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Topic: The good old roads and flags

Widehunter

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Joined: 2010-01-13, 02:25
Posts: 8
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Pry about Widelands
Posted at: 2010-01-13, 02:44

I'm new to widelands and I was suprised by how much the roads and flags actually bloat the overall looks and eyecandy of this game(not that there is much to speak of) I know this game is all about roads and flags are important for the logistics.

But why do the roads have to be so unrealistically straight? It wouldn't hurt to see a tiny bit of wiggling nuances here and there withing the tiles while the little dudes would still go at the same speed without making the journey longer.

The flags also look very uninspiring and dull in your settlement. I wouldn't say no if someone came up with something else to replace the flags. They could be given different shapes and colors, representing your tribe and adding flavor.

I just got a brilliant idea: replace the flags with little houses! This would give you the impression of a real city.

If you find that too extreme, just give the flags new looks.

Edited: 2010-01-13, 02:45

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SirVer

Joined: 2009-02-19, 15:18
Posts: 1445
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One Elder of Players
Location: Germany - Munich
Posted at: 2010-01-13, 07:00

The different tribes have different flags. You can simply replace them by replacing the flags graphics in the tribes directories. Go ahead, make better ones and we will include them. This is open source: don't like it -> change it. Same goes for the eye candy: want more, make more. We might include it if it looks good.

!SirVer


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Spiceskull

Joined: 2009-02-24, 15:13
Posts: 49
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Pry about Widelands
Posted at: 2010-01-13, 20:21

SirVer wrote: The different tribes have different flags. You can simply replace them by replacing the flags graphics in the tribes directories. Go ahead, make better ones and we will include them. This is open source: don't like it -> change it. Same goes for the eye candy: want more, make more. We might include it if it looks good. SirVer

Hear hear ... make the game play just as you like it ... I have fluorescent pink flags in my game ... and the frontier posts are candy stripe pyramids ... honest!


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Widehunter

Topic Opener
Joined: 2010-01-13, 02:25
Posts: 8
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Pry about Widelands
Posted at: 2010-01-13, 20:25

That's very odd, why make board for suggestions if everybody is supposed to change the game for themselves? The game is very enjoyable as it is so you don't have to tell me that it's open source, it's not like I want a whole new game just some graphical adjustments.

Nobody has to do what I suggest unless they like the idea too and my only purpose was to make a suggestion to the developers of the official build. Perhaps someone else will be interested


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sigra

Joined: 2009-03-05, 19:02
Posts: 130
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At home in WL-forums
Location: Orsa
Posted at: 2010-01-13, 20:50

It is not even required to replace the existing flags/bordermarkers. Just create alternatives and activate them in initializations (non-scenario games) or with events (scenario games).


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QCS

Joined: 2009-12-29, 22:47
Posts: 256
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Tribe Member
Posted at: 2010-01-14, 13:07

Widehunter wrote: That's very odd, why make board for suggestions if everybody is supposed to change the game for themselves? The game is very enjoyable as it is so you don't have to tell me that it's open source, it's not like I want a whole new game just some graphical adjustments. Nobody has to do what I suggest unless they like the idea too and my only purpose was to make a suggestion to the developers of the official build. Perhaps someone else will be interested

You are right, and on the other hand misunderstanding SirVer about his proposal.

Open Source software means (basically) that you can, if you are technically able, change anything you want, because everything needed is provided. Many Open Source projects are indeed Community projects, like for example Widelands. That means that any help from anyone is gladly accepted, not only in coding but also in improving data, graphics, sound, or gameplay. And you are encouraged to do so, if you feel that this is a good idea. So if you feel that flags are boring (indeed, I think similar, but they are at least ok, and they are there because nobody made a better proposal yet) then you are strongly encouraged to share your ideas, maybe even produce a sample or at least a well written description so that graphicians can work on that, and the widelands people will discuss it and very possibly accept your proposal. So what SirVer asks you to do is just, if you happen to have an idea how to replace the boring old flags, then please go ahead and contribute your ideas, and be a part of the community that develops Widelands. Any help is appreciated.

Best wishes, Qcumber-some aka QCS


CMake is evil.

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Widehunter

Topic Opener
Joined: 2010-01-13, 02:25
Posts: 8
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Pry about Widelands
Posted at: 2010-01-15, 00:38

OK QCS thanks for your reply

What about the roads? Is it a good idea to add some wiggle?

And I actually did describe an alternative to the flags: changing them into small shacks/huts. Obviously these would be in the same style as your tribe so I don't think I'm the one to show the developers how to make a small house in Barbarian style for example. If this was to be implemented, we would also avoid little guys standing next to a flag(looks weird), because then they would be standing next to their own house(seemingly) Imagine small houses all over your settlement. All those people running around need to live SOMEWHERE..

cheers

Edited: 2010-01-15, 01:11

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QCS

Joined: 2009-12-29, 22:47
Posts: 256
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Tribe Member
Posted at: 2010-01-15, 10:58

Now you are offering more detailed information about your idea. Great face-smile.png

The first post revealed just "flags boring, make little houses".

Now it says "Flags are boring, look stupid, houses would be better because those people have to live somewhere. Make small shacks/huts in the style of the tribe. Imagine small houses all over your settlement." Now we can discuss that face-smile.png

I personally like the idea, but I also have a small "game logic issue". All those houses of the infrastructure need building material, why don't those many many houses at the roads need building material? I doubt it would be easy to find a way to make building roads cost something, it would seriously impact balancing. Implementing that would also take a good amount of time.

Apart from that, the small shacks must be really different in the way that they can't be mixed up with infrastructure houses. I switched the images for houses I've found on my system (KDE "Home" icon :D) and I imagine a serious problem if those houses get too big. Really small houses would be ok.


CMake is evil.

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Widehunter

Topic Opener
Joined: 2010-01-13, 02:25
Posts: 8
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Pry about Widelands
Posted at: 2010-01-15, 15:46

Yes they need to be small, something like the "goody huts" of Civ3 and 4. http://www.civfanatics.net/uploads10/GHCPS.jpg (just to give an idea)

If you make them small enough, perhaps even smaller than your workers(I don't have the scale in my mind now), it would be impossible to mix them up with normal infrastructure buildings, since these would be houses built on 1 triangle tile (because they replace flags).They are automatically smaller than other buildings unless you make them abnormally long. And there should also be ways to make the shacks blend in with the terrain they are built on, to make them less noticeable than the economic buildings. A little snow for snowy terrain some greenish stuff for grassland etc.

And about the "game logic" issue. It is exactly the fact that this is an economic game, that makes it perfectly logical for the player not to be involved in the building of simple peasant's shacks. The fact that this is an economic game doesn´t mean your workers should have nowhere to live, however. You simply set a flag just like normal, but your little guys will automatically(and very quickly) build a home for themselves there (if they can reach it by road). It will cost you nothing because you, as the leader of your tribe, are not responsible for building the homes for each and every one of your people. Everybody who's with you should build there own homes. This is similar to what you find in games like Caesar and Pharaoh(although in those games you do pay to assign a place as residential)

Edited: 2010-01-15, 15:50

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SirVer

Joined: 2009-02-19, 15:18
Posts: 1445
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One Elder of Players
Location: Germany - Munich
Posted at: 2010-01-16, 10:00

Widehunter, your idea sounds interesting. I fear that those houses could be mixed up with the real infrastructure, but a small test with such housing could easily be done and some screenshots shown. As for the wiggling: this is a lot to implement and it needs to be done in the code. It is unlikely that some developer will spent time on this, since we all are busy to implement features and fix bugs face-wink.png

!SirVer


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