check this one out

July 8, 2001, 01:33

I dunno about you Firaxis, but that looks more like tree's to me, I seriously don't know what that green mush is you've got there, but I don't like it.

The 2nd thing I wanted to say is, that each of those tree's are exactly the same (according to its type), so you could programme the game to just multiply the same tree into a 'forest'. And when the tree's resource drops down by for example 100 'tree resources', one of the tree images disappears, and it keeps going like that. Or you could make the forest bigger by working that area of land. Just a suggestion.

Lifting the land off the water made a huge difference in appearence, it now looks a lot more proper.

Brightning the green made it more lush and less polluted, same goes for the ocean. The river was so simple, if you know photoshop well, you'd kill yourself this is so easy. That river is simply a very shallow inner pillowed layer. If you could apply the same instructions into the game, you'd have great looking rivers.

The plains, I may have gone overboard with that, but in my opinion, its better than the darky orangy look that Civ3 currently has.

Ralf · July 8, 2001, 02:15

These new trees is definitively an update to the better. I like it. The uniform look of trees of the same type clustered together is no problem either.

The green mush is not big problem - but if its suppose to symbolize shield-grasslands, I would prefer any markings at the center of the grassland-tile instead.

Quote:

Lifting the land off the water made a huge difference in appearence, it now looks a lot more proper.

I definitely agree to that. Nice work.

Quote:

The plains, I may have gone overboard with that, but in my opinion, its better than the darky orangy look that Civ3 currently has.

They look too much like planted crops to me, and less like regular plains. Actually, I would prefer the "darky orangy look that Civ3 currently has", compared to this.

Why not try to change the look of irrigated tiles as well. At present they look horrible. They should make the irrigation-canals more thin & regular: so that it looks obviously manmade. Also some very slightly protruding crops between the thin canals.

The simplest (and best) solution would be that all the plantable terrain-types: grasslands, plains, hills, deserts and tundra would have its own uniquely coloured irrigated crop.

Grumbold · July 8, 2001, 02:24

I like the trees but I would be worried (not being a graphics expert) that these dynamically drawn trees that dont have uniform edges, leave roads visible etc would be a much heavier burden when scrolling the screen. It probably wouldn't be bad for normal movement but goto commands could suffer, like in CtP2.

I agree with the other comments too. I liked the bright clear graphics of Civ2 and loathed ToT as a consequence. The more we can approach the former while adding extra detail the better.

Urban Ranger · July 8, 2001, 02:31

There are two types of trees in the image.

Contradiction,

What's a "pillowed" layer? AFAIK that's not standard PhotoShop terminology.

Ralf · July 8, 2001, 02:44

Quote:

Originally posted by Grumbold
I liked the bright clear graphics of Civ2 and loathed ToT as a consequence. The more we can approach the former while adding extra detail the better.

Yes - spot on!

Civ-2 had 8-bit graphics and ToT was supposed to benefit from a 16-bit graphics-update, but somehow the graphics in Civ-2 managed to come up on top nevertheless. The ugly Tot-graphics (both the map, the units and the interface) had a rather clunky and blurry feel to it - I never liked it at all.

July 8, 2001, 02:48

UR, its in the layer effects in the bevel settings.

Yah, when I think of plains. I keep getting this image of the American great plains.

I don't think I've ever really seen a good photo of plains.

Is that like where the lions roam in Africa? Lots of flat grassless land, and bits of straw sticking out in random sparatic areas?

TechWins · July 8, 2001, 03:34

Quote:

Yah, when I think of plains. I keep getting this image of the American great plains.

I don't think I've ever really seen a good photo of plains.

Same here. What are some other areas of the world that have plains? Is it this?

Quote:

s that like where the lions roam in Africa? Lots of flat grassless land, and bits of straw sticking out in random sparatic areas?

Adagio · July 8, 2001, 03:56

The only thing I don't like about the graphics is the irigation, but everything else looks great, expecially the thing with the road in the forrest and the difference from sea to land

And I deffently also like the bright color in the game, it looks more clean...

Juggernaut · July 8, 2001, 03:58

what's the point of this picture? are you trying to show that you should work at firaxis?

quite nice but i think the water is a little to bright. it should only have this look in the mediterrainean, caribic, etc.

Adagio · July 8, 2001, 04:00

I was just trying to see if it worked to show a picture, but it didn't, it only showed the link

Juggernaut · July 8, 2001, 07:02

hehe, i was referring to Contradiction's photoshop stuff.

Adagio · July 8, 2001, 08:08

I thought you refered to me...Anyway, how do you insert pictures into the msg?

Urban Ranger · July 8, 2001, 10:10

By attaching an image file of the appropiate format using the reply form. It's way down there near the bottom.

Adagio · July 8, 2001, 10:57

thx, I'm testin' it right now

Adagio · July 8, 2001, 10:58

I can't see the picture!?!

Asesino_Virtual · July 8, 2001, 11:06

Oh man, its the most beautiful picture of CIVIII ive ever seen. I definitely fell in love with the game.

Eli · July 8, 2001, 11:08

When Civ3 is out with those ugly graphics, we will force ContradictionN to make new ones for us.

I guess that those tile picture files will be still available.

Inverse Icarus · July 8, 2001, 15:41

if its anything like civ2, it'll be easy for cont. to make us all a new gfx pack.

Juggernaut · July 8, 2001, 16:05

is there anything hinting Civ3 actually will be ugly?

don't get it, everything I've seen so far has been nice.

DarkCloud · July 8, 2001, 16:50

Those trees look a big cartoony... which is all right for some games... but not civ... well at least the game looks light and happy instead of dark and dull (Test of Time)

Firaxis seems to be doing good work!

July 8, 2001, 17:08

yah I know darkcloud, it took me half an hour to do that pic.

once civ3 is out, I plan to spend days on making better looking graphics, clean/sharp/slightly more realistic land terrain.

at the moment I'm just practicing

July 8, 2001, 17:10

Firaxis are doing good work, but they've let the terrain a bit down, I think it can be done better

Eli · July 8, 2001, 17:11

Quote:

Originally posted by ContradictioN
once civ3 is out, I plan to spend days on making better looking graphics, clean/sharp/slightly more realistic land terrain.

Now that's a relief. And i'm not joking/being cynical.

Rollo_CH · July 9, 2001, 02:29

Great work there ContradictioN. I really like the way you "lifted" the land mass.
But i must say Firaxis's "coniferous" forest is slightly better...

About plains: the Russian "steppe" must be regarded as one of the biggest plain area's in the World. Flat and dull, great for advancing when dry, but a hell in the "wet period" when it all turns muddy...achtung for those steppe's baby!

Sava · July 9, 2001, 08:18

So the river starts at the ocean and ends in the ocean? Please tell me rivers like that won't be in the game.

FIRAXIS: In making terrain, how about you look at satellite pictures or something to try and make them realistic looking. Either that or rent a plane and take pictures of the ground.

Eli · July 9, 2001, 08:25

Quote:

Originally posted by SoulAssassin
FIRAXIS: ... or rent a plane and take pictures of the ground.

Yeah, right.

They cant update their site and you want them to rent planes?

Eli · July 9, 2001, 08:28

Btw, the ugliest thing in Civ3 are the mountains. I really hope that they will realise that before the game is shipped.

KrazyHorse · July 9, 2001, 10:05

Damn straight, Eli. I hate the mountains.

ancient · July 9, 2001, 16:44

i think there should be different looking tree, water, mountain, ect. tiles to make different areas of the earth look different, a forest of redwoods doesnt look the same as a cherry grove when seen from above. the trees in that screen chot look like a cherry grove.. but if i want a redwood forest i think it should be able to be bigger than the city, in hight, and judging from what ive seen im concerned there isnt enough tiles of different things. Grass grass should come in three varietys atleast, dried up grass, short, not like praries, dark green grass, and light green grass like in the screen shots. the praries look ok, but the could be better. i think the ground should touch the water, it make it look like a beach, water should be animated also...so it looks like theres waves in it constantly lapping onto the shores..

i noticed theres no number above the city, could they have dropped the head system? or is it just missing?

i also think the units are to big... i think like 2/3's of that would be good.. then you can kind of scale units.. so a preson could be a little bit smaller than a lets say tank...

i think the lkook of the game is to cartoonish, and the thought of that unit walking on the road is very humerous to me..

was rome taken over by a barbarian? its red.. or is red a new color for civs?

Earwicker · July 9, 2001, 17:11

Yes, more variety of appearances for the same terrain type would make world-wide exploration a lot more interesting. Mountains like the Himalayas are much different from mountains like the Appalachians (low eastern-US mountain range). That "awe of discovery" is what was missing in civ2: "look, more grasslands. look, a desert tile." The geographical features of SMAC wre an interesting way to liven up the globe. Now, to find a way to implement such an idea without unbalancing play . . .