Lost Worlds Mod Thread

[Blue Monkey]

Perhaps there will be a werewolf in some future steampunk scenario of a more ... "gothic" flavor.

 

[georgestow]

If the wonder splashes are all in wide format... Is it still playable (or graphically decent) when not playing wide screen?
Just wondering.

 

[Balthasar]

If the wonder splashes are all in wide format... Is it still playable (or graphically decent) when not playing wide screen?
Just wondering.

Of course it is. If I understand you correctly, which might not be the case since I think the problem is that you're mis-understanding the term widescreen, as it applies to these wondersplashes. They're scaled to be used with the Steampunk Victorian Wide Screen Wondersplash which will be a part of the Lost Worlds download. It will display the wonders in wide format - that is, in the same scale as Pounder's New Format Wonder Splashes - so I suppose they should be called New Format rather than wide screen, since it can be used with any computer screen. Maybe just call them Pounder-size wonder splashes, which are about half again as large on either side as regular wonder splashes, which means that the 'new format' could also be described as a Regular, with a Double-Quarter Pounder on the side.

 

[Takhisis]

And extra cheddar!

 

[georgestow]

Rightyo, I get it now. I was just wondering. Thankies! ;D

 

[Moosezilla]

Well, I read about your lost files, any news about "Lost Worlds" progress? I'm sure many would enjoy an update.

 

[Balthasar]

Sorry it's taken so long to reply to you Moosezilla. I've been playtesting and compiling graphics for an update, but got stymied by hitting the 'cultural victory' in the third era and had to start over, so hold your horses, a progress report is in the works....
In the meantime, there's this:

I grew unhappy with the irrigation, particularly the way the irrigation looked in the Lost World when the dinosaurs do it. There had to be something that could be grown that doesn't look man-made, per se. I finally hit on flowers, and made a set of English Garden Irrigation for the game:



and in London, 3nd era:



Certainly brightens up the game.

 

[Moosezilla]

I'm sure this irrigation would be good w/windmill for mines in a Holland mod! Really nice.

 

[7ronin]

Without fear of hyperbole, I must say that I am astounded by what a fantastic concept this mod is. Not only is it carefully thought out in all its elements but the unique graphics have been superbly executed! I very much hope that you are close to beta testing. Please consider me as a test volunteer should you need any.

 

[Balthasar]

We're very close, as a matter of fact - just wringing the last few problems out of it. This might be a good time to remind everyone that our "request" list has grown rather small, but it still exists. We still could really use a few more units and graphics to make this mod 'complete':

I haven't discussed this with Tom2050, who's been busy in RL, I understand, but he was planning to make:

A Barsoomian Great White Ape
A Thark worker
Barsoomians and Tharks riding Thoats

...so I'll say status: unsure. I have a work-around, but I'd rather be able to include the units. I'm sure that unless he has it on his desktop, he won't mind someone else jumping in to finish one of these Barsoom Units. The White Ape is the most needed, followed by the Thoat Riders.

We also need two leaderheads:

A Pterodactyl Leaderhead
A Cthulhu Leaderhead

..either of which might be a good way to let your inner artist have a go at it, perhaps.

And that would be it. Done. That part of it, anyway.

The main mod elements - the graphics and Civilopedia - are almost complete. I keep finding previously-hidden problems - it's like fixing a clock with your eyes closed, sometimes. But, like the ape who keeps typing, I've accidentally got it right, for the most part. Anyway, when I've got that all done, the files will go to King Arthur and Blue Monkey for more testing and balancing, then, I guess, it will be released in beta form for more general playtesting. I expect most of that to happen this month.

This mod has been a long time in development - years, actually - and all of the 'carefully thought out..elements' (and all of the other nice things you said, 7ronin) are the reason that it's taken so long to put together. Some of our custom unit makers haven't seen their units in action yet, and we are well aware of that, but wouldn't want to waste their exceptional efforts on a less-than worthy mod. So please bear with us just a wee bit longer, and we will attempt to reward you handsomely for the wait.

 

[Moosezilla]

With two days to "John Carter" I'm sure you would like to start the beta soon. Those White Apes look formidable hope you get those and the other units and leader heads you need. Perhaps a note to bring your unit request thread to the front page would help.

 

[Takhisis]

Since John Carter has been Disneyfied I won't bother to watch it. Disney Channel and Disney XD will be pushing it onto me soon enough.

 

[guygodbois]

To Mr Balthasar, HRM KingArthur and the Team
A few moments ago I've stumbled upon this precious find quite serendipitously through the signature of His Royal Majesty the KingArthur. As I first came to development thread posted by HRM KingArthur and seeing it's last post six months ago I thought the project has been in some sort of a lull. But finding this AND with reassuring posts from Mr Balthasar to boot, I keep my hopes up.
This promises to be right up there with RaR, Warhammmer, Age of Imperialism, The Ancient Mediterranean and such illustrious contenders. After seeing available media, Immersive and Huge are the two epithets that come to mind.
On a more practical note, I extend the offer of helping with civilopaedia since I'm not skilled for much else beyond Civilization 3 editor, unit adding and text files editing.
Waiting is the hardest part, they say. Well, right after the creating, of course.
Best wishes.

 

[jlvfr]

Since John Carter has been Disneyfied I won't bother to watch it. Disney Channel and Disney XD will be pushing it onto me soon enough.

I will confess that I haven't watch it yet (only opens here on the 15th) but lots of SF fans on rpgnet stated they loved it (both people that know the story and those that don't). Apparently, the "Disney problem" is more related to the crappy way the handled the promotion of the movie, as well as the ******ed idea of removing the "...of Mars" of the tittle...

 

[Balthasar]

I will confess that I haven't watch it yet (only opens here on the 15th) but lots of SF fans on rpgnet stated they loved it (both people that know the story and those that don't). Apparently, the "Disney problem" is more related to the crappy way the handled the promotion of the movie, as well as the ******ed idea of removing the "...of Mars" of the tittle...

Yeah, the studio released it at the wrong time (this is a midsummer movie), the first marketing team blew the rollout, and the second marketing team was afraid of it. And they should have named it Barsoom. We've got out own ideas about Barsoom and already have a nifty map for a spin off mod. Currently seeking a creature/unit maker; apply within. Also soliciting Civilopedia entries. Speaking of...

Waiting is the hardest part, they say. Well, right after the creating, of course.

You ain't whistlin' dixie, bro. Hey! First, welcome to the forum, guygodbois.

Extensive testing led us to realize that LW was a bit TOO epic and a bit unweildy, so it's been disassembled for the moment and is being rebuilt for better speed and handling. I should be able to post some details about the rebuild soon. I can say this: the custom units that were made for it will stay in it. We're very aware that it's been a long time in the making already, but with expectations like the ones you've expressed out there, we know have to get it right even if it takes a while longer to do it.

 

[tom2050]

I can try to get those few units completed for you again. No time during the week, but I can find a few hours on weekends. Thark worker might be easiest to do first; it would likely be pretty basic though, nothing fancy. I was never completely happy with the differences in some of the Tharks anyway due to my experimenting with 3ds lighting at the time; but redo-ing them would be something later if I decide (so they look more consistent).

Can't remember if I ever found an appropriate great white ape model or not.

I think I still have to make a Thoat though IIRC; I had a semi-close model but had to texture it, so I kept putting that off.

 

[Balthasar]

Tom! Glad to see you! If you decide to redo all those Tharks, make them about 1/3 smaller, IMHO. Right now, they look huge in-game, and you're right: the later Tharks look much better than the earlier ones. Still, I'm grateful for what you've done so far. The worker is all you need to have a complete set, unless you count Tharks on Thoats as part of the Set; then, you'd only need two kinds of Tharks on Thoats to finish the Thark line. And a single Red Martian (we use native american units) on a (smaller) thoat for early in the game (they switch to flyers soon thereafter). Then you're done with Thoats. (Unless you want to make Thoat-pulled wagons!)

As for the White Gorillas - could one of Supa's Kong Models be modified, perhaps, like you did with the Tharks? I know nothing about modeling so I shouldn't make uninformed suggestions..

I understand that you've been busy, so I'm very happy that you're willing to finish this. Have you seen the "John Carter" movie yet? I was thinking of you when I first saw their tharks...

 

[Supa]

Last month, I finally got my hands on half of the Barsoom novels (from A Princess of Mars to The Chessmen of Mars), printed in January 2012 (thanks to the movie). I've only read the first so far - I liked it.

I haven't seen the movie and, given the reviews, I don't plan to in the near future. Although it would interesting to see what they've done of the Barsoomian architecture. I heard the motivations, personalities of John Carter and Dejah Thoris and the relation between them were drastically changed and somewhat transformed in more widespread modern archetypes.

Anyway, reading the novel increased tenfold my interest in the Barsoom scenario.

 

[jlvfr]

Saw the movie on the weekend...

It's bloody awesome! A really great movie on all counts, even the 3D! Gimme director's cut DVD now!

 

[Kitomakazu]

Let me know if you could use a tester this summer. Mind you, that's pretty much THE only season of the year that I would be available to waste mindless hours on a game. Although... It's hard to properly credit it as a 'waste' in the first place when it comes to Civ3, heh.

I'm rather hungry for high-quality player-made stuff and I don't intend to buy either Civ4 or Civ5.