Escape Velocity Nova Mod in the works

[the#zero]

EV Nova is a Mac-only (PC port coming soon, if not already out; haven't checked the site in a while) space simulation where you are a pilot of a small shuttle and make your way around a vast galaxy to eventually pilot a larger ship, which you customize in many ways.

I have started a mod that will include tech, graphics (units, possibly cities), improvements, wonders, and more based on this. I will eventually use these modifications to create a series of scenarios based in the EV Nova universe (and other scenarios that are based on my own fiction).

Tons of what I'm doing can be used in other sci-fi space scenarios, so for those of you thinking to create some, this will be an ideal mod for you. Hopefully I can get it done within the next two months at the most (school started).

Here's a sample pic of one of the large technology images.

 

[Mongoloid Cow]

I'm not really a fan of sci-fi, but anyway I drop in my two cents. First off: seems like a relatively new and original idea to me. I kinda like the story.

That picture looks pretty good but I think (so I could be wrong) that the pcx files MUST to be in 256 colours with the last two in the palette order set to transparency, but it might be different on the Mac.

 

[the#zero]

Thanks for the comments. Once you read the documentation files on the game that tell the whole story, you will be addicted. The story really is unique.

Ah, your advice is noted. Thanks for pointing that out. I gotta do some testing and change it if I have to. Right now all I have are basic images that I'm transfering to Civ3 format using various paint programs (a lot of modification on them was needed already).

I'll be posting a lot more (already have 50+ tech graphics) once I get all this figured out.

Thanks again.

 

[the#zero]

Afterburner technology icon (in the right format).

 

[the#zero]

Armor repair droids technology (in the right format).

(These are samples and are part of an incomplete mod, so no one use them until my mod is complete.)

 

[the#zero]

Asteroid Mining

Biosphere Mechanics

Networking

Compressed Nuclear Fission

Credit Exchange

Enhanced Battery Power

More below.

 

[the#zero]

Genetically Modified Crops

Gravimetric Power

Hypergates

Interstellar Cartography

Matter-Antimatter Energy

Microcomputers

 

[the#zero]

Orbital Defense

Organelle Machinery

Scientific Logistics

Terraforming

Terrestrial Research

Thorium Energy

United Shipping

 

[the#zero]

Various Ideas

Civ Ideas:
Federation of United Planets (expansionist, commercial) (President unknown) (loves Bureau Democracy, hates Unwritten Law of Auroran Warriors)
Auroran Empire (militaristic, industrious) (Elder unknown) (loves Unwritten Law of Auroran Warriors, hates Bureau Democracy)
Polaris (scientific, religious) (Mu'hari Bis Mu'har) (loves Polaran Caste System, hates none)
Vell-os (industrious, religious) (Liberator Allarallei) (loves Korell Prophecy, hates none)
The Rebellion (militaristic, expansionist) (General Cade 'Sundown' Smart) (loves Coalition Democracy, hates Bureau Democracy)
Wild Geese (militaristic, commercial) (Commander Eamon Flannigan) (loves Mercenary Organization, hates none)

Other Factions That Will Show Up:
all Auroran Houses
- Dani House
- Heraan House
- Moash House
- Tekel House
- Vella House
Sigma
Pirates
alien life forms (Hyperioids)

Government Ideas:
Unwritten Law of Auroran Warriors (forced labor, communal corruption/waste) (Aurora specific)
Bureau Democracy (paid labor, nuisance corruption/waste) (Federation specific)
Coalition Democracy (paid labor, minimal corruption/waste) (Rebellion specific)
Polaran Caste System (forced labor, nuisance corruption/waste) (Polaris specific)
Korell Prophecy (forced labor, minimal corruption/waste) (Vell-os specific)
Mercenary Organization (paid labor, problematic corruption/waste) (Wild Geese specific)

Terrain Ideas:
Each city will probably be a planet. Somehow each planet will be different (haven't figured this out yet). Then I'm thinking that each continent on the map be a system (thus, planets are "constructed" within a system). However, instead of "constructing" the planets the player will simply "colonize" them or something. Airports will act as Hypergates. Sea/ocean will be deep space. Haven't come up with what jungles, forests, mountains, rivers, etc. will be, or roads/railroads, irrigation, mining, etc. There will be asteroid mining, so asteroids are a possible resource for cities.

 

[computerdude113]

Graphics look awsome, ideas great, but how about another civ?

 

[naervod]

Looks excellent. i can't wait to see if I can beat this mod as the Vell-Os since I already beat EV Nova with the Vell-Os.

 

[the#zero]

Thanks for the comments.

I'll actually probably end up adding more civs, perhaps one for each Auroran house and faction and such. The civs I listed are probably going to be scenario-specific civs.

That's cool, naervod. I like playing as the Rebels.

I'll also probably have civ-specific tech trees. We'll see.

 

[the#zero]

Here's a little test of a city style for the Federation.

 

[computerdude113]

Those look really cool, only suggestion is that the last one looks a bit cluttered, mby spread them out a bit (I kno that you dont have a lot to work with in the cities, but if you could spread them out a bit, that would be awsome)

 

[the#zero]

*thumbs up*

Good suggestion. It definitely looks cluttered now that you mention it. Maybe I could just take the Federation carrier on the far left out of the picture completely.

Does anyone know why only the first graphic in that set works? When the city grows there is just a blank space.

I want to figure out some sort of way where each civ can have different looking cities in terms of, for example, one being a jungle world, one being a water world, etc. Different sizes would be nice too. Sadly, there isn't really any way to do this. I suppose the city graphics I'm creating now are sufficient for now.

The hard part is the units.

 

[computerdude113]

The terrain-sepcific city styles would be awsome, hopefully Firiax will let us do that eventually. As for the city graphics, if you would like, send me what you want your cities to look like and I will put them into the approiate spots so they all appear. What's needed are Town, City, and Metorpolis city looks for all 4 eras, for all the things u want, and I'll put them in their correct places.

 

[Fier Canadien]

Originally posted by the#zero

Here's a little test of a city style for the Federation.

What about a different system?

Why not use Space stations/Rings as city size/walls demarcations. The whole look would be less cluttered and it would be more Ambrosia-istic.

Then we could have an Earth-style, Kontik-style, Kel'ar Iy-style, and something else for the Vell-os planets.

 

[the#zero]

Fier, I was going to use rings for walls, but I suppose they could be used as population markers, while small orbital defense icons are used for walls.

The one you see now is a Federation city set.

I'll see what I can do with the rings. My original intention was to use space stations as Fier suggested, but I figured I'd give the ship thing a test and try. I'll keep trying things out.

Computer, thanks for the offer. I'll definitely take you up on that.

 

[the#zero]

I have another idea for cities. Each city could be a system, while ocean and sea is nebula. This way the Airports can act as hypergates to go through nebula, and you can even develop a nebula carrier or something that can go into nebula safely. Each city as a planet would also work, though that means there will be tons and tons of planets on scenarios. I'm thinking if systems have populations, that shows the sizes of planets and their habitation limits. Small wonders would also be included. So Sol would have Earth as a small wonder which would do something or another (this would be for scenarios). Roads/railroads would act as multiple jump lines to systems.

To show populations, there would be planets orbiting the systems showing that these planets are the ones that have people on them within the system.

 

[Fier Canadien]

I also tought of a system to "emulate" hyperjump. Systems are only a 1 tile island. The coastal has a movement cost of 1, sea and ocean should be more like 6+. That way you could have a , say Federaton Carrier, with 6 movement, that could go 6 tiles in coast but only one in Sea-Ocean. Then you put alot of bonus ressources around systems, and any luxury/strategic ressource straight onto the system.