[C4:AC][Art and Graphics] Some 3D Graphics Research.

[Darsnan]

Can you by chance build the "walking manequin" (i.e. the scout with hand weapons)? If so then we could see about doing the programming to insert this into the first version of the mod we post.

[gkclarkson]

ok, i made an in-game screenshot from a textured version of that unity foil, and let's see how it turned out?



How does it seem?

It does look sorta fake, like it doesn't fit in with the environment at all. AC is a much darker, grittier game that civ 4

[PJayTycy]

Did you render this against a civ4 screenshot as background or is the foil in civ4 as a unit ?

If you could transform this into the nif format with one of the plugins from http://niftools.sf.net/ , it would pretty easy to change the XML for an existing naval unit to point to these graphics instead.


PS: Could I request the crawler as next unit, because I'm working on the xml for technology, the unit and the python code to make it work. It would be very cool to be able to use an actual crawler 3D model instead of the indian worker I use currently.

[gkclarkson]

It's Rendered against a background, I don't know how to get it in-game yet. I'll take a look at the exporters

[Blake]

AFAIK no-one has done the research on exact file formats and color coding and stuff.

For more info on file formats and such.

http://forums.civfanatics.com/showthread.php?t=132476

Hopefully Firaxis will release an exporter. Another option would be using exporters for other games that use the same engine.

[gkclarkson]

Damn! Now I have two options, either try and use these old ones, which will involve many conversions to different formats and possible corrupttion, or hope that an up to date exporter will be packaged in the sdk.

Someone wise once said:

"While we acnowledge our debt to the former, we yearn nonetheless for the latter"

It's the same thing here

P.S. Put the quote in context and state the speaker and you get 10 points!

Oh, and can I get the blueprints for the supply crawler, as someone wants a model of it.

[Blake]

I'm not going to cheat (yet), it sounds like the Zakster. Something about strokes of genius and hard work .

[gkclarkson]

Awesome (and expediant) blueprints!

it is the good old Provost talking about scientific research, probably my favorite AC quote,

There are two kinds of scientific progress: the methodical experimentation and categorization which gradually extend the boundaries of knowledge, and the revolutionary leap of genius which redefines and transcends those boundaries. Acknowledging our debt to the former, we yearn nonetheless for the latter.

Academician Prokhor Zakharov
Datalinks

The supply crawler will be done soon

Unfortunately, points and dollar (or euros, pounds, etc) values don't have an exchange rate.

[gkclarkson]

thanks Blake



I'm gonna finish the entire model up tonight, and then fiddle around in an attempt to get it into a .nif format, and we'll go from there

[Raion]

I just mention this as it has not been mentioned.

But Scaleform is listed on the Civ4 screen, maybe that has something to do with zoomming the units in the game.

??

[Blake]

Okay, I've FINALLY nailed the main components. An infantry crawler for example is made of the following 4 bits (plus the crawler module and reactor).

The first 2 bit are also used for rovers and stuff. I'm suprised it took me so long to figure that out... but there's such a mess of cvr files and bits.

Selection Circle, armor for flying vehicles,foils, armor for rovers.


edit: fixed.

[gkclarkson]

You're the best Blake

as a reward for your hard work, you get...

A Propellor!



now i can finish a few more things

Edit: Also, I'm pretty sure that the tracks on the supply crawler are the same for the colony module

[Blake]

Yes. I should have mentioned that I'd already posted the tracks and the X bit before, I was just showing assembly. I hadn't posted the Framework or Reactor Mount because I hadn't determined what they were.

The infantry crawler and transport both use the identical design, the formers and colony pod also have the X, I don't think they have the framework or reactor mount (these would be obscured anyway). Please yourself how much detail you create. (I did notice with your colony pod that the tracks are a bit "free floating" at the front, that's what the X is for, also, another minor nitpick with the colony pod, the pod on top should be about half the size, it's the same radius as the pods below it).

I believe I've posted absolutely every bit for the Rovers now.
The "Wedge", "Framework", "Reactor Mount", "Axles", "Wheels"

Needlejet, Chopper, Foil, Cruiser are also represented.

So the chassis remaining are Gravship and Hovertank, oh and infantry. Gravship is simple. I'm loathe to post those fugly little infantries but I suppose I should.
Now the Hovertank, it's a right mess of parts! And every hovertank bit is unique! It's evil, I'm almost certain there would be better uses of your time for now.

I can't see the value of the Special Abilities CVR since I doubt we'll be able to attach them to models. Then again they would make for interesting little doodads to preattach to models *shrug*. With the notable exception of Heavy Artillery, I'll make sure to post that.

Then, are the remaining equipment modules (only probe team, I think), and all the weapons.

I'll post some more of the bits soon.

[Blake]

Gravship. Probe module. Heavy Artillery. Fugly Scout Patrol, Fugly Probe Team. Fugly infantry armor. (can you do humanoids? It'd be "tragic" if we had to use reskinned Civ4 infantry )


More things are the different reactor levels+cockpits.
And the Missile Chassis. This is a rather large complex beast too, maybe even morseo than hovertanks.

[gkclarkson]

My god those things are ugly

Yes, I can do humans, here is a work in progress of mine from a long while back, I'm sure that I have no intention of ever finishing it. It's more of a suit than a human right now



yeah