SNES Graphics mod for Civilization for DOS (very WIP!)

[Lord_Hill]

Following on from my SNES graphics overhaul for the Windows port (see here https://forums.civfanatics.com/threads/snes-graphics-mod-for-civilization-for-windows-wip.685066/), I decided it was time to try and tackle a DOS version as well!

This was more challenging than the windows version because DOS games really really don't want you to change them like this, but thanks to the many capabilities of the mighty JCivEd, I stand a fighting chance I believe this is the first ever CivDOS graphics mod that heavily modifies the palette.

Huge credit goes to @darkpanda for creating JCivEd and helping me out with getting the palette changes working, thanks also to @riderr3 for the ripped tileset and @Blake00 for the SNES save and general encouragement. Also @rhaul who suggesting trying for DOS in the Windows thread.

An early WIP diary of sorts can be seen in the JCivEd thread here (https://forums.civfanatics.com/threads/jcived-a-toolbox-for-civilization.486470/post-16555905)

So far we have
-All terrain ported
-Special resources/bonuses graphics
-Some improvements (not roads or railroads, and a big * next to irrigation, see below)
-Status bar changed to solid colour to mimic SNES look a bit more.

We do not have
-Units!
-City screen/building/wonder graphics (I'm probably not going to do this, I didn't for windows)
-Animated oceans and shorelines (I'll probably do what I did with windows and have the gentle ocean animation but not the harsh shoreline flashing)

What's not working
-Irrigation! It's currently drawn underneath the tile graphics so you can't see it.
-Stray pixels particularly on the coastlines (they didn't convert very well and still need touching up a bit)
-The odd dodgy colour on certain screens where I've pinched it to use in the tileset. The SNES is hungry for colours and DOS is stingy.
-The dark grey Civ has hardcoded colour swapping logic to make the units easier to see. This is currently broken because I changed that colour to something else. I recommend applying JCivEd's EXE hack to switch this behaviour off.

Try it out and let me know what else is currently broken

 

[SebastianP]

Wow, I never saw the DOS version of Civ 1. I've been a Macintosh user since 1992 and hence I've only ever known the excellent Mac version. For those who don't know, here's an example screen. The DOS Civ definitely needs a facelift - thanks for doing that! ;-)

I wonder if it's possible to hack the original Mac version with SNES graphics too using ResEdit. I guess you'd just need to redraw all the graphics given the much higher resolution of the Macintosh Civ 1.

 

[Lord_Hill]

It can already be done the mod tools for the windows version are compatible with mac too as documented here. It would be trivial to whip up a Mac version of the SNES graphics if you're interested!

DOS tileset for Civilization for Macintosh

DOS Tileset for Civilization for Macintosh This is a port of the 'DOS tileset for CivWin' graphics mod created by @honza.havlicek to the Macintosh version of Civilization. This port was possible because the Mac & Windows 3.1 versions of Civ appear to share the same codebase, and more...

forums.civfanatics.com

EDIT trivial because I've already done a port to Civilization for Windows which I linked to in the first first

 

[SebastianP]

Oh that's a nice project @Lord_Hill if not for aesthetics but the curiosity to see ugly DOS graphics on the Mac! I need to try your "DOS port" on the Mac IIci standing right next to me. Any chance you could upload a .sit (StuffIt) archive instead of a zip file (which you can't open on a "real Macintosh"?)

Is the SNES tileset available from somewhere? It sounds like a cool job to do on the IIci while enjoying a good beer and listening to some authentic 80's and 90's tunes this weekend.

 

[Lord_Hill]

If I PM you the dsk (emulated floppy disk) files, can you make one for me? As you can probably tell by reading that thread, my background is in windows and I did all that by messing around with CiderPress and the Basilisk emulator with no actual knowledge of proper Mac standards. I can do one for SNES as well, here is a screenshot of it in the emulator. Great to bump into someone who knows what they're doing on the Mac, I'd love to distribute these properly.

If you fancy doing your own version anyway (the more the merrier!), here are the raw tiles I used.

Sound/Graphic mods for Civilization 1 for Windows?

Hi guys, As well as mucking around with Colonization for Windows in HD I've recently started experimenting with Civilization for Windows again and enjoying the fact that through a XP VM I'm able to play this old game at 1080P HD across my big 46" screen. And best of all thanks to the awesome...

forums.civfanatics.com

 

[Blake00]

This is amazing work as always.. well done mate! Better put this in the pinned links list thread too.. also cheers.. I completely forgot riderr3 was a member here and the one who gave us the SNES sprites years ago as he's the guy who did the recent English translation for the PS1 version of Civ1! I better go update that thread too!

 

[riderr3]

Thanks, SNES sprites looks more cute haha =)

 

[Lord_Hill]

I sort of feel like I need to get the SNES font in there, just because DarkPanda went to the trouble of adding support for font editing and I don't think anyone has used it yet

 

[Lord_Hill]

Gonna do an Amiga AGA port as well, the graphics are identical to DOS and in a format paint shop pro can open. So we'll soon have SNES tileset for DOS, Windows, Mac and Amiga which is pretty cool.

 

[Blake00]

Amazing!