Simplifying the graphics?

[donpost]

I think civ IV looks great, but I find it hard to quickly and easily spot units and identify what they are and who they belong to. (Can you tell I'm a newbie?)

Is there a way to cut the graphics right back, so they look simple like in Civ2 and previous, with units represented by coloured tiles instead of little models of the actual unit?

[Willem]

Originally posted by donpost
I think civ IV looks great, but I find it hard to quickly and easily spot units and identify what they are and who they belong to. (Can you tell I'm a newbie?)

Is there a way to cut the graphics right back, so they look simple like in Civ2 and previous, with units represented by coloured tiles instead of little models of the actual unit?

Not unless you redo all the unit graphics and rewrite the graphics engine. Good luck, let us know how it works out.

Seriously though, just play it for awhile, you'll get used to it.

[Dis]

there are a few settings that may or may not help.

You can turn off animations if you find them distracting. You can have multiple "people" (ie: a warrior is representated by 2 people instead of one). You can turn on unit health bars. I originally played with these off, but lately I've had them on.

[Addled Platypus]

turn on health bar

I have seen it pop up in the fog !!!

[DrSpike]

I suspect there will be alternative graphics packs available - CFC probably has a better selection.

[Adagio]

Originally posted by donpost
I think civ IV looks great, but I find it hard to quickly and easily spot units and identify what they are and who they belong to. (Can you tell I'm a newbie?)

You'll get used to it. The only times I have a problem identifying who they belong to is when there are several civs nearby with almost the same color

[LordShiva]

I turn off multiple units, as I find it annoyingly cartoonish.

I hope sn00py comes out with a Civ4 graphics pack

[Dis]

the funny thing is under normal conditions I don't have a problem seeing units. Only when there is a stack of them sitting next to my city do I fail to notice them. . Then they attack.

[Willem]

Originally posted by LordShiva
I turn off multiple units, as I find it annoyingly cartoonish.

They also get rather cluttered in a hurry. I prefer the single units graphics for that reason.

I hope sn00py comes out with a Civ4 graphics pack

I'm surprised he hasn't already. He was chomping at the bit before the game ever came out, but he seems to have disappeared from the scene.

[LordShiva]

I talked to him about it in OT; he says he's not going to do it, being too busy with something called "Humanitas"

[DrSpike]

I thought that died like all the other projects.

[Adagio]

Originally posted by LordShiva
I talked to him about it in OT; he says he's not going to do it, being too busy with something called "Humanitas"

When was that? We haven't heard anything about for at least a year... 'bout the same time Civ IV was released

[Datajack Franit]

Isn´t there the amazing Blue Marble terrain?

[Garret OneEye]

I find this method is handy when you want to keep track of enemy military:

When you zoom the map out, the little buttons on top of the mini-map change: the second one in from the left selects 'view units' and you can select an option to only show enemy military. When in the middle of managing a large empire, I sometimes forget that the computer moved a stack into a threatening position during it's turn and so I have gotten in the habit of turning this option on and zooming out before ending every turn to see where enemy troops are. Works quite well.

[DrSpike]

Don't you find that a little irritating?