Complete solar system

from GalCiv3 Forums

Hi everyone,

I'm only getting started with modding GalcivIII and I have noticed how planets are now using many more texture, normal maps etc. to show up in game.

Just as I used to do for Galciv II, I would like to add more planets to the Sol system, including Venus, Uranus and Neptune. I know there are already some maps and mods that do include these addition, but I really wanted to learn more about the image files used for the planets and how to add them in a mod.

Venus is my first challenge. I want to make it a toxic planet with, if possible, two different textures: one that would appear on the galactic map, and another that would show up in the planet screen. I would also like to know how the best way to have the continents drawn out (I already have a grayscale heightmap and a normal map for Venus).

Any first tips to get me started? Here are some images of possible textures for Venus, if you are interested :

 

 

11,822 views 4 replies
Reply #2 from GalCiv3 Forums Top

[EDIT: I forgot to say first that this is COOL!]

If:

a) I can keep my computer for a few more months (lost job , they want it back)

b) can get through some other mods

c) don't get messed up by Crusade

 

... I plan to add a special planet type for Venus... Greenhouse World or somesuch.

Curtains - Customize Windows with additional styles
Reply #3 from GalCiv3 Forums Top

Quoting Horemvore, reply 1

Read This

And This
End of Horemvore's quote

 

Thank you for the helpful links. I'll try to apply the textures after work.

 

Now, I'm also wondering if it is possible to modify clouds as to cover the whole planet with Venus' thick atmosphere, so as to give it a different look when you look at it from the main screen and the planet window.

Reply #4 from GalCiv3 Forums Top

Hey,

I've been having some terrible difficulty with the continents. I've managed to upload a texture for the planet's background but no matter what I do with normal maps and alpha channels, nothing appears on the screen and the available tiles are simply scattered all around, not even touching each other. The NVIDIA tool does not work with my CC 2014 version of photoshop.

Can someone help me turn a grayscale image into something that will work in game?

Here is what I wrote down in ContinentDefs.xml :

Code: xml
  3. <ContinentDef>
  4. <InternalName>Venus0</InternalName>
  5. <ExcludeFromRandomGen>1</ExcludeFromRandomGen>
  6. <EstimatedClass>8</EstimatedClass>
  7. <TileCount>8</TileCount>
  8. <TextureTile>Planet_Continent_Venus_Merged.dds</TextureTile>
  9. </ContinentDef>

And these lines are present for Venus under PlanetArtDefs.xml :

Code: xml
  3. <ArtDefine>
  4. <InternalName>VenusArt</InternalName>
  5. <Radius>18</Radius>
  6. <RotationSpeed>-0.06</RotationSpeed>
  7. <ModelFile>gfx/planets/planet_globe_with_seams.sdf</ModelFile>
  8. <AxisTilt>0.5</AxisTilt>
  9. <BaseLayerTextureFile>Planet_Base_Venus_Merged.dds</BaseLayerTextureFile>
  10. <BaseLayerGradientFile>Planet_Base_Mars_Gradient_01.png</BaseLayerGradientFile>
  11. <AltLatGradientTextureFile>Planet_Base_Mars_Gradient_01.png</AltLatGradientTextureFile>
  12. <BaseLayerDiffuseColor>
  13. <Red>255</Red>
  14. <Green>255</Green>
  15. <Blue>255</Blue>
  16. <Alpha>150</Alpha>
  17. </BaseLayerDiffuseColor>
  18. <EmissiveColor>
  19. <Red>255</Red>
  20. <Green>255</Green>
  21. <Blue>250</Blue>
  22. <Alpha>255</Alpha>
  23. </EmissiveColor>
  24. <PolarCapTintColor>
  25. <Red>255</Red>
  26. <Green>255</Green>
  27. <Blue>255</Blue>
  28. <Alpha>255</Alpha>
  29. </PolarCapTintColor>
  30. <AtmosphereColor>
  31. <Red>255</Red>
  32. <Green>255</Green>
  33. <Blue>250</Blue>
  34. <Alpha>50</Alpha>
  35. </AtmosphereColor>
  36. <PolarCapSize>0</PolarCapSize>
  37. <ContinentSqueezeFactor>0</ContinentSqueezeFactor>
  38. <BaseGloss>0</BaseGloss>
  39. <BaseSpecularIntensity>0</BaseSpecularIntensity>
  40. <BaseMetal>0</BaseMetal>
  41. <TerrainGloss>0</TerrainGloss>
  42. <TerrainSpecularIntensity>0</TerrainSpecularIntensity>
  43. <TerrainMetal>0</TerrainMetal>
  44. <CustomContinent>Venus0</CustomContinent>
  45. <Ambient>0.05</Ambient>
  46. <HaloIntensity>0.5</HaloIntensity>
  47. <HaloEffect>
  48. <RotationSpeed>5</RotationSpeed>
  49. <FadeSpeed>4</FadeSpeed>
  50. <MinIntensity>0.7</MinIntensity>
  51. <MaxIntensity>1</MaxIntensity>
  52. <Alternating>false</Alternating>
  53. <Scale>1.15</Scale>
  54. </HaloEffect>
  55. <HaloEffect>
  56. <RotationSpeed>2</RotationSpeed>
  57. <FadeSpeed>2</FadeSpeed>
  58. <MinIntensity>0.2</MinIntensity>
  59. <MaxIntensity>0.7</MaxIntensity>
  60. <Alternating>false</Alternating>
  61. <Scale>1.25</Scale>
  62. </HaloEffect>
  63. </ArtDefine>