Dune Wars Art Thread

[Deliverator]

There is a another model which i can suggest. Very nice ancient spy unit by ambrox62

I like the model, it can definitely be used, but I'm not sure it is right for the Facedancer.

I've thought it would be good to replace the vanilla Great Prophet with a unit that looks like The Preacher from the Children of Dune TV series. I can only find this tiny picture of him, but I can get a better one from the DVD. With the staff and hooded robe this model would be perfect for reskinning to look like that.

 

[Slvynn]

Here action buttons ready - but i have problem - i cant activate them into a game - i placed them in proper path within Art directory - but alas - it does not work - something overiding it or it need some XML change, but i cant find the place for it
Some icons replaced , but some not

anyways - the art is done
Please inject it properly into a mod, i just cant find where is overriding code, and how to deal with it

 

[Slvynn]

Found partial solution - but still spent too much time to find it, and yet some problems remains

For some icons there was wrong path to non-existing atlas, in file CIV4InterfaceModeInfos
Some problems are solved,

But some buttons are still overrided.

I didnt changed some, but still i see some left being old (like fortify)
It's late here and i am tired, hope you will resolve last part of it.
Thanks

 

[Slvynn]

Ah and more - as i said i didnt changed some, left them transparent - if you think it should be consistent (but also less distinct) i can put that background of desert to those buttons which i left with their alpha, old vanilla version

 

[Slvynn]

Ah Found!
Same problem with non-existing atlas - in another file
CIV4MissionInfos

 

[Slvynn]

United patch attached with 2 XML corrected-

I also missed group creation button but it looks fine , later i'll perhaps replace them all or will just leave as it is - as you like

 

[davidlallen]

Thanks for tracking down where all the xml changes are needed, that helped a lot.

I will cut 1.6.5 in the next few hours. For the next release after that, I have a couple of comments on the action buttons.

1. The sentry button (binoculars) is the only one on a brown background.

2. There are some buttons which are still the vanilla ones: skip turn, delete unit, bulb technology, start golden age.

3. There is a directory of worker buttons as well; some of these are vanilla (build fort) and some of them are already updated for dune (build dew collector). But all of them could be redone in the same style. Put down a worker unit and you will see these buttons; the list can be found in xml/units/civ4buildinfos.xml.

4. I think the "fighter engagement" button is the same as the "air strike" button; put down a locust interceptor and you will see the duplicate button.

 

[Slvynn]

4. I think the "fighter engagement" button is the same as the "air strike" button; put down a locust interceptor and you will see the duplicate button.

I think this one lack XML entry, so in fact they use 1 icon. I didn't knew that (didnt tested fighter - good find). Please tell me where i should add XML entry - cause i am bit messed with actions and i am not sure where is the proper place for doing that. (there are few xml files containing art links to actions)

rest is ok, as i mentioned in previous posts
about worker actions - i think mine/solarfarm/turbine/dew collector should stay as they are....

 

[davidlallen]

@ Slvynn, here is an updated list of button requests. Most of them are for the improved Ixian vehicle design.

a. Feedback from last time, the "sentry" button is brown rather than yellow.

b. New bonus: Ixian Weaponry, replaces Thinking Machines (perhaps a graphic of crossed rifles?)

c. New unitcombat: Walker (perhaps a recolor of one of the walker unit buttons?)

d. New promotions: Ixian (perhaps a recolor of the vehicle unitcombat, or the "tank" part of the armor piercing rounds promo), Sensor Array (a radar receiver?), Self Repair (a combination of the "red cross" and the vehicle somehow?) Point Defense (a small short range missile launcher, or a "chaff" picture?), Adaptive (a brain?).

e. Builds: I like the new yellow theme for the action buttons you have done, so I would like to suggest replacing all the build buttons. For some, such as "cottage", it could be simply a recolor of the vanilla button, but new artwork would be fine too. For example, you had new art for the "build city' button. Here is a list: mine (3 levels, perhaps using one pick, two picks, and three picks), dew collector, spice harvester, insect farm, solar farm, wind turbine (3 levels), desalinate, plantation, cottage, fort, windtrap (nice art but does not match color scheme), well (3 levels), ice extractor

 

[keldath]

a. Feedback from last time, the "sentry" button is brown rather than yellow.

yeah in revdcm theres that, good that you remmbered david.

 

[Ahriman]

b. New bonus: Ixian Weaponry, replaces Thinking Machines (perhaps a graphic of crossed rifles?)

I strongly suggest that this resource be named Ixian Technologies, or Ixian Engineering, or Ixian Innovation, or something like that.

The resource has some non-military uses (small boost to Technocracy buildings), so Ixian Weaponry doesn't work.

 

[Slvynn]

i will be bit busy with some rl urgent job this week, so any additions i planned (art) including your request i think i'll release next weak (weak+ from now).
Sorry i will be really busy this weak , i have some really tight deadline with that rl project, so perhaps it will be into 1.7 or next incremental patch.

 

[Ahriman]

No worries, take your time. Best of luck with rl project.

 

[Slvynn]

Thanks
Also i think i'll use similar background for builds but yet different (matching new scheme ) set.. Sounds good? Some ariety and distinction will not hurt.. What you think?

 

[davidlallen]

I think the promotion buttons you made have a very unified appearance. As long as the action buttons have a similar unified appearance, I am sure any background will be fine.

 

[Deliverator]

I thought I'd make a few more interesting rock formations to scatter around the landscape to make Dune feel more exotic. This one is trying emulate the slightly fantastical style of this Dune Encyclopedia illustration.

I'm going to do a few more. I want to make frosty looking versions for the polar region - the current brown arch on polar looks weird.

Also, I'd like to try to make a feature that looks like a peak to go on Mesa, then we could have the occasional impassable peak tile.

 

[Ahriman]

I like it!

One issue though we will start to get if we haev too many of these; you will still need to be able to have spice resource spawn on them and to build improvements on them. Otherwise these features will start to cause gameplay penalties.

 

[davidlallen]

Cool! I had thought of some "hoodoo" type formations which would go onto the sides of mesas. Placing on empty plots like the arch is easier. But, if you get inspired to make something that can only be placed at certain locations (such as the side of a mesa, where the adjacent plot is *not* mesa) I can add some python for that.

You can find the existing python which places arches in DuneWars.py, function AddChrome. In the PYL thread, Ahriman has pointed out that this code misses the case where you bring up a scenario map, edit it in WB, save it, bring it up again, etc. Each time, new rock arches are added. If we make this code more complex, then at the same time we should have the code check first to see if any arches are already on the map. If there are any, then the function should exit without adding any more.

 

[davidlallen]

One issue though we will start to get if we haev too many of these.

I think only a tiny percentage of the plots should have them. It should be a kind of "wow" feature with only a few per map.

 

[keldath]

wow sweet work deliverator.

say , do you have plans for new unit arts?