Graphical Quibbles...

[Lord Tirian]

Lord Tirian, where did you get those faction icons without scanlines from? Do you also have those for the SMAX factions?

I got them from the faction files - the ones for the victory monument, where the faction symbol floats above the planet. I cropped them and cleaned them up a bit - if you need them, I could do the same for the SMAX factions (either as files for the landing pods or as normal PNG so you can use them for something else).

Cheers, LT.

 

[Maniac]

That would be great!

I'd need them to create faction icon buttons for the five SMAX factions to be included. They're used in the datalinks, the dawn of man screen etc.

Though Rubin seems to have used some special graphical tricks on the original seven faction icon buttons - probably won't be able to replicate it.

 

[Lord Tirian]

I'd need them to create faction icon buttons for the five SMAX factions to be included. They're used in the datalinks, the dawn of man screen etc.

Okay, I'll see what I can do - I probably need to clean them up a little more in that case - a bit of sloppiness was okay for the small headquarters icons...

Though Rubin seems to have used some special graphical tricks on the original seven faction icon buttons - probably won't be able to replicate it.

Hmmm... from a cursory glance, it looks a lot like the way the tech buttons are created, just with the actual faction logo instead of the marbled fill as base. I wouldn't bet on it though.

Additionally, I finished the revision of the alien artefact - new version has 528 polygons and should look pretty similar, just with texture now. I left out the socket, because it's not part of the artefact anyway.

I used fScale = 1.5; fInterfaceScale = 1.66 for the screenshot.

Cheers, LT.

 

[GeoModder]

I'll ask GeoModder if he can enable the new 24-building cityset;

Sure mate. Just drop me a PM or email when you have a version/patch done I can work on.

 

[Lord Tirian]

That would be great!

Done and attached.

Sure mate. Just drop me a PM or email when you have a version/patch done I can work on.

I noticed something about the 24-building set: The buildings are really dark, so you might want to copy the material settings from the 18-building set.

Cheers, LT.

 

[The_Coyote]

wow changed the value there and didn´t save the nif - here the buildings with changed material setting

 

[GeoModder]

wow changed the value there and didn´t save the nif - here the buildings with changed material setting

I already started copying buildings from the 24 building file to the 18 building file (the 24 building file doesn't have NiNode's for the separate buildings so to my knowledge isn't usable to show a cityset ingame). Do copied/pasted buildings automatically inherit this material setting thingie of the 18 building file, or do they take this with them from their original file?

 

[The_Coyote]

the models use the material setting before you copy them (in other words, you also copy the setting, also your # 2) - in the 24 building nif the all use the same so you can change all with one change)
was not sure which information are needed for cityset (and what must be done in the xml), the reason why i only copied some buildings in the existing 18 building sparta cityset

 

[GeoModder]

Thanks for the info. I'll probably need to copy 3 buildings again then.
But in general I used your spartans_cityset file to paste 5 more buildings in them and used the biggest one as the Spartan HQ (it was too big in size to fit in any of the cityset leafnodes).

In any case, it looks marvelous, as you can see on the screenshot.

 

[Lord Tirian]

In any case, it looks marvelous, as you can see on the screenshot.

Cool, it does look good!

But since we're talking about city sets already... I have the feeling that most city sets are scaled a bit... small. The best looking sets - university and peacekeepers - buildings that are a notch larger than the others (ditto for Morgan, but it uses reskinned vanilla art - which also seems to be a bit bigger).

Do you think one could improve the look of the cities a bit by fiddling with the scale? Especially for the Gaians, I think. If their tower-like rock structures (like on their diplomacy landscape shot) would be closer to the university structures in scale, I think they would look a lot more convincing and less like little rocks.

Cheers, LT.

 

[GeoModder]

Do you think one could improve the look of the cities a bit by fiddling with the scale? Especially for the Gaians, I think. If their tower-like rock structures (like on their diplomacy landscape shot) would be closer to the university structures in scale, I think they would look a lot more convincing and less like little rocks.

Easy enough. One just needs to increase the <Scale> parameter of the cityset entries in the Civ4CityLSystem file. In case of the Spartan cityset I've put the 1x1 buildings on scale 0.9, and the buildings from the larger nodes on scale 0.85. For about half the buildings it wouldn't be a problem, but those with support walls angling out of the main body, those would likely crop into other buildings. But I think a general 0.05 increase wouldn't do harm at all.

It's usually possible in nifskope or Sceneviewer to increase the size in only one axis, but that's more tricky. If you want more towerlike appearances for the Gaians, that would be the thing to do I suppose. But that will also stretch the textures on them vertically.

 

[Lord Tirian]

Improvements:
(Field Lab)
Landworked
(Tidal Harness)

Okay, I tried to slim these down a bit, mostly with success:

Field Lab: Went from 940 to 844 polys - not so much (but absolutely no quality loss!), but I was able to remap parts of textures, so you can lose the moonera1.dds texture - it's all in one texture now, meaning less loading required (also did some minor tweaking of the texture so it's not so glaring white, but still looks "clean", but that's probably something most people won't even notice... ).
Landworked: Just edited the nif a bit... and went from 728 to 396 polys! No new texture and the model is a bit simplified and looks less good - but this model isn't visible in the Datalinks and it's pretty small on the map as well, so I assume that you won't really notice the loss of some details.
Tidal Harness: A shame that half the model is underwater! I lifted it up a bit, so you can see a bit more of it and cut some parts that are still under the waterline anyway: Went from 448 to 344 polys and retouched the texture a bit to make it look less like a grey box.

No screenshots, because that's just tweaking, nothing to show off...

If you want more towerlike appearances for the Gaians, that would be the thing to do I suppose. But that will also stretch the textures on them vertically.

By the way, I played around a bit - for some structures, the scale can be increased without any problems or major clipping issues (mainly the rather slim brown towers - for the stone-grey buildings however - not so easy), however some would need some actual tweaking.

But I still have enough to do before I tackle this, I guess... (not that I mind!)

Cheers, LT.

 

[GeoModder]

I'm trying to clean up the Civ4ArtDefines_Building file, but for the Dimensional Gate, Subspace Generator, Psi Gate and Empath Guild its difficult to figure out which building uses what graphic. I assume the Subspace Generator uses LT's Subspace Generator graphic (the square building with the rotating ball), the Psi Gate uses the archlike structure with the platform and blue gate graphic, the Empath Guild uses JustATourist's (IIRC) round graphic with the glowing ball floating over it? That leaves the Dimensional gate, which is linked to the Subspace Generator's graphic too in that file...

 

[GeoModder]

Thanks!
I recently had the idea to change the Dimensional Gate into a national building of which you can build five. The Subspace Generator would then require 5 Gates, and would be the final step to victory.

In this case you'd never actually see the Subspace Generator graphics in-game, so I think I'll use this graphics for both the Dimensional Gate and Subspace Generator.

I can then move the current Gate graphics around as mentioned before.

Ah, here I have an explanation. I gather the Gate-like structure is then for the Psigate, and the cirkel structure with the glowing orb above for the Empath Guild?

 

[Maniac]

Done and attached.

Thanks! I'll ask Rubin if he used the same method to create both the faction and tech buttons.

But since we're talking about city sets already... I have the feeling that most city sets are scaled a bit... small. The best looking sets - university and peacekeepers - buildings that are a notch larger than the others (ditto for Morgan, but it uses reskinned vanilla art - which also seems to be a bit bigger).

The Landing Pods could certainly use an increase in scale. (see attachment)
Anyone else seeing that white stuff around the HQ btw?

For about half the buildings it wouldn't be a problem, but those with support walls angling out of the main body, those would likely crop into other buildings. But I think a general 0.05 increase wouldn't do harm at all.

Would it work to put a couple of them in a bigger node? (see attachment)

Okay, I tried to slim these down a bit, mostly with success: Field Lab: Landworked: Tidal Harness:

Thanks! Included in patch f.

Ah, here I have an explanation. I gather the Gate-like structure is then for the Psigate, and the cirkel structure with the glowing orb above for the Empath Guild?

Yep. The graphics they currently have are intended.
I didn't feel like changing the names at the time, as that would have meant delaying the patch.

 

[Lord Tirian]

Anyone else seeing that white stuff around the HQ btw?

Isn't that the endpiece of the Magtube in the centre of the base? Because every base always gets the earliest road improvement on its tile automatically (since you can't build it with a worker/former) - and the magtube is Planetfall's earliest road.

Cheers, LT.

 

[GeoModder]

The Landing Pods could certainly use an increase in scale. (see attachment)
Anyone else seeing that white stuff around the HQ btw?

I've done the scale increase. Those landing pods now fill their node nicely.
The "white stuff" is indeed the magtube network central node. You can avoid it only if you link the arrival era to another kind of road. I think you see it now because the magnetwork is already active in the first era, even though magtubes cannot be build.

Would it work to put a couple of them in a bigger node? (see attachment)

Yes of course. But then you'll have a higher number of blank spots in a base plot, because the computer doesn't find enough graphics to fill the 1x2 node.
In any case, I already increased the size by 0.05. Let me know what you think once I sent the files over.

Yep. The graphics they currently have are intended.
I didn't feel like changing the names at the time, as that would have meant delaying the patch.

Well, it delays future work because things all need to be sorted out again on my end.

 

[Maniac]

The "white stuff" is indeed the magtube network central node. You can avoid it only if you link the arrival era to another kind of road. I think you see it now because the magnetwork is already active in the first era, even though magtubes cannot be build.

Ah thanks.
Is the magtube still so visible if the landing pod is increased in size? No need to invent another solution if that might already solve the issue.

Yes of course. But then you'll have a higher number of blank spots in a base plot, because the computer doesn't find enough graphics to fill the 1x2 node.

I don't understand. As far as I can tell from the other citysets, there is no fixed number of 1x2 or whatever nodes required.

If there are, what are the required numbers?

 

[GeoModder]

Ah thanks.
Is the magtube still so visible if the landing pod is increased in size? No need to invent another solution if that might already solve the issue.

It's covered more, but you can see for yourself in the upload I just made in my thread of the team forum.

I don't understand. As far as I can tell from the other citysets, there is no fixed number of 1x2 or whatever nodes required.

In my experience there are more "gaps" in a base plot if the computer doesn't find nodes from the smaller sizes (1x1, 1x2, 2x1) in xml. Or if only a single one is linked in say the 1x2 node, that graphic will be used ovet and over again to cover a 1x2 node with a building.
It's just a "fashion" thing, nothing else.

 

[Lord Tirian]

Okay... new model time. Finished the transport crawlers - one unloaded (205 polys; you might find an use), one with crates (643 polys; for the initial unity supplies) and one hauling around a landing pod - a crashed one (543 polys; for material supplies).

Make sure to read the readme-file, I noted down the scales there and also where to put the textures (because they share the base texture). Screenshot and files attached.

Cheers, LT.