New Unit: Mayan Plumed Archer(11/1/2005)

He can be used for any mesoamerican civ in addition to the Mayans if you so choose. Finally a real civ unit to replace the AOK filler...

http://www.civfanatics.net/uploads10/Plumed_Archer.zip

this figure has your best movenments. death is great, but shouldnt it start in attack? Also bend the knees, and give him a more realistic stance, no one shoots with their body upright like that, study pictures of the attact your trying to make, also you may be able to download poses for attacks
aside fro that keep up the good work

Thankyou Shiro. This unit is partially based on the Age of Empires Plumed Archer, so I just used what I remembered of it, hense the attack.

Does the death start at the beginning of the attack?

ya, the death should start at attack (think about it, he shoul only die during a battle (unless nuked! )

Theres also lethal artillery and stuff like that.

well, naturaly, when you see a flaming boulder rom an enemu catapult, you first thought is to take aim...

Sword_Of_Geddon said:

Theres also lethal artillery and stuff like that.

Click to expand...

In general unit animations should loop.

The loop I use, and naturally reccommend is:

all animations which might loop, have the same first and last frame.
so default -> default is fine
same with fidget -> fidget, run -> run
also default -> fidget ->run ->default must all loop together
So all four of these must begin and end on the same frame.
fortify must begin on this frame, but does not have to end on it.
so run -> fort must work.
fort -> attackA must work.
If there is one attack attackA -> attackA must work
If there are two attacks attackA -> AttackB -> attackB must work
If there are three attacks attackA -> attackB -> attackC -> attackA must work.
In general it is best if all the attacks end on exactly the same frame, because all attacks should loop reasonably well with death and victory.
So attackA -> victory and attackB -> victory must both work.
attack'any' -> death must work.
victory -> default must work.

Following these will lead to smoother animations with out the strange hops and jumps from animation to animation.

Well for my next unit, I have got the following Mr.Bjorn

Default, Fortify, Attack, Death

also Attack, Victory.

Figured out how to memorize a frame and import it to another animation. Makes things alot easier.

I've only played with Poser, so I don't know alot about it, but I can tell you how I do it with Bryce.
I make one animation. Typically the Run.
Before I being animating, I keyframe the first and last frame in the series.
This means the animation will loop perfectly.
I often use "save-as" to save this immediately to each animation I plan to make. This gives me run, fort, etc that all loop perfectly with each other, since they will all have the same first and last frame.
Not all of this is adaptable to every unit, but it should work for every 3d program. Perhaps a similar method would help you? It would likely be easier then memorizing a frame; which at least sounds like hard work.

Actually I just figured out how exactly loop interprolation works. I have it for my attack, default and victory animations in the next unit.

Do you use lightwave meshes? I have a couple that I can't use with Poser. Some ships and two walkers.

Sword_Of_Geddon said:

Actually I just figured out how exactly loop interprolation works. I have it for my attack, default and victory animations in the next unit.

Do you use lightwave meshes? I have a couple that I can't use with Poser. Some ships and two walkers.

Click to expand...

I have Lightwave, and only just beginning to learn how to use it. I mostly use 3d studio Max meshs because there are so many of them. But I have used several Lightwave meshes too (such as my IS-3m tank).
I can use any mesh. Cinema4d, Lightwave, 3d studio Max, Cararra, Truespace, Wavefront, and so on.

What is your email? I will send you all of the lightwave meshes I have, like five or so. Most of them are ships which seems to be your area of expertease.

I will PM them to you. I don't really have an expertise. The only limitation I have is that Bryce makes humans extremely difficult to animate correctly as you must do every pose element manually. And, it is very difficult to deform a mesh like Orthanc does with his sails.

Sword_Of_Geddon said:

Thankyou Shiro. This unit is partially based on the Age of Empires Plumed Archer, so I just used what I remembered of it, hense the attack.

Click to expand...

I was wondering if that was the case. Also, does your unit creation sort of go in cultural swings? Like Central/South America one set of months and then more Europena based the next? This is s good looking unit btw, too.

For the preview, you shouldn't use a magenta background. After the jpg compression, it seems to 'blend' with the unit. Use a white background.

For the rest, Bjornlo said all that can be said.

I haven't got any criticism, Sword (I'm not knowledgeable enough for that), but I am downloading the unit with gratitude! Viva Civ 3!

Thankyou Mithadan I really hope you enjoy using him in game...

Tank Guy: Yes it seems that way. I really like Mesoamerica and the fact that there are three scenerios/mods planned that take place there makes me want to really contribute.

I have two more coming, after that its off to Asia for Shiro and Ogedai.