About customization (especially units)

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Author Topic:   About customization (especially units)

CarolinerRainbow posted 04-06-99 05:41 PM ET
Hello, i'm new here, but i've had AC since its release, and i'm just at the point where i'd want to get down to some serious customizing. I've looked on these forums but have'nt seen anything about this, so forgive me if i missed it. Is there a good way to change unit graphics? I can see that the 3D graphics are unchangeable, which would be acceptable if the 2D sprites worked.. but as far as i can tell you're only permitted to have 8 units using 2D sprites. Surely I'm missing something, that would be extremely limiting and pretty much ruin any scenario ideas i have. Anyone know anything about this? I sure hope there is a way around that, half the enjoyment in this kind of game for me is altering it.
Bossman posted 04-07-99 02:02 PM ET
Just play it as it is. You dont need to change it. It is a brilliant game as it is and not one game I have played has been the same as another game I have. SMAC is brilliant on its own. But I too like to edit the units etc and the programmers have got round that by putting safeguards on it. I had the same problem that eight units was the max if 2D sprites were used. Hex Edit will not work on the graphic interface of SMAC either. So dont bother trying it. I have given up becuase it would take years to crack the programmers codes.
jaghar posted 04-07-99 02:36 PM ET
Only way you can change the units would be to get on the dev team. But why change the units?? Aren't there enough different configurations to keep you happy?
I have some info about what you can configure in the game on my website at http://www.viking3d.com/smac/ Covers I think pretty much everything about factions that you can customize at present.
Units IMHO don't need to change and even if they could I wouldn't want to go through all the pain of actually doing it. .pcx, txt, mp3, flc etc sure.. units? nah. I'm happy as they are.
CarolinerRainbow posted 04-07-99 06:57 PM ET
I think its terrible that they aren't allowing for the kind of modifications that could have been made even in Civ2. I mean yeah i loved AC but to be honest i get bored with the Sci-fi setting and need something else after awhile. I love the amount of freedom you have to edit the factions and most of the rules but overall you're still very limited by the unit graphics, i'd like to be able to make scenarios that are set just about anywhere, and it just dont make sense to be in a fantasy setting or ancient times, or even modern times with sci-fi units. I'd have much rather had 2D sprites that could be changed than 3D graphics that are unchangeable. I was misled though, somehow i was under the impression that although the 3D units are unchangeable you could simply use 2D sprites instead. this is only possible if you can manage with only 8 different units in the entire game.
jaghar posted 04-07-99 07:29 PM ET
Well one thing that might be interesting is if they had graphic patches for the units. But basically this is just a suped up sci-fi version of Civ II.
I think the name Alpha Centauri itself pretty much negates the idea of medieval knights or cowboys and indians.
We'll just have to be happy with what we have. It's really not too much to ask for. We just get so danged spoiled that once we get an entre we want everything on the menu when the restraunt's just closed.
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Author	Topic: About customization (especially units)
CarolinerRainbow	posted 04-06-99 05:41 PM ET Hello, i'm new here, but i've had AC since its release, and i'm just at the point where i'd want to get down to some serious customizing. I've looked on these forums but have'nt seen anything about this, so forgive me if i missed it. Is there a good way to change unit graphics? I can see that the 3D graphics are unchangeable, which would be acceptable if the 2D sprites worked.. but as far as i can tell you're only permitted to have 8 units using 2D sprites. Surely I'm missing something, that would be extremely limiting and pretty much ruin any scenario ideas i have. Anyone know anything about this? I sure hope there is a way around that, half the enjoyment in this kind of game for me is altering it.
Bossman	posted 04-07-99 02:02 PM ET Just play it as it is. You dont need to change it. It is a brilliant game as it is and not one game I have played has been the same as another game I have. SMAC is brilliant on its own. But I too like to edit the units etc and the programmers have got round that by putting safeguards on it. I had the same problem that eight units was the max if 2D sprites were used. Hex Edit will not work on the graphic interface of SMAC either. So dont bother trying it. I have given up becuase it would take years to crack the programmers codes.
jaghar	posted 04-07-99 02:36 PM ET Only way you can change the units would be to get on the dev team. But why change the units?? Aren't there enough different configurations to keep you happy? I have some info about what you can configure in the game on my website at http://www.viking3d.com/smac/ Covers I think pretty much everything about factions that you can customize at present. Units IMHO don't need to change and even if they could I wouldn't want to go through all the pain of actually doing it. .pcx, txt, mp3, flc etc sure.. units? nah. I'm happy as they are.
CarolinerRainbow	posted 04-07-99 06:57 PM ET I think its terrible that they aren't allowing for the kind of modifications that could have been made even in Civ2. I mean yeah i loved AC but to be honest i get bored with the Sci-fi setting and need something else after awhile. I love the amount of freedom you have to edit the factions and most of the rules but overall you're still very limited by the unit graphics, i'd like to be able to make scenarios that are set just about anywhere, and it just dont make sense to be in a fantasy setting or ancient times, or even modern times with sci-fi units. I'd have much rather had 2D sprites that could be changed than 3D graphics that are unchangeable. I was misled though, somehow i was under the impression that although the 3D units are unchangeable you could simply use 2D sprites instead. this is only possible if you can manage with only 8 different units in the entire game.
jaghar	posted 04-07-99 07:29 PM ET Well one thing that might be interesting is if they had graphic patches for the units. But basically this is just a suped up sci-fi version of Civ II. I think the name Alpha Centauri itself pretty much negates the idea of medieval knights or cowboys and indians. We'll just have to be happy with what we have. It's really not too much to ask for. We just get so danged spoiled that once we get an entre we want everything on the menu when the restraunt's just closed.