Better Regime Symbols

[Tartannosaur]

This graphics mod contains 30 complete regime symbols featuring geometric designs, sci-fi symbols, galactic crosses, and even a few xenosaur trophy skulls. My goal with this mod is to match the stark, gritty atmosphere of the game with regime symbols of the same character. I hope others enjoy these symbols as much as I do, and that they increase your immersion into the game.

Simply extract and move the "graphicsalt" folder into your game directory. And thanks to DasTactic for posting the symbol dimensions in another thread, which I followed to make these.

Samples.png (801.03 KiB) Viewed 5863 times

[mroyer]

Nice alternatives! Has a bit of a modernistic feel. Might be something to switch back-n-forth between each time starting a new game.
-Mark R.

[Tartannosaur]

Thanks, glad you like them.

[SuperTron]

How do I revert to the original regime symbols?

[mroyer]

How do I revert to the original regime symbols?

Supertron,
In general, graphics mod imagery are stored in the GraphicsAlt\ folder. Simply remove or rename that folder, and voila, you're back to the original.

The only trick with that is if you have multiple graphics mods in use - you will clear them all. In that case, you need to selectively delete the specific mod, or delete the GraphicsAlt\ and reinstall the mods you want.

-Mark R.

[Don_Kiyote]

Would it be possible to use these symbols as additions, or only as replacers?

[mroyer]

Would it be possible to use these symbols as additions, or only as replacers?

Unfortunately, I'm pretty sure you can only replace one for one.

[Magirot]

It is possible to have them as additions, though a bit messier, since you have to add the images to the graphics folder instead of graphicsalt or a mod folder - the game seems unable to find them unless the filenames exist in the regular files too. Correct me if I'm wrong. In either case, they won't replace anything this way.

What you need to do:

1. Add lines like this to Modify existing table with the S&S editor (operation type 3 is "add new line")

   Code: Select all

   Comment	Operation Type	Library Name	Library Id	Row#	Col#	Id	Category	Symbol Filename
   	3	SE_Data	327			1031		tartannosaur01.png
   	3	SE_Data	327			1032		tartannosaur02.png
   	3	SE_Data	327			1033		tartannosaur03.png
   	3	SE_Data	327			1034		tartannosaur04.png
   	3	SE_Data	327			1035		tartannosaur05.png
   	3	SE_Data	327			1036		tartannosaur06.png
   	3	SE_Data	327			1037		tartannosaur07.png
   	3	SE_Data	327			1038		tartannosaur08.png
   	3	SE_Data	327			1039		tartannosaur09.png
   	3	SE_Data	327			1040		tartannosaur10.png
   	3	SE_Data	327			1041		tartannosaur11.png
   	3	SE_Data	327			1042		tartannosaur12.png
   	3	SE_Data	327			1043		tartannosaur13.png
   	3	SE_Data	327			1044		tartannosaur14.png
   	3	SE_Data	327			1045		tartannosaur15.png
   	3	SE_Data	327			1046		tartannosaur16.png
   	3	SE_Data	327			1047		tartannosaur17.png
   	3	SE_Data	327			1048		tartannosaur18.png
   	3	SE_Data	327			1049		tartannosaur19.png
   	3	SE_Data	327			1050		tartannosaur20.png
   	3	SE_Data	327			1051		tartannosaur21.png
   	3	SE_Data	327			1052		tartannosaur22.png
   	3	SE_Data	327			1053		tartannosaur23.png
   	3	SE_Data	327			1054		tartannosaur24.png
   	3	SE_Data	327			1055		tartannosaur25.png
   	3	SE_Data	327			1056		tartannosaur26.png
   	3	SE_Data	327			1057		tartannosaur27.png
   	3	SE_Data	327			1058		tartannosaur28.png
   	3	SE_Data	327			1059		tartannosaur29.png
   	3	SE_Data	327			1060		tartannosaur30.png
   	3	SE_Data	327			1061		tartannosaur31.png
   

   (I assume id needs to be unique, I padded it with 1000)
2. save it as a new mod
3. add the images to the appropriate folders in graphics (not graphicsalt) with the appropriate filenames (used tartannosaurxx.png here)
4. should now work when you enable the mod

If Tartannosaur is ok with it, I can post this version too. Seemed to work fine as I tested it.

And I concur that these are nice regime symbols!

[Magirot]

Seemed to work fine as I tested it.

Hmm, or maybe not quite - when I tested with fewer regimes, I realised that the regime modification screen is only able to show 5 rows of 6 symbols, with one more row barely selectable below those. So a maximum of 36 symbols are available for players, while this mod together with vanilla has a total of 62.

Since AI regimes get first pickings and shorten the list, on some worlds they can all be selectable, but it's still a bit of an issue.

betterregimesymbolsnonreplacing.jpg (104.51 KiB) Viewed 5320 times

(note the barely visible last row where I've chosen one)

[Don_Kiyote]

...this mod together with vanilla has a total of 62.

betterregimesymbolsnonreplacing.jpg

Thank you.
The current regime symbols work purely as identifiers. But their vibe is a little weak. These might be good. They're sort of brutally simple, where as the base game symbols are ornate, like a coat-of-arms.

[Xitax]

I've also been experimenting with replacing regime symbols. I think we need to have base game support for more than 30. Several Oceania DLC maps I've recently experimented with need more. When there are too many factions, some Minors will get duplicate symbols and some will get none.

Also, which file is responsible for the Regime Symbol selection (Change Symbol selection area)? I can't seem to find it. I've successfully replaced all in game symbols but the Change Symbol box is still the original symbols.

[Magirot]

Also, which file is responsible for the Regime Symbol selection (Change Symbol selection area)? I can't seem to find it. I've successfully replaced all in game symbols but the Change Symbol box is still the original symbols.

\graphics\shadow\regime_symbols is the folder you're missing probably.

It's only in shadow instead of all 3 folders like regime_flags.

I made a suggestion thread here: https://www.matrixgames.com/forums/view ... 6#p5132546

[Xitax]

I have all 4 folders covered. It's odd.
The symbols in "Steam\steamapps\common\Shadow Empire\GraphicsAlt\shadow\regime_symbols" don't match the size of the symbols in the selection area. So I assume the file must be somewhere else but I haven't found it.

Here you can see that the symbol on the flag is the one I wanted.
[attachment=0]Untitled.png[/attachme

[Magirot]

The symbols in "Steam\steamapps\common\Shadow Empire\GraphicsAlt\shadow\regime_symbols" don't match the size of the symbols in the selection area. So I assume the file must be somewhere else but I haven't found it.

The apparent smaller resolution isn't really a reliable indicator since they can just be resized for that screen (and appear to be just so by how they look). Tartannosaur's mod only replaces the files in the 4 folders, yet they show up fine in the selection screen.

tartannosaursomesymbols.png (64.73 KiB) Viewed 5063 times

But interestingly if I remove the regime_symbols folder from graphicsalt, they don't appear as either smaller symbols or the ones on the flags. Whereas for you they show up on the flag. Maybe it's something in the image properties that prevents them from being resized or something (fully uneducated guess).

[Khanti]

I like the new symbols. It's strange but for me they dont work from alt-grahics, but work well when replaced in standard grahics folder.

[Xitax]

Well I'm stumped. I had Steam re-validate the game files just in case. I'm using mods, but they're all in /graphicsalt so I can't figure out why it only doesn't work for me. No matter what I put in GraphicsAlt\shadow\regime_symbols I don't get them to show up in the selection area, but otherwise everything works.

-Things also work as expected but only if you put them into the original folder Shadow Empire\graphics\shadow\regime_symbols

Untitled.png (484.71 KiB) Viewed 5013 times

[mroyer]

I tried the new symbols tonight and they worked fine for me, directly in the /GraphicsAlt folder. I'm not on Steam, though - I have the game installed directly from a Matrix download.

[Khanti]

Well I'm stumped. I had Steam re-validate the game files just in case. I'm using mods, but they're all in /graphicsalt so I can't figure out why it only doesn't work for me. No matter what I put in GraphicsAlt\shadow\regime_symbols I don't get them to show up in the selection area, but otherwise everything works.

-Things also work as expected but only if you put them into the original folder Shadow Empire\graphics\shadow\regime_symbols

Untitled.png

The same for me. I use GOG version. The only working option was to repace original files, but it's fine. The new one are BETTER

[Xitax]

Happy to report this was fixed in the latest Steam patch! It still supports 30 symbols only.

Untitled.png (500.56 KiB) Viewed 4753 times

[Tanaka]

Well I'm stumped. I had Steam re-validate the game files just in case. I'm using mods, but they're all in /graphicsalt so I can't figure out why it only doesn't work for me. No matter what I put in GraphicsAlt\shadow\regime_symbols I don't get them to show up in the selection area, but otherwise everything works.

-Things also work as expected but only if you put them into the original folder Shadow Empire\graphics\shadow\regime_symbols

Untitled.png

Are you using the graphicsalt folder inside the graphicsalt folder? This can be confusing use the one inside...