Graphical Quibbles...

[GeoModder]

You also need extra code for victory movies? In Civ4 that's already in place. At least most of the victories in the vanilla game feature a movie.

 

[Maniac]

I'm not sure if that would work too for an unconventional victory like Transcendence. I'd need to investigate.

The Bulk Matter Transmitter video, showing an apparently lifeless ship drifting through a gate doesn't appear like a fitting victory movie in my opinion.

To Lord Tirian: a reason why I haven't added more space buildings is because I dont see a good way to represent space combat. Considering the existence of gravships, it would be kinda weird to make space buildings magically invulnerable to attack. But how then to represent things right? If each space building was represented by an air unit like the solar power transmitter, depending on the unit's strength those space buildings could either be too vulnerable to destruction, or too annoying for the attacker if he has to destroy those buildings in each base he wants to conquer.

 

[GeoModder]

On the "faction lose" movies, wouldn't a check for bases and units be sufficient to determine whether "this-or-that" movie plays? You could even make it generic according to the gender of the leader, since there are 3 generic movies for a male, female and alien.
But those generic ones could of course be used if the player is obliterated.

 

[Maniac]

The problem is figuring out the code how to make a movie play, not figure out code how to determine if a faction is destroyed.

 

[Maniac]

I'm finally done with a new cityset for the Data Angels!
...
this download includes the XML changes

Ah damn, I only see now that you already made the XML changes yourself. :-s I was kind of waiting for GeoModder to do them, and as a consequence the Angel cityset isn't yet included in patch m.

You can however enable the Angel cityset and farms now by placing the Angel files in the Art/Structures/Cities folder and placing the attached XML files in the XML/Buildings folder.

 

[GeoModder]

Maniac, if that LSystem file you attached isn't the one I uploaded for you last weekend, you better replace it with it. Because in my latest upload I made sure the Angels have an underground for their cities too.

 

[Maniac]

Yeah it's yours.

 

[GeoModder]

 

[Lord Tirian]

Ah damn, I only see now that you already made the XML changes yourself. :-s I was kind of waiting for GeoModder to do them, and as a consequence the Angel cityset isn't yet included in patch m.

There's always patch n!

Anyway, I kept working on the Consciousness cityset, it's almost finished... see attachment. The big building in the background is the Cybercore - I'm still fiddling with the sizes a bit. They all look simpler than the HQ (which is biiiig, ~600 polys, can't do all cityset buildings in such a detailed style) - but I tried to go for a couple of themes:

• the Consciousness colour
• a clean & futuristic feel
• pyramid-inspired shapes
• big datacables (i.e. the electricity pylons)

Well, tell me what you think so far!

Cheers, LT.

 

[GeoModder]

Mighty impressive. And the cellular underground fits perfectly to the theme.

 

[Lord Tirian]

Mighty impressive. And the cellular underground fits perfectly to the theme.

Glad you like it! I've added the Cybernexus to the mix and made a Governor's Office model (though there's no faction specific one now... but I quite like the model). I also reduced the size of the Cybercore a bit - it's still bit and noticeable, but less so now. See attached screenshot for the change and the new models.

I'm going to wait for Maniac's comments on it, then - if he likes it - I'm going to release it (with XML for cities at least... GeoModder does the farms and the other bits better than I do ).

Cheers, LT.

 

[GeoModder]

Glad you like it! I've added the Cybernexus to the mix and made a Governor's Office model (though there's no faction specific one now... but I quite like the model). I also reduced the size of the Cybercore a bit - it's still bit and noticeable, but less so now. See attached screenshot for the change and the new models.

Talking about faction-specific GO's, did you ever created one for the Believers? At the moment the Arrival-era GO continues to be used in the later era's for this faction.

I'm going to wait for Maniac's comments on it, then - if he likes it - I'm going to release it (with XML for cities at least... GeoModder does the farms and the other bits better than I do ).

Lucky for us it's almost weekend then. He's busy during the week this summer. :relief:
As on the farms, I'm merely linking 9 cityset graphics to the farmhouses. The xml structure is the same for most factions (Morgans excepted I think): the 5 1x1 node buildings and then 4 2x1/1x2/2x2 buildings which are not too broad for the node.

One thing's sure, I hope CiV will be nif-compatible with stuff made for CIV. Most of your citysets just beg to be used again in a futuristic mod.

 

[Lord Tirian]

Talking about faction-specific GO's, did you ever created one for the Believers? At the moment the Arrival-era GO continues to be used in the later era's for this faction.

Probably not - I think I only did one for the Drone set, because I had an idea how it should look like. Might be a good idea to make GO's for the Believers and Data Angels as well...

Lucky for us it's almost weekend then. He's busy during the week this summer. :relief:

Oh, didn't know that - well... good luck with whatever he's doing!

Anyway, in the meantime, I can release my model for the hydrothermal vent (I've seen it mentioned in the task list thread)... hope it's looking good.

One thing's sure, I hope CiV will be nif-compatible with stuff made for CIV. Most of your citysets just beg to be used again in a futuristic mod.

Well, so do I! But it shouldn't be too hard to convert it, if the file format is different - as long as Firaxis gives us the tools to play with the models.

Cheers, LT.

 

[GeoModder]

Ouch! Isn't that... Anak Krakatoa?

 

[Lord Tirian]

Ouch! Isn't that... Anak Krakatoa?

Just a liiiitle bit?

Hmmm... I think I overdid the height of the vents, it really looks more like a volcano (I wish one could place resources underwater, that would help as well). I'm going to make it flatter and more vent-like later. But as it stands (and scaled up a bit), it would make a good volcano... do we need another landmark?

Cheers, LT.

 

[Maniac]

He's busy during the week this summer. :relief:

Actually I will be very busy during the next couple weekends as well. Blame Lord Tirian for mentioning the existence of Mass Effect a couple months ago.

I'm going to wait for Maniac's comments on it, then - if he likes it - I'm going to release it

Yeay the models look great. Regarding the texture though I must say, the cityset looks rather 'dead' to me, perhaps because of the almost exclusive use of dark colours. I guess a Consciousness base could be seen as vibrating huge computer or datachip pulsing with energy. Therefore I'm wondering how it would look if some energy grid conduits were added to the texture of some of the models, perhaps coloured like what you see at the end of the Merchant Exchange, or something like you can already see in some of the Angel cityset buildings. Might not fit at all of course. I don't have that clear a picture in mind.

Hmmm... I think I overdid the height of the vents, it really looks more like a volcano (I wish one could place resources underwater, that would help as well). I'm going to make it flatter and more vent-like later. But as it stands (and scaled up a bit), it would make a good volcano... do we need another landmark?

Well, hydrothermal vents are pretty much underwater vulcanoes right? Since, like you say, underwater resources can't be depicted, a vulcano seems like the next big thing. In an area with lots of hydrothermal vents some can eventually peak above the water. Like Hawaii AFAIK?

Will this graphic work on land too by the way? Vents can occur both on water and land.

 

[Lord Tirian]

Actually I will be very busy during the next couple weekends as well. Blame Lord Tirian for mentioning the existence of Mass Effect a couple months ago.

Oops.

I guess a Consciousness base could be seen as vibrating huge computer or datachip pulsing with energy. Therefore I'm wondering how it would look if some energy grid conduits were added to the texture of some of the models, perhaps coloured like what you see at the end of the Merchant Exchange, or something like you can already see in some of the Angel cityset buildings.

Good idea - I'll see whether I can work out something. Another option would be energy lines as part of the ground texture (similar to the way the other factions tend to have roads/streets).

Will this graphic work on land too by the way? Vents can occur both on water and land.

Yeah, that's one advantage of the cone-shape - it always sticks out a bit. I attached a screenshot with more stuff around it - gives a better sense of scale and shows some of them on land. How does it look?

Cheers, LT.

 

[Lord Tirian]

Okay, I've started to tweak the cityset texture a bit more. I've added a couple of Tron Lines to the building texture to make it more... computer-ish/futuristic. Since it is hard to see that detail when you zoom out, I also made the whole texture (especially the windows) brighter and more saturated to give it a less dead feel. I've attached two screenshots (warning: biiiig!), one of a close-up, one of a zoomed-put view. Opinions so far?

Cheers, LT.

 

[GeoModder]

Looks better IMO. The brighter windows make it look more like a busy place, and the lines/signs on the buildings energizes them somewhat.

 

[Maniac]

How does it look? Opinions so far?

That looks awesome!