[Freeciv-Dev] Re: suggestions

[Greg Wooledge <wooledge@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

Ben Webb (ben@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx) wrote:

> We
> still have some work to do on the graphics for modular (we call them
> compound) units, though, since ideally you want to combine the graphics
> for each component to get the complete graphic - any ideas from the
> freeciv community on the best way of going about this?

The way SMAC does it is modular.  For each different chassis (infantry,
speeder, foil, etc.) there is one "armor" picture for each different armor
type, and one "weapon" picture for each weapon type.  (E.g., a needlejet
with a chaos weapon looks just like a needlejet with a fusion weapon,
except for the nose/weapon part.  The armor picture affects the unit's
color pattern mostly.)

There are exceptions, though -- e.g., a probe team (SMAC equivalent of
a spy) is an chassis with a special "probe team weapon" instead of a
normal weapon; but the land-based probe team graphic is very different
from other infantry or speeder units.  (SMAC probe teams also don't have
a flag/shield showing which faction owns them.)

The way I'd go about it, if I had any graphical talent, would be to use
modular graphics with a lot of transparency.  Make a basic needlejet
image, which would show the unarmored needlejet (with no weapon); then
make a needlejet-synthmetal image showing a (weaponless) needlejet with
synthmetal armor; etc.  Then make a needlejet-hand-weapon image, showing
just the nose of a needlejet with a "hand weapon"; and a needlejet-laser
image showing a needlejet nose with a laser; etc.  When a player makes
a needlejet unit with some particular armor and weapon, just combine
the two pictures.

You'll need quite a few images to do this, but most of them are very
small (they'll have huge transparent backgrounds so they can be mixed),
and there should be a lot of repetition.

-- 
Greg Wooledge                    | "Truth belongs to everybody."
wooledge@xxxxxxxxxxx             |   Red Hot Chili Peppers
http://www.kellnet.com/wooledge/ |

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