Common Event Design

[Arexack_heretic]

I agree with orlanth: features are can overlay any terrain and modify it's output/ affect terraincombat boni, without the need to store the turn0 initial terrain values in a sort of reference savefile.

my only problem with that is that features tend to not occlude the underying terrain.

another possibility is creating cursed land terrain for each type of not-cursed terrain.
a linked pair, one transformed into the other and back. (desert<->sands(desert), plains<->sands(plains), etc)
but that would be very cumbersome and too much trouble unless it became a game feature.

brainstorming on:
As a game feature, lands could take on the 'alliance' of occupying civs: 3 versions of each normal terrain, one evil, one neutral and one good. (cursed/blessed) Chaotic and lawfull type alliance would then be constricted to effects from improvements or features...
Cities could get terrain boni from lands of the same nature and negatives from lands that are opposite, neutral civs have less negative effects from either cursed or blessed lands. A civ's alliance depends on initial baseline of a civ + applied civics + used magics/resources + diplomacy. (approximately as done in FfH2)

 

[Psychic_Llamas]

As a game feature, lands could take on the 'alliance' of occupying civs: 3 versions of each normal terrain, one evil, one neutral and one good. (cursed/blessed) Chaotic and lawfull type alliance would then be constricted to effects from improvements or features...
Cities could get terrain boni from lands of the same nature and negatives from lands that are opposite, neutral civs have less negative effects from either cursed or blessed lands. A civ's alliance depends on initial baseline of a civ + applied civics + used magics/resources + diplomacy. (approximately as done in FfH2)

this was initially considered ages ago but i think we decided it wasnt really warhammer flavour and wouldnt be that good

I agree with orlanth: features are can overlay any terrain and modify it's output/ affect terraincombat boni, without the need to store the turn0 initial terrain values in a sort of reference savefile.

my only problem with that is that features tend to not occlude the underying terrain.

another possibility is creating cursed land terrain for each type of not-cursed terrain.
a linked pair, one transformed into the other and back. (desert<->sands(desert), plains<->sands(plains), etc)
but that would be very cumbersome and too much trouble unless it became a game feature.

very true. perhaps a (plains) Sands, (grass) Sands and such is our best option here then... we could make it so the player wont even notice the other terrains unless they look in the terrain pedia file and see 3 or 4 'sands' entries. or go into worldeditor,

 

[orlanth]

another possibility is creating cursed land terrain for each type of not-cursed terrain. a linked pair, one transformed into the other and back. (desert<->sands(desert), plains<->sands(plains), etc) but that would be very cumbersome and too much trouble unless it became a game feature

Yeah I think that's getting pretty involved for a simple mechanic, especially given past problems & complications caused by adding new terrains. Especially if you could add a slight dunes-type overlay graphic to the current "windy" appearing Sands feature, it should look fine to have Sands feature over Plains in some areas & would keep things alot simpler.

If you rly do need to change the Terrain type; it's not that vitally important for the game to store what every square was before; it could have a small chance of becoming Plains (maybe rarely even Plain of Bones!) and a chance to remain Desert (the Sands could certainly have caused some lasting change to the land even after they depart.)

 

[Psychic_Llamas]

Especially if you could add a slight dunes-type overlay graphic to the current "windy" appearing Sands feature, it should look fine to have Sands feature over Plains in some areas & would keep things alot simpler.

this is definately an option i hadnt considered.

If you rly do need to change the Terrain type; it's not that vitally important for the game to store what every square was before; it could have a small chance of becoming Plains (maybe rarely even Plain of Bones!) and a chance to remain Desert (the Sands could certainly have caused some lasting change to the land even after they depart.)

this could work just as well. randomising the DesertRevertion should be fairly simple no?

 

[Arexack_heretic]

a semi-randomised terrain reversion script based off the terrain.xml lattitude values etc should be possible.

I suggest we see how the proposed dunes-feature looks first; this seems to me the approach least prone to technical failure.
(it might turn out to look crap though).

 

[Psychic_Llamas]

I suggest we see how the proposed dunes-feature looks first; this seems to me the approach least prone to technical failure.
(it might turn out to look crap though).

ill have a play around with some dunes in Max now lets see how we go...

EDIT: one problem with a dunes overlay is how the improvements will appear poking through them, and also how they will look on hills...

 

[Psychic_Llamas]

ok so ive had a mess around with some dune graphics, they turned out pretty good (even if i do say so myself ) but the problem is they are EXTREEEEEEEEEEEEMLY high poly, if i use low poly they look like complete crap. so we can either use this and make the game run increadibly slow... or i can try a different tactic with this...

 

[orlanth]

hmm.. perhaps a simpler/flatter overlay would be less high poly (maybe try overlaying a modified copy of current Desert terrain?) I wouldn't rly mind having the underlying terrain stay partly visible as long as it looks reasonably ok. But if the Feature just doesnt look good, a change to Desert Terrain with semirandom reversion should be fine too.

 

[Arexack_heretic]

exhausting system resources is not acceptable for a single civ feature.

let's try option B: shifting sands desert terrain with randomized reversion.

 

[Psychic_Llamas]

i can try as orlanth suggests and making a flat overlay with a good texture... randomized terrain reversion would be nicer and imho cleaner if we can get it to work though.

 

[frenzyslave]

Dam gobbo broke me compupu wen me kickd it. Da naughty git got da ax afta.

Basically my video card died during a LAN. Sigh

I cant even play Civ3 cause they have too much awesome graphics... It came to me, or my daughter... hmm new video card... maybe an upgrade... oh damn you responsiblity! My daughter easily won obviously...

But sadly, no compupu until July (?) - until then I have to suffer Civ withdrawls... So thats why Ive been silent for awhile...

One word sums it all up: "Bugger..."

 

[Ahriman]

Bugger, indeed - 5 months with no gaming sounds... unfortunate. Best of luck finding a replacement. I'd imagine you could get a semi-obsolete graphics card for pretty cheap somewhere online.

I just got a fancy new gaming comp, and am in the process of setting it up. Dawn of War 2 here I come.