SMACivilization

[Buster's Uncle]

-The idea being to make SMAX look as much as possible like CivII.  Gameplay is already similar, if somewhat more advanced in SMAX.

I'm going to need to work out some issues with the color palette -SMAX doesn't do actual grey as-is- and do something about not having a working copy of Photoshop (GIMP can't handle the background transparencies, and I don't have blank copies of the terrain and interface .pcxs).

Units beside barbarians will depend on what can be done with Ford_Prefect's .cvr editor.  I'd definitely like to have the help of an .exe modder to make the base borders white, probably a few other things as I get into it and find features that can't be altered in the readily-moddable files.  I expect I'll probably base this on the SCIENTiffic patch V2.1.

I have the art done for four or five custom factions done on the premise that various made it to Alpha Centauri at the end of CivII.  They were done in collaboration with Alexander about 12 years ago, who came up with the concept, many bits of the art I altered, and the name SMACivilization.  Samples of that stuff to come soon.


I'll be wanting user input as I go (for instance, do we want to stick with the sequel-on-Alpha-Centauri concept, or go for a more purist straight 'CivII on another engine') (and what other II civs shall I custom up for this?) because there isn't much point unless people play it.  In particular, someone who .txt mods SMACX factions would be welcome to keep the factions from playing like the original SMAC seven.  So please feel to make with the suggestions and unreasonable demands...

[Buster's Uncle]

Here's the Azteks, the Astral Jaguar Cult:




And the Egyptian bases on a SMACX background w/ some Deadlock II elements (my SMACX installs are all hopelessly contaminated w/ old mod tests):

[Buster's Uncle]

[Buster's Uncle]

...I could get started on the basic work w/ the terrain, interface and barbarians if some good soul who has Photoshop (or equivalent that can handle the transparent background colors for SMACX) would make me blanks of

• Units.pcx
• texture.pcx
• ter1wreck.pcx
• ter1.pcx
• interface.pcx
• iface.pcx
• iface_down.pcx
• iface_down2.pcx
• iface_down2_A.pcx
• iface_down_A.pcx
• iface_up.pcx
• iface_up2.pcx
• iface_up2_A.pcx
• iface_up_A.pcx

- just load the file>sample the purple (or pink) background color (not ALL the palettes are identical, so do it each time to be sure)>select all>fill the entire file w/ the color you sampled>Save>Attach file to a post.  It'll take longer to load, save and attach than to do the alteration - probably less than a half hour.


Then I'll be able to get to serious work; probably have something worth playing to post within a week, maybe...

-I'm in the high-energy phase of my mood cycle ATM -when I feel/am productive- which won't last more than six months - and as little as two.  Time's a-wastin'!  Thanks.

[Buster's Uncle]

[Buster's Uncle]

I'm tinkering the interface files today, and I see I probably don't need any of those iface/interface files blanked --- the holes for information (text) all go in the same place...

[Buster's Uncle]

Looks like there's some not-clearly-labeled interface bits I've yet to turn up.  Fun, searching through a million .pcxs to be sure...

(I noticed a flaw in the shading of the postbit box in this theme while I was working with this stuff - so fixed that
as gravy to the project.)

[Buster's Uncle]

I'll need to post a complete list of interface files before I'm done, just to save that knowledge for the future.  Many are clearly redundant/unused, but hard to say which - I keep finding more, and I'm just in the "C"s.

This is it for faction art already done.  I think you'll all agree that two more to make seven, at least, is absolutely called for.  Input welcome.  -Also for text stuff for the ones already made...

[Buster's Uncle]

...Into the Js w/ interface/button files, now...

[Buster's Uncle]

Into the Ts now.



-And I don't think the game actually uses this one, but-
Before: 


After: 

[Buster's Uncle]

Ooh.  Since when will GIMP open and let me alter .flcs?  This might be BIG news for SMACX faction modders.



Here's a .gif version of what I did with the End Turn button:

Before: 


C2ified:

[Buster's Uncle]

I'm not sure what to do about the specialists-

-they don't map very well to the SMACX specialists, and there's seven, not three.  If I was supplied contemporary-looking images to represent the four slots I can't shoehorn Einstein, Elvis and Narrow-head into, I think that would be best.  Any volunteers?

[Buster's Uncle]

Specialist   Econ   Psych   Labs


Doctor        0         2         0


Empath      2         2         0


Transcend   2        2         4


Technician   3        0         0


Engineer     3        0         2


Librarian     0        0         3


Thinker       0        1         3






-So Doctor=Elvis, Technician=Accountant, and Librarian=Einstein.  What about the others?

[Buster's Uncle]

That's better.

For myself, I'd be satisfied to look at the latter four as future advanced versions - and I'm rather fond of what I did with the last three....

[Buster's Uncle]

I am going to need a blank of one of the console series, once I figure out which.  No problem covering what's already there - but the main screen playing interface covers more screen at the bottom than it has to, and I covered a bit more than that to not make the 2 box edges hopelessly baroque and un-2-looking.  I can simplify all that a lot and reveal a bit more for the player if only I had a blank background .pcx to play with...