[development thread] Dune: The Spice Must Flow

[dtumacder]

wow, I just checked out your infantry pack,...just wow. Very much eager to get this going. Once I have the civilizations and tech tree mapped out and units associated with tech and/or civs, I will start modding. When that comes I will welcome all XMLers, python scripters, and additional artists when that time comes.

Until then what I have so far (yeah i'm a bit long winded so there is a bit to read) feel free to critique and let me know what works and what doesn't work or suggestoins for functionality.

 

[dtumacder]

Just going to be throwing out ideas as they come to me for critique and documentation as i think of them.

Idea:

Gholas

I've been contimplating a way to incorporate a good Ghola mechanic into the game. Then it hit me. Take out the immortal unit in the game, instead subsitute the tech for Axtlotl Tanks. This gives you the ability when your heroes die to bring them back as a ghola version of them (starting back at level one).

now the negatives and positives:

Negative: it will come at tier 7 on the tech tree. This is a mid to late game tool. This means you need to keep your heroes alive until then. Also means it might not have that much of an impact. Would need to be play tested for this to be found out.

Positives: This means your early game heroes that survived thus far won't be crushed and lost, they can come back newer and better.

 

[GarretSidzaka]

*nods

did you check the old dune thread yet dtumacder? I'm pretty sure i have some artwork in there to download

 

[GarretSidzaka]

http://forums.civfanatics.com/downloads.php?do=file&id=3941

 

[dtumacder]

OH I got the spice patch and sand trout tile artwork already, thanks.

Update and whats planned this weekend...Completeing the tech tree, in detail. From there I will be able to determine what units will be kept from the vanilla BTS game and where the extras will be added.

From there I will have the Civs designed.

 

[keldath]

ive noticed you didnt include the space navigatiors guild as a civ,

and maybe also a smugglers civ.



"the sleeper has awaiken!!!!

 

[gangleri2001]

Why not a map of Dune, Caladan or Giedi Prime?

Spoiler :

Caladan:

Dune/Arrakis (North pole):

Giedi Prime:

 

[dtumacder]

I plan on including spacing guild events depending on how much spice you have accumilated to represent the guild as well as smuggling events, such as bribes, alliances etc. Later once the mod is out and everything is included that is defined here, I think we can perhaps add a smuggler civ along the same lines of the Fremen in that they have inate desert survival traits with seitch cities.

The Spacing guild, though an overall behind the scenes motivation and plot I don't think warrant a civ. They are up in space doing their things, usually used as a tool rather its own entitie.

I do hope to release a scenerio/map with all the cities in place and landmarks, but first I want to get the base structure done first. Civs, tech tree, unitis, and the special map script or scripts needed to get a Dune desert type map done.

Once those are done the little extras will be put in in later releases. Now if soeone wants to make a scenerio once the base stuff is done nearly completed have at it, that would be most awesome.

As for maps of Caladan and Ghiedi Prime...those can be doable later as well as different scenerios and what not. I want to concentrate on Arrakis first as that is the setting for the majority of the main series until it gets destroyed.

 

[dtumacder]

Update:

I modded the color of the UI for a more desert feel. If anyone has suggestions on a font that is readable and might go well with the Dune theme let me me know.

Here are some pics:

Spoiler :

Credit goes to snipperrabbit!!, I used his UIblood ui and recolored it. And kudos to Fabrysse on an awesome UI modding tutorial.

 

[keldath]

hey,
its realy nice, but to my flavor its to greenish, it should be more red orange color,
sandy shade,

id go for a light orange.

if you wish i have the dune 200 sound files, they are really great and you can usem.

also,
i saw the terrain you started,
i would suggest, not to use any green land, only shandes of desret like. high rocky plane, dry desert, arid desert, raw sand,
as for the spice, i liked the red oil art, really nice.

also as for unit models, there are plenty of models that will work here,

mush better i think.

im a dune fan my self, a dune mod would be awesome, hope you get it up and running.

 

[dtumacder]

oh no no no the terrain in those pics are not going to be the final terrain. That is just vanilla civ terrain ::chuckles:: I was just showing the interface recoloring. For terrain look at the original post, it has a much more detailed explanation on how I want to do terrain.

As to your suggestions for the coloring and mention of green it does have a heavy dose of green I was attempting to get it a bit darker, didn't think it showed too much. I will mess with the coloring and see what I can come out with, I don't want it too light.

 

[dtumacder]

Idea for main menu and menu screens leading up to the gameplay.

Something like the planet with revolveing clouds in the vanilla version without the expansion, but the planet is textured to look like arrakis. With of course the Dune: The spice must flow title in conjunction with Civilization 4: Beyond the Sword title.

I'm thinking on looks in my breaks with the tech tree as I want to put out more and more pics to show everyone keeping up that stuff is being done.

 

[dtumacder]

I realized I didn't address the sounds, shoot me a private message and URL if their on the net, if not shoot me a private message and I'll shoot you my email.

 

[GarretSidzaka]

cool! i believe there is some maps in the old thread too

 

[dtumacder]

excellent, working on the tech tree developement right now. The terrain and map will come last just before the writing and art or at the same time.

I should have by the end of this weekend a finalized list of the tech tree and all attributes associated with it. Once that is done it is just a matter of inputting it into the XML, I wish the lopez tech utility were up to date would make that a lot easier ::chuckles::. Once that is filled out I will have a decent basis for what I want for civics and a rough outline of what I want for units.

Once those are done and the Civs are finalized (as in starting techs and Uniques) I should be ready to start bringing this stuff into xmls.

Just an update on what I'm working on and doing. Probably going to do this daily as long as there is interest.

 

[GarretSidzaka]

i might be interested in doing some map work as well

 

[dtumacder]

excellent I look forward to it. The tricky part of the map will be the map script on making it change from desert to green while keeping some desert and the reversal of te process. it is going to be triggered by events. The lay out, I have a good picture of it in my head. Its the functionality of the map, I'm concerned to see if it can be done. There will be other things such as enabling Fremen to start out in the desert but no one else. Everyone else must start in the northern or southern poles. (I konw everyone lived in the northern pole, and south pole was deep desert but for practicality sake need to evenly distro the rest on both poles.)

One side note: I liked the terrain tiles in the old thread alot. two things, if it is at all possible. I'd like a desert tile that looked duney when its tiled together, kind of like the old desert tile for the Settlers of Cattan board game. the rolling hills effect. second, I would like a new "basin" tile, with afterthought the current vanilla civ4 desert or the one in the old thread will suffise for a basin tile. starting out these two tiles will be what is used for terrain, that and the hills and mountains recolored in deep reds, browns and oranges. The change progressoin when the terraforming starts will be Desert to Basin tile, Basin tile to plains tile, plains tile grasslands. Then of course forests and jungles will start popping up, the only thing we would need then is a way for rivers to be inputted in.

Update: Tech tree is pretty much fleshed out. I need to develope the civics scheme to make it complete and I need to map out Units and unit upgrades for the civs, once that is done I can finish off the tech tree , post all that fun useful info and then its time to head off to xml land.

Now when it comes to that stage be warned, most personal mods I've done were, add a civ here, add a leader there, tweak something. Nothing on this big a scale. My expertise is more design and creative input.

This isn't to discourage and put in thoughts that this project won't be completed, I just wish for those that would dream this to be a possiblitie that it may take time without volunteers, but i will chug awa at it if there are none. I wish to see a well put together total conversion Dune mod as much as anyone.

Thats it for now.

 

[keldath]

hey,

dont be discouraged, i sure people will help, as do i.

im interested to see how youll come up with the terrain, as i said before, id like to see most of the map wwith brown shade, variues desert sand colors with different attributes.

as for resources,

heres an idea,
instead of making 1 kind of spice you can have several spice types,
say:
refined spice
concentrated spice
scarse spice

also you can use water resevese as spice - like the freemen kept secret.

water of life resourse.

say lime stone for construction.



unit models...well you can addapt units from final frontier, and there are some you can use from the current mods, there are some nice future units.

keep developing this, xml modding is easy as killing an harkonan with a gom jabar

 

[seZereth]

and be sure to listen to the next ModCast episode 9

 

[dtumacder]

Not too discouraged, just keep throwing out the hints for help ::chuckles:: I will write up a more detailed explanation on Terrain and repost it in the original thread tonight. I like the ideas of there being more than two spices.

In essence, and I will go in more detail when I write up the detailed explanation, I want a sort of roving resource that is confined to desert tiles.

I have listened to the first 3 modcasts so far, so I will definetly listen to 9. I love that there is something on here like that.