Colour-coded planetary improvements

from GalCiv2 Forums

I often have trouble identifying the different planetary improvements. The same basic building can look completely different on different tech levels, making it hard to see what I've actually built on my planets.

Maybe it's a good idea to have a toggle that colour-codes the buildings. For example, it could give all factories an orange teint, while research buildings become blue, and so on - preferably matching the colour of the bonus tile icons. That way, it's much easier to see at a glance what buildings I have.

ideas
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Reply #1 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Which is exactly why i am currently designing the X-Worlds Icons/Queries sets with that type of focusing symbols and coloring schemas.

Using Alpha-channel and a corner (on queries) i can even fit a terrain type circle-like cue indicating what is right underneath the building on the surface. Another corner will also receive a sort-of-symbol for categories, again colored to ease the identification process. I might also insert a kinda Stepping-Ball-Icon with fractions to indicate first through last for some types of buildings.

Mostly the names will also reflect these patterns since, for example, the Basic/Labs through Discovery/Sphere group should probably be described with simple stuff such as this; Laboratory-1 to Laboratory-5 (or -- abc_def, alpha_omega, etc)... while sticking to most of the true X-Com features & principles found in the bases layout. Radars, Access-Lift, Hyperwave Decoders, the list is extensive - adapting any to GC (similar but somehow, different both visually and descriptively) becomes a matter of choice and careful planning.

In the case of GC2 Defaults and their data/values there's always the possibility for anyone to step right into the xml file (PlanetsImprovements) and edit anything as required... but that involves thorough understanding of the data and its 'dependancies' and not to alter the wrong lines which would cause more damage to the code than help out.

But, that's modding at user level only. Having SD and its staff consider another system for its own designs is a different issue altogether. Can't please everyone at once, that's for sure. :)

- Zyxpsilon.
Reply #2 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Maybe it's a good idea to have a toggle that colour-codes the buildings. For example, it could give all factories an orange teint, while research buildings become blue, and so on - preferably matching the colour of the bonus tile icons. That way, it's much easier to see at a glance what buildings I have.



Actually you could do that yourself by adding the tint to the buildings




or



I added the icon to it but you could just add the tint like you said !!!

also how about this ??



I had to add the white so you could see the word research
CursorFX - Customize your Windows cursor
Reply #3 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
I guess I've played too much--the only building icons that typically leave me wondering are the unique buildings. Screentips could help folks learn the images more quickly and might not be as dev-vexing as adding a new layer to the full page graphics.

I'd be more interested in seeing some color-info added to the big colonies list, starting with some flags to mark extreme environments below 100% production (something like putting the red and yellow circles by the planet names similarly to how the planets appear on the main map).