Screenshot analysis!

Why would an ancient egyptian city look arabic? D:

 

They do in Civ 5, so it's a promising change.

 

How did they look in Civ 4?

 

The swordsman is a damn cartoon. Also, is his sword supposed to be bronze? It sure looks like it.

 

I like how the buildings are represented here since they occupy a whole tile. Where previously in civV, a wonder would be just a small building proportionate to the cities. They really exaggerated the size which is in line with the cartoony art direction.

Someone else mentioned too that it helps with visual clarity. Especially when you have to consider the later stages of the game when your city gets really big. You would still want to locate the things in your city easily. Its just easier on the eyes and less noise on screen if you were to go for a more realistic graphics and art direction.

As for the number of units in a single troop, less is better. 4 looks good and you have to consider that units will get combined with support units to appear larger.

Overall looking at the game design choices, I'd say they made a good choice in the art direction.

Sent from my SM-G925I using Tapatalk

 

Unmodded, Still Arabic

 

Unmodded Civ4 only has two architectural styles added for Warlords scenarios: East Asian and Greco-Roman. All civilizations not in these two camps use the same generic European style (plus that Shinto shrine/stave church-looking palace). Internal file names indicate they intended to do different styles, but never got to implement anything more than that.

Even before that, Civ3 has 5: Asian, Greco-Roman, European, Middle East and Mesoamerican, although they are not very distinctive. Civ2 has Asian, Greco-Roman, European and "Bronze Age Monolith" which encompasses everything else.

CivRev (Xbox 360/PS4) is the one with unique architecture for each Civilization.

 

In regards to this on going discussion about art-style, a new article/interview is out that explains a lot about the visual style that we're seeing here.

 

You do realise bronze weaponry was common, even into the established "Iron Age"?

 

I like the sea/ocean - graphics and ships, however the trees from Mario 64 really have to go, not an option!!

 

Are there any screenshots of unexplored territory?

 

Just these three screenshots so far. No images of the UI or leaderheads or fog of war yet.

 

Here is a breakdown of the structures in the screenshots:

Districts and Buildings
City Center - Palace, Monument, Granary (Japan)
Note: still has a ranged attack, if properly upgraded.


City Center - (Egypt, America)


Research Campus - Library, University, Research Lab


Holy Site - Shrine, Temple, Pagoda/Cathedral/Mosque


(Culture District) - Amphitheater, Museum?


Military Encampment - Barracks, Stables, Military Academy
Notes: Has a ranged attack. Must not be adjacent to the City Center


Harbor - Docks, Lighthouse


Industrial Zone? - Forge, Workshop, Factory


Trade District? - Market

 

Improvements
Farm


Mine


Fishing Boats


Lumber Mill


Plantation


Minor Tribe Huts?


Wonders
Great Pyramids


Great Lighthouse


Oracle


Colossus/Statue of Poseidon?

 

The things that look like salt and pepper shakers are granaries?

 

That's my guess.

 

Great work Arioch, as usual.

 

That "Industrial Zone" appears to have stalls selling colorful fruits and vegetables. Perhaps it is a food district instead.

Also, the thing with the tents has balloons, which makes me more think it is a Happiness type district rather than a commercial one.

 

Or maybe... a market?

 

The groups of 4 units are interesting because they are not all of the same type.
The units in the 2 archery groups and the 4 swordsmen group all look the same.
While 1 group has probably 2 spearmen + 2 pikemen (if I'm not wrong) and the most interesting group is the one with 2 samurai + another 2 different units.
Maybe it's a coincidence, all groups have 4 units which is probably a graphic representation of the amount of single units in the army.