Graphical Quibbles...

[Maniac]

Yep in all cases.

Bioadaptive Resonance uses resonance waves rather than ultrasonic waves (Ultraponics) for greenhouse food growth. How exactly that works only the Progenitors know. Might as well make it Centauri-themed. *shrug*

 

[Lord Tirian]

Bioadaptive Resonance uses resonance waves rather than ultrasonic waves (Ultraponics) for greenhouse food growth. How exactly that works only the Progenitors know. Might as well make it Centauri-themed. *shrug*

Have a look at it... if you don't like the combination of Centauri + Tree, I can either change the colour or the icon (for example the microbes would fit into the resonance waves as well).

Cheers, LT.

 

[Maniac]

Have a look at it... if you don't like the combination of Centauri + Tree, I can either change the colour or the icon (for example the microbes would fit into the resonance waves as well).

Cheers, LT.

Thanks for the icons. My first thought was "why didn't he just use the existing Bioadaptive Resonance icone?" but then I figured that one would actually fit better for the Affinity Gene tech.

Considering Bioadaptive Resonance boosts greenhouses, which are part of the Enclosed theme, which is often represented by the algae/viri/microbes/whatever icon, I think it would indeed be better if the tree was replaced by the microbes.

 

[Lord Tirian]

Thanks for the icons. My first thought was "why didn't he just use the existing Bioadaptive Resonance icone?" but then I figured that one would actually fit better for the Affinity Gene tech.

Considering Bioadaptive Resonance boosts greenhouses, which are part of the Enclosed theme, which is often represented by the algae/viri/microbes/whatever icon, I think it would indeed be better if the tree was replaced by the microbes.

Yeah, the gene bit just screams "affinity gene", so I re-did it with microbes. I made two versions, one with the explore and one with the enclosed theme. I think it would fit both themes (the location in the displayed tech screen is closer to enclosed, the feel a bit more explore), so you can try out both.

I also included a couple of potential action buttons made from SMAC graphics - I don't think they're that great, though I do like the one I found for "blockade", it was mostly just playing around with them a bit... perhaps you can find some purpose for them (or for something else, perhaps).

Cheers, LT.

 

[Maniac]

Thanks, cool icons!

I've put Blockade, Hurry and Pillage in the game.

Not sure yet if I'd want to use the Golden Age one.

There are more than two icons for air/bombars missions, so I'll need to think a bit about for what to use them.

I don't think I'll be using Recon and Airlift though. The unit cloning button doesn't get the right idea across I think. Plus air units can recon, so a satellite button doesn't seem to fit in that case.

 

[Lord Tirian]

A while ago, I started modding the UI, but hit a couple of roadblocks and was busy with Real Life, so there wasn't a lot of progress (especially as I needed to understand the Python used to generate the UI). But now I've made some major steps, solving a problem with the globe view I had.

Look at the two screenshots... and tell me your impressions. I opted for a bluish transparency instead of the black one, because it looked less dull - and instead of plastering scanlines all over the place, I tried to used some gradients to evoke a more "holographic" look of the transparent parts - looks a little sleeker and more modern, which fits a bit better, I think (and IIRC, Maniac liked the current way the transparency looks like as well).

Also: Check out the buttons for the map and on the city screen, I replaced some of them with more Planetfall-ish icons, plus I finally found a button design I liked.

So, feedback? Also: Ideas for the bigger text buttons (the big green buttons composing the menu)?

Cheers, LT.

 

[Maniac]

Cool interface background!

I must say I don't like the buttons for the commerce sliders and changing specialist counts though. They look - I don't know - pixelated?

I don't know what you mean with "bigger text buttons (the big green buttons composing the menu)".

By the way, since you're changing the interface, do you have any ideas what to do with the Flowering Counter and Planet Attitude numbers? A current problem is the gold per turn string can overlap with the Planet Attitude number. Illustration

 

[Pfeffersack]

I like overall like the combination of black and the holographic style. The minimap and governor buttons look especially nice.

I'm not sure about the +/- buttons maniac mentioned, the "+" indeed looks a bit strange for me (vertical line is hardly visible)

I also failed to see the big green buttons, so I can't comment on them.

Regarding the base screen...the ressource window in the right uper corner seema a bit too transparent and light cloured to me - doesn't the cause probelms with easy visibility of ressources, es especially with terrain objects shining through? Maybe I'm wrong, I just can't image how it would look with ressources displayed...

 

[WarKirby]

By the way, since you're changing the interface, do you have any ideas what to do with the Flowering Counter and Planet Attitude numbers? A current problem is the gold per turn string can overlap with the Planet Attitude number. Illustration

I don't think it needs to say "+132/turn" It couldjust say "+132" and people would probably know what it is.

 

[GeoModder]

By the way, since you're changing the interface, do you have any ideas what to do with the Flowering Counter and Planet Attitude numbers? A current problem is the gold per turn string can overlap with the Planet Attitude number. Illustration

It's not possible to move both the Flowering and Attitude counters a bit to the right through Python or so? If so, switching the "+000/turn" or "000/ründe" to "+000/t" or "000/r" might be enough of a change...

Or even better: change the "turn" to "MY" meaning "Mission Year".

 

[Lord Tirian]

I don't know what you mean with "bigger text buttons (the big green buttons composing the menu)".

I meant the game menu... see the first screenshot (though they're grey in my experiment right now), though the buttons are used in other places as well. Bear in mind that the same "material" is used for scrollbars and titlebars, so I can't go completely willy-nilly with them - and the grey metal look may fit, but it's a bit dull, so I wouldn't mind some ideas!

By the way, since you're changing the interface, do you have any ideas what to do with the Flowering Counter and Planet Attitude numbers? A current problem is the gold per turn string can overlap with the Planet Attitude number. Illustration

My preferred solution would be moving the log button a bit to the left and displaying the income per round on a second line below the current reserves. BUT: It wouldn't look that good in the city screen and I don't know how to change it - the string in question is apparently called from the CyGameTextMgr by "szText = CyGameTextMgr().getGoldStr(ePlayer)"... and I can't quite figure out where the CyGameTextMgr is... (...if the "." is actually a member operator in Python, I'm rubbish at Python, though it does look a bit like C++...).

The second idea I have is the one on the second attached screenshot - move the icons to the right a bit, make the text smaller, so there's more space. Since the icons are pretty important Planetfall concepts, I added some colour to the numbers to make them stand out (yes, it changes colour depending on whether you're pro- or contra-Planet in attitude), I also intend to change the flowering counter a bit by making the colour more intense as the counter rises.

Cheers, LT.

 

[Slvynn]

Maniac here is your reply:

Yep I have it, our DW set will use different one, its in home tell me the thread where you want me to post with attached DDS

The way of production (this will help you a lot to reproduce this style for other buttons:
1. One of Afterworld buttons from its atlas being tintend, filtered a lot.
2. in middle you have white layer with transparency gradient – 100% - 0% - 100%
3. sign in the middle
4. 3 symetric thin lines, to give it more style over white layer dominance
quite simple
You want me to give you icon itslef or this is enough?

 

[Maniac]

I meant the game menu... see the first screenshot (though they're grey in my experiment right now), though the buttons are used in other places as well. Bear in mind that the same "material" is used for scrollbars and titlebars, so I can't go completely willy-nilly with them - and the grey metal look may fit, but it's a bit dull, so I wouldn't mind some ideas!

I'm afraid I can't help with ideas. I'm not the graphical genius after all.

My preferred solution would be moving the log button a bit to the left and displaying the income per round on a second line below the current reserves. BUT: It wouldn't look that good in the city screen and I don't know how to change it - the string in question is apparently called from the CyGameTextMgr by "szText = CyGameTextMgr().getGoldStr(ePlayer)"... and I can't quite figure out where the CyGameTextMgr is... (...if the "." is actually a member operator in Python, I'm rubbish at Python, though it does look a bit like C++...).

Cyxxx files are C++. As far as I know the content of that function should be irrelevant to how one changes the positoin of that string though.

The second idea I have is the one on the second attached screenshot - move the icons to the right a bit, make the text smaller, so there's more space. Since the icons are pretty important Planetfall concepts, I added some colour to the numbers to make them stand out (yes, it changes colour depending on whether you're pro- or contra-Planet in attitude), I also intend to change the flowering counter a bit by making the colour more intense as the counter rises.

I love this! I now see what bugged me about the PA and FC values is their big text size, which makes them look out of place.

Yep I have it, our DW set will use different one, its in home tell me the thread where you want me to post with attached DDS

Here is ok.

You want me to give you icon itslef or this is enough?

Please give the icon itself! I have very limited graphical skills, so I'm afraid your explanation sounds like Japanese to me.

 

[Lord Tirian]

Cyxxx files are C++. As far as I know the content of that function should be irrelevant to how one changes the positoin of that string though.

True, but the whole line appears to be a single string, so I can't insert a linebreak between the current reserves and the income per round without actually changing whatever generates the string, as far as I can tell - and I would prefer not going into the DLL for a mere interface tweaking - but perhaps I'm misinterpreting the Python code, I'll take another look at it. On the other hand, if you're happy with the smaller icon sizes, there is a lot more room for the line anyway (for example Pfeffersack's example should fit in without that overlapping... and if you get even more income (1000+), then spend it on something! ).

On another note: Do you like the battery icon for energy? It's neat in my opinion, but I'd like to experiment a bit with the SMAC icon (the four four-pointed stars) just to see how it looks. Don't want to do that, if you like the current icon a lot already.

Cheers, LT.

 

[Maniac]

True, but the whole line appears to be a single string, so I can't insert a linebreak between the current reserves and the income per round without actually changing whatever generates the string, as far as I can tell

Woops, sorry, you're right.
But yeah, I personally like the smaller text size method. Much less work too.

On another note: Do you like the battery icon for energy?

I do. Personally I don't see a need to change it.

 

[Slvynn]

Here you go - Also attaching PDF format with vector layer preservation - If somebody have AI or Corel this will help to crunch (perhaps Lord Tirian) full set.

 

[Maniac]

Thanks!

By the way, for the record, might be useful to know for you, the button was 9kb, while Civ4 buttons usually are 5kb. Did you perhaps save it under DXT2 instead of DXT3?

 

[Slvynn]

Thanks!

By the way, for the record, might be useful to know for you, the button was 9kb, while Civ4 buttons usually are 5kb. Did you perhaps save it under DXT2 instead of DXT3?

No, i save A1R5G5B5, it preserves good quality, and increase is not sagnificant. I learned this from Deliverator and i found it much better, cince our new DW sets i made contain alot of gradients, and this format make them look as they look in vector program - smooth and nice. 2d art takes small % of art pack size, esp when compressed, but fine look is important.

 

[Deliverator]

Yes, DTX3 compression is quite destructive and the quality improvement you get from using A1R5G5B5 can be significant. The "A1" part does mean that you are only using 1 bit for alpha which means you can't have semi-transparency. I worked this out when I was working on tech buttons for Dune Wars. You can see in the attached image (a blown-up 64x64 button) that DTX3 was really trashing the quality in this case. However, with some button styles, DTX3 is probably fine and no one will notice.

It is a Civ 4 modding myth that DTX3 is the only DDS compression algorithm you can use. You can use different compression algorithms for different purposes where appropriate. The only thing I've seen break from not using the correct algorithm is terrain textures.

An area where you can make big performance savings is to use DTX1 instead of DTX3 for all model textures that do not use transparency. DTX1 gives the same quality as DTX3 for half the filesize/graphics memory, but it can only be used for textures with no alpha/transparency.

 

[GeoModder]

My .dds program (DXTbmp) doesn't give this A1R5G5B5 save option?