Art mods

[TOMLABEL]

Ryan,
Are you converting these to "game" artwork or are your postings of artwork images that we need to convert to "in-game" bmp's?

Just wondering.....

Thanks!

[RyanCrierie]

I'll convert them all to in-game artwork eventually. Some I have to redraw -- because...some idiot in the Aviation History branch thought it would be just fine to take a XACTO Knife and cut up these beautiful renditions of squadron insignia to make them fit in a 8.5" x 14" folder. [:@] (I can imagine them saying -- "Don't worry guys; we have a black and white photograph of it, along with a description of what colors go where! Cut up the original!")

[TOMLABEL]

OOOOHHHHHHHHH - AWESOME!!!! I don't envy the work you are taking on, but it is GREATLY appreciated by alot of folks here!!!! Alot of the USN squadron images you have posted I've never seen before. I can't wait to see them loaded into the game!

Thanks so much, again!!!!

TOMLABEL

[RyanCrierie]

Working up this:



This is how it worked in WWII:

The Squadron would come up with a design; either by requesting soemthing from Walt Disney or Warner Brothers (If WB or Disney did it; they would give the rights to use the drawing to the Navy for $1.00); or from someone in the ship who was handy with a pencil.

The proposed insignia, and proposed nickname would be sent to the Chief of Naval Operations Office where it would be approved or disapproved.

Reasons for disapproval:

Too Much Red (Red is high visibility -- these would go on the aircraft in six inch decals; so they'd make two versions -- one for jackets with red; and one for planes with no red.

Someone did argue with CNO via letter that a insignia showing a wolf with red blood dripping from it's fangs, when shrunk down to a 6" decal for placement on aircraft -- the red blood from it's fangs would be tiny compared to the rising sun kill flag decals already on the aircraft....I don't remember if that worked or not.

Someone else did it (Avoid Wolves, Eagles, etc.)

Poor taste (Scantily clad women)

[Halsey]

USAAF fighter update and revisions...

[Halsey]

USAAF bombers, that don't withdraw...

11th BG
26th BG
30th BG
41st BG
58th BS
5th BG
7th BG
42nd BG
3rd BG

[Halsey]

BTW

Going with the 60x60 pixels from now on.
It looks more inline with the aircraft graphic size.

[Arkady]

As JFB I'm unhappy with lack of unit emblems for Japanese airunits.
They used only tactical markings and/or specific tail or fuselage symbols on planes.

As we are now able to change pictures for planes and further change them in time, different planes pictures for each unit (with same airplane type) is nice to have feature (maybe in future).

But I believe that I found workaround.

1. create alternate plane picture, image should be rectangle filled with one solid color (= game engine draw transparent frame)
here is example, alternate picture for A6M2 Zero, J_PlaneSide0004.bmp put into ART\JapPlanes


2. create unit patch image, size 220x60, usual place for unit crest is empty, right side of the image is used for plane picture with correct unit's marking
for proof of concept I used Akagi Kanjo Sentokitai (Akagi-1), one red stripe, and Kaga Kanjo Sentokitai(Kaga-1), two red stripes.Files AGP_0482.bmp and AGP_0486.bmp in ART\JapPatch


3. that's all, now you can see in game different plane pictures even for groups equiped with same plane type



Unfortunately this concept have a few cons:
- you need unit patch picture (AGP_XXXX.bmp) files for each unit equiped with selected plane - for unknown painting, generic picture should be placed into unit patch image.
- no different plane type pictures in time possible
- when group upgrade to different type, you need alter unit patch image as well
- this usage of unit patch images is even more memory expensive than normal enhancement

Japanese paintings and symbols are available in book Emblems of the Rising Sun: Imperial Japanese Army Air Force
Unit Markings 1939-1945 by Peter Scott
or for example from this site (along with other nations planes paintings)
http://www.michael-reimer.com/CFS2/CFS2 ... files.html

[Halsey]

One USAAF fix, thanks to Arkady...
Edit and save it as a 24bit bitmap, then drop it in your patch folder.
This'll be included in the next USAAF fighter update.

[Halsey]

Anyone wishing to have the whole AGP, and or LCU artwork, from all the contributors, in one download.
Send me an email with your address, and I'll shoot you the comprehensive AGP, or LCU zip, to date.

AGP's 245 bitmaps 1.9MBs, with some resized to fit in better with the aircraft artwork.

Also have the Allied LCU combined artwork.
LCU's 376 bitmaps 2.1 MBs.

The only thing I don't have consolidated are the ship emblems.
Maybe someone else can get these all together in a single DL.[;)]

[Mifune]

Arkady you can also use the home defense stripe with your method. Indeed, you offer a very exciting concept. But maybe using the tactical symbols is the easiest solution for all, not much can be done with the LCU's.

[Reg]

ORIGINAL: Halsey

Anyone wishing to have the whole AGP, and or LCU artwork, from all the contributors, in one download.
Send me an email with your address, and I'll shoot you the comprehensive AGP, or LCU zip, to date.

AGP's 245 bitmaps 1.9MBs, with some resized to fit in better with the aircraft artwork.

Also have the Allied LCU combined artwork.
LCU's 376 bitmaps 2.1 MBs.

The only thing I don't have consolidated are the ship emblems.
Maybe someone else can get these all together in a single DL.[;)]

We need a website to host all this stuff.

I'm sure if you drop RogueUSMC ((Website link) or Spooky (Website link) a line, they will be very happy to host these downloads...

All the WITP websites seem to have been a bit neglected since the release of AE (maybe because standard AE is so good...)

[Halsey]

That's true Reg...

Mifune just sent me all the ship insignia.

So I now have the entire set of Land, Air, and Naval artwork to date.

So anyone wanting any of these let me know, at least until we can find a permanent home for these works.

[Reg]

ORIGINAL: Arkady

As JFB I'm unhappy with lack of unit emblems for Japanese airunits.
They used only tactical markings and/or specific tail or fuselage symbols on planes.

As we are now able to change pictures for planes and further change them in time, different planes pictures for each unit (with same airplane type) is nice to have feature (maybe in future).

But I believe that I found workaround.

1. create alternate plane picture, image should be rectangle filled with one solid color (= game engine draw transparent frame)
here is example, alternate picture for A6M2 Zero, J_PlaneSide0004.bmp put into ART\JapPlanes
....

2. create unit patch image, size 220x60, usual place for unit crest is empty, right side of the image is used for plane picture with correct unit's marking
for proof of concept I used Akagi Kanjo Sentokitai (Akagi-1), one red stripe, and Kaga Kanjo Sentokitai(Kaga-1), two red stripes.Files AGP_0482.bmp and AGP_0486.bmp in ART\JapPatch
....

3. that's all, now you can see in game different plane pictures even for groups equiped with same plane type
....


Unfortunately this concept have a few cons:
- you need unit patch picture (AGP_XXXX.bmp) files for each unit equiped with selected plane - for unknown painting, generic picture should be placed into unit patch image.
- no different plane type pictures in time possible
- when group upgrade to different type, you need alter unit patch image as well
- this usage of unit patch images is even more memory expensive than normal enhancement

Japanese paintings and symbols are available in book Emblems of the Rising Sun: Imperial Japanese Army Air Force
Unit Markings 1939-1945 by Peter Scott
or for example from this site (along with other nations planes paintings)
http://www.michael-reimer.com/CFS2/CFS2 ... files.html

Hi Arkady,

This a fantastic approach to individual custom air units.

If we could possibly get MichaelM to come on board to make the unit patch art rotatable (allow them to be put in the month/year folders) and overwrite existing aircraft side art, you could really be on to something here though not linking the unit image to the aircraft type (ie if you don't upgrade aircraft type on the historical date) is a serious drawback and may undermine this whole concept.

MichaelM: I assume rotating on date wouldn't be too big a programming change (Yes I know... everyone says this), but this really is only an expansion to the scope of existing code..... Linking the image to the unit aircraft type will be a whole new ballgame (with PDU on...ouch!!)

However I think you have missed the biggest problem with this approach. I found when doing the rotating side art that there are few comprehensive sources so it will be very difficult to get a set of images that cover a reasonable portion of all the game units accurately. Second is that I have found lots of units go through about 4 different stages in colour scheme/markings with about 350 aircraft types per side and there are about 4000 air units all up. The potential number of images required for all combinations is staggering and that still doesn't take PDU into account which would require images for all potential aircraft types. Think about the memory requirements for this.

I think the best you could hope for is to create images for a few select (well known) examples and just go default for the rest. Still it might be worth it for the manual management for those examples where this system does work.

Best of luck,

[Arkady]

yes, you are right
I made pictures only for A6M2 equiped  groups in my PBEM game (april 42), due limited time I'll be making images only as my game progress or I upgrade groups manually.

[Halsey]

First installment...
IJAAF Sentai's

3rd
4th
5th
18th
19th
45th
53rd
54th
55th
56th
58th
59th
68th
75th
78th

Had to correct the 4th, dl again, please.
Cleaned the 4th, again.

[Fletcher]

ORIGINAL: Halsey

First installment...
IJAAF Sentai's

3rd
4th
5th
18th
19th
45th
53rd
54th
55th
56th
58th
59th
68th
75th
78th

Had to correct the 4th, dl again, please.

Hello Halsey, Thanks very much !.. I had a problem, I downloaded, after it I create a folder named "AE Art JapPatch" (into ART folder into the main War in the Pacific AE folder) like you comment in the word file but any changes happens !... Probably I need any support. Thanks in advance !
Best of wishes
Ramón

[aristoteles]

Hello Fletcher, just create a subfolder named "JapPatch" within the ART directory.Must have that exact name to work.
BTW Halsey, Thanks a lot , keep them coming!

[Fletcher]

Hi Aristoteles ! good to see you !
Works fine !, thanks a lot. I would need more, more and more.. [:D]
Halsey, keep up with the good work [&o]
Best of wishes
Ramón

[Mifune]

Halsey-san the emperor is pleased by your fine initial effort.