Tom's Unit Factory

[tom2050]

I've noticed one thing - when buck runs, the tail is raised up.

Welcome to CFC Wolfshade! Is the tail not supposed to be raised when it runs? Does it mean something I'm not aware of? I don't know a whole lot about many things of the outdoors. The only thing I think I know is that certain deer, if spooked, will raise their tails to warn the other deer.

--- In other news, I've been working on clouds and what not, and am going to try to make a thunderstorm with lightning eventually. Although the clouds will just have a default and death animation (perhaps fidget could be a slight rain; and victory a rainbow); the thunderstorm will have lightning as an attack.

Scenarios could use them as stationary objects to maybe spruce up and create some form of Civ 3 weather. T-Storms could be used as a slow moving unit capable of damaging cities or units.

I'm still messing around with it, to get it looking best in game; and getting the shadows right.

 

[Wolfshade]

Thanks for invitation, Tom.
I work as a QA so I know very well that's better to overdo the task than fail to do. That's the reason why I asked. I looked through 200 photos on the Google and in some of them I saw a running deer with the dropped tail. Your reply clarified every thing. Thanks again - for the unit.

(Edited)
Forgot!!! -

am going to try to make a thunderstorm with lightning eventually. Although the clouds will just have a default and death animation (perhaps fidget could be a slight rain; and victory a rainbow); the thunderstorm will have lightning as an attack.

Can I use it for my mod (oh yeah, one more "modder" ) when it'll be complete? If it will be necessary - I can help with the sounds.
(/Edited)

Balthasar, it's a topic for a different forum, I suppose. No to receive a penalty from Moderators.

 

[Balthasar]

Balthasar, it's a topic for a different forum, I suppose. No to receive a penalty from Moderators.

You're obviously not familiar with some of the free-form conversations that Tom & I get into. Besides, it was completely on-topic. We were discussing the deer. As a barbarian unit. I used the storm as an example of a pre-placed barbarian. Then Tom revealed that he was working on a storm, which comes as good news.

Anyway, you brought it up, so pfffffttt!!!

Spoiler :

THARK! Landthark!

 

[Deth McBones]

Oh oh oh! Tom, you magically are working on a much better version of a unit I was just trying to do! (see my recent thread in C&C) Thank you for reading my mind!

 

[Tank_Guy#3]

Spoiler :

Titan (unit conversion)

Has Civ Colour. Modifications made to original textures. Animation modifications and additions also made (to originals). Lightning effects added by tom2050.

This is simply awesome. VERY COOL!

 

[Wolfshade]

You're obviously not familiar with some of the free-form conversations that Tom & I get into. Besides, it was completely on-topic.

OK. I think I can't pre-place barbarians on the randomly generated map - or I'm mistaken?
I do like custom maps for scenario, but I if I know where every important resource is located on the map... I feel no pressure. That's why I like to play on the random maps.

 

[Blue Monkey]

OK. I think I can't pre-place barbarians on the randomly generated map - or I'm mistaken?
I do like custom maps for scenario, but I if I know where every important resource is located on the map... I feel no pressure. That's why I like to play on the random maps.

Yes, on random maps barbarians appear from the "goody huts" & you are limited to the three types. It's only with preplaced maps that you can have more variety.

@ tom2050: you set amazing standards for yourself. If you do get the clouds working between you and Rhodie there may be enough units for a weather civ.

 

[tom2050]

Here's something of what I have for Thuderstorm. I think it looks alright, there is limited space even at 240x240 for size because the unit still needs to fit on the Civ 3 circle. I wanted to make a distinct cumulonimbus cloud, but there wasn't room enough for the height.

I'm going to make a Rain/Hail animation with only some sheet lightning effects, a Default, the above Thunder, and the Death.

 

[The Guardian]

That's great Tom. I've been looking around the forum for weather type units to use to create a weather civ for my Pirates scenario. . I got a few from Rodie and a couple from pounder, and two or three ( can't remember exactly ) from you. Mainly I am looking for weather conditions that occur at sea. I have malestrom, monsoon, waterspout, whirlpool, and now thunderstorm aka hurricane. A tidal wave - sunami - or rouge wave would be nice.

Every so often, ( every time you post something ) I check back to see if its something I can use. Just wanted to let know that what you do IS appreciated.

 

[tom2050]

A tidal wave would be possible to do; but I don't know how it would work well... It wouldn't look quite right being of the Civ 3 palette transparent colors, so it would have to be matched up with the ocean / sea terrain I think. And there are so many of color variations!

But I suppose, the default would be nothing (just flat sea)... and the run animation could be the wave. An attack animation would be the wave crashing down.

A swirling hurricane is probably do-able, but the size would be limited to close to the size of the tstorm.

 

[Balthasar]

Regarding the thundercloud: there is a good cloud chart >here< . I imagine that it could start (default) as a whispy stratocumulus cloud like your first image, perhaps break up into altocumulus clouds to fidget, grow into a cumulus cloud to fortify, then darken and thunder etc. thereafter. In other words, I think a wider cumulus cloud-storm would look better than the bigger, rounder storm you previewed. I hope that makes some sense.

As far as the wave goes, if it were foamy, you might avoid a terrain-compatibility problem by making it mostly white and grey surf with enough transparency - maybe using the same palette as the clouds - to allow the base water color to show through...

Hope you don't mind my kibbitzing. You've probably considered these things already.

 

[tom2050]

Thunderstorm

No Civ Colors.

Gif is in spoilers due to size.

Spoiler :

Download here... Thunderstorm.rar

Unit32, Large/Small pcx, and Sound Files included.

 

[tom2050]

Regarding the thundercloud: there is a good cloud chart >here< . I imagine that it could start (default) as a whispy stratocumulus cloud like your first image, perhaps break up into altocumulus clouds to fidget, grow into a cumulus cloud to fortify, then darken and thunder etc. thereafter. In other words, I think a wider cumulus cloud-storm would look better than the bigger, rounder storm you previewed. I hope that makes some sense.

As far as the wave goes, if it were foamy, you might avoid a terrain-compatibility problem by making it mostly white and grey surf with enough transparency - maybe using the same palette as the clouds - to allow the base water color to show through...

Hope you don't mind my kibbitzing. You've probably considered these things already.

I finished the current T-Storm, so I went ahead and posted it. The file size is quite large, because the unit is quite large (larger than I thought it would be). Should be easy enough to size it down though if needed.

That is a good idea you mentioned, using fortify to have the cumulus turn into the T-Storm. Only thing with that is, if the cloud is fortified, it becomes 'still'! It might be strange seeing a still cloud. I can't remember off the top of my head if removing the Fortify action from a unit actually works in all cases (AI can still fortify IIRC).

 

[Balthasar]

If you mean removing fortify as an option under 'General Orders' in the editor, I didn't know that it didn't work on AI. In any case, haven't you ever seen a cloud just sit in the sky without seeming to move at all? Besides, isn't the fortify action always a precursor to the attack?

 

[zo-zo]

I might us this to replace the barbarian ship, let the storm cause some damage.

Thanks for this unit!

 

[The Guardian]

A tidal wave would be possible to do; but I don't know how it would work well... It wouldn't look quite right being of the Civ 3 palette transparent colors, so it would have to be matched up with the ocean / sea terrain I think. And there are so many of color variations!

But I suppose, the default would be nothing (just flat sea)... and the run animation could be the wave. An attack animation would be the wave crashing down.

A swirling hurricane is probably do-able, but the size would be limited to close to the size of the tstorm.

What ever you can do and when ever you get around to doing it will be fine with me Tom.

 

[Meteor Man]

I've got an idea, what about the T-storm hovers over the unit it is "attacking"? Or is this possible?

By they way, that unit is da bomb.

 

[Tortosa]

I've got an idea, what about the T-storm hovers over the unit it is "attacking"? Or is this possible?

By they way, that unit is da bomb.

That sounds like a good idea for a bombard.

 

[tom2050]

Well, this storm unit is big enough (since it is 240x240), that by leaving the option for ranged attack animation Off, when attacking a unit, it does get all over the top of the unit.

 

[Meteor Man]

That's great. Then I might be able to use it. Great unit.