Art mods

[mikkey]

nice work, thanks Reg!

[Reg]

Please find in the following 3 posts the latest version pf the USN Rotating Art set for your downloading pleasure.

This is a cleanup of all the USN aircraft consolidated into one set. I have also added rotating top art for all aircraft. It's a bit of a labour of love since transport/patrol and float planes aren't seen in game but they are in there for completeness and will look very nice in the encyclopedia. [:)]

I still need to do the Commonwealth air forces, the 1945 USAAF bare metal aircraft and the late war USN Gloss blue craft (not looking forward to these with my mediocre skills in drawing from scratch... [:(]) Apart from that I think we have a pretty complete set of rotating aircraft artwork. [:)]

To download the complete set, follow the link to the Aircraft Rotating Art Index in the posts below: (It's still a work in progress...)

Happy new Year..

[Reg]

Set 001 Version 2: USN Aircraft (Part 1 of 3)

WITP-AE Rotating Art set for USN aircraft. Note all planes now have revolving top art and there is some new sideart.

This download superscedes USN aircraft in the previous Rotating Aircraft Art Set001a, Set001b, Set001c, Set006 and Set006 Version 1. (It did need a bit of a cleanup).

Please note that I am only repackaging this artwork to the rotating art format. The artistic credit is fully due to Cathartes (though there are a few modified ones in the mix)!!

To get the best out of this artwork you should have Cathartes' AE planetops installed as well. This is not required but will provide a better match between styles of the default and rotating artwork. Cathartes' AE planetops can be downloaded from http://www.turkeyvulturesart.info/downloads.htm on Cathartes' Accurate Air Site
==============================================================

The index to the rest of the Aircraft Rotating Art is is here....

===================================

USN Aircraft Rotating Art Set001 V2:
Part 1 of 3: http://www.matrixgames.com/forums/fb.asp?m=2670978
Part 2 of 3: http://www.matrixgames.com/forums/fb.asp?m=2670982
Part 3 of 3: http://www.matrixgames.com/forums/fb.asp?m=2670985

===================================
Installation instructions:

To make things easy, just unzip this distribution into your AE game folder (after making sure the "use folders" option is set. The zip file includes the Art directory.

To verify correct installation, just load the Guadalcanal scenario. As this is set in Aug'42, the USN aircraft sideart in the encyclopedia should have updated to the white star insignia. Load the Downfall scenario. As this is set in 1945, the USN aircraft sideart in the encyclopedia should have updated to the Blue/White Star & Bar insignia.

===================================

Download here...

[Reg]

Set 001 Version 2: USN Aircraft (Part 2 of 3)

WITP-AE Rotating Art set for USN aircraft. Note all planes now have revolving top art and there is some new sideart.

This download superscedes USN aircraft in the previous Rotating Aircraft Art Set001a, Set001b, Set001c, Set006 and Set006 Version 1. (It did need a bit of a cleanup).

Please note that I am only repackaging this artwork to the rotating art format. The artistic credit is fully due to Cathartes (though there are a few modified ones in the mix)!!

To get the best out of this artwork you should have Cathartes' AE planetops installed as well. This is not required but will provide a better match between styles of the default and rotating artwork. Cathartes' AE planetops can be downloaded from http://www.turkeyvulturesart.info/downloads.htm on Cathartes' Accurate Air Site
==============================================================

The index to the rest of the Aircraft Rotating Art is is here....

===================================

USN Aircraft Rotating Art Set001 V2:
Part 1 of 3: http://www.matrixgames.com/forums/fb.asp?m=2670978
Part 2 of 3: http://www.matrixgames.com/forums/fb.asp?m=2670982
Part 3 of 3: http://www.matrixgames.com/forums/fb.asp?m=2670985

===================================
Installation instructions:

To make things easy, just unzip this distribution into your AE game folder (after making sure the "use folders" option is set. The zip file includes the Art directory.

To verify correct installation, just load the Guadalcanal scenario. As this is set in Aug'42, the USN aircraft sideart in the encyclopedia should have updated to the white star insignia. Load the Downfall scenario. As this is set in 1945, the USN aircraft sideart in the encyclopedia should have updated to the Blue/White Star & Bar insignia.

===================================

Download here...

[Reg]

Set 001 Version 2: USN Aircraft (Part 3 of 3)

WITP-AE Rotating Art set for USN aircraft. Note all planes now have revolving top art and there is some new sideart.

This download superscedes USN aircraft in the previous Rotating Aircraft Art Set001a, Set001b, Set001c, Set006 and Set006 Version 1. (It did need a bit of a cleanup).

Please note that I am only repackaging this artwork to the rotating art format. The artistic credit is fully due to Cathartes (though there are a few modified ones in the mix)!!

To get the best out of this artwork you should have Cathartes' AE planetops installed as well. This is not required but will provide a better match between styles of the default and rotating artwork. Cathartes' AE planetops can be downloaded from http://www.turkeyvulturesart.info/downloads.htm on Cathartes' Accurate Air Site
==============================================================

The index to the rest of the Aircraft Rotating Art is is here....

===================================

USN Aircraft Rotating Art Set001 V2:
Part 1 of 3: http://www.matrixgames.com/forums/fb.asp?m=2670978
Part 2 of 3: http://www.matrixgames.com/forums/fb.asp?m=2670982
Part 3 of 3: http://www.matrixgames.com/forums/fb.asp?m=2670985

===================================
Installation instructions:

To make things easy, just unzip this distribution into your AE game folder (after making sure the "use folders" option is set. The zip file includes the Art directory.

To verify correct installation, just load the Guadalcanal scenario. As this is set in Aug'42, the USN aircraft sideart in the encyclopedia should have updated to the white star insignia. Load the Downfall scenario. As this is set in 1945, the USN aircraft sideart in the encyclopedia should have updated to the Blue/White Star & Bar insignia.

===================================

Download here...

[Reg]

As a matter of curiosity, has anyone used my tool Rotating_Art_Tool_V1.3 to create a revolving ship art distribution???

Has anyone actually created a revolving ship art distribution at all??? [&:]

I'm just after a bit of feedback on how useful this tool is.

(I find it extremely useful for making up my aircraft art distributions. It only takes me 10 minutes to make up a revolving art distribution from my master image library. [:)])

[Zemke]

ORIGINAL: Reg


Set 005 Version 2: (Part 3 of 3) RAF Aircraft (M - Z)

Part 3 of WITP-AE Rotating Art set for RAF aircraft updating from the A1 roundels to the C1 roundels to the SEAC roundels in Nov'43. Note all planes now have revolving top art and some new sideart.

This download superscedes RAF aircraft in the previous Rotating Aircraft Art Set006 Version 1.

Please note that I am only repackaging this artwork to the rotating art format. The artistic credit is fully due to Cathartes (though there are a few modified ones in the mix)!!

To get the best out of this artwork you should have Cathartes' AE planetops installed as well. This is not required but will provide a better match between styles of the default and rotating artwork. Cathartes' AE planetops can be downloaded from http://www.turkeyvulturesart.info/downloads.htm on Cathartes' Accurate Air Site
==============================================================

The index to the rest of the Aircraft Rotating Art is is here....

===================================

RAF Aircraft Rotating Art Set005 V2:
Part 1 of 3: http://www.matrixgames.com/forums/fb.asp?m=2585203
Part 2 of 3: http://www.matrixgames.com/forums/fb.asp?m=2585206
Part 3 of 3: http://www.matrixgames.com/forums/fb.asp?m=2670593 (this post)

===================================
Installation instructions:

To make things easy, just unzip this distribution into your AE game folder (after making sure the "use folders" option is set. The zip file includes the Art directory.

To verify correct installation, just load the Guadalcanal scenario. As this is set in Aug'42, the RAF aircraft (M-Z) sideart in the encyclopedia should have updated to the C1 roundels with narrow white band. Load the Downfall scenario. As this is set in 1945, the RAF aircraft (M-Z) sideart in the encyclopedia should have updated to the SEAC insignia (Light/Dark Blue).

===================================

Download here...

What is the "Use Folders Option"? I am ready to do this, but worried.

[Reg]

ORIGINAL: Zemke_4

What is the "Use Folders Option"? I am ready to do this, but worried.

Winzip has a tickbox option "Use Folders" that when you extract the files from the archive, the archive folder structure is reproduced in the destination folder. Otherwise Winzip just extracts all files into the destination folder regardless of the source folder structure. This option is very important for the Rotating Art as all the files MUST be in the correct folders.

I would post a screenshot to show you but I do not have Winzip installed on my machine as I use TUGZip which is freeware and also handles other archive formats (such as .rar, .lzh, .7z).

If you are using the Windows XP built in compressed folder function to install the downloaded archive, you don't have to do anything special as the folder structure is extracted by default.

I hope this helps,

[Reg]

Set 003 Version 3: Dutch Aircraft

Complete WITP-AE Rotating Art set for Dutch aircraft updating from the Orange insignia to National Flag insignia in Mar'42. Note all planes now have revolving top art.

This download superscedes Rotating Aircraft Art Set 003 Version 2: Dutch Aircraft due to a corruption in the file atop0142.bmp which caused an alpha mask offset error.

Please note that I am only repackaging this artwork to the rotating art format. The artistic credit is fully due to Cathartes (though there are a few modified ones in the mix)!!

To get the best out of this artwork you should have Cathartes' AE planetops installed as well. This is not required but will provide a better match between styles of the default and rotating artwork. Cathartes' AE planetops can be downloaded from http://www.turkeyvulturesart.info/downloads.htm on Cathartes' Accurate Air Site
==============================================================

The index to the rest of the Aircraft Rotating Art is is here....


===================================
Installation instructions:

To make things easy, just unzip this distribution into your AE game folder (over the top of Version 2 is OK) after making sure the "use folders" option is set. The zip file includes the Art directory.

To verify correct installation, just load the Guadalcanal scenario. As this is set in Aug'42, the Dutch aircraft sideart in the encyclopedia should have updated to the National Flag insignia.

===================================

Download here...

[drw61]

Thanks Reg!

[Zemke]

I am using rar with Win 7.

[Reg]

ORIGINAL: Zemke_4

I am using rar with Win 7.

Any zip extraction tool will do as long as the archive folder structure is extracted. I'm not familiar with rar (are you sure it's not WinRAR) so you will need to set the options yourself though I would be surprised if they are not set this way by default.

[Reg]

One of the problems I have found with all this great art being posted on this site knowing what you have, what you are missing and what you need as it is not all immediately visible in game. This is particularly so for the rotating art which has to have the proper dates dates set in game before it appears. I have tried to show a sample what is in my sets by the graphics on this thread but they are still only a small sample.

It doesn't help that all the files have cryptic file names based on the slot numbers so even when you have them open, you are still not sure what the artwork represents.

I believe the solution is to have some sort of viewer that displays the artwork you have installed on your PC and cross references it against scenario databases to identify the artwork. This tool will also help scenario designers & artists ensure the correct artwork lines up with the correct units in game.

I have knocked up a script today in MS DOS which generates a HTML file which is viewable in Explorer (which everyone should have) and is based on what Airgroup Patch artwork you curently have installed on your machine. (See picture below).

The displayed page skips unused slots and there is an option to also generate slots without artwork though this slows page generation down considerably. The artwork displayed by the browser uses the artwork installed in the game so the HTML page itself is the only additional data generated. WITPLoadAE.exe is used to dump the databases into .csv files (I have to get the unit names from somewhere).

I think I would have separate tools for Airgroup Patches (done), Ship Patches (SHP) and Land Unit (LCU) due to the sizes of the individual HTLM files generated (potentially several thousand line items each). The aircraft and ship rotating art pages will be formatted very similarly to the examples I normally post but they will be comprehensive.

I have attached the script below for you to have a play with.

Please let me know if you think this is a good idea and is worth developing the other tools.

[Reg]

This post contains the Display_AGP Artwork Display Tool - Beta Version 0.2.

This tool generates a HTML file which can be viewed on any web browser.

Installation:
Just unzip into a convenient folder somewhere.

Instructions:
* Double click on the icon and it will open a DOS window.
* Enter a path to the WITP-AE Game folder when prompted. This path can be absolute (starting at C:) or relative to the folder the script is located in.
* Enter the other prompts as requested (defaults are displayed).
* Be patient as generation may take a while....
* Open the generated .htm file if it didn't automatically load into Explorer. (It will be in the same folder as the script). Feel free to use your choice of Web Browser.
* Have fun

Updated to Version 0.2
-----------------------------------------------------------
Version 0.2 has the capability to include links to non-existant graphics (select N when prompted for units with graphics only, then Y to include links) so if you install the graphics later they will just appear on your browser without having to regenerate the HTML file.

Download from this post for historical reasons only...


Edit: The above utilities have been integrated into the WITP-AE Revolving Bitmap Distribution Manager V1.6 available from here...

[Reg]

It looks like the first is always the hardest. This one came together quite quickly. [:)]

Below is a quick and dirty ship patch installed artwork display tool.
(I will go back through later and tidy up the code for the proper release version). [:(]

I had to get the ship type from another table (relational databases - quite an achievement in MSDOS) but it has slowed things down a bit. Speed is still OK if you are only doing ships with artwork (I let it print to screen so you can watch progress) but if you generate every ship (including those without artwork) looking for holes, be warned it might take a while to get through the entire 20,000 slots.

Once again, have a play with this and let me know what you think of it.

[Reg]

This post contains the Display_SHP Artwork Display Tool - Beta Version 0.3.

This tool generates a HTML file which can be viewed by any web browser.

Installation:
Just unzip into a convenient folder somewhere.

Instructions:
* Double click on the icon and it will open a DOS window.
* Enter a path to the WITP-AE Game folder when prompted. This path can be absolute (starting at C:) or relative to the folder the script is located in.
* Enter the other prompts as requested (defaults are displayed).
* Be patient as generation may take a while.... (a long while for this one..)
* Open the generated .htm file if it didn't automatically load into Explorer. (It will be in the same folder as the script). Feel free to use your choice of Web Browser.
* Have fun

Updated to Version 0.2
-----------------------------------------------------------
Version 0.2 has the capability to include links to non-existant graphics (select N when prompted for units with graphics only, then Y to include links) so if you install the graphics later they will just appear on your browser without having to regenerate the HTML file.


Updated to Version 0.3
-----------------------------------------------------------
Sack the test team!!! Found a bug that prevented display of graphics in slots above 10,000.
(You gotta initialise variables before you use them. [:(])
This post has been updated with the fixed file.


Download from this post for historical reasons only...


Edit: The above utilities have been integrated into the WITP-AE Revolving Bitmap Distribution Manager V1.6 available from here...

[Reg]

It looks like the first is always the hardest. This one came together quite quickly.

Below is a quick and dirty ship patch installed artwork display tool.
(I will go back through later and tidy up the code for the proper release version).

I had to get the unit types from other tables (relational databases - quite an achievement in MSDOS) but it has slowed things down a bit. Speed is still OK if you are only doing units with artwork (I let it print to screen so you can watch progress) but if you generate every unit (including those without artwork) looking for holes, be warned it might take a while to get through the entire 5,000 slots. Still it is worth the effort as I found a few graphics that don't seem to line up with the units. They must have been intended for a different scenario.

Version 0.2 has the capability to include links to non-existant graphics (select N when prompted for units with graphics only, then Y to include links) so if you install the graphics later they will just appear on your browser without having to regenerate the HTML file.

Once again, have a play with this and let me know what you think of it.

[Reg]

This post contains the Display_LCU Artwork Display Tool - Beta Version 0.2.

This tool generates a HTML file which can be viewed by any web browser.

Installation:
Just unzip into a convenient folder somewhere.

Instructions:
* Double click on the icon and it will open a DOS window.
* Enter a path to the WITP-AE Game folder when prompted. This path can be absolute (starting at C:) or relative to the folder the script is located in.
* Enter the other prompts as requested (defaults are displayed).
* Be patient as generation may take a while.... (a long while for this one..)
* Open the generated .htm file if it didn't automatically load into Explorer. (It will be in the same folder as the script). Feel free to use your choice of Web Browser.
* Have fun


Download from this post for historical reasons only...[/color]


Edit: The Beta Version V0.3 has been integrated into the WITP-AE Revolving Bitmap Distribution Manager V1.6 available from here...

[Reg]

This post contains the Display_LCU Artwork Display Tool - Beta Version 0.3.

This tool generates a HTML file which can be viewed by any web browser.

Installation:
Just unzip into a convenient folder somewhere.

Instructions:
* Double click on the icon and it will open a DOS window.
* Enter a path to the WITP-AE Game folder when prompted. This path can be absolute (starting at C:) or relative to the folder the script is located in.
* Enter the other prompts as requested (defaults are displayed).
* Be patient as generation may take a while.... (a long while for this one..)
* Open the generated .htm file if it didn't automatically load into Explorer. (It will be in the same folder as the script). Feel free to use your choice of Web Browser.
* Have fun

Updated to Version 0.3
-----------------------------------------------------------
I'm not sure about this change. I added a filter that checks for a valid LCU start locations (ie not 0,0). This should strip out the OOB definitions so only real LCUs are displayed.

Please have a look and see if it produces what you would expect.


Download from this post for historical reasons only...


Edit: The above utilities have been integrated into the WITP-AE Revolving Bitmap Distribution Manager V1.6 available from here...

[Reg]

Display_SHP Artwork Display Tool updated to Version 0.3
-----------------------------------------------------------

Sack the test team!!! I found a bug that prevented display of ship graphics in slots above 10,000.
(You gotta initialise variables before you use them. [:(])

The post above has been updated with the fixed file.

Sorry about that guys.