[RWL] Grafiken und GameFonts

[raystuttgart]

Here new icons for Pearls and Coffeeberry (I change them a little bit).

Thanks a lot.
They are really beautiful.

I will continue with bonus icons and inform you when will have some results.

Thanks again.
And as I said, there is no need to hurry.

P.S. BTW, why you use both Cocoa and Dried Cocoa Beans?

Basically because I like to have production lines.
(Cocoafruits -> Dried Cocoa Beans is fully implemented and working.)

Do you plan to organize chocolate production in your mod?

No, I did not think about chocolate till now but I am thinking about having even more (and more complex) Production Lines in the future.

If "yes", I ask the second question: Chocolate is only an expensive export commodity or you plan to use it as costumers goods for the rich part of your city community in New World (as in games of ANNO series).

Selling goods to the settlers in own colonies is one of the first things I have planned for second release.
(see here)

Achtung Spoiler:

CivCol (and TAC) is a little bit to simple for my taste right now.
I want to add new game elements to have more diversity and complexity in it.

I believe that the elements "Exploration", "Immigration", "Economy" and "Diplomacy" should be more challenging and interesting as they are right now.
(Here you can take a look at my currently implemented and planned features. Sorry that it is all written in German.)

That is the point I have had a lot of discussions with other Modders and people from Community.
They are afraid that my Mod(Mod) would add too much complexity.

So first release will add "simple things" but a lot of that:

* new terrain (light green savanna)
* new units
* new production lines
* new founding fathers
* new bargaining with natives (which is probably the best feature of this ModMod right now)
* lots of new events and quests
* new system of missioning natives (which I really like)
* some rebalancing
* base technologies for features to come
...

However nothing that really makes the game "complex".

Then second release and following are supposed to be totally different:

Very experimental and complex features:
(the points listed are some of the things I am thinking about, nothing really sure)

* really complex production lines (multiple yields produced / consumed + own modifications)
* selling goods to own people
* 2nd all european immigration pool where European Colonies compete for the immigrants
* being able to send your ships to different european harbours
* injuries and diseases (eventually in a very late release)
* introducing "Barbarian Civ" (wild animals, pirates, deserteurs, natives on raid, ...)
* having 2nd Parent: Church (Katholic or Protestant)
* complex stories and quests with unique units
...

[KJ_Jansson]

Hi Ray!

I prepared couple new icons. Please, see the screen



You and your colleagues from TAC team are free to use/modify them as you want.

Addition:

To insert

Cocoa_Beans_Icon.dds
Coffee_goods_icon.dds
Cocoa_goods_Icon.dds

find and edit this and similar lines in the CIV4YieldInfos.xml file:

		<Icon>Art/Interface/Buttons/Resources/Cocoa/Cocoa_Icon.dds</Icon>

[raystuttgart]

I prepared couple new icons. Please, see the screen

Very nice.
Really like the look.
I will definitely use some of these new graphics.

[KJ_Jansson]

Hi Ray!

Could you, please, check in your mod this screen.

Open CivPedia, then Buildings, than Cathedral.

This is a correct variant.



Here so called [ICON_BULLET] error is present



Which variant you have?

Thank you in advance.
KJ

Addition:
I found the reason. The game incorrectly reads the long GameFont.tga. As result, [ICON_BULLET] is absent in CivPedia, plus some distortions in text appear on the main screen.

Should be a program solution (in source codes or in Python) and a graphical solution. I found a graphical one, but unfortunately this is only a partially solution. [ICON_BULLET] is absent on the main game screen and some distortions are present, too.

[raystuttgart]

Which variant you have?

Checked it:
I have the variant with the bullet in front.

Why are you asking ?

[KJ_Jansson]

Checked it:
I have the variant with the bullet in front.

Why are you asking ?

I have NO [ICON_BULLET] in CivPedia and on the game screen with my Gamefonts.

I know the reason. The game incorrectly reads the long GameFont.tga. As result, [ICON_BULLET] is absent in CivPedia, plus some distortions in text appear on the main screen.

It should be a program solution (in source codes or in Python) and a graphical solution. I found a graphical one, but unfortunately this is only a partially solution. [ICON_BULLET] is absent on the main game screen and some distortions are present, too.

I just tested your last GameFont.tga. Really, no error in CivPedia, but at least two errors on the game screen are present. Here the screen

[raystuttgart]

The game incorrectly reads the long GameFont.tga.

I was already afraid of things like that when using the long Gamefonts.
Maybe it is not such a good idea ?

Is it possible to use the old Gamefont-System and have 2 lines with Yield-Icons and one line with Special-Building-Icons under these ?

[raystuttgart]

Hi KJ,

just checked the Gamefonts:

There are a lot of new marker-pixel in there.
Adding new marker-pixel to the Gamefonts is always a bad thing to my experience.
(Never had problems when not touching these and also not adding new ones at all.)

I am going to check tomorrow.
Maybe I can fix it.

[KJ_Jansson]

I was already afraid of things like that when using the long Gamefonts.
Maybe it is not such a good idea ?

Don't worry. Gamefont problem has a very long history. Look, zB, this tread.

I continue testing....

I found that GameFont.tga gives [ICON_BULLET] in CivPedia, GameFont_75.tga - on the main game screen.
Now I could fix graphically both errors on main game screen. There is a small problem with wrong FontIndexes, but I could fix this in few minutes.

Thus, main conclusions:

1. Long GameFonts are working
2. The current problems are related to many new resources we add in our mods.
3. These problems are fixed at the moment.

Thank you for your tests.

Is it possible to use the old Gamefont-System and have 2 lines with Yield-Icons and one line with Special-Building-Icons under these ?

Two lines for Yield-Icons is probably the worst solution. I see no reasons to play back. Here we probably could fix the problem with YIELDS and [ICON_BULLET] icons, but we lost Special-Building-Icons at all.

To add a new line is also rather problematic solution. Yesterday I made practically similar experiments in a search of [ICON_BULLET] bug. All was OK, no problems during mod loading and in WorldBuilder, but I had a CTD when pressed "End Turn" button. Reason of CTD is a serious error in GameFonts (I removed one of line at all).

I repeat, probably, there is a program solution of these problems (c++ or Python, I don't know), but ATM no reasons to lost our time and efforts here, because graphically all errors could be fixed.

I will monitor the situation and inform you immediately if something really critical will be found.

[KJ_Jansson]

Hi Ray!

Here some icons for Colored Cloth, Hemp and Rope.



In "1492:GC" I plan to use an usual plantation for Hemp production (as a "Hemp_Plantation").

For Rope production I have no final solution yet. There are two variants: or as a city production inside the city-screen (if a free space will be available), or outside the city screen on empty tile (as a Rope_Fabric).

If I could realize the idea with city specialization, then the Rope production could and must be organized in Harbor_city because some quantity of YIELD_ROPE will be required for each new build ship on the city shipyard.

[raystuttgart]

Hi Ray!
Here some icons for Colored Cloth, Hemp and Rope.

Perfect.
Thanks again for your help.

In "1492:GC" I plan to use an usual plantation for Hemp production (as a "Hemp_Plantation").

I do not like to use different improvements for each of my different new yields/bonuses.

I am using the same improvement Plantation as in TAC for all Plantion-Yields/Bonuses..

Cotton, Tobacco, Coffee, Sugar .... -> Plantation

I only use special improvement when plantation makes no sense:

Minerals -> Mines
Wood and Fur -> Lodge
Stone -> Quarry
Food -> Farm
Cocoa and Spices -> Collectors Post
Winegrapes -> Wineyard
Cattle / Sheep -> Stable
...

For Rope production I have no final solution yet. There are two variants: or as a city production inside the city-screen (if a free space will be available), or outside the city screen on empty tile (as a Rope_Fabric).

I am going to use a new building inside the city for Rope.
(Still looking for one that fits and especially the Specialists.)

I really do not like to have buildings on tiles.

If I could realize the idea with city specialization, then the Rope production could and must be organized in Harbor_city because some quantity of YIELD_ROPE will be required for each new build ship on the city shipyard.

I will not try to have specialized cities.
I just do not like the idea.

And yes I will also have YIELD_ROPE required in small amounts for ships.
(As well as Tools, Cloth, Valuable Wood and Guns if it is a military ship.)

[raystuttgart]

@KJ:

By the way, I am still looking for Icons / Buttons for the yield "Imported Luxury Goods".
(Would be a new feature with DLL-Coding. Technical Concept is already done.)

These are goods that are bought in Europe and sold to the people in the colonies.
Basic idea is that the Colonists are consumers too.

I still have no really good idea how thes Icons / Buttons could look.

Idea 1:
They look like trading goods (Box) but more valuable.

Idea 2:
Combination of other valuable goods, like Porcelain, Tea, ...

Do you have any suggestions and maybe even Icons / Buttons that could fit ?

[KJ_Jansson]

I already have Icons for those.
But if you have nicer icons I will use yours of course.

OK, I will prepare my variant and you could choose that you prefer.

Huge numbers of Yields is a problem for all of those screens.
Advisor-Screens, City-Screen and Europe-Screen.

48 is a maximum that I have chosen for myself by checking how things would look with my current 40.
(It is not an absolute technical limit.)

Things get really crowded and look ugly when going above 50.
(My personal opinion.)

I see no big problems on both City- and Europe screens. Of course, it's IMHO. I had 30 icons in one line in "1492: GC. Resource Pack". Later NeseryoznuyVET published his "VET Screen Mod" where all icons were located in two lines. Thus, maximum quantity could be 60 (at least).

Now our French collegues ("Dawn of New Era" mod) are working on a new trading screen where, to my opinion, no problems will be with the quantity of yields.

However, too many yields is much more serious problem for Advisor-Screen, at least for me. Here a ScrollPanel should be used, but unfortunately I cannot perfectly adjust ScrollPanel on Advisor screen. And how about you? Could you addScrollPanel for Advisor screen? If "yes" could you, please, show me how exactly. I tried to do it in the interactive regime (game is running and I edit the python file), but without success.

By the way, I am still looking for Icons / Buttons for the yield "Imported Luxury Goods".

These are goods that are bought in Europe and sold to the people in the colonies.
Basic idea is that the Colonists are consumers too.

I still have no really good idea how thes Icons / Buttons could look.

Idea 1:
They look like trading goods (Box) but more valuable.

Idea 2:
Combination of other valuable goods, like Porcelain, Tea, ...

Do you have any suggestions and maybe even Icons / Buttons that could fit ?

OK, I understand your idea.

Idea 2:
Combination of other valuable goods, like Porcelain, Tea, ...

Do you have any suggestions and maybe even Icons / Buttons that could fit ?

I have the icons for all these goods and no problems to combine, but I don't think you are right with Porcelain and Tea.

Both chinese Porcelain and indian Tea, plus Silk were the goods that were imported in Europe. Prices for these goods was so high in Europe in the beginning of XVI century that no commercial reason was to export these products in New World. Look, "Boston Tea Party" was only in 1773.

Let's think which goods could be imported in a New World.... Maybe jewelry and luxury dresses? or something else....

Maybe your German colleagues have some ideas? I'll prepare some variants and you decide how exactly should look "Imported Luxury Goods".

[raystuttgart]

I see no big problems on both City- and Europe screens. Of course, it's IMHO. I had 30 icons in one line in "1492: GC. Resource Pack". Later NeseryoznuyVET published his "VET Screen Mod" where all icons were located in two lines. Thus, maximum quantity could be 60 (at least).

Now our French collegues ("Dawn of New Era" mod) are working on a new trading screen where, to my opinion, no problems will be with the quantity of yields.

However, too many yields is much more serious problem for Advisor-Screen, at least for me. Here a ScrollPanel should be used, but unfortunately I cannot perfectly adjust ScrollPanel on Advisor screen. And how about you? Could you addScrollPanel for Advisor screen? If "yes" could you, please, show me how exactly. I tried to do it in the interactive regime (game is running and I edit the python file), but without success.

48 is just my personal limit.
I do not want to have totally different screens (Europe for example).

As I said, it is not a technical thing.
It is just my personal taste.

Advisor Screens:

Yes I want to use Scrollbars for those.
(Espescially in the Sub-Screen for the Special-Buildings.)
I think I will get that working.
Just give me some time.
(I am still implementing other things.)

By the way:

addScrollPanel is probably not what you are looking for.
Do you want to have another Panel or do you want to scroll the whole screen ?

Did you use this as reference ?

OK, I understand your idea.

I have the icons for all these goods and no problems to combine, but I don't think you are right with Porcelain and Tea.

Both chinese Porcelain and indian Tea, plus Silk were the goods that were imported in Europe. Prices for these goods was so high in Europe in the beginning of XVI century that no commercial reason was to export these products in New World. Look, "Boston Tea Party" was only in 1773.

Let's think which goods could be imported in a New World.... Maybe jewelry and luxury dresses? or something else....

Maybe your German colleagues have some ideas? I'll prepare some variants and you decide how exactly should look "Imported Luxury Goods".

Yes you are right.
Maybe it is better to not relate to specific goods in the icons / buttons, but have something "neutral" looking similar to Trade Goods but with a little bit more "expensive touch".

[KJ_Jansson]

Here my variant for Salt, Coal and Imported Luxury Goods (draft version).



Please, note the difference in icons between Salt (Coal) as yield/bonus resource and Salt/Coal as goods. We should see Salt and Coal as goods on the City/Europe screens.

Concerning Imported Luxury Goods.

ATM I have no exact information about luxury goods imported in New World from Europe.

Traditionally tools, arms, food, horses and home animals imported in colonies from Europe in XV-XVI centuries. However, all these goods are already present in the game, moreover these goods are usual products, not luxury ones. Thus, the question is open....

Any proposals from the community would be greatly appreciated.