What Civ3 really should look like

[Shillen]

Originally posted by Sirp
I don't think you'd want it to look exactly like Civilization I - you'd want it to look like Civilization I but with better graphics due to increased resolution and colours.

But, having it from a straight-down view really is much better than this isometric nonsense. It's much easier to plan your moves.

Of course, better again would be to have hexagons! Then the city radius wouldn't have to look like a heavily bolded X, and would instead be a proper radius.

-Sirp.

I agree, the isometric view was one of the harder things for me to adjust to after I switched from CTP2.

I don't agree on the hexagons though. It may make things look more realistic, but for gameplay reasons it would only make things worse. It's a lot easier to move around with 9-directions than with 6. Also it would be hard to pack cities in your empire. You would either have to have serious overlap, or lots of unused tiles. Besides, who says cities have to have a radius? Cities come in all shapes and sizes, most of them aren't circles...

edit: Actually I take back the city packing. You could have one central city and six cities surrounding it to get optimal city placement. But I still think hexagons would hurt gameplay more than they make up for it.

 

[wilbill]

Originally posted by Sirp
Of course, better again would be to have hexagons! Then the city radius wouldn't have to look like a heavily bolded X, and would instead be a proper radius.

-Sirp.

My start in gaming was with the old Avalon Hill board war games, so, naturally I agree that hexes have it all over squares.

 

[Sirp]

Originally posted by Shillen
I don't agree on the hexagons though. It may make things look more realistic, but for gameplay reasons it would only make things worse. It's a lot easier to move around with 9-directions than with 6.

I don't see how it's easier. And you have 8 directions, not 9.

Besides, who says cities have to have a radius? Cities come in all shapes and sizes, most of them aren't circles...

Sid says that they have to have a 'radius'. They have had a 'radius' in every version of Civilization, and that radius approximates a circle as best you can on a square-based map.

edit: Actually I take back the city packing. You could have one central city and six cities surrounding it to get optimal city placement. But I still think hexagons would hurt gameplay more than they make up for it.

Well you really aren't giving me much to go on now to respond to, other than you just thinking it'd hurt gameplay

I do admit that for neophytes to strategy games, it might confuse them a little.

Alternatively you can use staggered rectangles instead of hexes for the same effect.

Originally posted by willbill
My start in gaming was with the old Avalon Hill board war games, so, naturally I agree that hexes have it all over squares.

Yeah, all old-school strategy games use hexes. They make lots more sense than rectangles and just make it feel more like a proper strategy game imho.

-Sirp.

 

[Matrix]

Originally posted by Sirp
I don't think you'd want it to look exactly like Civilization I - you'd want it to look like Civilization I but with better graphics due to increased resolution and colours.

Indeed. But I'm not much of a drawer. I just know how to use Paint Shop Pro.

Originally posted by Sirp
But, having it from a straight-down view really is much better than this isometric nonsense. It's much easier to plan your moves.

Originally posted by Sirp
Of course, better again would be to have hexagons! Then the city radius wouldn't have to look like a heavily bolded X, and would instead be a proper radius.

I'm afraid that would have great impact on the power of Civ1's attraction. Hexagons might seem more logical, but not certainly not easier or more appealing.

 

[aaglo]

Ooh, there is also a source of iron in the enemy territory, which looks like white gold

 

[Matrix]

At least some people pay attention.
I forgot the luxury resources. But then again, I wouldn't know how to draw them.

 

[okleydokley]

Originally posted by Matrix
At least some people pay attention.

Actually the detail is great. I love how you made Strastad an unoccupied city on both views.


I agree that the graphics were good at the time. I spent many days and weeks playing Civ 1. Then when I had a slow laptop I started playing it again because Civ 2 wouldn't run properly. (thank goodness for mobile Pentium 4 processors)


Thanks for a blast from the past Matrix....

 

[Kevinicus]

Nice work Matrix

 

[CamDawg]

The old school Civ 1 graphics... fantastic. I know I'm biased for the old stuff; I still have (and play) my old 8-bit NES.

Originally posted by Sirp
Of course, better again would be to have hexagons! Then the city radius wouldn't have to look like a heavily bolded X, and would instead be a proper radius.

-Sirp.

Don't want to threadjack, but I couldn't agree more. Hexes for Civ 4!

 

[pdescobar]

I love that screen matrix, but you should've held off a couple days and convinced TF to have an April Fool's SOTD It almost makes me want to unzip my old civ1 archive and finish that graphic mod you were making How far did you get on that thing before you threw in the towel anyway?

 

[bru]

Never mind all the analytical jargon. It is well done. Brings back memories of many hours spent!!

 

[Chaps]

That's a great picture! It make me wish that I hadn't misplaced my copy of Civ. Does anyone know where you can buy a copy of the original? I suppose it's impossible, as they're most likely out of print. ::sigh::

I entirely agree that the plan view makes more sense than the isometric view. In Civ I NEVER had to zoom to the city to figure out which squares still needed improvement. Even after months on Civ3, I still have to check to figure out where stuff is. So frustrating!!

Thanks for the happy memories, Matrix.

 

[Imperial-Markus]

Hey this would be really cool. CivIII in disguise of CivI. I also love the original artwork, all the cheesy little units. Hmm the nostalgia.

Is there anything we can do to encourage you to continue the work on your Civ-mod
How about a nice coronation after you finished it and we will all elect you to the king of CivIII modding. Now this should be an incentive I think.

 

[Akka]

Originally posted by Chaps
That's a great picture! It make me wish that I hadn't misplaced my copy of Civ. Does anyone know where you can buy a copy of the original? I suppose it's impossible, as they're most likely out of print. ::sigh::

I'm not totally sure, but I think that Sid put Civ1 on the public domain, or at least authorized the abandonware sites to distribute it freely.

You should have a look.

 

[Unregister]

Wow i'm glad computers and graphics have progressed....

 

[Nder]

Originally posted by Sirp
...
Of course, better again would be to have hexagons! Then the city radius wouldn't have to look like a heavily bolded X, and would instead be a proper radius.

-Sirp.

But of course then you could only move in 6 directions rather than the current 8 points of the compass

 

[Matrix]

Originally posted by pdescobar
How far did you get on that thing before you threw in the towel anyway?

I've done all the pure terrain and irrigation & mines; not the special resources etc. But that was still quite a lot of work!

Here's the tread.

Originally posted by Akka
I'm not totally sure, but I think that Sid put Civ1 on the public domain, or at least authorized the abandonware sites to distribute it freely.

No, he hasn't. It's still for sale; though God knows where.

 

[pdescobar]

Originally posted by Matrix
I've done all the pure terrain and irrigation & mines; not the special resources etc. But that was still quite a lot of work!

Here's the tread.

Thanks. I'm considering fooling around with it Were you able to extract the graphics directly from the files to do this or did you have to use screenshots?

 

[Matrix]

Screenshots.

 

[pdescobar]

That's what I was afraid you'd say