Unit Graphics

[Fiera]

quote: Originally posted by Mark_Everson on 03-22-2001 01:59 PM Hi Fiera, you can keep playing .

OK. You can now take a look to a Phalanx icon I'm particulary proud of.
www.geocities.com/fiera_com/hordes.html

quote: I think it would be useful for us, if its not too much work for you, to put up against each other the 120-scale units next to similar 64-pixel ones so we can compare what we're losing if we change the default size.

Not too much work at all, I've already been playing with the units and the different tiles myself. I'll work on it, and I'll post a link to the pics on the Map Graphics thread.

quote: Thanks in Advance!

You're welcome! I'm having lots of fun, I'm beginning to feel like a real PC games programmer.

[Mark_Everson]

Richard:

I think for a futuristic game it might be OK, but I find the box really jarring for a mostly-historical game. And it's too utilitarian and ugly even for me even with my limited aesthetic sense. I also think that at a minimum whatever power indicator we have Must be able to be shown for all units/TFs without incredibly screwing up the map. I think a field littered with 20 or so of those things would be extremely ugly... But it is certainly an innovative suggestion, and we can see what others think also.

Fiera:

I think the phalanx looks cool too! And I'm looking forward to seeing the comparison samples. Just in case, I actually an enlarged on my request in the other graphics thread, so if you didn't check it out please do so before you work out your sample. Yes, the next few months will be really fun!

[Fiera]

Richard,

I'm replying here to your e-mail so that everyone may be able to read it.

I like the idea, at least graphically. It's very original, I hadn't seen such a system anywhere else. There's one thing I don't like so much, since it adds noise or confusion to the icon: the black corners of the status box. Wouldn't it be better if the status box was totally transparent (invisible)?

Here's a link to the pic Richard sent me for everybody to see:
http://www.geocities.com/fiera_com/graphics.html

[This message has been edited by Fiera (edited March 22, 2001).]

[Fiera]

quote: Originally posted by Mark_Everson on 03-22-2001 07:13 PM I think the phalanx looks cool too!

Great! What does everybody else think?

quote: And I'm looking forward to seeing the comparison samples. Just in case, I actually an enlarged on my request in the other graphics thread, so if you didn't check it out please do so before you work out your sample.

I've posted a link in the other thread that I think you'll find very interesting...

quote: Yes, the next few months will be really fun!

I'm looking forward to it...

[alms66]

When I was looking at fiera's site I realized the thing I really don't like about the power circles, is how they cover so much of the map. However, if we could show them as rings (instead of solid circles, as in fiera's tile demos) I'd be much happier with that since it allows much more of the map to come through.

As for the status box, I'd have to say no, it doesn't seem like it would be too attractive all over the map, and I really wouldn't want to have to hover over several units just to see it.

BTW, Fiera, I like your horde (7 & 8), and phalanx graphics... they look great.

[Fiera]

quote: Originally posted by Toubabo_Koomi on 03-22-2001 10:42 PM BTW, Fiera, I like your horde (7 & 8), and phalanx graphics... they look great.

Thanks a lot! It's being a pleasure working with you all!

[Richard Bruns]

Wow. I've never seen such a swift and unanimous negative response.

So the box is out. What about the epoch marker and two-axis plan for displaying unit power? I think that it has some promise. It shows which power circle changes are due to battle losses and which are due to tech advancement. The bottom bar could also include veteran statis and unit experience as well. I like that a lot more than the power circles, which don't seem to scale up very well.

I definitely prefer the two smaller tile sizes. It seems that there is still a bit too much empty space in the 80x40, but that extra space might be needed by cavalry units. Based on those pictures of infantry units, I actually prefer the smallest size. I don't mind clutter on the screen, and prefer to see as much of the playing area as possible. Panning all over the place annoys me more than clutter. But larger units like cavalry or vehicles might require the medium size.

By the way, I like the new phalanx. The action-oriented style seems to be producing good results.
[This message has been edited by Richard Bruns (edited March 22, 2001).]

[Fiera]

Mark,

I've replied to this question in the Maps Graphics thread. I have a Phalanx icon in the same style as my #7 and #8 horde unit.

Are you interested in it or shall we get the size tile agreed before I keep on working in the units?

[Richard Bruns]

I have revised the plan and created a new demonstration. The isometric box and the movement bar are only put around the selected unit, while the others use the two-axis power display. I think that this looks better then the power circles.

I used the large tile size from the website, and put two of the opposing units in one tile. It would actually be possible to put four infantry units in one of the big tiles without overlap, since the iso box has a fourth of the area of the large tile.

Again, an e-mail will go to Fiera and Mark. I may want to make a website if this continues.

[Mark_Everson]

Richard:

Well, the new demo is better than before, but I still just don't like it. But we could make it, or something like it, available as an alternative and see how it and the Power Circles and whatever else we come up with fare in playtesting...

[Fiera]

Richard, I still like the idea, and of course I think it's better now, but, you can't know which tribe does each unit belong to on your demo... Maybe you could use the epoch squeare for that?

[Richard Bruns]

I thought we were using alpha channels on the units to show the civ color. I assumed that this would be on the shields in ancient units.

[Fiera]

quote: Originally posted by Richard Bruns on 03-23-2001 09:08 PM I thought we were using alpha channels on the units to show the civ color. I assumed that this would be on the shields in ancient units.

Ah, sorry, OK then. Only thing is that there will be too much color bars around the unit then, I guess...

Anyways, I've converted your pic to Gif format and uploaded it to my Geocities account. A pity that many colors have been lost in the conversion, but I think the pic is clear anyway.

Everybody interested check Richard's idea here: www.geocities.com/fiera_com/status.html

[Richard Bruns]

I have created a few more demos of the small icons and their possible uses. Somehow our discussion of units migrated to the Map Graphics thread, so I'll use this opportunity to move the discussion back to this thread.

Previous Posts

My Examples

[Richard Bruns]

I just realized that a lot of my work is based on the old 93x47 tiles that we are not using any more. I'll have to redo many of the examples. I'll use 80x40 tiles from now on.