[C4:AC][Programming] Technology Tree

[Illuminatus]

Excellent work Rubin.

[Rubin]

Here's a screenshot of the "scientific breakthrough" popup. The text quote is somehow messed up, but the voiceover plays perfectly.

[Illuminatus]

The text box was obviosly formatted for shorter quotes. Good work Rubin. Did you edit the technology icon yourself or is this an effect placed by the game engine?

[Rubin]

Originally posted by Illuminatus
Did you edit the technology icon yourself or is this an effect placed by the game engine?

I did the graphics for the icon by adding some texture and depth to the original SMACX icons. I then resized the new icon (64x64) and placed it on a dark "SMACX" background. I've only noticed the game scaling the icons to fit different screens (i.e. normal sized icon in the civilopedia, smaller icon in the F6 advisor screen) and applying a "glowing" effect when hovering over the icon.

Initially, I did not bother with depth and texture. What you see in the images in the first few posts in this thread is the same icons and backgrounds--but without depth and texture. When I tested those in the game they looked awfully flat and dull.

I can redo the icons preserving the original SMACX look. No problem.

[Illuminatus]

Actually I like the new icons. Looks much better than the original SMACX look.

[#endgame]

Rubin. . Illu is right. It's such an improvement.

[gkclarkson]

You're great Rubin

If you need a hand converting the Images to a usable format, there are like 100, including tech's and secret projects, so ask around

[Kinjiru]

Excellent work!!

Originally posted by Rubin

I also found that inserting a : in the technology description didn't work, hence "Doctrine: Mobility" is now "Doctrine Mobility". I am sure someone may be able to figure out how to fix this.

Can you use the ascii code for the ":" symbol? The code is "ampersand#58;"

[Rubin]

Kinjiru, thank you very much for that piece of information! I have noticed those strange numbers throughout the .xml files--they are no longer a mystery to me. Sadly, the #58 entry does not get accepted, but I can use other ascii codes and get them to show properly; just not the #58 one. I looked up some ascii tables in case I used a wrong notation, extra spaces, hex, etc. I even tried #058 and searched all of the .xml files for any #58 entries. Nothing. Odd...

[binTravkin]

Rubin, try this:

:

[binTravkin]

Also according to W3C Recommendation 04 February 2004

An ampersand '&' may be escaped
numerically '&' or with a general entity
'&'.

[wgabrie]

As far as tech costs go can we use the Civ4 techs as a base number? (i.e. Some level 1 techs are 30 points while more attractive L1 ones are 50.) Or, maybe calibrate it to fit Blake's fomula in post #10?

[PJayTycy]

I'd say either the smac way (currently nearly impossible) or the civ4 way. Not yet another (our own) system.

[Rubin]

binTravkin, I tried your suggestions, but still no luck (: got me severel errors when loading the MOD). The #58 entry may be somehow correct as I get the same result when I simply use : .

The problem is, that if I define the name "Doctrine: Mobility" I only get "Doctrine" showing up in the game. I assume this is part of the translation code for other languages. When I use for example "Doctrine& Mobility" I get the full "Doctrine& Mobility" in the game. The same happens when I replace the & with the ascii code.

Now, here is the catch: If I replace the : with the ascii code I get the exact same result as without the replacement, only "Doctrine" shows.

--

Until I get a better suggestion, I'll go with Blake's tech cost formula for testing. Feel free to revise each individual technology cost. Also, for game testing, I need to know which files to modify to go with removing all the original technologies. In particular, I am worried that age transitions and victory conditions may be corrupted if the default technologies are removed.

Edit: I tried deciding on a format to go with the new icons. To this I made 4 differently colored patterns--derived from the SMACX colors used. Creating a new icon for a technology or building is then a simple matter of applying the appropriate pattern (and setting depth & light intensity/angle).

I also experimented with a transparent background for the icons (modifying the alpha mask). I found this a bit more tricky to get right, but I assume it is possible to do.

Here are the 4 patterns used (set on the applied background as well):



Edit 2: I have temporarily uploaded the icons for the technologies 00 to 06 (check the SMACX "techs" folder for the corresponding original icons). The uploaded files are all ready to implement, hence the format is .dds. I have, again, tried to use a strict naming convention. This applies specifically to the implementation of the audio quotes.

Icons here: Edit 3: File removed.

[PJayTycy]

Originally posted by Rubin
The problem is, that if I define the name "Doctrine: Mobility" I only get "Doctrine" showing up in the game. I assume this is part of the translation code for other languages.

Yes, it is.

For example, some words that should be used in plural or singular forms are seperated by it.

So, you could have something like (again, not exactly, but from memory):

{key}BLAH{/key}
  {english}
    {text}he:they{/text}
    {plural}false:true{/text}
  {/english}
{/key}