Task List

[Maniac]

Task List For Those Without Any Modding Experience

The following stuff requires no special skills, or the how-to is fully explained:

* Make screenshots

Check this thread for which ones.

* Create buttons for all buildings and techs

List - the guide is here.

SDK/Python/XML/Other Task List

* Write "Brian's Tips" wherever they are needed

 

[Maniac]

Graphics Task List

* Help create recruitment posters for Planetfall!

See some examples and ideas in this thread.

* Pirate citysets

If citysets are possible of course for sea bases. Even if not, the current "Sea Base" graphic could use a better texture for the "glass"(?) part of the dome.

* Aircraft Carrier unit model

Spoiler :

Planetfall needs a graphic for a surface aircraft carrier ship. I don't want to use a normal aircraft carrier graphic though. The idea behind Mass Drivers allowing Carriers/Rail Launchers is that with that technology no lengthy carrier decks are needed anymore, but that instead aircraft are launched from comparatively shorter launch tubes instead. So for a surface ship/carrier I'd prefer some cruiser-hulled ship that for instance shows two launch tubes (don't need to be tubular) running across the length of the ship, but for the rest kinda looks like a normal cruiserlike type ship, guns included. Ships with the Rail Launchers spec ab can still attack after all.

More submarine carrier graphics would also be welcome (submarine, hunter and barracuda carriers all share the same graphic right now). These also use mass drivers to launch aircraft. No strong idea myself on how they could look. This is an option:

* Add a rotor to the model for the Rotor unit

* Battle Ogre unit model

Spoiler :

As per SMAC Battle Ogre Mk1.

* Drop Pod animation

Spoiler :

Something like the drop pods in Starship Troopers, or like this pic and video I found on Warhammer. (The interior shouldn't have any details of course.

The drop pod could land, open its pod doors and then fade away to be replaced by the unit that just dropped.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nf157ILqJQQ

* Empath Specialist button

Spoiler :

Button needed for the Empath

I'd suggest using the SMAC Empath graphic for Planetfall's similarly named specialist.

A big problem though which I'm not sure how to solve:

The SMAC source material is rectangle instead of square. This didn't cause a big problem for the other specialist button, as the SMAC source's background was black anyways (so could easily be turned transparent). But it does form a problem for the Empath. The background is an integral part of the button, and without adding stuff to the left and right, the hands would look cut off. Any method to create a good looking square button from the SMAC source material? If not, any other ideas for what the Empath button can look like?

* How to always make a building look centered in the city graphics

The Sea Base graphic should always be centered, even if other buildings like the Naval Yard are added.

* New bridge/river harbour graphic

Really minor issue of course. When a mag tube runs over or ends at a river, it shows ancient bridge/river harbour graphics.

* Spider unit model

Spoiler :

Something like the StarCraft Dragoon.

* Progenitor Scoutship unit model

Spoiler :

The Progenitor ship which appears in the SMAX intro movie and the Progenitor victory movie.

* Sea Fungal "Tower" unit model

Spoiler :

The land model of the fungal tower looks kinda odd on water. A possible alternative: create a version without any stalk, with only the crown. And with the tentacles on the sides pointed more upwards, so they are not hanging into the water.

This is the old post for the fungal tower model:

As for possible animations, this may just be an wild dream, but I kinda imagined the fungal tower would have a couple tentacles attached to the sides of the top (as in Units.pcx) which would move randomly in the air while simply animated, and lash out at the target like a whip while being attacked or doing its ranged strike.

Other possibility (especially for a ranged attack animation) would be a little hole opening at the center of the top of the fungal tower, and a little orange cloud (see current spore launcher animations) - representing locusts - streaming out of it and doing an attack run on the target.

* Unity Observation Bay building model

Perhaps a slightly damaged disc as on the button for this project, together with a small side-building for control, and a windmill for energy.

* Fix or redo older models

Spoiler :

Spoiler :

I have some bad news.

Since Lord Tirian told me how I can see how much triangles a model has, I had a look at how many polygons the graphics currently in Planetfall use. And I discovered a lot of the graphics have much more polygons than I'd expect from glancing at the wireframe of the model. This includes ALL of woodelf's graphics.

The cause of that is twofold:
1) Some models are made with TriStrips instead of TriShapes. A big no-no if the model gets to 1000+ polygons in complexity so I've been told.
2) Even when in TriShapes, these models have been made much too detailed than is necessary for Civ4. A lot could be done by improving the dds texture instead of having all those extra faces and triangles to the model.

The good news is that if these models were retouched or redone correctly, Planetfall would probably run much smoother, less lag when scrolling over the map etc. I realize fixing old stuff is probably much more boring than creating models for new stuff, but doing it would improve Planetfall a lot.

These are the things that stood out to me during my review of the files in the Pak0.fpk:

Some stuff I put between brackets because at first glance their # of triangles seems to match the model's complexity. But because they were made by the same author who made extremely high polygon models, I assume my first glance could be wrong, and their poly count could be significantly reduced as well.

Buildings:

- Alpha Prime
- Sea Base/Pressure Dome
- Sea Wall (currently found in the 'Pressure Dome' folder)
- (Observation Bay)
- Skunkworks

This list is not complete. There are a couple other simple buildings as well, with still a higher than expected poly count. But because the model is so simple the poly count still only is 100 or so. Eg the rec commons, rec tanks...

Citysets:

caretakers_cityset.nif

Units:

(Foil)
(Needlejet)
Rover (a model by keldath which uses woodelf's rover as base)
Unity Rover (in the 'Tank' folder)
Transport Foil
Unity Foil

No idea how the following should look like myself:

* Nif models, buttons and gamefont icons for the bonus resources which don't yet have any (precise list can be made if anyone is interested in doing this)
* Unit Model for the Ascetic
* Button for the Missionary unit
* Unit Models for Great Person units.
* Building models for the shrines of the Ascetic Virtues and Homo Superior religions

 

[The_J]

* Aircraft Carrier unit model

Spoiler :

A futuristic version though. I'm thinking it should be a submarine carrier. It would use mass drivers to launch aircraft. No strong idea myself on how it should look. This is an option:

I guess, you haven't seen these units?
One of the long ships should fit.

 

[WarKirby]

I'd say use the bottom-most one, that's highlighted with the green ring around it.

I'll try my hand at making an empath button. I'll just extend the hands out to the sides. A little bit of manual drawing, and a little cloning should do it.

 

[Maniac]

I'd say use the bottom-most one, that's highlighted with the green ring around it.

Hmm, I can't seem to figure out which unit in the download package that is. But regardless, none of these units seem to have something resembling a submarine hull.

While more submarine carrier graphics would be welcome (submarine, hunter and barracuda carriers all share the same graphic right now), what I'd need even more is a cruiser carrier graphic. I don't want to use a normal aircraft carrier graphic though. The idea behind Mass Drivers allowing Carriers/Rail Launchers is that with that technology no lengthy carrier decks are needed anymore, but that instead aircraft are launched from comparatively shorter launch tubes instead. So for a cruiser carrier I'd prefer some cruiser ship that for instance shows two launch tubes (don't need to be tubular) running across the length of the ships, but for the rest kinda looks like a normal cruiserlike type ship, guns included. Ships with the Rail Launchers spec ab can still attack after all.

 

[Maniac]

* Sea Fungal "Tower" unit model

Spoiler :

The land model of the fungal tower looks kinda odd on water. A possible alternative: create a version without any stalk, with only the crown. And with the tentacles on the sides pointed more upwards, so they are not hanging into the water.

This is the old post for the fungal tower model:

As for possible animations, this may just be an wild dream, but I kinda imagined the fungal tower would have a couple tentacles attached to the sides of the top (as in Units.pcx) which would move randomly in the air while simply animated, and lash out at the target like a whip while being attacked or doing its ranged strike.

Other possibility (especially for a ranged attack animation) would be a little hole opening at the center of the top of the fungal tower, and a little orange cloud (see current spore launcher animations) - representing locusts - streaming out of it and doing an attack run on the target.

Do you guys this graphic is needed? I could remove it from the list. With Lord Tirian's explanation of Sea Spawning Spots as small rocky islands, the fungal tower graphic can make sense on sea as well.

 

[GeoModder]

So for a cruiser carrier I'd prefer some cruiser ship that for instance shows two launch tubes (don't need to be tubular) running across the length of the ships, but for the rest kinda looks like a normal cruiserlike type ship, guns included. Ships with the Rail Launchers spec ab can still attack after all.

Mmm. Perhaps that tube from Woodelf's Aerospace Complex could be added to the Stealth Destroyer hull?

As on the Sea fungal tower: putting it lower on its z-axis will let only the top appear above water. Would that solve your issue with this graphic?

 

[Maniac]

Mmm. Perhaps that tube from Woodelf's Aerospace Complex could be added to the Stealth Destroyer hull?

Those tubes have a too high polygon count. That's why it's best the launch tubes aren't perfectly tubular.

As on the Sea fungal tower: putting it lower on its z-axis will let only the top appear above water. Would that solve your issue with this graphic?

Nope, because then the tentacles would be hanging in the water.

 

[Lord Neil]

Anything I can help with? I have a bit of modeling experience and fairly confident I can do a decent job on any model that does not really move around. I have little to no experience in texturing though...

Just tell me what would go to good use in the mod and some ideas/pictures if you have them and I will see what I can do. I have a copy of SMAC(two actually) so I know about most of that stuff but if you wanted something from the expansion some direction would be useful.

 

[WarKirby]

there's a very spider-y unit in dune wars that might be suitable for some things here. and could probably be adapted to fit exact needs.

 

[Maniac]

Anything I can help with?

Certainly. Have you seen the second post of this thread?

there's a very spider-y unit in dune wars that might be suitable for some things here. and could probably be adapted to fit exact needs.

I haven't noticed that one. Do you know its name?

 

[WarKirby]

It's one of the Ixian thinking machine units. I can't recall it offhand, but look for something beginning with Ix in the units pedia.

 

[WarKirby]

I'm thinking of doing Helion art. It would be wearing big heavy power armour, as befits the button you've chosen. that's the firebat from starcraft, who also wears massive powered armour.

Type Firebat into google images, you'll see what I'm thinking. Though probably teamcolored rather than always red.

 

[Maniac]

Thanks, that would be awesome! If Civ5 uses nif files as well, it would also be useful for a Civ5: Brood Wars mod, which I would be interested to do with Civ5.

 

[GeoModder]

...Civ5.

Is that a leak?

 

[Maniac]

No it's common sense.

 

[WarKirby]

Mind if I do a rifle-wielding version too, for cyborg art?

I noticed yesterday that the current Cyborg art is a reskin, of what you're now using for the invitro. it doesn't really feel like a visual step up.

aside from that, some visual consistancy between the lategame foot units would be neat, I think.

I could do a different helmet to farther differentiate them. but I'm a fan of power-armoured infantry in general

 

[WarKirby]

Also, what's your preference on polycount for units? FFH allows up to 1500 for complex units, normally.

 

[The_J]

Mind if I do a rifle-wielding version too, for cyborg art?

If the unit would not be used here, someone else would sure use it........

 

[Maniac]

Mind if I do a rifle-wielding version too, for cyborg art?

Of course not!

Also, what's your preference on polycount for units? FFH allows up to 1500 for complex units, normally.

The later in the game a unit appears, the more important polygon count is. I'd say a limit of around 1100. That's still 50% more of what most Firaxian infantry has.