Art mods

[Halsey]

ORIGINAL: 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.

Thanks for the update Reg!

Is this just a test sample that you are displaying?
These are not the LCU bitmaps for the slots in the campaign scenarios.

[Reg]

Thanks for having a look Halsey. Looks like this tool has proved it's usefulness already.

Both the pictures above and below were generated from the following fragment of a WITPLoadAE dump for Scenario 001. The one above is using the "Only display lines with graphics" option whilst the one below all active unit lines are displayed.

The difference is when took the first screenshot, I had JWE's DaBabes scenario graphics installed (Doh!!!) [X(]
As you know these are massively different from the standard graphics assignments. This isn't a real problem as scenario 026 unit data could have be used for these graphics had I realised.

I just used my JoneSoft Generic Mod Enabler program to remove the DaBabes installation (along with it's graphics). I really can't say enough about this great little program. We now should be back to standard Grand Campaign scenario 001 configuration and the screenshot below should be more like what you are expecting.

How does it look now Halsey?

---

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5140,"6th Marine",7,6,227,78,0,70,0,90,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,102,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,2503,2,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,71,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,
5141,"22nd Marine",7,6,227,78,0,70,0,90,0,10,102,0,0,0,16094,103,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,2,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,74,0,0,0,0,0,420615,2000,0,
5142,"4th Marine",7,6,180,107,0,70,0,90,0,0,0,0,0,0,16589,102,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,2,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,74,0,0,0,0,0,440917,2000,0,0,
5143,"29th Marine",7,6,227,78,0,70,0,90,0,0,0,0,0,0,16293,102,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,2,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,74,0,0,0,0,0,440501,2000,0,0,
5144,"369th",3,5,218,70,0,50,0,50,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,102,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,2363,3,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,37,0,0,0,0,0,420616,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,
5145,"821st",10,5,218,70,0,40,0,45,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,103,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,2365,3,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,108,0,0,0,0,0,420622,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,
5146,"603rd",3,5,225,76,0,50,0,50,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,100,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,2363,3,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,37,0,0,0,0,0,420616,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,
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5148,"256th USAAF",10,5,223,76,50,40,221,45,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,100,504,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,2400,3,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,109,0,0,0,0,0,420501,81,
5149,"1942 US JUL-DEC",0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,"",0,
5150,"165th",9,5,212,52,0,60,0,60,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,101,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,2408,3,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,92,0,0,0,0,0,420714,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0
5151,"112th Cavalry",7,5,218,70,0,60,0,70,0,0,0,0,0,0,15434,103,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,2397,1,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,74,0,0,0,0,0,420720,0,0,
5152,"4th Marine",7,6,227,27,0,60,0,90,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,103,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,2502,2,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,71,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,
5153,"23rd Marine",7,6,227,27,0,70,0,90,0,0,0,0,0,0,16584,103,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,2,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,74,0,0,0,0,0,420722,2000,0,0,
5154,"24th Marine",7,6,227,78,0,70,0,90,0,4,103,0,0,0,21954,100,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,2,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,74,0,0,0,0,0,430326,2000,0,
5155,"25th Marine",7,6,227,27,0,70,0,90,0,0,0,0,0,0,21950,103,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,2,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,74,0,0,0,0,0,430501,2000,0,0,
5156,"507th",3,5,225,76,0,50,0,50,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,100,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,2363,3,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,37,0,0,0,0,0,420801,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,[/font]

---

[Halsey]

Looks good Reg...[;)]

Players not using all the art mods out there are missing a real treat![:D]

BTW Reg...
Email me your address and I'll send you the resized Allied LCU/AGP bitmaps.
I've resized the bitmaps from all contributors for uniformity.[;)]

[Hotschi]

Very useful tools you made here Reg, easy to use as well.

[cantona2]

I need some help guys as its been ages Ive worked with DOS

Whenever I enter the path, no spaces or with spaces, i get invalid folder!

What am i doing wrong or can someone post an idiot's guide

[Reg]

Hi Cantona,

Please have a look at the example below which shows the script running on my PC with the path to to my game folder. Yours will probably be different.

You should have unzipped the scripts to somewhere on your hard drive. You just double click on them and they will open a DOS window as shown below.

The options in the square brackets at the prompts are defaults and will be accepted when you just press the 'Enter' key. (Note the line "Do you wish to only display groups with graphics?"). If you enter a value at the end of these lines it will be used instead.

The first line prompts you for a path to the game folder (which contains the game "Art" folder) so it can find the artwork to display. The script will accept lines with spaces or you may put double quotes around it if you wish. I have made the default the same as the game installation default so if you used the standard game install location it should work as is.

Your error is that the "Art" folder cannot be found which means the path to the game folder is invalid. This path can contain spaces (as shown), it may have double quotes around it if you wish, it may be absolute (meaning it starts with the drive letter) or it may be relative (meaning the path starts in the current directory - which will be the folder in which the script is located if you double clicked on it).

Just a couple of tips. Make sure you use the \ character in the path, not the / character for MSDOS. The . character represents the current directory (what ever it is at the time). The .. characters represent the current parent folder (or the folder above the current directory).

A couple of examples of relative paths (using the default game folder C:\Matrix Games\War in the Pacific Admiral Edition)

If the script is located in C:\Matrix Games then the relative path will be: .\War in the Pacific Admiral Edition
If the script is located in C:\Matrix Games\War in the Pacific Admiral Edition then the relative path will be: .
If the script is located in C:\Matrix Games\War in the Pacific Admiral Edition\MyFolder then the relative path will be: ..
If the script is located in C:\Matrix Games\MyFolder then the relative path will be: ..\War in the Pacific Admiral Edition

I hope this helps

[Hotschi]

ORIGINAL: 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??? [&:]

None that I know of - I think Tomlabel wrote about revolving ship arts being in the works, but I am not sure.

Btw I have found a website listing by years the paint schemes applied to USN ships;

http://www.shipcamouflage.com/warship_camouflage.htm

Couple of months ago I downloaded Dixie's ship art for Witp (and AE partially) but it seems to me his website is gone.

Doing revolving ship arts, there are a couple of points of concern;

.) Different paint schemes by ships of the same class would not be possible, since each and every ship of a given class links to the same bmp.
.) The website above lists only the year when a paint scheme was applied, but not the actual date of application (i.e. say May or June etc), maybe the timeline should be chosen in accordance of the ship upgrade paths as outlined in WitP-AE.
.) Dixie's art does not include all possible schemes, and I haven't done any art myself for games myself since ages. The Fletcher DD's are missing for example - a good start would be to just use what's already there - given Dixie's permission of course. I haven't contacted him and I don't know whether he is still active.

Long story short, I am tempted to give it a try, but haven't made up my mind yet. It would be a time consuming huge task, without a question.

[cantona2]

ORIGINAL: Reg

Hi Cantona,

Please have a look at the example below which shows the script running on my PC with the path to to my game folder. Yours will probably be different.

You should have unzipped the scripts to somewhere on your hard drive. You just double click on them and they will open a DOS window as shown below.

The options in the square brackets at the prompts are defaults and will be accepted when you just press the 'Enter' key. (Note the line "Do you wish to only display groups with graphics?"). If you enter a value at the end of these lines it will be used instead.

The first line prompts you for a path to the game folder (which contains the game "Art" folder) so it can find the artwork to display. The script will accept lines with spaces or you may put double quotes around it if you wish. I have made the default the same as the game installation default so if you used the standard game install location it should work as is.

Your error is that the "Art" folder cannot be found which means the path to the game folder is invalid. This path can contain spaces (as shown), it may have double quotes around it if you wish, it may be absolute (meaning it starts with the drive letter) or it may be relative (meaning the path starts in the current directory - which will be the folder in which the script is located if you double clicked on it).

Just a couple of tips. Make sure you use the \ character in the path, not the / character for MSDOS. The . character represents the current directory (what ever it is at the time). The .. characters represent the current parent folder (or the folder above the current directory).

A couple of examples of relative paths (using the default game folder C:\Matrix Games\War in the Pacific Admiral Edition)

If the script is located in C:\Matrix Games then the relative path will be: .\War in the Pacific Admiral Edition
If the script is located in C:\Matrix Games\War in the Pacific Admiral Edition then the relative path will be: .
If the script is located in C:\Matrix Games\War in the Pacific Admiral Edition\MyFolder then the relative path will be: ..
If the script is located in C:\Matrix Games\MyFolder then the relative path will be: ..\War in the Pacific Admiral Edition

I hope this helps

Thanks Reg, sorry for delay in reply but Ive just seen this post

[TOMLABEL]

ORIGINAL: Hotschi

ORIGINAL: 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??? [&:]

None that I know of - I think Tomlabel wrote about revolving ship arts being in the works, but I am not sure.

Long story short.... the way it is coded, it will not support rotating ship art. DB changes take precendence.
Working on something else, but doubt it will work.
I see the only way now to get accurate ship side camoflague art it to do it via the DB. [:(]

[Hotschi]

Now I am confused (as if that's something new...)

Do you mean Reg's tool does not support (making) rotating ship art, or do you mean the game itself does not support it (i.e. ignoring any setup for ships similar as for planes), contrary to what michaelm posted?

[TOMLABEL]

ORIGINAL: Hotschi

Now I am confused (as if that's something new...)

Do you mean Reg's tool does not support (making) rotating ship art, or do you mean the game itself does not support it (i.e. ignoring any setup for ships similar as for planes), contrary to what michaelm posted?

That's ok - I stay mostly confused half the time.

Speaking scrictly related to micheal's code------

micheal's code works well with air art, but as regards to ship art, the DB upgrade art will take precendent in most cases no matter what month/year folder you put them into (meaning the alternate art). This is becuase air art is set (in game) as ship art is not as it has DB specific art slots on upgrade.

I have not tired Reg's tool regarding ship art ( and at the moment dont have time to), but since (or if) it rides on top of michealm's code, which it HAS too, then it will not work.

However, I hope Reg's tool will prove a breakthrough!

[Reg]

ORIGINAL: TOMLABEL

micheal's code works well with air art, but as regards to ship art, the DB upgrade art will take precendent in most cases no matter what month/year folder you put them into (meaning the alternate art). This is becuase air art is set (in game) as ship art is not as it has DB specific art slots on upgrade.

I have not tested anything to do with the ship art and only programmed my utility to format the artwork as per MichaelM's instructions.

However, my take on the situation is that the database sets the default ship art bitmap image. As the ship upgrades, it's class changes and the default bitmap assigned to the new class (which may be the same as the old image) is then used as the ship default image. This default image is located in the Art\AlliedShip_back, Art\JapShip_back, Art\AlliedShip_Transp and Art\JapShipShills_transp folders.

[size=-2](Note: Any reference to Art\AlliedShip_back below also refers to the other three ship art folders listed above)[/size]

For example, the Pennsylvania 3/42 class in slot 310 with bitmap 009 uses different rotating art than the Pennsylvania 10/42 class in slot 312 with bitmap 011. This means if you want comprehensive rotating art for the USS Pennsylvania, then you are going to have create rotating images for bitmap slots 009 and 011 (plus bitmap slot 178 for the 12/41 class).

My utility will overwrite this game default image (in the Art\AlliedShip_back folder) with a rotating art image that is activated in 12/41 or is tagged -0000.
ie. this image is used (for this class) for the entire game.

It is my understanding that the default image is then over-ridden by any activated rotating art in a year folder in the manner described by MichaelM.
ie. if there in an image in Art\AlliedShip_back42 folder then this is the image displayed (for this class) from 01Jan42 until 31Dec42 unless over-ridden by an image in a numbered month folder.

It is my understanding that the default image and the rotating year image are both then over-ridden by any activated rotating art in a numbered month folder in the manner described by MichaelM.
ie. if there in an image in Art\AlliedShip_back42\07 then this is the image displayed (for this class) from 01Jul42 until 31Dec42.

As TomLabel says, it is not possible to assign rotating art to a specific ship. However it is my understanding rotating ship art can be assigned to a specific ship class and applies to all ships of that particular class. Within the limitations above I still believe the rotating ship art can be an effective game enhancer.

---

ORIGINAL: michaelm

Okay now that the planes and insignia are done, from patch 4
47. Added hooks for revolving ship art similar to aircraft.

The ship art can now revolving.[:D]

ORIGINAL: michaelm
I thought you fellows would work it out for yourselves.

It is basically same structure as for the plane folders, but a bit easier as ships are already individual images.
But I'll update the current doc when I get a chance.

AlliedShip_back (standard/default)
AlliedShip_backYY (where YY is the game year)
AlliedShip_backYY/MM (where YY is the game year and MM is a month with the year)

If it doesn't work this way, MichaelM should let us know.

[Hotschi]

By Reg;

As TomLabel says, it is not possible to assign rotating art to a specific ship. However it is my understanding rotating ship art can be assigned to a specific ship class and applies to all ships of that particular class. Within the limitations above I still believe the rotating ship art can be an effective game enhancer.

That was my initial understanding as well, and all I need to know.

Here's my line of thinking, taking the BB Pennsylvania as example;

The following table shows the ship classes (according to its upgrades) and bitmaps it is linked to:

Class-----------BMP--------Date

308-------------178--------12/41
310-------------009--------01/42
312-------------011--------10/42
313-------------011--------06/43
314-------------011--------03/45

So we'd have 3 different bmp's to work with, 178, 009, and 011.

The following table shows the camouflage measurements which were in use on Pennsylvania, citing vertical surfaces only;

1941-----MS-1-----Dark Gray (5-D) - above top of stacks Light Gray (5-L)
1942-----MS-21----Navy Blue 5-N - all vertical surfaces without exception
1943-----MS-21----Navy Blue 5-N
1944-----MS-21----Navy Blue 5-N
1945-----MS-21----Navy Gray 5-N - (Revision 02/26/45, Navy Gray substituted Navy Blue, using same designation)

Taking Pennslvania's upgrade path and bmp change, this translates into the following painting;

BMP 178 ----------- MS-1
BMP 009 ----------- MS-21
BMP 011 ----------- MS-21 Navy Blue
BMP 011 ----------- MS-21 Navy GRAY

And since Pennsylvania upgrades in March 1945, which concides with the revision of the MS-21 camo scheme, only ONE numbered month folder would be needed, that's "1945" containing "03" with BMP 011 painted in Navy Gray.


I hope this is correct... [:)]


(For simplicity in this example, I haven't cited the bmp's with transparency for the battle screens, I am aware these would need to be done as well.)

[Reg]

Hi Hotchi, Your analysis is exactly what was thinking.

Here are the default bitmaps for the three Pennsylvania classes.
Note that the Navy Blue MS-21 measure is already incorporated on the bottom two images.

I agree these default images are adequate and only one additional image is needed.
(Though you may consider a Navy Gray version of bitmap 009 in case the player does not upgrade).

[Reg]

You can now consider the rotating ship art successfully tested.

I took the default bitmap 0011 ("AnSide0011.bmp") put a bit of text on it so it was discernable from the default image and saved it as "AnSide0011-4503.bmp" in my master rotating image library alongside my rotating aircraft art images.

I then ran the script "new-ship.bat" from my utility to create a new rotating art distribution and registered the bitmap 0011 for year 45 and month 03. I then ran "build-dist.bat" and pointed the destination to my WITP-AE game folder.

(This seems like a lot of mucking around for one image but you wait until you are creating distributions with 500 bitmaps with three stages each....)

I then fired up WITP-AE and loaded the downfall scenario which is set in September 1945. The result is below. SUCCESS!!!

(Note that the bottom of the image is covered up by the moving ocean animation.)

[Reg]

For comparison, this is the Marianas scenario set in 1944 which uses the default bitmap 011 for the Pennsylvania.
(Scenario 011 loaded - no other changes)

Edit: Yes I've checked in the editor for scenario 011 and the USS Pennsylvania is in fact class 314 which is the 3/45 upgrade... oops [:-]

[Hotschi]

ORIGINAL: Reg


Note that the Navy Blue MS-21 measure is already incorporated on the bottom two images.

I agree these default images are adequate and only one additional image is needed.
(Though you may consider a Navy Gray version of bitmap 009 in case the player does not upgrade).

Thanks for the hint regarding bmp 009 in Navy Gray, haven't thought of that yet.

In my opinion, the default Navy Blue is a bit too bright and should be darker, but maybe that's just me. There's so many different shades of Navy Blue around that I am actually thinking of purchasing the color chip sets from that webpage I cited above.

Need to do some test paints to find the best method, as a matter of fact it all boils down to finding the right color saturation.

Good to know your tool works! [:D]

[TOMLABEL]

Thanks Reg for the explaination. Possibly I have art in the wrong folder when I tested this awhile back. I'll go back and take a look.

TOMLABEL

[Reg]

ORIGINAL: Hotschi

In my opinion, the default Navy Blue is a bit too bright and should be darker, but maybe that's just me. There's so many different shades of Navy Blue around that I am actually thinking of purchasing the color chip sets from that webpage I cited above.

Need to do some test paints to find the best method, as a matter of fact it all boils down to finding the right color saturation.

I had a quick attempt at this below and you can get some good results though I think my attempt below is still a bit dark.... However, I found when I tried this trick with my aircraft paintwork it was difficult to achieve consistent results even if you manage to to get it right occasionally.

Also be aware that colours fade rapidly in service and will look different from the paint chips at a distance which is why the artists have lightened up the colours in the artwork.

By the way, the colour measure in bitmaps 009 and 011 appear to be two tone which is measure M-12/M-22 so you may have to redo these as well if you want them to be authentic M-21. However the artists were tasked to provide a generic colour scheme for the default art and I think they did a magnificent job. [&o]

Another tip: The rotating art for Dec'41/All Years overwrites the game supplied default art work. If you set your rotating art to activate on Jan'42, then you leave the default artwork intact and the player is able uninstall the rotating art by deleting the ship art year folders (or disable it's use with the -fixedArt switch in the command line).

[TOMLABEL]

ORIGINAL: Reg

By the way, the colour measure in bitmaps 009 and 011 appear to be two tone which is measure M-12/M-22

Yes, MS-22.

ORIGINAL: Reg
However the artists were tasked to provide a generic colour scheme for the default art and I think they did a magnificent job. [&o]

Thanks for being kind. We wanted to be more realistic with the original release, but when you have a boss, you do what he says! [;)]