GRAPHICS: City Radius Helper

[MindRunner]

City Radius Helper – Photoshop Files Pack
Version: 1.0
Revision: 2002-03-15
Version of Civ 3: any

WHY I DID THIS
I like to plan the creation of my cities *very* well. So, I like to be able to easily, but efficiently, plan for the best site of each of my cities, avoiding overlapping when needed. This all happens and changes while I’m discovering new places and resources throughout the game.

So I decided to make a very simple pack of Photoshop (6.01) files that I use for that purpose.

WHAT THIS PACK DOES
These files are nothing but a city radius shape (fat X) with a star in the center, representing the square where the city will be, in several different colors.

If you have Photoshop or any other painting program that supports the .psd format and layers, you can use these files, otherwise I’m afraid you’re out of luck.

INSTRUCTIONS ON HOW TO USE IT
1. Unzip the files to a folder.

2. Go to Civ 3 and press Z, in order to make a zoom in. Make a screenshot of the map that you have already discovered.

NOTE: You *have* to zoom in, before you take the screenshot, because my files were made to work on this size only. I’m not perfect!

a) If you just want the map without any units or cities on it, press Ctrl+Alt+M before you take the screenshot.
b) If you want to cheat and see all the map at once in order to make all of your planning in one single time, just use the multi cheat feature, and then take the screenshot. It will save you time, but it will cut some fun to the game too, I think.

3. Open Photoshop. I used v6.01 to create these files, so I don’t know if they are backwards compatible with previous versions of the product.

4. Create a new file (Ctrl+N)

5. Paste the screenshot into that new file. You should now have a civ map on Photoshop.

6. Save that file to disc.

7. Open one of the files which I supply (they are named by colors. Ex: City Radius - Blue.psd).

8. Select all the graphic of that file (Ctrl+A).

9. Copy it (Ctrl+C).

10. Select your map, and past it (Ctr+V).

11. You should now have a new city radius in your map, on another layer. (If you don’t have the layers box open, just go to menu Window -> Show Layers).

12. Select the layer (from the layer box) of the city radius you want to move and place it where you want.

13. Repeat steps 7-12 to include other layers, and therefore more cities. You can even rename the layers to represent the colors of the radius or city names.

The files have a transparent background, so they can be all mixed up in any way you want, thanks to the use of layers.

I know this is takes up some work, but once you get used to it, I think it is worth the effort. In fact, I learnt how to use Photoshop by doing and using this.
So, this is a good side effect, I guess.

NEXT VERSION
If you like this, I can post a new version with the original colors of Civs. I already have the RGB values, but I haven’t had the time to finish it yet.

Meanwhile, enjoy your city planning. I think that is the most exciting and challenging part of this wonderful game!

Happy Civing!

 

[MindRunner]

Here is a simple screenshot where you can see 3 cities packed together in a small island.

I also include the "Layers Box" from Photoshop so that you understand better what I was speaking about.

 

[Willem]

No thanks, I prefer to finish a game sometime before it's time for me to retire and enter a nursing home!

 

[Dionysus]

I like to use the 4x3 or 5 rule for city placement. It works great.

First when looking at the map, press ctrl-G to turn on the grid (don't know the keystroke for the Mac). From the city center, count four squares up, down, right, or left and three squares right or left (if you counted 4 up and down) or three squares up and down (if you counted 4 squares right or left). That's where you place your city if you don't want any squares to overlap.

Also, if you count 5 squares right,left, up or down from a city, you can place another city there without any overlap.

Of course if there are ample resources among the squares two cities may occupy, it doesn't matter a whole lot as long as they're not right on top of each other.

I play this game WAY too much or way too little.

 

[KrakHed]

Oh man I love this mod, screenshot looks great. but don't have photoshop. ARGH!

 

[MindRunner]

Dionysus:
Thanks for you explanation.
I guess you are absolutely right. However, I did this, because using your simpler method, you can never have the *global*, which is exactly why I did this.
With this graphical system, you can see every single city on your map, or change just one a bit, without changing anything else.

It helps a lot in planning city placement during play time, because although sometimes you'd love to have a city in a specific spot, and mark it in your map, during playtime, some other civ might place a city in that spot. In those cases, with a map like the one I propose, you can just slide some (to become) cities placement and everything will be alright.

It might take a while, but if you like it as much as you say you do (and I like it the same!), you sure will find it rewarding when such problems arise and you solve them very easily and efficiently.

Originally posted by KrakHed
Oh man I love this mod, screenshot looks great. but don't have photoshop. ARGH!

Ok, thanks KrakHed. Finally someone took the time to say they like this graphics package.

About Photoshop, why don’t you email me?

 

[kring]

It does look great. I don't have Photoshop. I have Publish It 2001, will that work?

Also, in general for terrain and resource mods and other graphics mods, what is the best program to have? Or are they pretty much the same?

 

[MindRunner]

Originally posted by kring
It does look great. I don't have Photoshop. I have Publish It 2001, will that work?

Also, in general for terrain and resource mods and other graphics mods, what is the best program to have? Or are they pretty much the same?

Hi kring!

About Publish It 2001, I don’t know that software...
However, try to find if it has the option to open or import files of the format: .psd (from photoshop). If it can, I guess you will be able to use it. But I can’t guarantee anything.

You know, I’m not a designer. Not at all!
So although I already used PaintShoPro, a few years ago, and it did lots of things like photoshop, the problem in using other software, is that PhotoShop is the “de facto” standard... and that’s it.
Almost everybody uses it, so I had to surrender to it too.
But it sure is good!
And with a few days of training, you can do a few nice things.
That’s what I did.
so the best program to have, is first: the one you can get, and second the one which fulfills your needs. I don't know which one is better... but designers use to say it's phostoshop.
So... it's up to you.


Enjoy Civ!

 

[kring]

It's Microsoft, came with the computer as part of the Microsoft Works package.

Since I can get Photoshop, I probably will. My other requirement is it being affordable (by my income level ), and I think it is at Sam's Club for a good price.

I do know Publish will open the regular pcx files of Civ 3.