Apolyton Archive  |  Preserved copy of the Apolyton Civilization Site forums as they ran on Ultimate Bulletin Board, 1998–2001. Read-only; nothing here can be posted to or replied to.  |  Forum index |  About this archive |  The 2005 site & forums

  Apolyton Civilization Site Forums
  Civ3-General/Suggestions
  How can custom Civ3 units be better than Civ2?

Post New Topic  Post A ReplyPost A Reply In A New Window

profile | register | preferences | faq | search next newest topic | next oldest topic bottom of page
Author
Topic:   How can custom Civ3 units be better than Civ2? Format for Better Printing
Steve Clark
Prince
Colorado Springs, CO
Oct 1999
posted January 26, 2001 16:14   Click Here to See the Profile for Steve Clark   send a private message to Steve Clark
Edit/Delete Message    Reply To And Quote This Message
IP: Logged, Admin Access Only
For those that have no idea as to how good custom units can look in Civ2, take a look at these...

(With apologies for posting Captain Nemo's battleship units for his new WW2 scenario without his permission.)

I am left to wonder when looking at the above .gif if or how this can be improved upon in Civ3 (or should it)? I mean, the purpose of unit graphics is to tell what they are quickly and to be historically accurate. Is this just one of many areas that they got right in Civ2 and thus should not be screwed with for Civ3?

The diplomat
Prince
muncie,IN USA
Sep 1999
posted January 26, 2001 16:49   Click Here to See the Profile for The diplomatClick Here to Email The diplomat  send a private message to The diplomat
Edit/Delete Message    Reply To And Quote This Message
IP: Logged, Admin Access Only
With all due respect , have you seen the civ3 units posted on the preview site?? They are absolutely amazing!!!!!

------------------
No permanent enemies, no permanent friends.

Diablo, Bro. of Mephisto
Prince
Salt Lake City, USA
Oct 2000
posted January 26, 2001 16:54   Click Here to See the Profile for Diablo, Bro. of MephistoClick Here to Email Diablo, Bro. of Mephisto  send a private message to Diablo, Bro. of Mephisto
Edit/Delete Message    Reply To And Quote This Message
IP: Logged, Admin Access Only
Just look at the new civ3 units on the official website...that should answer your question.
Steve Clark
Prince
Colorado Springs, CO
Oct 1999
posted January 26, 2001 17:01   Click Here to See the Profile for Steve Clark   send a private message to Steve Clark
Edit/Delete Message    Reply To And Quote This Message
IP: Logged, Admin Access Only
With all due respect, you had forgotten that I saw them when they were first announced and had made several comments. But if you get your heads out of the clouds, just take those new Civ3 units and scale them down to the size you see above (which represents the actual game scale), will they look any better? I think not. What you are looking at with the Civ3 units are full-rendered size graphics that are for show only, not part of the game, as was discussed. So there.
The diplomat
Prince
muncie,IN USA
Sep 1999
posted January 26, 2001 17:14   Click Here to See the Profile for The diplomatClick Here to Email The diplomat  send a private message to The diplomat
Edit/Delete Message    Reply To And Quote This Message
IP: Logged, Admin Access Only
Maybe, but look again at the animated units. They look like they might be at the actual game size. If so, then they are much much better than any custom units in civ2!

------------------
No permanent enemies, no permanent friends.

Steve Clark
Prince
Colorado Springs, CO
Oct 1999
posted January 26, 2001 17:39   Click Here to See the Profile for Steve Clark   send a private message to Steve Clark
Edit/Delete Message    Reply To And Quote This Message
IP: Logged, Admin Access Only
But animation does not make it a better looking unit, imo. Don't you think it's kind of useless to have a warrior wielding his axe over and over again in a TBS game while you are thinking of your moves? If animating a unit is an option, I will turn off the animation first thing. So take that tank, forget about animation and shrink it down to the game scale. Is it better than what we see above (which presumably takes a whole lot less resources)? The point I'm trying to get at is slick animated graphics are not important for the game, especially if they take resources away from things that are truly important (AI and customizability).
Ralf
Prince
Sweden
Mar 2000
posted January 26, 2001 17:51   Click Here to See the Profile for Ralf   send a private message to Ralf
Edit/Delete Message    Reply To And Quote This Message
IP: Logged, Admin Access Only
Personally I dont care much for unit-animations in turnbased strategy-games. Unit-related sounds is more important "alive-factors" for me. Nevertheless, I think Firaxis more or less must include lots of map- and unit-animation eye-candy, in Civ-3.

They must try to counter-act some RTS-loving game-magazine reviewers, who otherwise is likely to instinctively rant down on the lack of RTS-style animated bells and whistles. I just hope that these animations are optional - and that Firaxis dont try to push the animation concept one horrific/ridicules step further: A twist/turn and zoomable fullscale 3D globe-map.

[This message has been edited by Ralf (edited January 26, 2001).]

The diplomat
Prince
muncie,IN USA
Sep 1999
posted January 26, 2001 17:55   Click Here to See the Profile for The diplomatClick Here to Email The diplomat  send a private message to The diplomat
Edit/Delete Message    Reply To And Quote This Message
IP: Logged, Admin Access Only
Do you really think that the warrior is going to be constantly wielding his axe over and over again while you are playing? What you are seeing is probably just the animation for one particular action, in this case most likely attack.
Slick units will make the game better because it will make the game more appealing visually. Plus animations will make the game more immersive. Completely static units can often completely kill the mood. Since the animations can be turned off, everybody should be happy, right?

IMO, I want very crisp graphics AND good gameplay. The game should have both, and I am pleased that this is what Firaxis is aiming for.

Just because the game is a strategy game does not mean that it should not have great graphics!

------------------
No permanent enemies, no permanent friends.

Ralf
Prince
Sweden
Mar 2000
posted January 26, 2001 17:59   Click Here to See the Profile for Ralf   send a private message to Ralf
Edit/Delete Message    Reply To And Quote This Message
IP: Logged, Admin Access Only
quote:

Originally posted by The diplomat on 01-26-2001 05:55 PM
Since the animations can be turned off, everybody should be happy, right?

OK, thats good enough for me. Animations it shall be.

EnochF
Prince
Seattle, WA
b.02-15-99
posted January 26, 2001 18:07   Click Here to See the Profile for EnochFClick Here to Email EnochF  send a private message to EnochF
Edit/Delete Message    Reply To And Quote This Message
IP: Logged, Admin Access Only
Having just revisited the official website, I wonder... has anybody given any thought to the fact that Warriors and Riflemen -- regardless of what civilization they belong to, Japanese, Zulu or Russian -- are white?

I suppose Civ II had the same problem, but it wasn't as obvious.

bagdar
Chieftain
Turkey
Jan 2001
posted January 27, 2001 08:50   Click Here to See the Profile for bagdar   send a private message to bagdar
Edit/Delete Message    Reply To And Quote This Message
IP: Logged, Admin Access Only
come on, that's not a problem! skin color's of absolutely NO importance to civ (to anything else? bah!) , even if unique features are included. That warrior's got a funny beard and between his legs... what's that???
Stefu
Emperor
Schemperor
b.02-15-99
posted January 27, 2001 09:11   Click Here to See the Profile for StefuClick Here to Email Stefu  send a private message to Stefu Visit Stefu's Homepage!
Edit/Delete Message    Reply To And Quote This Message
IP: Logged, Admin Access Only
See people, see? I wasn't the only one to notice that anomality between the Warrior's legs!

I'm starting to suspect it's because Firaxis wants some fundamentalist group to notice it, raise a big holler about how games are corrupting the youth, and meanwhile give lots and lots of media publicity to Firaxis.

wittlich
Warlord
Fayetteville, NC, USA
Dec 2000
posted January 27, 2001 11:04   Click Here to See the Profile for wittlichClick Here to Email wittlich  send a private message to wittlich
Edit/Delete Message    Reply To And Quote This Message
IP: Logged, Admin Access Only
I'm sorry folks, I've been looking at the new warrior and I don't see anything between the warriors legs - except the animal hide he wears.
Come on people, get your mind out of the gutter.

I for one like the unit animation of the CIV3 units. As stated earlier, this is the year 2001 - animations should be better than CIV2.

Transcend
Warlord
Boulder, Colorado, USA
Apr 99
posted January 27, 2001 11:08   Click Here to See the Profile for TranscendClick Here to Email Transcend  send a private message to Transcend
Edit/Delete Message    Reply To And Quote This Message
IP: Logged, Admin Access Only
I honestly don't hope that they spend all of their efforts to polish up graphics. I see little point in having phanlax lunging their spears all the way. However, improving/customizing a basic unit as new technologies are discovered is a good idea. I really like the concept of Unit Workshop in SMAC even if the user interface is awful.
wittlich
Warlord
Fayetteville, NC, USA
Dec 2000
posted January 27, 2001 11:09   Click Here to See the Profile for wittlichClick Here to Email wittlich  send a private message to wittlich
Edit/Delete Message    Reply To And Quote This Message
IP: Logged, Admin Access Only
I agree Transcend.
The Patriot
Settler
Greatest Place on Earth
Jan 2001
posted January 29, 2001 13:52   Click Here to See the Profile for The PatriotClick Here to Email The Patriot  send a private message to The Patriot
Edit/Delete Message    Reply To And Quote This Message
IP: Logged, Admin Access Only
Steve,

you dont know the true size of in-game units. so dont start assuming they will look the same.

Ralf
Prince
Sweden
Mar 2000
posted January 29, 2001 14:40   Click Here to See the Profile for Ralf   send a private message to Ralf
Edit/Delete Message    Reply To And Quote This Message
IP: Logged, Admin Access Only
quote:

Originally posted by The Patriot on 01-29-2001 01:52 PM
Steve,

you dont know the true size of in-game units. so dont start assuming they will look the same.

Its pretty obvious that a Civ-3 unit, per definition, cannot outgrow/overlap the size of the indevidual map-tile it standing on, dont you think? The player moves the unit from one map-tile to another map-tile. Thats the whole point with the system.

And the map-tiles themselves can only "grow" if one zoom the whole map back and forth.

Steve Clark
Prince
Colorado Springs, CO
Oct 1999
posted January 29, 2001 16:28   Click Here to See the Profile for Steve Clark   send a private message to Steve Clark
Edit/Delete Message    Reply To And Quote This Message
IP: Logged, Admin Access Only
The assumption is that we are going to have the option to play on a larger map (greater than 100x100). What scale would you propose that can effectively manage (or view) 100s of units over 10,000+ tiles?
Apolyton Civilization Site Forums
> > > Civ3-General/Suggestions Forum

next newest topic | next oldest topictop of page

All times are EDT

Administrative Options: Close Topic | Archive/Move | Delete Topic | Top
Post New Topic  Post A ReplyPost A Reply In A New Window
Hop to:

Contact Us
Apolyton Civilization Site

Powered by: Ultimate Bulletin Board, Version 5.44a
© Infopop Corporation (formerly Madrona Park, Inc.), 1998 - 2000.

Front Page | Civilization III | Dinosaurs | Civilization II | Call to Power | Call to Power II | Alpha Centauri | Alternative Civs | Misc | Links | About ACS | GameStats
GameLeague | Scenario League | HAC | Civilization Scenario Collection | Spanish CivII Site | Clash of Civs | CtP Maps | Art of War | WesW's Ctp1/2 Site