma: removed the horrible eyes on skull and colored his collar

http://www.civfanatics.net/uploads10/zuma1.jpg




The file (Ace, ~500 Kb) (http://www.civfanatics.net/uploads10/teste.ace)

I have in mind to change also some other backgrounds, but I have problems with animated sky. If someone know how to manage it, PM.

About Caesar, is his later days he weared purple for it was the color of kings, even not he been imperator he weared it, some say as a insult to the senate.

I love it, except for one thing: The recoloring of Montezuma's collar seems...how you say...sloppy. Not that I could do better, I absolutely suck at modding graphics, but you might want to consider changing it...

*Hasn't really begun to explore Civ IV's modding capabilities*

By the way, Ceasar's didn't work.

Good job, Rufus!
Just two comments: I agree with Glibe about a different colour (may be a darker green?) would fit the collar better. Additionally, I suppose the Prussian uniforms had a darker blue?

I wanted to try this mod but I can´t find "my assets", only custom assets, and when putting the files in there it won´t change a thing :cry:

The Bismark leaderhead worked fine, and I use it, nice job. The Caesar one did not work though (I wasn't interested in the other two).

Also, could you change the still pics that are only the race selection screen, so that they match the new leaderheads?

I like the new look of Napoleon!Thank you!

Got it to work but yet only Bismark and Napoleon have the new Color aka Background.

Got it to work but yet only Bismark and Napoleon have the new Color aka Background.

?!? Only Napoleon has a new background...

I had noted that the new skins have a worst conversion: I will release the rigth one. Also, I think that I will remake Cesar with the toga shoulders and a better version of the Reich uniform for Otto

Wow that looks great Rufus.

While I'd love to add them to my game, the sad state of my computer requires me to try to get rid of the diplomacy animations to improve the performance.

Does anyone know hoe to replace the diplomacy animations with a picture?

thanks

Aha! I found a mod here (http://apolyton.net/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=141770&highlight=diplomacy+animations)
in case anyone is interested

Hello Rufus !!
Happy to see you in CIV IV !! :goodjob: :thanx: I like particularly the Napoleon one... I was about to do the same ... :thanx:

PS : this time I have an ACE editor !!! ;)

:bump: New release

Looks great, though I would suggest fixing up caesar's shirt underneath a bit (like in my picture). I would do it myself but it is your project :) lol. Just make the lines more definite (might have gotten my colors wrong- I'm color blind :) lol) and I would shade the skin around the edges of shirt to give the shadow effect. Just some thoughts :) lol

As per your instructions, I put them in....\CustomAssets\art\leaderheads....however, they do not change to the your leaderheads when I start the game?????

I have the same issue. They are in the right place, but can't get this mod to run...

Uhm, stange. Could be due because I had made only one of the 2 skins? (shaders/normal)?

As you can see for Bismarck, IIRC (I'm not to my home) there are 2 files and 1 for other leader. Please try to remove the shader file from Bismark and talk be if return to original.

With lower risolution of the game it works (this is my standard mode, due to my older graphic card).

@Corn: I known that the toga is not so good, and I will work on a better result. If you want, I can send to you the psd file with the different layers.

You've done well. I reckon that the first official patch should actually use these instead of the old ones (with minor changes).

Excellent work, Rufus! :goodjob:

I'll ask again, has anyone actually got these to show up in the game after loading them?? And if so, please give instructions on how to do it correctly....:D

Thanks!!

Do the leaderheads also have bumpmaps, or just skins?

I'll ask again, has anyone actually got these to show up in the game after loading them?? And if so, please give instructions on how to do it correctly....:D

Thanks!!

Hello !

I had the same problem, it comes from the fact that the *.diff file doesn't exist. I made the test by replacing the *.diff by the "nonshader" and it works...
You have to check too that you have remove the Artpack file after extraction because the game continue to read it if you have not remove the file...

:)

Hello !

I had the same problem, it comes from the fact that the *.diff file doesn't exist. I made the test by replacing the *.diff by the "nonshader" and it works...
You have to check too that you have remove the Artpack file after extraction because the game continue to read it if you have not remove the file...

:)

This is what I thinked. For other users, note that the file is birsmarck_diff.dds

Q: why the others, without the _diff file, work to me?

Frenchman, you wrote:

I had the same problem, it comes from the fact that the *.diff file doesn't exist. I made the test by replacing the *.diff by the "nonshader" and it works...
You have to check too that you have remove the Artpack file after extraction because the game continue to read it if you have not remove the file...

Can you please be a little more specific...Thank you:D

Frenchman, you wrote:

I had the same problem, it comes from the fact that the *.diff file doesn't exist. I made the test by replacing the *.diff by the "nonshader" and it works...
You have to check too that you have remove the Artpack file after extraction because the game continue to read it if you have not remove the file...

Can you please be a little more specific...Thank you:D

Hello Jeff,

Firstly you have to check that you have removed the Art0.fpk file after you extracted the pictures from it. This file is in the Assets repertory.
Put it in a new repertory far away... don't delete it...
Secondly in the Assets/Art/leaderheads/julius_caesar repertory you have to look to the *.dds files. You have a "julius_diff.dds" file and a "julius_nonshader.dds" file. You rename the two files for example "julius_diff2.dds. You take the "julius_nonshader.dds" from Rufus you put it in the repertory, you make a copy of the Rufus file and you rename it "julius_diff.dds"... it works...
:)

I was thinking there was a way to do it without touching the original game files. I was under the impression that is why Firaxis created the custom files, so people could add on mods and not go into the original game files. Maybe I am wrong on that issue.

I was thinking there was a way to do it without touching the original game files. I was under the impression that is why Firaxis created the custom files, so people could add on mods and not go into the original game files. Maybe I am wrong on that issue.

You can do that if you change the XML files ...

Great to see you upgrading Civ4, as well, Rufus! I always liked your enhancements! They look pretty well!! :goodjob: I will definitely switch to your graphics!

Thank you, CellKu :hatsoff:

Keep up the good work, I love the changes.

You might need to clear the Cache folder.

Thanks for the very good Bismarck uniform, Rufus. Just one tiny correction: It's not the GERMAN uniform, but the PRUSSIAN one (the color is even called "prussian blue" altough on the jpg it looks a bit too light). Strangely enough, Firaxis decided to make both german leaders prussians and people primarily known for the wars fought under them. *sigh*

Thanks for the very good Bismarck uniform, Rufus. Just one tiny correction: It's not the GERMAN uniform, but the PRUSSIAN one (the color is even called "prussian blue" altough on the jpg it looks a bit too light). Strangely enough, Firaxis decided to make both german leaders prussians and people primarily known for the wars fought under them. *sigh*

You are right, the uniform is for a prussian general. BTW, it was used by Bismarck also in the Reich, then it could be called also german.

Sounds good as excuse? :)

Great work, Rufus.

I wonder if it would be possible to ask you for a favour - I need a leaderhead for the Polish King, who would look very much like Bismarck - so his animation graphics could be used, except for the following changes:
- background would be that of Louis XIV
- his hair would be black rather than grey/white
- no helmet and armour instead of uniform, like on this picture:

http://home.eol.ca/~cpliszka/images/sobieski.jpg

If you are unable to do it, could you say what editor you were using? :)

Great work, Rufus.

I wonder if it would be possible to ask you for a favour - I need a leaderhead for the Polish King, who would look very much like Bismarck - so his animation graphics could be used, except for the following changes:
- background would be that of Louis XIV
- his hair would be black rather than grey/white
- no helmet and armour instead of uniform, like on this picture:

http://home.eol.ca/~cpliszka/images/sobieski.jpg

If you are unable to do it, could you say what editor you were using? :)

As you can see, for now it is impossible to change the model used by leaderheads, because Firaxis has not yet released the model pack. The only thing that it is possible now is to edit the skins, that for your request is too different from original Otto.

Sorry

You are right, the uniform is for a prussian general. BTW, it was used by Bismarck also in the Reich, then it could be called also german.

Sounds good as excuse? :)

Excellent - even here in Germany, most people view Bismarck as "one of the great Germans", whereas he always saw himself as a faithful Prussian and did what he did not to unite Germany as such, but to strengthen the Prussian monarchy. It's a bit sad, however, that the notorious Prussian militarism is

a) associated with Bismarck who actually wasn't warlike at all
b) seen as typical for Germany in total

The militarism did exist, but only in a very small time window, slightly beginning in 1870 and culminating with Wilhelm II 1890-1918.

Ah, well, very much off-topic... *g*

Why did you have to get rid of the eyes? :-(

Great work otherwise, though. Napoleon in particular looks great.

Why did you have to get rid of the eyes? :-(

Great work otherwise, though. Napoleon in particular looks great.

Because calaveras are a christian tradition.

Hello Jeff,

Firstly you have to check that you have removed the Art0.fpk file after you extracted the pictures from it. This file is in the Assets repertory.
Put it in a new repertory far away... don't delete it...
Secondly in the Assets/Art/leaderheads/julius_caesar repertory you have to look to the *.dds files. You have a "julius_diff.dds" file and a "julius_nonshader.dds" file. You rename the two files for example "julius_diff2.dds. You take the "julius_nonshader.dds" from Rufus you put it in the repertory, you make a copy of the Rufus file and you rename it "julius_diff.dds"... it works...
:)

Perhaps I'm just dense, but I don't have a leaderheads folder under my assets folder. I'm really not sure what to do with the archive that I downloaded here.

The text file that comes with it says:

"Put it on \CustomAssets\art\leaderheads"

I don't have any such folder. :blush:

Napoleon background: his throne room (seriously, you image an illuminist in a church? :) ):

Just as an aside, Napoleon self-coronated himself in Notre Dame de Paris...

Considering the peaceful, pastoral mind of Bonaparte and that it's the 200th anniversary of his Austerlitz victory (2 december 1805) a battle background might be more suited than Fontainebleau or whatever palace you used?

Nice work anyway!

Just as an aside, Napoleon self-coronated himself in Notre Dame de Paris...

Considering the peaceful, pastoral mind of Bonaparte and that it's the 200th anniversary of his Austerlitz victory (2 december 1805) a battle background might be more suited than Fontainebleau or whatever palace you used?

Nice work anyway!

The idea is good, but as you can see he's dressed with an indoor uniform. This is why I had used the throne room.

Perhaps I'm just dense, but I don't have a leaderheads folder under my assets folder. I'm really not sure what to do with the archive that I downloaded here.

The text file that comes with it says:

"Put it on \CustomAssets\art\leaderheads"

I don't have any such folder. :blush:

Firstly, you have to "unpack" the Art folder check this thread :
http://forums.civfanatics.com/showthread.php?t=136023
:)

I have the Unpak program, but I have no idea what I am supposed to unpak or where to unpak it to. I've seen mention of an Art0.FPK file but the only such file I is in the My Games directory structure, under customassets\assets. Is this the file I unpak to create the \customassets\art\leaderheads directory?

EDIT: My bad. The Art0.FPK I see is a folder, not a file. I have no Art0.FPK file on my system. What now?

when I download the file I get an error saying it cannot open and ACE file...

what do I use ?

when I download the file I get an error saying it cannot open and ACE file...

what do I use ?

WinAce or WinRar

Thanks Rufus, but julius caesar looks more pale now, is it supposed to do that?

Thanks Rufus, but julius caesar looks more pale now, is it supposed to do that?

I had not touched his skin, but only the dress. Also, as you can see in the preview image, he has the same colour. :confused:

ok, but how do I make dds work, ive tried to make flags but they dont work, someone tried to explain it to me but I have no idea what he was talking about, can you help me rufus?

ok, but how do I make dds work, ive tried to make flags but they dont work, someone tried to explain it to me but I have no idea what he was talking about, can you help me rufus?

Because this is not the right place, PM me.

Ok, check your PM.

Shouldn't the game be reading from the CustomAssets folder? That's where I put all of these leaderhead files and the only difference I see in the game is Napoleon's background. Is there an easy way to make these work, or is it just not worth it?

These changes are well thought out and well executed.
So well done!

:)

Very well done!
It is easy to get the files to work.
Extract the files to \CustomAssets\art\leaderheads.
If you do not have a file named leaderheads make one using the new folder command.
You should now have a subfolder for each of the 4 leaderheads.
Open the folder for bismarck and you see two files a nonshader and a copy.
Rename the copy to bismarck_diff
Do the same thing for the julius and montezuma.
For montezuma you need to copy the nonshader file and paste in into another
folder, rename it, and move it back to the folder with the nonshader file.

again great job and thanks

Thanks for the instruction, Librarian! :)

Looks great, though I would suggest fixing up caesar's shirt underneath a bit (like in my picture). I would do it myself but it is your project :) lol. Just make the lines more definite (might have gotten my colors wrong- I'm color blind :) lol) and I would shade the skin around the edges of shirt to give the shadow effect. Just some thoughts :) lol
That and touch up Motezumas collar, nice other than that.

If you had to rename the xx_nonshader files to xx_diff files then you should use the files I attached in the zip (only two though, for Bismarck and Caesar). In particular these are the "flat" version of the shaded skins in the xx_nonshader files and for those of us with shaders available will produce better results. Full credit still goes to Rufus for the skin, since I just tweaked them slightly.