How to change an improvement skin with the era?

[Hulfgar]

Hi all,

in my SQL :

 INSERT INTO ArtDefine_Landmarks(Era, State, Scale, ImprovementType, LayoutHandler, ResourceType, Model, TerrainContour)
 SELECT 'Any', 'UnderConstruction', 1.25,  'ART_DEF_IMPROVEMENT_GUARD_TOWER', 'SNAPSHOT', 'ART_DEF_RESOURCE_ALL', 'MedievalTower_HB.fxsxml', 1 UNION ALL
 SELECT 'Any', 'Constructed',       1.25,  'ART_DEF_IMPROVEMENT_GUARD_TOWER', 'SNAPSHOT', 'ART_DEF_RESOURCE_ALL', 'MedievalTower.fxsxml',    1;

I've tried to set the "any" for Era with "Medieval" (and "Industrial" for the second skin) but I just get the skin of the last SQL command.

Question : what did I miss?

Thanks

 

[FramedArchitect]

I've tried to set the "any" for Era with "Medieval" (and "Industrial" for the second skin) but I just get the skin of the last SQL command.

I think there's only three options for that Era column: Any, Ancient, Industrial. The Ancient/Industrial don't correlate to game eras but rather just "early game graphics" (up to the Industrial Era) and "late game graphics" (from the Industrial Era on).

 

[DoctorMcGann]

Why did Firaxis limit it like that? That's so strange.

Could you get around it by using LUA to produce an differently modeled but identically yielded improvement in place of the old one after a certain era? That or use whatever the Polders use to change based on tech?

 

[FramedArchitect]

Why did Firaxis limit it like that? That's so strange.

Time and money?

Could you get around it by using LUA to produce an differently modeled but identically yielded improvement in place of the old one after a certain era? That or use whatever the Polders use to change based on tech?

Yes, you can use GameEvents.BuildFinished (BNW only) to change out the improvement with an identical one that has different graphics. I use that workaround in Faerun (though I also change the yields of the improvement). Does the look of polders change when you research a tech or when you enter the Industrial Era? I think it should be the latter.

 

[Hulfgar]

I think there's only three options for that Era column: Any, Ancient, Industrial. The Ancient/Industrial don't correlate to game eras but rather just "early game graphics" (up to the Industrial Era) and "late game graphics" (from the Industrial Era on).

It's so limited thanks for the answer FA

Could you get around it by using LUA to produce an differently modeled but identically yielded improvement in place of the old one after a certain era?

yes, at each turn you can check the improvement and replace it with a newer if a tech (and probably an era) is reached.
But there is no obsolete tag for improvements, in my case this means that a worker would be able to build a medieval guard tower in the modern era (in addition to the more advanced watchtower!).
Unless I find a way to block the build action for the medieval guard tower when a new model is available.

I will probably have to do with 2 skins for now ancient and industrial.

 

[DoctorMcGann]

Polders change by tech. They change to add windmills with Economics, and I think one other colour change earlier.

 

[FramedArchitect]

Polders change by tech. They change to add windmills with Economics, and I think one other colour change earlier.

Interesting. There's a 'Tech' column in ArtDefine_Landmarks and only polders use it and only in the Ancient era, though the fxsxml is identical to the one used for the Industrial era. Probably some stacked graphics in the gr2 as they do with wonders. I suppose that 'Tech' tag could be used in conjunction with hidden techs to get lots of improvement graphics.

 

[Nutty]

Re the Tech column:

It does do something, but not in the same way that the Era column does.

If you have two sets of art (old and new) and set the Era column appropriately, as you change into the new era, all the old improvements will visibly upgrade.

If you set a Tech on the new art (and use Era=Any for both of them), you will get the old art before you have that tech and the new art after, but as you acquire the tech all old improvements will not visibly upgrade (although they will on save/load)

I've used it in both my Airfield/Airbase improvement mods

Unfortunately it appears to be yet another "good idea, not fully implemented as it wasn't needed for the core game / scenarios"