Terrain graphics

[aaglo]

Discussion and previews of terrain graphics (including cities, resources, goodyhuts, terrainbuildings, etc.) will be posted here.

City graphics
Ork cities
Possible human cities

 

[Goldflash]

Actually, I think the mod should only include cities, resources, goodyhuts, terrainbuildings, etc. Not like, the actual terrain. I, for one, hate when somebody thinks its a good desicion to include a terrain pack that I just don't want to see. Most people, my self included, have picked a pack they like and use it. So no terrain with the mod. Besides, it increases the size of the mod and is unessicary.

 

[Virote_Considon]

Sure you don't want to get those people back?

 

[embryodead]

Actually, I think the mod should only include cities, resources, goodyhuts, terrainbuildings, etc. Not like, the actual terrain. I, for one, hate when somebody thinks its a good desicion to include a terrain pack that I just don't want to see. Most people, my self included, have picked a pack they like and use it. So no terrain with the mod. Besides, it increases the size of the mod and is unessicary.

Except that one of the possibilities of modding is changing terrain pieces into something completely different, which is a good enough reason to use a custom pack. Just look at the fallout mod terrain. In fact most mods nowadays customize the terrain and if you just swap it into your favorite one you'll ruin it. Terrain takes up to 10 MB of space. 5 MB zipped. That's about 1% of the total size of an average mod, nothing compared to units/LHs.

 

[Goldflash]

Fall out needs custom terrain. We don't. Besides, its one more thing we'd have to make/get made and it would add time to production length. No custom terrain.

 

[embryodead]

reply removed cause I'm in a good mood!

 

[SWalker]

Do you mean ideas reguarding terrain function or terrain graphics?

I see that I'm a bit late with my opinion here, but anyway...

I think that unless the standard terrain graphics are inadequate for representing the terrain description/function in the mod, then it is better to leave that to a later add-on, and concentrate on what is actually needed to complete the mod. But IMHO whatever the descision is, we need to work out terrain description/function before desciding on terrain graphics (although we are likely to procede simulaneously).

Anyway I would like to hear embryodead's ideas, if only for future reference.

 

[aaglo]

Heh...
When I started this thread, I didn't think much about adding a complete unique terrain - just the terrainbuildings/roads/ect...
But I think we should not shut completely out the option of specific terrain gfx-files either.

 

[LMR]

Ok, talking about the other graphics now:

- odin made a city set for the Orks

- i think goody huts along the lines of those in the WH Mod (crumbling ruins) would be good

- if the hruud are gonna be barbarians, does anyone know what kind of place they live, and can they make/recommend a graphic for the barbarian camps?

- i think we should use some sort of industrial complex to represent mines, but what to do for irrigation and roads?

- as for resources, adamanthium (sp?) and promethium (sp? again) were two materials in the tech trees gold posted on the other, old thread (the one started by stormy)

there's my few cents

 

[embryodead]

Some stolen stuff, probably doesn't fit but who knows - and it's from a rather forgotten (but good) scenario for PTW so it's likely you didn't see it. I'd try making something myself if I knew what is needed

By BeBro:

I know adamantium was red so it's recolored, don't remember what was promenthium. A silo and eggs/ork spores as resources (could be faction-specific) but could be made into irrigation graphics if combined with something else.

1st is by Neomega, rest by BeBro

1&2 are future-looking mines, a barb hut (looks like a pit with some equipment, although a pcx made out of Skaven Warrens + some futuristic additions would be best), and a fortress and colony from XCom.

Future farms by... someone

They probably don't fit at all, but I'll post them anyway in case someone knows more about warhammer 40k cuisine.

 

[Virote_Considon]

I'd have farmland irrigation, with those Silo's that ED's found.

 

[SWalker]

Since no one seems to be saying much...

How about making the terrain fit an already inhabited planet. Everyone lands forces for whatever reason, but not on an empty planet.

Make (say) mountains city (or hive) terrain; make all (or most resources) industrial facilities or significant things on the planet (eg hive centers); make improvements more about utilising what is already there (mine equivalent => more production directed to your military effort), or about rebuilding; make the bonus grassland some sort of industrial thing; etc, etc, etc.

This would also open up possibilities for a large number of resources that would make sense on an inhabited world. E.g. Ancient Adeptus Titanicus bunkers whose contents can be activated (any Imperial) / perverted (Chaos) / looted (Orks) to enable Titan construction.

 

[embryodead]

I like this since it's pretty much what I had in mind as well At least from what I saw, most casual 40k battles take place either in open grass/forest or (usually ruined) urban areas and that's how I imagined the terrain in the mod.

 

[SWalker]

Following the same theme we could...

1. Have grassland / plains terrain that looks to be already settled/irrigated

2. Modify the world selection screen

E.g. if Mountains -> Cities, and plains/grassland -> faming
Then maybe (3 bn yrs, 4 bn yrs, 5 bn yrs) -> (hive-world, xxxxx, agri-world)

and if jungle/swamp -> industrial
then maybe (arid, normal, wet) -> (desert-world, xxxxx, forge-world)

... obviously that idea needs some more work.

3. Consider the place of food/commerce/shields
maybe
farmland - food
urban - commerce (and resouces required within city radius for size 2+3)
industrial - shields

4. Make roads (no railroads) some relativly subtle graphic, maybe something that looks like a supply route on a map.

 

[Goldflash]

Thats intresting, but I don't think it'd work quite well. How about instead of the actual terrain, the various things could be resources. Just as many, if not more, games of 40K are played in 'rural' settings instead of urban ones (my games usually take place on the Bowl and Kitchen Utensil planet).

 

[SWalker]

What I am trying to think/talk through is this:

This mod will be played on a random map, with each side starting with a small force. How can that map be made in order to...
1: Aviod awkward questions popping up in people minds (eg a hospitable looking empty world with everyone arriving to fight, just makes me think of the canyon setting of Red Vrs Blue.
2: Have a world with an appropriate look for 40k
3: Open up possibilties for buildings/resources etc in away that makes sense.

Now, my numbered suggestions in the previous post are not the start of points 1-x of some plan; they are semi-independant ideas all based on my pondering of the situation.

For example
(already settled world)
=> (they would already have roads etc, wouldn't they)
=> (what the player builds within the game is not a "road")
=> (it should not look like the only roads are the ones the players built)

Just as many, if not more, games of 40K are played in 'rural' settings instead of urban ones (my games usually take place on the Bowl and Kitchen Utensil planet).

I would like a setting with both (depending on the map). But while I am happy enough with the Bowl and Kitchen Utensil planet for table-top battles, I far prefer terrain with a bit of work put into it, and I definitly don't want to be playing a game with the computer equivalent.

 

[Virote_Considon]

Bumping this thread up because there has been a lack of (specifically) discussion about resources. We have the unit lines more or less ready, but no resources required to build anything. So, what ideas would we have?

 

[LMR]

I've got a list of resources, but its on the other computer so i'll have to get it later

 

[LMR]

Ok these are the resources I have listed. Most of them have been lifted from Lexicanum in one way or another. Problem is, very few (if any) are naturally occuring:

Strategic
Adamantium - used in infantry armour. probably end up like iron in the WH mod, with lots of units needing it

Archeotech - described as "lost technological artefacts". not sure how this could translate in game. perhaps better as a bonus resource

Armaplas - heat-resistant metal/plastic combo used in carapace armour

Ceramite - ceramic material used in manufacturing armour. Says its used in terminator armour, but might be better in game being used for defensive structures like bunkers and bastions

Promethium - need for flamer-units and vehicles, kinda like oil

Plasteel - another material used for armour

Slag Deposit - this is from DoW and will be required within radius for Thermoplasma Generators

Luxury

Crystals - basically brightstone or gems or whatever from the WH mod

Nalwood - apparently similar to pine, it was plentiful on tanith until the planet's destruction. since then, the price of wood has risen sharply, and nalwood has become a luxury item

Relic - something old and valuable, boosts commerce

Bonus

Grain - basically wheat

Livestock - basically cattle

Wraithbone and Squigs could be civ-specific resources for Eldar and Orks respectively, but i've never used civ-specific resources before so i dont know how it will work

 

[Quinzy]

Too many armour-type materials if you ask me...

Archaeotech should be required for really elite units, like ancient technology showing you how to build landspeeders, or some such. Having armaplas, plasteel, adamantium and ceramite as separate resources seems unweildy, especially as I'm almost positive some of these are not naturally occurring materials. Perhaps just have adamantium as a resource, and "Plasteel Manufacturing" and "Ceramite Manufacturing" as separate resources, giving you access to Stormtroopers and Terminators respectively?

We could have no resource required for basic troops, then a common resource required for advanced troops, like adamantium, and then a rare resource for elite troops, like archaeotech? Something like that?

I like the idea of wraithbone and squigs as civ specific resources. Wraithbone required for some advanced Eldar units and Squigs as a bonus or luxury resource, or even as strategic if you wanted to have squig units.