Anyone else underwhelmed by the unit graphics?

[Bubba]

Is anyone else anyone else underwhelmed by the unit graphics?

To me they seem small, fuzzy (ie.unclear was to what each unit is and its civ affliation, esp. in comparison with CTP II and even Civ II), undetailed and dark. I really hope that the units will improve before the release.

Just a thought

[Eli]

I like them.

[Venom]

I'm a bit underwhelmed by the graphics in general. Everything seems fuzzy and blurry, though I suppose that's a real time lighting effect.

[Gramphos]

I believe there may be a mush higher zoom level then on the current screen shots. The main clue is both the fact that all units will be animated, and that the unit pictures at Firaxis webpage that are mush larger then that size. As far as I know the new graphic engine is still in development, and they are using the one from SMAC, till they get one supporting the new animated units.

[Venom]

Ah, I did not know that. There's hope then because the current screen shots are not very exciting.

[bagdar]

PATH TO HAPPINESS

Maxim No 1: When you become distressed about civIII's units, remember those gigantic, silly animated units of CTP.

Maxim No 2: Realize that you don't need a second maxim.

[Grigor]

I liked some of the early units, but I thought the map screenshot was alarmingly dark. I am actually worried about that, as I found SMAC depressing for that reason. I think that the animation of units is one of those effects which we will turn off after the first few games, like the music and the wonder movies, but it sure looks like they are having fun putting it together

[Stefu]

I dunno. They seem all right by me. Maybe a bit sharper units, that's all.

[OneFootInTheGrave]

I expected better graphics, if these are final it will be dissapointing on that front, but for me graphics are minor issue anyway and if the game playts well I won't care.

If the game plays badly, and the graphics are great I certainly won't spend too much time looking at pretty graphics...

[BeBMan]

I like the gfx, and for me the screenshots looked not too dark. For a civgame just right

[aCa]

My personal opinion si that they have started using the new graphic engine and the grphics are close to finalized. I think all the graphics looks nice. Civ have never been a superb 3D game and never will be. It just wouldn't work on a game like Civ. If you wan't greate graphics ...... play Black & White or somthing.

I think the graphics will work superb in Civ3

[Lung]

Follow this link for the most detailed screenshot i have seen to date. The murky graphics no longer appear so murky, and there appears to be real depth now

With the expected new graphics engine yet to come, it is very promising indeed!

My earlier fears of the graphics have almost faded completely I think the graphics depicted in the link are superb. We may just get the 'epic' game we have been waiting for, as the graphics suit the feel of the game immaculately

Civ3 - bring it on!!! (salivate, drool, drool)

[me_irate]

while believe that gameplay and ai is far more important than graphics, i would have problem playing the game if it had bad graphics. I cant seem to get into civ1 at all, and i figure that civ2 would be the same way except that i cant find where i put it .

i also agree the more recent screen shots are really looking good, and my worries about the earlier screens have vanished, they make me want to play it right now!

[Ralf]

Originally posted by Lung

With the expected new graphics engine yet to come, it is very promising indeed!

Expected new graphics-engine? Fill me in here - have I missed something? Anyway; Both the unit-graphics and the advisor/diplomacy-screen shown so far is absolutely stunning.

The only minor thing I dont like is the irrigation-graphics that gives my quagmire-associations. I say, make the irrigation-canals more thin, and let them appear in regurlary straight patterns (in princip, like they did in civ-2) so it looks obviously man-made. Also, some hint of crop actually growing there would be nice.

Personally, I would prefer ocean-squares in light- to medium-blue nuances only. Not turquoise blue-green nuances.

Finally, the maps looks too flat. It should have at least two height-levels (elevating landmass somewhat above ocean), or perhaps even four height-levels (ranging from deep ocean to highlands).

[SerapisIV]

Originally posted by Ralf
The only minor thing I dont like is the irrigation-graphics that gives my quagmire-associations.

I think that there will be at least two types of irrigation like in Civ2, at the least, irrigation and farmland. So this complaint should be answered if we see late game screenshots (the Baltimore screenshot is obviously a much older build then the Gamespy shots). I'm sure the later food tile improvement will look more like cropland.

I like the current look of the game. It's very detailed, throw in some animation and I'm pretty happy. A little more map height difference would be nice, but otherwise I'm happy with how things are shaping up.