Gary's New Graphics Thread

[GaryChildress]

Hi Ormand,
 
If I can get all the graphics put together would you be willing to put them in the same zip file for me? Maybe as I learn more about modding this great game I'll figure out how to do it on my own one of these days. Also maybe you could release them in an upload on the AT website like you did the last one? I would really appreciate it if you would.
 
Thanks for helping me with this.

[GaryChildress]

Staff are up next:

[GaryChildress]

STAFF PACK I: Files attached

[Ormand]

Gary, sure I'll help. Sorry for radio silence, long day at work. It will take a bit of time as it is fairly involved. I will see how far I can get in the next few days. This weekend, I am offline. I have to go to DC (from SF) for a meeting Sunday and Monday, and will be back Monday night. So, we'll see how far I can get before then. The rush is not too great, as you will see modding is both fun and something that one delves into with gusto and starts to take over, and takes time to get done right.

What I will do for sure is to bring them into all five of my 4Seasons at2 files. This means editing three files, and importing to two others (the vanilla 4Seasons file can be imported into NewDawn and NewDawn2). If it is possible to import just units, it might be possible to do the same for the standard distribution. I know it is just one more file in principle, but it is a rather tedious process.

One thing I will do is also exchange US and British in my file so that British is Anglosaxon and American will be the new people.

As for paratroopers, I didn't create a separate SMG, MG, Bazooka, Mortar unit for paradrops, I just made the standard units droppable. I could do make them, but it would mean more SFTs and items, which may not be a good idea since in one of the posts regarding models, Vic says they eat memory. I would suggest you go ahead and make them, since they look to be part of the template, and we can decide what to do later.

For marines, if you took the US rifle and made a camo uni, that would probably be nice. For Rangers, this is technically is an Anglosaxon only unit, so a one image is just fine. I would try to model this on the SAS instead. Partly because if I were to make separate Peoples between British and Americans, I would make the British special unit commandos, and the US marines (again to keep the SFTs down, I didn't make marine SMG, MG, or Mortars). For the Italians, the special unit should be mountain troops (Alpini).

I like the staff as well. I almost hate to say that for the Soviets though that you should have posed him in the position of the staff unit in the game. It is based on that rather iconic photograph. I don't know if I could have resisted.

[Ormand]

Your SMG is not too far from the iconic photo from Okinawa that is also used on the opening screen.

[Tac2i]

Great work Gary! One comment that I would make is that the German staff guy kinda looks like a policeman to me. All of them, with their hand in the air, seem to be indicating halt or I'll shoot. Just my two cents...

[GaryChildress]

ORIGINAL: Webizen

Great work Gary! One comment that I would make is that the German staff guy kinda looks like a policeman to me. All of them, with their hand in the air, seem to be indicating halt or I'll shoot. Just my two cents...

Ah! Good point. I'll try working on the pose a little more.

[GaryChildress]

How about something like this? Maybe a little more "action" oriented.

[GaryChildress]

I came up with a tentative idea for a background. The background is basically gray and white checkerboard. However, when applied in game, instead of black and white, it picks up a color hue depending upon what color you set your counters for.

[GaryChildress]

Here're the background with a different counter color set.

[Tac2i]

I can't say that background pattern looks good to me. Perhaps a translucent flag or something like that. That set for four squares is distracting to me.

[GaryChildress]

I actually had a translucent flag set up (see below) but the problem with that is that units like Paratroopers don't have nation specific icons. If I did a flag for paratroopers, the flag would need to be a "one size fits all" deal.

[GaryChildress]

The advantage of the checkerboard background is that it is less distracting than the countryside or city scape backgrounds. My units really begin to lose their effect when they are set against "busy" backgrounds. The checkerboard is probably the least busy, unless I just do a simple white background that picks up the different colors (like what is pictured below).

[GaryChildress]

Or...how about a checkerboard background that is a little more "subdued" in the difference between the tones (like the one below)? A single color background seems a little too simplistic and a multi color one would probably be even more distracting...

[Tac2i]

Subdued looks better to me. I kinda like that in standard ATG the terrain background shows but I understand that may hinder the aesthetic view your models.

[Ormand]

I like this leader better myself. To tell the truth, I myself prefer the transparent background with the terrain showing. Although, I can see an argument for the background. One thing to think of is if you are also thinking of vehicles, and how to make it look more integrated. (removed a comment on shadows that wasn't pertinent).

As for putting them in. I have integrated your images into my Divisions and Regiments files. And I started working on the generic.at2 file. One question is to use these as an overlay or the primary image. For Divisions and Regiments I made it primary, and then thought of using it as an overlay in generic (you could then put in a background image in the primary, although it is a lot of work). The weakness of using it as an overlay is that the name is not visible in the box (only the primary is). I should have this done tomorrow, and it will have to be checked for errors. It is actually infinitely easier to put them into say Rifle I, copy this SFT three times, rename them to Rifle II, III, IV. Copy the stats of Rifle II, III, and IV into them, move them up the list, and delete the previous SFTs. But, this also requires a few fixes, like the upgrade, items, and research. I know it sound complicated, but it is faster than changing two images for each People four times. One the generic.at2 file is done, then I can port this into anewdawn.at2 and anewdawn2.at2. The import will overwrite common data in the other files. I am assuming that you are using Webizen's NATO counters that overwrite the ATG counters (again maintenance is much easier).

[GaryChildress]

Hi Ormand, Thank you. Yes, I'm using the Nato counters. I guess I'll just do the PNG images and let you do what you think is best for backgrounds since it's your mod. I'll post my work to this thread and anyone is welcome to use my graphics in any way they want. So if someone doesn't like the backgrounds you decide on, then they can always make whatever they want instead.

[GaryChildress]

BTW, just FYI, I'm working on some matching graphics for other units in the game (all using 3D virtual models of course). Here is a preview of what I hope will be things to come:

[Vic]

Nice work Gary. I am following this thread with interest

Best wishes,
Vic

[GaryChildress]

Thank you Vic! This is such a great (and extremely versatile) game. I just bought it and am already enamored with it. Can't wait for the Platinum edition to come out! For the platinum edition my personal hope is for more Regime options for random games. [8D]