Banned resource graphics mods

[Ribannah]

I would be perfectly happy if those were indeed the rules, and a list were added to keep record of what mods and exploits are allowed like I decribed earlier.

 

[col]

@Ribannah You seem to be taking this very personally. One might even begin to think there is another agenda being pursued here.

edit :typo

 

[DaviddesJ]

If I simply press the wrong key, and a crucial unit goes to the wrong place, and I reload the autosave and replay that turn (exactly the same as before) up to the same point, so that I can move the unit where I intended it to go, is that cheating?

 

[denyd]

with a 1 year old son 'helping daddy' type and an couple of cats who like to run across the keyboard, I probably restart at least 3-5 turns per GOTM. I just try to be careful to make the same decisions (kind of hard when an un-escorted settler finds a barb camp!!), but the best you can do is try to be honest to yourself and the game.

 

[LKendter]

Originally posted by Bamspeedy
There is also a 'solid territory border' modpack, that makes it easier to see the borders, especially through jungle.

Do you happen to know the link for this?
I have tripped leave my territory now more then once because I missed the blasted borders.


===========================

The main key will be to limit what has to been banned.

I use straight railroads, as they are much easier to see.
I am developing for personal use straight roads.
I love the mood badges in the city screens.
All of the above along with the graphic mods have made it easier for me to play the game. We have to be very careful not to create a situation where GOTM limits to many of these add-ons

You can tell this is a very important issue to the players are this issue has already invoked quite a few pages, and looks to keep going strong.

 

[Hurricane]

Originally posted by DaviddesJ
If I simply press the wrong key, and a crucial unit goes to the wrong place, and I reload the autosave and replay that turn (exactly the same as before) up to the same point, so that I can move the unit where I intended it to go, is that cheating?

AFAIK, this is not considered cheating. I have reloaded a couple of times because of clicking the wrong button.

 

[Bamspeedy]

Originally posted by LKendter



Do you happen to know the link for this?
I have tripped leave my territory now more then once because I missed the blasted borders.

Wow, when did the graphic modpacks forum become 8 pages long! I found it all the way back on page 7.

Solid territory borders

I think it is the forth post on that thread that has a screenshot showing the territory borders.

It also has some funky mines on the screenshot, and those do not extend beyond the territory borders, so would not offer any advantage (of finding someone sooner). Even if the AI has 100 workers and 1 city, they won't mine outside their borders for future cities, like a human would if they had an over abundance of workers. The only time mines would appear outside borders is if the city just got razed or captured (culture border contracts). And if the AI are capturing each others capitals and you haven't found them yet, then you need all the help you can get .

 

[Ronald]

Originally posted by DaviddesJ
My suggestion for GOTM20 is to reveal a larger area at the start of the game. Not only will this reduce the importance of "can the player see one extra pixel in order to get a clue where to build", but it will also add strategy to the game start, as players can plan their initial expansion when settling, not just the first turn.

I support this idea. I like especially the strategic part in it.

Ronald

 

[ltcoljt]

I am just thankful to find shielded grassland under jungle tiles; let us not trouble the Great Craker for more, elsewise, we may reap tundra and woes.

But it would eliminate some luck from the early game if we could see more prior to settling our capital. I am plumb tired of hearing folks claim to have used inspired logic for weird opening move sequences that can only have been the result of dumb luck.

 

[Nightfa11]

The first posting of the GOTM 20 start

[Cracker-muttering]
I'll show em....I want this...no bonus grasslands..whine whine.....want more of the start...I'll give 'em a start....
[/Cracker-muttering]

[Cracker-evil laugh]
Bwahahahahahahahaha
[/Cracker-evil laugh]

For all concerned, THIS IS A JOKE...this is NOT the GOTM 20 start (some ppl are too serious )

 

[DaviddesJ]

Can't you always see if there's a shield on the grassland under a forest or jungle by using Ctrl-Shift-N? Putting them there seems sort of unfair, because only people "in the know" would think to look for them.

 

[Yndy]

Originally posted by Ronald


I support this idea. I like especially the strategic part in it.

Ronald

Actually, me too. Since we started with the goody huts we could go further. I’d say 3 tiles on sides and 2 on diagonals from the starting position would do.

 

[Sirp]

Originally posted by DaviddesJ
Can't you always see if there's a shield on the grassland under a forest or jungle by using Ctrl-Shift-N? Putting them there seems sort of unfair, because only people "in the know" would think to look for them.

No you can't. Doing that will show up shielded grasslands as being unshielded. However even if that were so, the game puts them there, so there is a strong precedent for it.

-Sirp.

 

[DaviddesJ]

Shows what I know. I was always assuming there were no shields there just because they don't show up on the map when I turn off forest display. I still have a fair bit to learn I guess!

 

[CdB]

Originally posted by DaviddesJ
I don't really care whether one or two of the people above me cheated, or not. I hope we don't poison the atmosphere over this.

Agreed

Originally posted by DaviddesJ
Are non-resource graphics mods also banned? For example, I use a modified mine graphic which is more visible than the regular one. So I might be able to see an enemy mine under the shroud, where it would be invisible in the regular graphics.

Same question for barbs camps I use a mod that changes its display.

 

[Ribannah]

Originally posted by Smirk
Using PTW resources which are slightly different than the originals, there isn't a single luxury that is not visible with a one spot fog. Just about every one is visible from the top and the bottom (Note: I am using top to describe the north west edge.), the only ones that are close to being completely covered are Ivory and Furs. Furs are only mostly hidden because it is on forests and blends pretty well, and Ivory shares the same trait but on plains. If you are looking at a row of forests where one has Furs or Ivory you should be able to easily spot the one that is different.

The bulk of strategic resources are also visible from top and bottom. The two early (Iron and Horses, the only ones where it seems reasonable that parts of the map may still be uncovered) are also visible from the left, whereas Horses are only not visible from the left.

Smirk, I checked your sample map with my European English PTW 1.14 and can't confirm your findings. The only specials I can detect under the fog are Fish, from 2 angles, and Silk from one angle. Are we to conclude that there are also graphics differences between the various language versions?

 

[DaviddesJ]

Note that there can be very significant differences in color depth between different monitors/displays, too.

 

[Smirk]

Originally posted by Ribannah

Smirk, I checked your sample map with my European English PTW 1.14 and can't confirm your findings.

Are we to conclude that there are also graphics differences between the various language versions?

Below is an image I put together in a few minutes showing a minimum of visible points. Which differ from what you have seen, and if you can confirm you don't see those points then we can assume there are differences between versions. I do know that the PTW resource graphics are different than the original Civ3, notably gold, saltpeter and gems have been slightly changed to look better, although their overall size hasn't changed much.

This is just a quick sampling of and usually just from one angle, many also show thru smaller pieces on other angles. I also just realized Ivory does in fact show thru, which I missed the first time I mentioned this.


Note: The zoomed views are from a zoomin program I have and I can use this within Civ3. There may be ways to do the same thing in stock windows if you use the "Accessiblity Options". Also of note is this is in the regular 640x480 resolution, anything higher will make these harder to see, but they will still be pixel equivalants.

(The image compression used so that I could post this image has destroyed some of the colors in the image, I can send the original to anyone who wants it.)

 

[Ribannah]

I stand corrected. The graphics are the same after all, one just needs training to spot those few pixels.
That is, I can see the Dyes now that I know what I am looking for.

But without a zooming program (which IMHO shouldn't be allowed for the GOTM) plus many, many hours of training (and I have no intention to go there) I doubt if I will ever be able to spot anything else than Fish, Silks and maybe Dyes in an actual game. It doesn't change my view on using certain graphics modpacks.

Still, well done Smirk!

Let's hope that Firaxis will hide them all perfectly with the next patch they recently announced.

 

[Smirk]

Originally posted by Ribannah
Let's hope that Firaxis will hide them all perfectly with the next patch they recently announced.

After an attempt to put the smilies in the images without showing I can tell you its a difficult task. The same features you want so that they stand out and are easily visible (good UI) are the exact problems with them being visible under the fog. The only good way to hide a smilie would be to plant it right in the middle of the image, which is no good.

If they are smart (firaxis) they will just put them in the same group as player units and simply not show them under the (darkest) fog at all (the spaces that just show black when you try to get info on them). This would solve the immediate problem, and also give artists more room to be creative.