 |
| |
|
|
yin26
|
 |
This space reserved for Darkstar.
Apr 1999
time: 14:15
|
|
While I haven't done this scientifically or anything, it would seem that this largely "anti-eye candy" forum somehow and for some reason sees leader/unit animations as, at least in one case, potentially "awe inspiring."
Just to clarify:
** While the animations we see in isolation and in large size look good, in-game unit animation will be much harder to see in any kind of detail. Also, those animations will likely be from only limited angles and in the most repetitive format.
** If you want really cool unit animations, play a great RTS game like Age of Kings. Which begs the question: Why do some of the hardcore TBSers among us get excited by stuff taken poorly from the RTS genre? Is Firaxis trying to creep an RTS Civ 4 into the pipeline? (Hmmm, I just remembered that the animations in Heroes of Might and Magic 4 look awfully damn good, but they are done there far more extensively than in Civ 3).
** Speaking of, if you are really all that hot about having units animated, hell, make Civ 4 an RTS game. Perhaps Brian Reynolds can advise?
For my money, the unit animations in Civ 3 will most likely be turned off in short order. They will be nothing compared to unit animations elsewhere I have already grown accostumed to; they will add little to gameplay and atmosphere; AND they likely will eat up some CPU resources in the process...though it looks like the sys specs are modest enough.
And as for the animated leaders: Same thing. I can't imagine how much work must have gone into that effort. If they wanted to stick with their "painting" approach, a really cool and super detailed framed painting of the leaders would have sufficed and maintained the theme of the game a bit more logically.
I don't want to be the wet blanket once again, but I just find some of this excitement about animations a bit odd.
|
|
| |
|
|
|
tniem
|
|
Hope College
Apr 2000
time: 00:15
|
|
CtP had unit animations, so they need to keep up with what other TBS games are doing. Turn them off if you don't like them, I probably won't care all that much.
|
|
| |
|
|
|
yin26
|
|
This space reserved for Darkstar.
Apr 1999
time: 14:15
|
|
O.K. I've checked it out and will give my impressions, but first as to what Markos posted: What that really tells me is that even TBSers put a premium on eye-candy, which is something I've known for a long time and never had a problem with. So you've helped answer the question: YES, animations are a selling point to a majority of TBSers here.
The larger issue, and one that is reconfirmed looking at the screensaver, is this: O.K. Great. Now we have nicely done animations (and they ARE nicely done, I can see) but the landscape itself is dead. Looking at what they have there, there is a major disjointed feeling as those lively units walk across the land.
Mountains are hovered over, along with trees and rivers and cities... In other words, any feeling of terrain depth or altitude is simply wrecked as these fluid animations glide around with a shadow beneath them.
Is this an improvement? Well, once you get over the disjointed feeling, I think it DOES add something, but it's only half the picture. Perhaps it will be with Civ 4 when these moving units are properly placed and interact with the terrain. For now, I'll do my best to suspend my disbelief.
|
|
| |
|
|
|
Grim Legacy
|
|
War Machine, Barbaric King, Relentless, Remorseless, Guiltless and Unclean!
Aug 2001
time: 06:15
|
|
While I'm in favor of visual glory, I don't think the animations do justice to the nature of Civ.
The thing is -Civ is an abstract game. It's not a single soldier with a spear walking about in some fields, it's a band of warriors roaming the vast plains.
The emphasis on that single guy swinging his axe misses this point, and, indeed, reminds me of RTS-esque games.
There is an additional problem -what about custom units? Is it still feasible to make your own units, now that they are made out of pre-rendered, animated graphics?
On a more personal note, I also think the 'look' of the animated units and also leaders and advisors is childish...somewhat candy-coated. Of course...this is done exactly to appeal to children, so that more copies are sold...but still...
|
|
| |
All times are GMT. The time now is 05:15.
Apolyton Time is 00:15. |
top of page
|
| archivepost |
|
Forum Rules:
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts
|
HTML code is ON
vB code is ON
Smilies are ON
[IMG] code is ON
|
|
|
|
|
|
10-08-2001 07:36
). You are right, flashy graphics are for the casual games and for the younger crowd but as concluded last year when it was first brought up, most of us will be turning them off right away. As far as they being huge, they have to be, that is the trademark of ALL of Sid's games. The unit is the focus of the user's control and therefore, must stand out in order to view, select and move.
|