C2C: Promotions

[Thunderbrd]

Ok, here ya go. All 7 buttons. I may find I want to adjust some methodology with the artwork but I think these should look pretty good. Fireship looked a bit better on the blue back and since Kamikaze is on a blue field I thought it should be as well. I can try the purple still if you want.

 

[Hydromancerx]

@Thunderbrd

Thanks for doing these. However I may redo some of them (if not all) to make sure they match the other buttons. Generally they are gold in color too. In short these look good in the mean time. I may even just use the same stuff but put proper backgrounds and "gold" them.

I like the fire ship one. The Sliver Tongue needs some work and the Bandit doesn't match.

 

[Thunderbrd]

Do what you will with them... you might want to review the streetfighter ones as well. Do you have files with plain backgrounds? I realize these get created with certain standard design factors and such. I had a tough time trying to make my designs look as elementary as the standard ones do... its working in such a low-res environment its driving me nuts! My embossing and beveling options don't want to function at quite the standard subtleties I'm seeing on most promos. I also realize I'm over-embellishing and adding some elements that should be left simpler as they normally are here and I suppose I should reign in some personal design preferences, lest I be required to remake every button to be more uniform. lol

Also... in hexadecimal color scheme, what is the gold color base being employed here? I'm seeing a bit of a variety between the various promos.

And not ALL promos use only gold... it could help the eyes differentiate to start seeing some more alternative color there... We do have red dots in the Law Enforcement promos.

 

[Hydromancerx]

Yeah I have blank backgrounds and the different colors. That way I can just plugin a transparent layer in Photoshop. With the borders too of course.

Getting a promotion to look good while still making it understandable on what it is a picture of is a difficult process. The art classes I took final get some use when making these. I usually try to manipulate an existing image but sometimes as in the case of the nomad promotions I had to draw them from scratch.

In short when making them I usually try to match the overall theme and patterns that Civ4 uses such as Stars for I, II and III.

 

[Thunderbrd]

It'd be helpful if you shared some of your base files for that with me then. I don't generally work in photoshop but I do know how... I can do pretty much the same thing on my graphics program. Having the base files could help at least.

 

[Hydromancerx]

It'd be helpful if you shared some of your base files for that with me then. I don't generally work in photoshop but I do know how... I can do pretty much the same thing on my graphics program. Having the base files could help at least.

What format do you want the blanks saved as?

 

[Thunderbrd]

Usually any format works for me. I'm finding I like GIF with Alpha Transparency set when I transmit between programs for these sorts of files.

Also... just to assuage curiosity, are there any standard processes you use to get just the right beveling, drop shadows, embossing, etc... on the gold symbols? A quick note on what you do for that could help me to mimic it correctly.

 

[ls612]

I added the Banditry I-III promotions, as well as the Fire Ship promotions. I have to say, I like Thunderbrd's graphics visually, but I can understand if we want all the promotions to have a standard look.

Another thing was that the Riot Control promotions were broken, and had been since I added them. They had the techprereq TECH_SPECIAL_PROMOTION, which meant that they could not be gained on levelup. I fixed that and changed it to TECH_MASONRY, which is the tech that enables the first Law Enforcement unit.

 

[Koshling]

I added the Banditry I-III promotions, as well as the Fire Ship promotions. I have to say, I like Thunderbrd's graphics visually, but I can understand if we want all the promotions to have a standard look.

Another thing was that the Riot Control promotions were broken, and had been since I added them. They had the techprereq TECH_SPECIAL_PROMOTION, which meant that they could not be gained on levelup. I fixed that and changed it to TECH_MASONRY, which is the tech that enables the first Law Enforcement unit.

That's odd - I've been promoting my town watchmen to riot control II on building them.

 

[ls612]

That's odd - I've been promoting my town watchmen to riot control II on building them.

You could promote them if they already had Riot Control I on them, you just couldn't promote a unit that had no Riot Control promotion to Riot Control I on levelup.

 

[Hydromancerx]

You could promote them if they already had Riot Control I on them, you just couldn't promote a unit that had no Riot Control promotion to Riot Control I on levelup.

Non-Law Enforcement Units are not suppose to be able to get the Riot Control promotions. That's why they had the TECH_SPECIAL_PROMOTION requirement for Riot Control I. It was already given for free on all Law Enforcement Units. Thus allowing only those units to get those sets of promotions and not say a Maceman or Rifleman, which are military units.

EDIT:

ls612 please put it back the way it was with the TECH_SPECIAL_PROMOTION and remove the Masonry tech requirement.

Please stop undoing stuff I have thought through. Or at least double check with me before changing.

 

[Hydromancerx]

Usually any format works for me. I'm finding I like GIF with Alpha Transparency set when I transmit between programs for these sorts of files.

Also... just to assuage curiosity, are there any standard processes you use to get just the right beveling, drop shadows, embossing, etc... on the gold symbols? A quick note on what you do for that could help me to mimic it correctly.

Here are the icon/buttons. I use the link below to grab any promotion features I need be it stars or other stuff. Or just to match the color with the eyedroper tool.

http://www.civfanatics.com/civ4/info/promotions

And yes I use a drop shadow on the gold part.

Included are ...

Blue = Normal
Purple = Rare
Red = Commander
Green = Heroic
Brown = Animal
Black = Nomad

Note that I just made the red and purple ones just for you since I never made those types before. I tried to match the exact color the best I could to the other existing promotions.

 

[strategyonly]

What is the advantage of Banditry? I really dont see anything useful??

 

[Il Principe]

To spread crime in your neighbours teritory to weaken his economy?

 

[strategyonly]

To spread crime in your neighbours teritory to weaken his economy?

But it says +5 crime, now if i keep the unit in MY territory does it give me the +5 or how does that work? What if i am in open country?, do i have to be fighting for this to take effect? Just looking for some answers for i understand this new Property stuff is all.

 

[Il Principe]

I think it will work like city guards in reverse, so it´s a constant source of crime... and I think it does work in your territory as well. But if they jsut pass cities with a stable law enforcement should be able to take it.
But just to make sure I tend to just leave the units unpromoted till outside my orders so far.

 

[Koshling]

I think it will work like city guards in reverse, so it´s a constant source of crime... and I think it does work in your territory as well. But if they jsut pass cities with a stable law enforcement should be able to take it.
But just to make sure I tend to just leave the units unpromoted till outside my orders so far.

Correct

 

[Hydromancerx]

Hydro, would you please make the icons for these promotions? I am holding back on the flaming bombs right now, because I'm not quite certain how to do it with the 'old' property system, but the others seem doable. Thanks in advance.

Here are the updated button/icons for the promotions. They match better than Thunderbrd's ones. However I did use his Fireship graphic with just a matching background.

Enjoy!

 

[ls612]

I think it will work like city guards in reverse, so it´s a constant source of crime... and I think it does work in your territory as well. But if they jsut pass cities with a stable law enforcement should be able to take it.
But just to make sure I tend to just leave the units unpromoted till outside my orders so far.

As Koshling said, that's right. The strategy with those units is to send them into your opponent's territory and wreak havoc. You do not want to keep them in your own territory very long.

@Hydro: Sorry, I didn't realize that's what you wanted with the Riot Control promotion. My vision of it was that Law units could get it for free, but other units could take it normally, instead of promoting their combat strength they get basic training in policing.

 

[Sgtslick]

Since we have the infinite xp how can I remove those 2 promotions that extend xp cap?? Can i delete them from an .xml somewhere or something?

They are pissing me off coz the dumb ai picks them as there first promotion.. idiots