Civ4 graphics need some work

[Nikolai]

As I said in the announcement thread, a Civ4 as good as it seems to become, and these kinds of graphics would be awesome, totally awesome, 10x awesome!

[Solver]

You can have better graphics without hiking up the system requirements, if the minimum remains the same (speaking as someone with a low-end system).

If the levels are tweakable, yeah. But still, great graphics means more people working on art, which will, in turn, make the artists put some limit on what the designers can or can't do. If the game has wonder movies, the designers can't add as many wonders as they want to, they need to count on what the artists can provide.

So would you be happy with simple coloured symbols moving around the screen? Theyre the most functional.

"Functional" is a bit broader, but yes. In any Civ game that I have played, Civ1 graphics remain my favorite. I could see a lot at the same time, all units were easily distinguishable, as was terrain, and it was not downright ugly/hard on the eyes.

[Maquiladora]

Originally posted by Solver

You can have better graphics without hiking up the system requirements, if the minimum remains the same (speaking as someone with a low-end system).

If the levels are tweakable, yeah. But still, great graphics means more people working on art, which will, in turn, make the artists put some limit on what the designers can or can't do. If the game has wonder movies, the designers can't add as many wonders as they want to, they need to count on what the artists can provide.

There arent many new 3D PC games that arent "tweakable".

Anyway your original points were that "Top notch graphics will make the system requirements higher, decrease performance, especially in the late game, and add nothing to the gameplay", which are all wrong.

So would you be happy with simple coloured symbols moving around the screen? Theyre the most functional.

"Functional" is a bit broader, but yes. In any Civ game that I have played, Civ1 graphics remain my favorite. I could see a lot at the same time, all units were easily distinguishable, as was terrain, and it was not downright ugly/hard on the eyes.

Graphics should always be functional, but why leave out eye candy, when you can perfectly well have both.

[Dis]

those RON graphics look like shiite.

okay the terrain looks decent, but the units look horrible. And are those supposed to be cities? They look like crap.

[Dis]

these graphics look sufficient to me.

http://www.gamespot.com/pc/strategy/civilizationiv/screens.html?page=13

[Solver]

Graphics should always be functional, but why leave out eye candy, when you can perfectly well have both.

Minimal eye candy, yes. But more than that, and it then becomes more eye candy than functionality. A warrior icon is functional. A 3D warrior model is eye candy. However, that 3D model is much more than is needed for functionality, and overall, it makes the game look very different from one which only uses icons.

[Krill]

I wonder what the graphics look like when you have the god view though? I'd love to see some more screenies of the CIV graphics when you are viewing your entire empire, and not zoomed in as that gamespot screenie is.

[Adm.Naismith]

Originally posted by Dis
those RON graphics look like shiite.

The beauty is in the eye of the beholder, isn't it?
or "in the eye of the beerholder", as in a famous T-Shirt quote

Originally posted by Dis
okay the terrain looks decent, but the units look horrible. And are those supposed to be cities? They look like crap.

AFAIK that's a strategic map screenshot, where units are more a placeholder as in a board game.

Others screenshot show a different story (and a great units look, IMHO).

Anyway, it seems Sn00py will be our lifesaver, just in case Civ IV final need a graphic makeup. Thank you in advance, Sn00py!

[Solver]

I wonder what the graphics look like when you have the god view though? I'd love to see some more screenies of the CIV graphics when you are viewing your entire empire, and not zoomed in as that gamespot screenie is.

IGN had a couple of those, I think.

[conmcb25]

The graphics are OK by me.

[MarkG]

[Maquiladora]

Originally posted by Solver

Graphics should always be functional, but why leave out eye candy, when you can perfectly well have both.

Minimal eye candy, yes. But more than that, and it then becomes more eye candy than functionality. A warrior icon is functional. A 3D warrior model is eye candy. However, that 3D model is much more than is needed for functionality, and overall, it makes the game look very different from one which only uses icons.

By that reasoning we shouldnt even have animated units at all, since its more function than eye candy, to look at a static 2D image.

You may not want any eye candy at all (as you say) but if im in a little virtual world on a computer game, id rather be commanding animated units, than pushing 2D counters around.

[H Tower]

graphics are fine, but I expect better from poly's artisans a few months after game release

[Lancer]

Originally posted by Dis
these graphics look sufficient to me.

http://www.gamespot.com/pc/strategy/...s.html?page=13

Those silly little things are mountains? These Civ IV guys need to vacation in the Rockies or Cascades...maybe they don't get out much? I got butt zits more awe inspiring than those!

Everything else looks good in that pic. Still like ROL's look better though.

[Dis]

Originally posted by Lancer



Those silly little things are mountains? These Civ IV guys need to vacation in the Rockies or Cascades...maybe they don't get out much? I got butt zits more awe inspiring than those!

Everything else looks good in that pic. Still like ROL's look better though.

What do you expect. They live in Maryland. They don't have mountains out there. they don't live in Oregon like you do.

And the desert has mountains too. I get so tired of civ games that think all deserts are flat. They've obviously never been to Las Vegas. Although CTP2 had a thing called desert mountains. the only game that had different types of mountains. The graphics weren't that hot though.