The High-Resolution Graphics Mod by LogicSequence (Official Thread)

Published on December 18, 2007 By LogicSequence In Galactic Civilizations II

The High-Resolution Graphics Mod

v1.2 for Dark Avatar:

The High-Resolution Graphics Mod by LogicSequence has
been relaunched, at it's new home, I-Mod-Productions!

Originally launched alongside Dark Avatar in February of 2007, HRGM has been updated to version 1.2 for it's relaunch, and has a few new additions. Namely a new tech tree background and Ship Intelligence Report background, and some tweaks and fixes to various textures from the previous version 1.02.
For those of you who have never downloaded HRGM, or would like to be reminded what HRGM is all about, HRGM does the following:

> Replaces the textures for all the races' homeworlds with new, original higher resolution versions.
> Replaces all of the second habitable planets in the Races' home star systems with higher resolution textures.
> Replaces all Class 0 planet textures with new, original higher resolution versions.
> Replaces all ring and moon textures with new, original higher resolution versions.
> Replaces all cloud textures with new, original higher resolution versions.
> Includes authentic all-new Raw Terrain maps for all of the races' homeworlds.
> Adds more color variation to the background nebulae.
> Increases the quality of the star graphics.
> Enables stars to give off colored light specific to their type.
> Replaces all of the (class 0) planets in the Races' home star systems with higher resolution textures unique to their solar system.
> And more!

Come and join those who already have HRGM and experience a whole new graphically detailed Dark Avatar! You can find HRGM hosted at I-Mod-Productions in the downloads section! Or you go directly to the downloads page at I-Mod HERE! Also be sure to check out the Screenshot Gallery of HRGM in action, and visit the HRGM Thread at the I-Mod Forums, or post here in this thread at the Galactic Civilizations II forums.

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SCREENSHOTS:

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LINKS:

DOWNLOAD

GALLERY

I-MOD FORUM THREAD

GALCIV II LIBRARY ENTRY

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FAQ:

I downloaded the file. It comes as a .rar file.
What is a .rar file? What do you do with it?

A rar file is a compressed file, like a .zip file, you have to extract (unzip) it. Download WinRAR from www.rarlab.com to extract it. Once you extract it you will be left with an executable, an installer. Double click it to install.

Is HRGM Metaverse compatible?

It is not metaverse compatible because several xml files are altered to make use of the new raw terrain maps.

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The High-Resolution Graphics Mod

v2.0 for Twilight of the Arnor:

Coming in May

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NEWS:

*NEW: MAY 01, 2008: Twilight of the Arnor has been released, as you might have noticed, HRGM2 has not. The release of HRGM2 has been pushed back to mid May

New Features and changes in HRGM 2.0 for Twilight of the Arnor:
* All new and replacement textures in High-Resolution format (at least 1024 x 512, many 2048 x 1024 or higher).
* Texture optimization features to reduce the amount of RAM used by HRGM 2.0.
* All homeworld textures from TA have been enhanced using my faux bump mapping technique, which is used in many of the planet textures throughout the mod.
* Number of Class 0 planet textures increased from 10 to 20.
* Cloud textures replaced with photorealistic versions, in twice the resolution they are in HRGM 1.2.
* Each of the races' home star systems have unique planet textures for all of the planets in the system.
* Each of the races' second habitable planet in their home star system has its own unique texture.
* Sol system planet textures replaced, Earth map in extremely high-resolution, planet Mercury replaced with planet Venus.
* Habitable planet textures replaced with their High-Resolution counterparts (I had the pleasure of being asked by Stardock to create many of the planet textures for Twilight of the Arnor, thus i'm happy to include the High-Resolution versions of those textures in HRGM 2.0).
* Moon and Ring textures replaced with High-Resolution versions.
* Background nebulae images altered to provide a more colored pallette.
* Star "corona" textures enhanced.
* Star FX modded so that stars give off slightly colored light depending on their color (red, green, blue, purple, etc...).
* Default race UI and base ID colors enhanced to make them more identifiable on the minimap.
* Tech Grid background replaced with slightly less "busy" version (same exact style as the default, except that the numbers and various weapon pictures have been removed so that tech names are easier to read).
NEW: JAN 24, 2008:
* New and exclusive planet textures not to be released with the TA retail version! You can only get them here with HRGM 2.0!

Comments (Page 1)

pndrev

on Dec 19, 2007

Looks great!

Since it only replaces textures, is it Metaverse compatible

ProfXYZ

on Dec 19, 2007

Dec. 19,

Great Stuff, Ah, please, does it play in TA?

Or maybe, please, a TA version?

Thankx,

Prof.

LogicSequence

on Dec 19, 2007

Looks great!

Since it only replaces textures, is it Metaverse compatible

It is not metaverse compatible because several xml files are altered to make use of the new raw terrain maps.

LogicSequence

on Dec 19, 2007

Dec. 19,

Great Stuff, Ah, please, does it play in TA?

Or maybe, please, a TA version?

Thankx,

Prof.

Well, i suppose now is as good a time as any to

announce that The High-Resolution Graphics

Mod v2.0 for Twilight of the Arnor

is currently under development! The plan is to

launch it alongside Twilight in January, however that

could be subject to change.

Neilo

on Dec 19, 2007

It is not metaverse compatible because several xml files are altered to make use of the new raw terrain maps.

Is there any part of the mod that is MV friendly? You say the raw terrain map xml's are modded. If those were not included would it then be suitable for the MV?

The screenshots look great..Nice work!

LogicSequence

on Dec 21, 2007

Is there any part of the mod that is MV friendly? You say the raw terrain map xml's are modded. If those were not included would it then be suitable for the MV?

Well, to make it MV compatible you'd have to remove everything in the /data folder, which would render over 50% of the mod useless.

10kLakes

on Dec 21, 2007

I downloaded the file. It comes down as a .rar file.

What is a .rar file? What do you do with it?

LogicSequence

on Dec 22, 2007

I downloaded the file. It comes down as a .rar file.

What is a .rar file? What do you do with it?

A rar file is a compressed file, like a .zip file, you have to extract (unzip) it. Download WinRAR from www.rarlab.com to extract it When you're done, keep WinRAR; you're going to run into other rar files on the web. Once you extract it you will be left with an executable, an installer. Double click it to install.

LogicSequence

on Jan 02, 2008

What do YOU want to see in HRGM

2.0 for Twilight of the Arnor?

OK guys, so now is your chance to drum up suggestions for HRGM 2.0. HRGM 2.0 is nearing Beta phase so time is short for adding new content. Keep in mind, this is a graphics mod, it's not a mod that's going to effect gameplay, it's not about adding races, it's not about new techs and new invasion options, or anything like that; it's about bring new and higher resolution graphics to the game, and generally enhancing anything visual in the game. Any good suggestion within my power to accomplish, i will try to include in HRGM 2.0. But please remember, nothing overly-complicated!

Suggest away! Invite your friends to the thread, get them to suggest too! I'd really like to hear some input, so go for it!

marioflag

on Jan 02, 2008

LogicSequence i have now seen a preview of ToA and noticed that for the expansion pack, planets look and surface are a lot better.So i wonder if your High Resolution Graphics mod has been incorporated in ToA, if yes what does 2.0 HRGM is going to add.

kryo

on Jan 02, 2008

Logic *made* a lot of the new planet textures in TA. Which means he has the higher resolution originals

LogicSequence

on Jan 03, 2008

Logic *made* a lot of the new planet textures in TA. Which means he has the higher resolution originals

Thanks Kryo

. HRGM hasn't been incorporated into TA, however i did make many of the planet textures for TA (which is why the visual style may look very similar, and why HRGM 2.0 will hopefully fit the visual style of TA seamlessly); and thus i have the high resolution originals of the textures i made, which will be included in HRGM 2.0. The planet textures in TA are actually low resolution, awesome though they may look

(i am a bit biased though). So not only will high resolution versions of those textures be in the mod, but everything that HRGM 1.2 did for Dark Avatar, HRGM 2.0 will do for TA.

This means all of the races' home star systems will have their very own, unique textures, including unique textures for the 2nd habitable worlds in the home star systems. All of the class 0 planet textures are replaced with high resolution versions; and not to mention that thanks to Cari HRGM 2.0 will also have a whopping 20 class 0 planet textures instead of 10. All of the cloud textures are replaced with ultra realistic cloud maps, in double the resolution they were presented in HRGM 1.2. And basically reitereating a lot of the change list for HRGM 1.2, all of the moon and ring textures are replaced with high res versions, and many other graphical enhancements are made, such as star halo's, and stars giving off colored light, just to name a few.

Another big advantage to HRGM 2.0 goes along with stardock's effort to provide an enhanced visual experience in TA, without using nearly as much memory to run the game. Now of course, HRGM 2.0 is a graphics enhancement mod, which of course means it WILL add to the amount of memory used when playing the game. But i am happy to say that i've taken stardock's lead with memory optimization, and incorporated the philosophy into HRGM 2.0.

As it stands right now, HRGM 2.0 is in the late Alpha stage, and has 156 replacement textures, compared to HRGM 1.2's 110 textures. However, HRGM 2.0 has a net increase in file size of less than 5Mb. So you're getting about a 30% increase in material, at a cost of 3% more HDD space. It is my hope that by the time the mod is done, it will be equal to, or less than the total file size of HRGM 1.2.

Current testing indicates that playing a game with HRGM 2.0 enabled resulted in an increase of only 70-100Mb of RAM usage. While this may seem like a lot, keep in mind that that number was doubled or tripled for HRGM 1.2, and is an incredibly small price to pay in terms of RAM usage for what you're getting, at least in my opinion. Coupled with TA's native memory optimization, it is my hope that using HRGM 2.0 will have little noticable impact on memory usage.

I hope that addressed some of the current features of HRGM 2.0 for everyone. AS i said, i would love some input on what else i could add, as this is the time to make that happen. So if you have any more questions, or ideas, please post them here!

Iceciro

on Jan 03, 2008

Love your work, LS.

Your input on ToTA and your unique insight into the graphics engine promises this will be a spectacular mod, like the others.

Will it still be like the original, in which messing with the XML files for the graphics will render it metaverse-incompatible, and if so, how much can you actually change without that happening? I love your mod, but I like to play in the metaverse too.

And very good work on the ToTA graphics for planets. Not to knock the guy who did the originals in the other games, but your work is simply amazing.

pndrev

on Jan 03, 2008

The only wish I have is for HRGM somehow to be Metaverse compatible.

SIR NASTY OF TANG

on Jan 03, 2008

Logic your work is awesome and i do like your maps textures but the one in TA for earth i do don`t like can you do several deferent one for earth ???

and can you do a lava world where it looks like there lava running every where ???

and can we get a high PQ planet with a bluish glow from space !!!

Nasty

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