Low Graphics Mod development thread

sharick · Sep 1, 2006

Many people have been asking for a low graphics mod lately. Is this what you are looking for?

Units:

Pine trees:

Normal trees:

I could make one like this with Very simple units and terrain graphics. No effects and animations.
However this will require a lot of boring work so I'd like to have some discussion before I start doing anything. For example is the unit square ok? What to do with trees, flags or teamcolor? And so on...
Later on I would probably need somebody with XML knowledge to solve specific problems and then testers with "slow" PC's.
So tell me what you think.

Gunner · Sep 1, 2006

Wow, I love those unit squares! They would be great for mods which are missing artwork.

My computer is fine though, so thats the only thing I would want this for.

Gerikes · Sep 1, 2006

I was about to point you to another project, only to find that the original developer was also you

http://forums.civfanatics.com/showthread.php?t=162610

I was planning on using this for Civcraft as interim for unit graphics since the unit graphics aren't complete yet.

I like the idea of using the "pieces" for units, but I would think that forests, cities and other plot improvements (which, in numbers, seem to cause the largest performance hit for my lower-end system) could be done using this completely-flat system.

woodelf · Sep 1, 2006

I'd like to use heads and no animations.

I like the idea of pieces in some instances.

TheKiler · Sep 3, 2006

I would rather go for readability as the priority. The "square-heads" are great, but what about the info about the underlying terrain, improvements, etc.

(1) I thought about dividing each square of land into smaller areas with info about this square, like maybe:

Code:

Terrain type  |  Terrain feature  |  Resource
Improvement   |  (Rail-)Road      |  Worked square icon
Unit type     |  Unit "info" *    |  ????

*by Unit "info" I mean, health and such.

(2) On the other hand, the terrain (the unit icons are a really good idea) could be rendered using worse models (with don't have to be flat, they just could be simplier, more "boxy") and using the old textures.
(3) I also read, that there is some algorithm in the scripts to lay out the trees, if we could alter it, to put only one or two per square, we may be better off at the very beginning.

sharick · Sep 3, 2006

@TheKiller

1. I could make the unit square smaller so the terrain and improvements would be visible but not resource. Anyway resources are hardly visible in vanilla civ so I always have to press ctrl-R to see them.
As to making health info etc.. this would require changes in XML and I can't do it. I think there is a mod which does this but only in bottom view.

2. Simpler units - this would take more work but it can be done. Vanilla units are about 600-1000 triangles, I think I could get them 2 or 3 times smaller. They would look uglier and will lost all animations though.

3. I heard that trees eat a lot of performance but I'm not sure. You need to run a few tests in WB and tell me which parts of graphics are problematic.

woodelf · Sep 3, 2006

Considering how large the tree dds file is I imagine they are a resource hog, unless that has nothing to do with performance.

nc-1701 · Sep 3, 2006

Great idea I might play cIV again if I could get it to work lagg free on my 256 RAM and Intel graphics card. The unit idea is good also make sure that windmills an' stuff don't turn I think that slows it alot.

davbenbak · Sep 4, 2006

I second the notion of stopping the windmills and other animations that seem to occur even though I have that option turned off. Circling planes is another example.

sharick · Sep 4, 2006

So what are you guys in favour of - simpler units or square units? In other words should this mod run on a little slower computer or PII 400 MHz (my 3rd machine

).
BTW any way there will be no animations.

Gerikes · Sep 4, 2006

sharick said:
So what are you guys in favour of - simpler units or square units? In other words should this mod run on a little slower computer or PII 400 MHz (my 3rd machine )

I would be for the square "board game piece" units, although realistically, I would go for the one that is easiest to be able to install into a mod (aka, replace just the models, not game code. I'm not sure how you're going about doing the flat pictures, if they're plot textures or what).

sharick · Sep 4, 2006

I'm not sure how you're going about doing the flat pictures

I have created a square in 3ds Max and export it to civ as unit. For different units I only have to change texture and export it again. So it's really easy but time consuming.
In a few days I will release beta for testing with simple terrain and ancient units.

Gerikes · Sep 4, 2006

sharick said:
I have created a square in 3ds Max and export it to civ as unit. For different units I only have to change texture and export it again. So it's really easy but time consuming.
In a few days I will release beta for testing with simple terrain and ancient units.

I was hoping to use it on non-civ units, so maybe I can save you some effort

Is there any way you could put the model file and other files that are used and a brief explanation on how to change the texture? Then someone can make their own if they have custom art.

sharick · Sep 4, 2006

Is there any way you could put the model file and other files that are used and a brief explanation on how to change the texture?

Once the unit will be there it will have a separate texture file so if you'd like to change it you'll only have to substite that file with your own.

Colin · Sep 5, 2006

Simple 2d representations of units ala previous civ games would be just dandy. There's nothing to say they can't be attractive, just because they aren't in 3d!

Personally though, number one priority should be doing something about trees (more specifically jungle), as this is what causes teh real performance hit on my machine. Again, little 2d graphics would be a godsend.

sharick · Sep 7, 2006

I added a beta ver of the mod. So far it only changes pine trees. They have about 10x less triangles and no animation. See the first post.

Darth_Kettch · Oct 12, 2006

Is this still being worked on? I'd love to be able to play a smooth game on my sub-spec Mac

Flat tiles look good to me, as long as one gets information about the underlying terrain as well.

I'd be more than happy to help with testing

sharick · Oct 12, 2006

I'm not developing it atm because I'm pretty busy right now and besides there was no feedback.
So far I only made low-res pine forrests. I tried the same with normal forrests but they looked ugly

I could make flat tiles smaller so you can see terrain below.

zooropa86 · Oct 12, 2006

this is great for me. i have a terrible comp. i personally dont like the flat units, but i fully support downgrading the terrain since its all black for me anyways. ill try this out later probably.

edit: where do i install the file(s)?

Darth_Kettch · Oct 12, 2006

zooropa86 said:
this is great for me. i have a terrible comp. i personally dont like the flat units, but i fully support downgrading the terrain since its all black for me anyways. ill try this out later probably.

edit: where do i install the file(s)?

Put the new file folder in the "mods" folder, then you can load it from the "Advanced" game menu.

Edit:
Making the squares small enough would be good for showing the terrain. As suggested, maybe the best solution regarding non-pine trees is to simply reduce the number of trees per square (say by half or two thirds)?

Are there any aspects other than feedback that a Mac user could contribute with? I have no idea what modding-software is available for me

Low Graphics Mod development thread

Warlord

Attachments

Emperor

User of Run-on Sentences.

Bard

Chieftain

Warlord

Bard

bombombedum

Lackey

Warlord

User of Run-on Sentences.

Warlord

User of Run-on Sentences.

Warlord

Warlord

Warlord

Chieftain

Warlord

Chieftain

Chieftain

Similar threads