Factorio Forums

One thing that really bothers me is that all higher tier machines are just recolored versions of vannila ones! The point is that different tiers of machines should have different entity graphic, as an item its fine because it makes invetories more arranged.
Dysoch and bobingabout PLEASE make better graphic for your furnaces, assembling machines, mining drills, boilers, steam engines.


IMOPRTANT Note:By better i don't mean remaking it whole, but adding some small bits and bobs to already existing models ,woud not be as hard to do as a totally new model but it woud greatly enhance aesthetics of sead machines, heck! maybe even keep the whole color=tier system(in some acceptable measure-only parts of machines being colored, like assembling machines in base game).

[added]
More stuff: (it's here for those who are new to this topic) [some of it added]
Disclaimer: At this time i'm not able to do theese changes myself, because i don't have the knowlege or skill to use the software needed for creating textures for factorio(even if i do earn it sometime I woud make models that woud look realistic and fit(enough) into factorio but they still won't be "the right thing" because there are some offsets that i just can't add in such a level into my models for them to look great in factorio and but still being as realistic as i want them to be.
In short: big gap between, it hase some purpose, lets add it to the model and just putting random things on

[added] More on that note: I'm a strong realist, for me accumulator is a battery of batteries, so don't see any reason changing the grapics(with better tiers) more then some random stripes(irl: better accumulators just use better batteries=no outside change), when i seen the ingame accumulators produce big sparks i'm like: srls how coud some batteries on their own produce such a big sparks, but i was "ok" with it, and that's the core of the problem I'm not able to make "great" factorio'ish machines with my current point of view.

Well I am going to have to say that as it stands there is are two things that are holding back "realistic" graphics for machines and causing so many of them to be tints/recoloring of vanilla machines. First off you have the fact that creating a good looking machine that not only matches the scale and look of factorio is quite a bit of work and can take a good chunk of time, but the modders you mentioned are just single people. One has only so much time to put into modding and if 3d design is not something that one is really talented at then one may find that it is better to focus on the actual game play of the mod. If someone were to create asserts that fit with the game and offered the use of the assets to the modders then I don't think that they would complain all that much.

Also you have the fact that just because making something bigger may be more "realistic" doesn't mean that it will be better from a game play stand point. Plus there is the fact that factorio is a 2d game with 2d assetts. The larger you make the building the larger the assets need to become. As it is the asstes can push the limits of some lower end/older graphics cards that have smaller amounts of memory, so making them larger would limit who could play, which is not something that I personally would like. I mean what is a great mod if your best friend(s) and you can't play it together because it has to large of graphics for one person to run despite that the game itself runs just fine for them?

G_glop wrote:One thing that really bothers me is that all higher tier machines are just recolored versions of vannila ones!

Real World

basic:________________________Most advanced: basic+Millions of dollars+centuries of development

factorio

Basic:________________________Most advanced: basic+can of green paint

The point is that different tiers of machines should have different entity graphic, as an item its fine because it makes invetories more arranged.
Dysoch and bobingabout PLEASE make better graphic for your furnaces, assembling machines, mining drills, boilers, steam engines.

I'm quite sure they would accept help in creating all these graphics. Get started! Add a post to the respective mod's thread with your graphics when you finish

JLBShecky wrote:First off you have the fact that creating a good looking machine that not only matches the scale and look of factorio is quite a bit of work and can take a good chunk of time, but the modders you mentioned are just single people. One has only so much time to put into modding and if 3d design is not something that one is really talented at then one may find that it is better to focus on the actual game play of the mod.

I have to agree, i'd rather have a nice mod gameplay-wise with recolored vanilla machines, than a great-looking mod with bad gameplay.
I'm still amazed how some modders manage to get good results at both aspects. E.g. RailTanker (no high tier machine, but good looking and good idea/gameplay)

JLBShecky wrote:If someone were to create asserts that fit with the game and offered the use of the assets to the modders then I don't think that they would complain all that much.

A reason could be that the modding community isn't big enough (yet)?

JLBShecky wrote:Well I am going to have to say that as it stands there is are two things that are holding back "realistic" graphics for machines and causing so many of them to be tints/recoloring of vanilla machines. First off you have the fact that creating a good looking machine that not only matches the scale and look of factorio is quite a bit of work and can take a good chunk of time, but the modders you mentioned are just single people. One has only so much time to put into modding and if 3d design is not something that one is really talented at then one may find that it is better to focus on the actual game play of the mod. If someone were to create asserts that fit with the game and offered the use of the assets to the modders then I don't think that they would complain all that much.

Also you have the fact that just because making something bigger may be more "realistic" doesn't mean that it will be better from a game play stand point. Plus there is the fact that factorio is a 2d game with 2d assetts. The larger you make the building the larger the assets need to become. As it is the asstes can push the limits of some lower end/older graphics cards that have smaller amounts of memory, so making them larger would limit who could play, which is not something that I personally would like. I mean what is a great mod if your best friend(s) and you can't play it together because it has to large of graphics for one person to run despite that the game itself runs just fine for them?

#1 The blast furnce in the example wasn't to show how bigger higher tier machines shoud be, but to show how much more complex they look.
#2 Best is to draw inspirantion from real world's machines, and add some random bits(pipes, gears) #3 With the official high res. mod coming, there won't be a problem with hight tier machines being too blurry, because of high complexity sprites/small resolution.
(btw is someone has trubble running base factorio he won't install mods like dytech)

The mostly of modders are programmers, not graphic designers, i think it's hard to design a new image.

And this can be posted here and here

L0771 wrote:The mostly of modders are programmers, not graphic designers, i think it's hard to design a new image.

And this can be posted here and here

really

Problem is that i don't refer only to theese mods, i refer to any machine that has re-painted graphics of vannila one.

G_glop wrote: Problem is that i don't refer only to theese mods, i refer to any machine that has re-painted graphics of vannila one.

repainting is a fast way and i would say is better as a placeholder-gfx. most people can so see what this machine do because gameplay-exp. if the machine looks different then they need this learn new.
if you develop a mod, you wish to make progress - the gfx is then not very importent. and of course makeing a good gfx (maybe with animation) can cost more time then the complete mod. so comes only to the point how many time you want to invest.

if you want an example/inspiration for stageing machines or engines you can look into mod-yuoki-industries (you need only view the graphics after download and unzip) - 3 different accumulator sizes with 3 stages + extra ... makes factorio hell of a lot colorful if they work

YuokiTani wrote:

G_glop wrote: Problem is that i don't refer only to theese mods, i refer to any machine that has re-painted graphics of vannila one.

repainting is a fast way and i would say is better as a placeholder-gfx. most people can so see what this machine do because gameplay-exp. if the machine looks different then they need this learn new.
if you develop a mod, you wish to make progress - the gfx is then not very importent. and of course makeing a good gfx (maybe with animation) can cost more time then the complete mod. so comes only to the point how many time you want to invest.

if you want an example/inspiration for stageing machines or engines you can look into mod-yuoki-industries (you need only view the graphics after download and unzip) - 3 different accumulator sizes with 3 stages + extra ... makes factorio hell of a lot colorful if they work

Wow, you sir should be in the big mods group!
Seriously your gfx are awsome, like really awsome.

Btw, more info in the first post now.

Info: main post now updated!

G_glop wrote: Wow, you sir should be in the big mods group!
Seriously your gfx are awsome, like really awsome.

Thanks
I think the Big Mod Section claims more attration and this means at the end -> more work to keep up to date, fixing problems, anwser questions and so on. i don't now how many hours need Dysoch or Bobingabout to read all the Forum-Post related to the mods they own, but i think it's a lot.

YuokiTani wrote:

G_glop wrote: Wow, you sir should be in the big mods group!
Seriously your gfx are awsome, like really awsome.

Thanks
I think the Big Mod Section claims more attration and this means at the end -> more work to keep up to date, fixing problems, anwser questions and so on. i don't now how many hours need Dysoch or Bobingabout to read all the Forum-Post related to the mods they own, but i think it's a lot.

Well that's very true, considering that tree farm farms need smart inserters for them to stop filling up with any fuel possible.

G_glop wrote:when i seen the ingame accumulators produce big sparks i'm like: srls how coud some batteries on their own produce such a big sparks

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8hwLHdBTQ7s

immibis wrote:

G_glop wrote:when i seen the ingame accumulators produce big sparks i'm like: srls how coud some batteries on their own produce such a big sparks

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8hwLHdBTQ7s

Or this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7NjJgQB3WJE

I think this base is under attack!

AnodeCathode wrote:

immibis wrote:

G_glop wrote:when i seen the ingame accumulators produce big sparks i'm like: srls how coud some batteries on their own produce such a big sparks

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8hwLHdBTQ7s

Or this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7NjJgQB3WJE

I think this base is under attack!

#1 cool, but thats just 1kV for something like this you need milions of volts.

#2 even if the batteries could produces such a voltage, why won't all machines blow up from overvotage?

The thing is that gfx is quite hard (at least for me). Even adding tiny bits which might seem easy require quite some time. I spend about an hour on just adding a little electric distributor box to the small electric pole, it needed to look good so it took some time to adjust and make it right. Now imagine adding a whole lot of tiny things to existing machines, it is a pain in the ass. I therefore decide not to bother with gfx things as long as i can easily recolour ^^ My time is better spent on thinking of new mechanics or changing existing ones to make my mod even better

cartmen180 wrote:The thing is that gfx is quite hard (at least for me). Even adding tiny bits which might seem easy require quite some time. I spend about an hour on just adding a little electric distributor box to the small electric pole, it needed to look good so it took some time to adjust and make it right. Now imagine adding a whole lot of tiny things to existing machines, it is a pain in the ass. I therefore decide not to bother with gfx things as long as i can easily recolour ^^ My time is better spent on thinking of new mechanics or changing existing ones to make my mod even better

i think i'll rename the subject to Colored machines, pls less of them

you might be happy to know that YuokiTani has provided me with some new graphics for the early game.
you can get a preview here https://forums.factorio.com/forum/vie ... =15&t=8073

cartmen180 wrote:you might be happy to know that YuokiTani has provided me with some new graphics for the early game.
you can get a preview here https://forums.factorio.com/forum/vie ... =15&t=8073

Thanks, unfortunately i'm not as active in factorio now, but I¨m sure i'll get in it after i get bored from starmade and robocraft.