Unit Preview: Gatling Gun

DJ Bonebraker

a.k.a Laura
Joined
Mar 10, 2004
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5,644
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Eorzea, Hydaelyn
Well, I've finally got around to animating this unit. I've got the Default, Fidget and Run animations done, and a preview of the run animation is below. It took me several hours to get it right (stupid Bryce):
 

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Sure, might as well, all I have to do is change 1 whole key frame. Fortunately, my desktop takes half the time to render an animation (even a 20 frame animation like this on) that my laptop needed.
 
You did a damn good job with the walk. About the carriage, I think it should have no bounce.
 
Two points:

1. Is that the actual size you're going to be using? Or is it just to give us a clear idea of it... it might be a bit big compared to other units.

2. The walk might be too slow unfortunately. In my experience, the speed in which a unit crosses from one tile to the next is such that a slow walk makes the unit look as though it's gliding across. I personally don't really care. It doesn't bother me, but I thought I should at least point that out.
 
Dom Pedro II said:
Two points:

1. Is that the actual size you're going to be using? Or is it just to give us a clear idea of it... it might be a bit big compared to other units.

2. The walk might be too slow unfortunately. In my experience, the speed in which a unit crosses from one tile to the next is such that a slow walk makes the unit look as though it's gliding across. I personally don't really care. It doesn't bother me, but I thought I should at least point that out.
I'd suggest Infantry size based upon the Civ Rifleman (pre-Infantry) since other Heavy infantry weapons (see PTW expansion) are also at that size.
 
I also think you should tone down the bounce a little.
As far as size goes, firaxis cannons and cannoner are real smalle compared to the Rifleman and other units. But, they look stupid and I've completely removed the Firaxis cannon in favor of Aalgo's, of which there are about a half dozen, all of consistant scale (larger than firaxis's cannonner, he looked like a midget's midget). So try matching it up with one of them (like the hotchkiss gun)
 
Dom Pedro II said:
Two points:

1. Is that the actual size you're going to be using? Or is it just to give us a clear idea of it... it might be a bit big compared to other units.

2. The walk might be too slow unfortunately. In my experience, the speed in which a unit crosses from one tile to the next is such that a slow walk makes the unit look as though it's gliding across. I personally don't really care. It doesn't bother me, but I thought I should at least point that out.

1. Yes this is the actual size I'm going ot be using, otherwise you won't be able to tell wether it's a gatling gun or a small cannon. Besides, the guy pushing the GG is about as tall as your average Civ III unit, so argument closed.

2. The actual run speed for Firaxis units is 10 frames @ .06 seconds/frame or .6 sec total length. This animation is 20 frames @ .035 seconds/frame or .7 seconds total lenght... a whole whopping 1/10 of a second difference. Of course, Animation shop 3 rounds it to the nearest 1/100 of a second, so the preview displays at a rate of .04 sec/frame or .8 sec total. Sorry, not much I can do about that, I'm afraid.

Here's a new run animation so that it doesn't look like the thing's got rubber tires:
 
The new lower bounce looks alot better.
Regarding scale, this is always a difficult issue. Make it too small and much of your cool detail is lost. Make it too big and it looks odd with existing units (and the Map).
If I were to vote, I'd vote for making the unit slightly smaller. Not an important detail, since the man is CIV sized. But if I had made the jeep with the same goals (people are CIV sized) the over all unit would have been larger then a tank. I'm a little worried that the total size of this unit might look a little large, even with the guy just the right size.

One the unit not looking like a cannon, have you experimented with higher black in the barrels? Right now, the grey on grey is a little hard to pickup. Either that or a wooden toned base? Just some ideas.

I am looking forward to this unit.
 
Bjornlo said:
One the unit not looking like a cannon, have you experimented with higher black in the barrels? Right now, the grey on grey is a little hard to pickup. Either that or a wooden toned base? Just some ideas.

I am looking forward to this unit.
What he said. Not a big deal though.
On scale: Its not the size that matters, but what you do with it. If you want to leave it a little large, I could always shrink it slightly (if need be).
 
I think that in ptw and c3c, where there are artillery units with humans included, the humans are a bit smaller than the rest of the humans - or is that just an illusion of mine? :crazyeye:
 
aaglo said:
I think that in ptw and c3c, where there are artillery units with humans included, the humans are a bit smaller than the rest of the humans - or is that just an illusion of mine? :crazyeye:
I was under the same impression as you, so we might both be crazy. I've always blamed that on my years in Helsinki.
But large or small, I like the look of the unit. I'm very happy this unit is being made. As a former Machinegunner, I think the game needs lots more machine guns :lol:
 
aaglo said:
I think that in ptw and c3c, where there are artillery units with humans included, the humans are a bit smaller than the rest of the humans - or is that just an illusion of mine? :crazyeye:
Since when is a Gatling an artillery unit :confused: It is a machine gun afaik :p and those all came with standard infantry-sized gunners (see the PTW German/American Heavy Machine Gun or the TOW from Conquests). I think the Gatling's size is just fine, and given a Gatling is small in dimension compared to artillery field pieces, the proportions between the gun and the gunner have been achieved quite well.

BTW- ever thought bout giving him a Cap for headgear?


Personaly, I never liked those mini-humanoids that Firaxis later added to the otherwise nice looking guns- mostly
a) cause their size made them look like gnomes next to other field units
b) cause their small scale made the animations too hard to be gollowed with the naked eye
c) cause it was highly unrealistic that one gunner would operate an artillery piece by himself- if already shrunk that much Firaxis should have given us a gun crew (doesn't apply to the Gatling tho, where one man is almost enough to operate it)
 
W.i.n.t.e.r said:
a) cause their size made them look like gnomes next to other field units
b) cause their small scale made the animations too hard to be gollowed with the naked eye
c) cause it was highly unrealistic that one gunner would operate an artillery piece by himself- if already shrunk that much Firaxis should have given us a gun crew (doesn't apply to the Gatling tho, where one man is almost enough to operate it)
Excuses.. excuses... :) . Using the same logic the whole game is false & fake. They're not included because of reality, but because they look nice :)
 
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