Can someone help me understanding ship colour schemes?

from GalCiv3 Forums

So, I wanted to make some custom colours to fit with the theme of the ships I'm using (I wanted particular light colours and engine trails, especially), so I went hunting.

 

I found the GC3AppearanceDefs.xml in data\core, and found the following setup:

 

Code: xml
  3. <GC3Appearance>
  4. <InternalName>GC3_Default_Appearance</InternalName>
  5. <DisplayName>Ship_Color_Default</DisplayName>
  6. <DisplayIcon>Blank_Appearance_Icon.png</DisplayIcon>
  7. <DiffuseGradientRow1>0</DiffuseGradientRow1>
  8. <DiffuseGradientRow2>1</DiffuseGradientRow2>
  9. <LightGradientRow1>0</LightGradientRow1>
  10. <LightGradientRow2>1</LightGradientRow2>
  11. <LightGradientRow3>254</LightGradientRow3>
  12. <SurfaceScale1>10.0</SurfaceScale1>
  13. <SurfaceWeight1>1.0</SurfaceWeight1>
  14. <SurfaceScale2>20.0</SurfaceScale2>
  15. <SurfaceWeight2>1.0</SurfaceWeight2>
  16. <EngineColor>
  17. <Red>0</Red>
  18. <Green>0</Green>
  19. <Blue>255</Blue>
  20. <Alpha>255</Alpha>
  21. </EngineColor>
  22. </GC3Appearance>

 

So, the first thing I noticed is that the display icon has nothing to do with the colours in the code, but refers to a set of .png files, apparently custom-made for each colour set.

The RGB set for 'enginecolor' actually sets engine trail colour, though not the appearance of the engines, so that part is easy enough to customise.

The rest of the values are a little more puzzling...

 

DiffuseGradientRow 1 and 2 determine the major and minor colours of the hull. 

LightGradientRow 1, 2 and 3 determine the colour of the cockpit lights, secondary lights, and engine visual glow respectively.

 

But what are they a gradient of?

Trying various gradients on the LightGradient Rows gives me: 1&2: blue, 3 orange, 4 white, 5 greenish, 6 orangewhite, 7  pink, 12 blue-white, 13 green-yellow, 247 bright pink, 251 orangish, 253 bright blue. On the DiffuseGradient rows 100 and 150 are gray, 255 is bright red...

The numbers appear to work a little different for engine glow (Row3), but I'm not sure exactly how.

 

What I want is to make a colourscheme with Red engine glow, and Blue and Green lights. With all the above, I still have no idea how to do that...

8,157 views 5 replies
Reply #1 from GalCiv3 Forums Top

The numbers for the gradients seem to be ID's for pre made pallets. ScrivenerOfLight has made a list of what, roughly the colours are up to 33. here - post #75. Other than that its pot luck trail and error to find a colour your after & there's a chance it may not even exist. There are quite a few similar colours. Also the actual dds. diffuse texture map for the model parts may have to be taken into account. For instance if you look at the Altarian Diffuse in Gfx/Models/Ships/Textures, it has a blue / pink colour to it. Also the Yor is pink. But the others are greys, and it seems the Appearance Values are like a "Colour dodge add" or "multiply" or some such blend over these. 

Engine colour is a lot easier as they are actual colour values. I suspect the alpha may effect transparency of the trails, but that is still on my to do list to test.

Sorry can't be more helpful than that. I agree, its hard to work out what's exactly happening and an easy way to control things. I'd be interested to know more too.

Reply #2 from GalCiv3 Forums Top

Quoting In_stasis, reply 1


Sorry can't be more helpful than that. I agree, its hard to work out what's exactly happening and an easy way to control things. I'd be interested to know more too.

 

Hey I'm already happy that I'm not the only one running in to this issue and having trouble understanding it, so thanks :P

 

I wish I had some idea why the programmers organised it in this way... other colours, like menus etc are relatively easy to do, but the important stuff - in so far as ship colours are important, and you'd think so with the huge amount of material and Designer features - is very much opaque.

Sins of a Solar Empire: Rebellion
Reply #3 from GalCiv3 Forums Top

 Take a look at the following files:

\Steam\SteamApps\common\Galactic Civilizations III\Gfx\GradientMap.png

\Steam\SteamApps\common\Galactic Civilizations III\Gfx\GradientMapLights.png

You will find your answers there.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Reply #4 from GalCiv3 Forums Top

Quoting Bjusterbaarlik, reply 3

 Take a look at the following files:

\Steam\SteamApps\common\Galactic Civilizations III\Gfx\GradientMap.png

\Steam\SteamApps\common\Galactic Civilizations III\Gfx\GradientMapLights.png

You will find your answers there.

 
 

 

Thank you!

 

I have some answers.... and also questions.

 

The main one being 'why on earth did they make it like that??' :D

Reply #5 from GalCiv3 Forums Top

Quoting Bjusterbaarlik, reply 3

 Take a look at the following files:

\Steam\SteamApps\common\Galactic Civilizations III\Gfx\GradientMap.png

\Steam\SteamApps\common\Galactic Civilizations III\Gfx\GradientMapLights.png

You will find your answers there.


 Yep! OK thanks.

So we can make our own gradients, cool!

 Edit: Nope! doesn't work unless you overwrite the image in the game.  :S