Reasons that UNITS CARDS should be change. CA won't change it, we need a mod (modding proposal)

[Noif de Bodemloze]

I dont care too much about units cards, but if they will change or somebody else will change it. I will change it as well.

[Romanheart]

Colored UI cards would clash with ALL the graphic of the interface. Excuse the brutality, but this is OBVIOUS to the eyes of a graph, or simply of any person with "taste".

[Dago Red]

Thanks to the unbelievably obtuse answers from some of the general community here, the thread on garnering support for CA to release more assets to the modding community was closed.

The first few replies were just unproductive drivel, presumably by those who either couldn't read the OP or were just actively against CA releasing some graphics assets to the modding community.

And to those who say the polls show more like the unit cards, No that's not what they show. Even in this newer thread, more still favor a change, than said they should remain. In the first poll HERE that's been up much longer it clearly shows that 174 members hate them, 164 members don't hate them, but want them changed slightly, and 106 fanboys like them.

To sum up, that's:
338 that want the unit cards to change
106 that like them as is.

The difference there is 232.

Math.


And even if polls showed the opposite, why would anyone be against modders creating more options for people? You're in the wrong community if you hate modding.There are others to post words to, if you just like posting words.

[familyguy1]

So then what was the point of this thread then? Do we need to validate the point of making new unit cards? Go ahead and make them if you so desire.

[I2ain_2_Battle]

the point is, there needs to be a decent mod to fix this out on day one. now we should have a poll in a new thread about which changes are preferred. if there was an option for roma surrectum or eb style unit cards , i would be all for that. i can't tell one unit apart with CA's design.

[Dago Red]

Nor can I. Though I'm sure that would change with practice, it's still clearly not well designed from the start when you have to study them to learn the differences.

Graphics assets from CA would be wonderful....

[Semper_Fidelis]

It still makes me wonder why they don't just change them or atleast clean them up and make them look better. People have already added simple colours to show how much better they can look, why don't they just do that if they are not willing to change them? So far they look to plain and they are more of an eyesore than anything.

[The Wandering Storyteller]

It looks alright to me, but I'd rather they do with what they did with NTW taking screenshots of the indiviaul soliders, or just switch to traditonal paintings.

[Semper_Fidelis]

It looks alright to me, but I'd rather they do with what they did with NTW taking screenshots of the indiviaul soliders, or just switch to traditonal paintings.

Yes indeed. I think that's one of the first mods that are going to come out, first the ugly UI changes and the unit card changes then come the overhauls (hopefully).

[I2ain_2_Battle]

but if i may be so bold, i'm a bit biased when it comes to this because i didn't like shogun 2's unit cards either. i'm more of a traditionalist when it comes to total war games, like all the titles before shogun 2.

[Faris ad Din]

but if i may be so bold, i'm a bit biased when it comes to this because i didn't like shogun 2's unit cards either. i'm more of a traditionalist when it comes to total war games, like all the titles before shogun 2.

That's kind of the thing... compare Shogun 2's cards with the confirmed TW: Rome 2's cards. At the very least, Shogun 2's cards had COLOR, and furthermore, their artists did some outstanding job in capturing the essence of Japanese painting and "woodblock" painting such that casual observers couldn't tell that they were originals from museums instead of modern-day replicas. The R2 cards, on the other hand... just have no COLOR. Shogun 2's cards at least had COLOR. And I don't count White, Black, and ONE other primary color for shields to be much color at all. And while the rest of the game's UI has an "antique"-looking beige or cream color, why oh why do the unit cards have to retain a pure 100% WHITE background? If only if only if only... if only ONE variable was better - either more color in the unit cards, or lose the blockiness or insect-like spindly limbs, or just Bucket-fill the stark eye-burning white backgrounds with the SAME color and texture theme that constitutes the rest of the AI - make them have a TRANSPARENT .tga layer like most of the early Total War cards did and just lay them over that marble gray or sandstone-beige background or whatever they were on. And we'd have less to complain about. It's all the wrong factors combined in toto that's so upsetting.

Optimally all it'd take is whatever 3DS Max or other program players used to take "snapshots" of units in profile to create some picture-literal unit cards across the board, which would be better (come ON, we're in the age of 1920x1080 pixel screen resolutions, or most serious Total War players have at least close to that). Or at the very least, someone paint the proverbial walls with some mother-of-pearl or some off-white instead of that dratted Hospital White. If we're basing the unit cards off of ceramic art, no classical ceramics I have ever seen were in a PURE WHITE base color.

[Adufka]

Yes i agree,unit cards looks chaotic,all the same no difference between them(legionaries,archers all the same only little icons recognize them)and if all factions have red white black unit cards how can i fill i am playing for different faction not roman? ....they should make something like in RTW and MTW2,but of course better ones..more colours for factions but i am sure before or after release they will make update at least or some mod will be available...

[HigoChumbo]

That's kind of the thing... compare Shogun 2's cards with the confirmed TW: Rome 2's cards. At the very least, Shogun 2's cards had COLOR, and furthermore, their artists did some outstanding job in capturing the essence of Japanese painting and "woodblock" painting such that casual observers couldn't tell that they were originals from museums instead of modern-day replicas. The R2 cards, on the other hand... just have no COLOR. Shogun 2's cards at least had COLOR. And I don't count White, Black, and ONE other primary color for shields to be much color at all. And while the rest of the game's UI has an "antique"-looking beige or cream color, why oh why do the unit cards have to retain a pure 100% WHITE background? If only if only if only... if only ONE variable was better - either more color in the unit cards, or lose the blockiness or insect-like spindly limbs, or just Bucket-fill the stark eye-burning white backgrounds with the SAME color and texture theme that constitutes the rest of the AI - make them have a TRANSPARENT .tga layer like most of the early Total War cards did and just lay them over that marble gray or sandstone-beige background or whatever they were on. And we'd have less to complain about. It's all the wrong factors combined in toto that's so upsetting.

Optimally all it'd take is whatever 3DS Max or other program players used to take "snapshots" of units in profile to create some picture-literal unit cards across the board, which would be better (come ON, we're in the age of 1920x1080 pixel screen resolutions, or most serious Total War players have at least close to that). Or at the very least, someone paint the proverbial walls with some mother-of-pearl or some off-white instead of that dratted Hospital White. If we're basing the unit cards off of ceramic art, no classical ceramics I have ever seen were in a PURE WHITE base color.

Really... you guys make a lot of random statements.

Have you considered how bad a "pottery" orange color would look as the background? How difficult would it be to combine that color with the faction specific color that also is displayed in the cards?

I have the certaintny that 95% of the people comlaining now will completelly forget all this bull after they have played the game for 5 minutes


And in any case, we know the UI is far from final... wait until you see the final thing as a whole to critizise...

Yes i agree,unit cards looks chaotic,all the same no difference between them(legionaries,archers all the same only little icons recognize them)and if all factions have red white black unit cards how can i fill i am playing for different faction not roman? ....they should make something like in RTW and MTW2,but of course better ones..more colours for factions but i am sure before or after release they will make update at least or some mod will be available...

If you are telling me that the problem with the current design is that there is no difference between units... then I'm sorry to say the problem is with you because that is preciselly what that design does better. It has a very characteristic portrayal that makes even telling different infantry units apart very easy (since it emphatises a lot the type and design of shield, helmet and weapon)... and if you tell me that you can't tell an archer from an infantryman... you could as well ask why are all the cavalryment mounted on greyhounds or why are there giant anteaters in the game.


About how can you tell if you are playing romans or not... well for isntance the difference between romans and egyptians is already evident even when they seem to share the same cultural group design for unit cards, but when it comes to the Suebi, if you have noticed its not a greek design but a native germanic painting design. So yupp, if that does make you feel like you ar eplaying the germans... my only advice is go visit some more museums.


You guys are just afraid of change. Again, I give you 5 minutes after you start playing the game to completelly forget about this and even end up loving the design (and wait untill you see the actual greek cards, and the implementation in the final UI, which I'm sure will be great).

[TheRomanRuler]

Agreed, current ones are ugly

[Romanheart]

Minimalist, clean and light style. All the symbols follow the same style. White, black and few more colors (the faction's color, the buttons background color..). All works well. The only "strange" thing is the animated face, but is related to the selected 3d model.

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

The presence of more colors is a punch in the eyes. An entire part of the graphic aspect doesn't work. And imagine what could happen with pictures of the units, with a lot of colors...

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

This is why I think that CA made a brilliant work: a simple interface on a complex 3D map. We've also all we need in few space, with an unique style. It's not difficoult to recognize the different types of units, and the background of the cards is not white, is marble.

This is my opinion

[Kissaki]

Minimalist, clean and light style. All the symbols follow the same style.

Those other boxes, they'd still be in the same "style" as the unit cards even if you went back to the unit cards of any other Total War title. Except the character face and the unit cards, I don't see how you could make the areas in question either more or less minimalistic than they already are.

White, black and few more colors (the faction's color, the buttons background color..). All works well. The only "strange" thing is the animated face, but is related to the selected 3d model.

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

The presence of more colors is a punch in the eyes. An entire part of the graphic aspect doesn't work. And imagine what could happen with pictures of the units, with a lot of colors...

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

This is why I think that CA made a brilliant work: a simple interface on a complex 3D map. We've also all we need in few space, with an unique style. It's not difficoult to recognize the different types of units, and the background of the cards is not white, is marble.

This is my opinion

As others have said, it is all down to preference. To me, the second image is much more friendly to the eyes. The first image, now that's a punch, what with the stark black-and-white contrast. The second one, with skin colour, is actually a good one. Not only do my eyes no longer hurt, but the first image gives me the impression that I am playing "Ancient Greece: Total War", and would actually kill a great deal of immersion for me (given that we see unit cards more or less all the time while playing). The second image... That's an improvement in every way. Bravo!

Of course, this is my opinion

I understand that many people consider the unit cards ugly. However, this debate about art and historical accuracy is laughable. Were the previous unit card styles in TW games historically accurate? No.

The problem isn't that they're not historically accurate, the problem is that they're trying to be accurate to the wrong history. I think you would have raised an eyebrow, too, if in Napoleon: Total War the unit cards were in the style of medieval European art. Or if, in Medieval 2, the unit cards were similar to those of Shogun 2. Missing the mark is one thing, but when you are aiming for the wrong target entirely, then it becomes distracting. To some of us, immersion is important.

[Antiochus]

The second one is 100% better. You proved CA that it is simple to change. If CA won't want change to renders, mosaics, correctly period etc. they should change colors. That's all.

[Sharpe]

The second one is 100% better. You proved CA that it is simple to change. If CA won't want change to renders, mosaics, correctly period etc. they should change colors. That's all.

Considering that it's down to personal preference he has proved nothing. You're blathering nonsense.

I think the current cards are 100% better, have I proved to CA that they are perfect?

[Romanheart]

The current cards are designed to work together with all the graphic. Any other style would be a "graphic error".

I hope it is clear that I am on the side of the new cards!

[babydoc]

Calm down for the sake of baby Jesus!
Game is not out yet and some of you are getting heart attacks already.