Developing units panels and customizable counters - is it possible?

[gliz2]

This is a question for devs I think.
I don't mind doing coding but would like to know is it actually possible with the engine or would it require major overhaul?

To me modding makes the game truely personal experience.

IT make a hell of a difference if I see this:

[sPzAbt653]

You can but are currently limited to only one set of counters.

[Lobster]

ORIGINAL: sPzAbt653

You can but are currently limited to only one set of counters.

I guess at first thought the one set of counters seemed like a good idea. Just fiddle with colors and save from making a bunch of counter sheets. Saves lots of hard drive space and money spent on artwork. But at the cost of having just one set of counters greatly limiting modding in a world of terabyte hard drives. I would file this under not likely to change. Lots of artwork and some coding needed to bring it back to the good old days. [;)]

[Dave25210]

From which mod is this screenshot taken?

Looks fantastic, want it....

Thx.

[Cabido]

Well, I have dealt with mod making and I'm quite experienced in graphics design. I can say that the mod above would be impossible to reproduce with TOAW graphics system, specially the counters.

The map would be possible, but with lower resolution (the largest Toaw hex tile set isn't as large as this). It wouldn't be advisable though. The problem is that games with custom made maps have a lot more freedom to deal with map elements. In TOAW a set of tile (let's say hills) must work alongside open, desert, mountains etc. TOAW has an editor, most games have not, so that the artist can set the colors according to the specific map region; they don't need to design a LEGO like set that works with any possible combination of terrain features. Also, if you compare hex 3113 and 3011 you see that the railway is slightly different, even if the link the same hex sides. In TOAW they would have to be the same, which creates a pattern like look a little more artificial then the more organic look above. This is the price to pay for having an editor.

As for the counters, apart form having just one set available, resolution and available space inside the counter's frame do not allow this level of detail. The best solution I have seen so far, for figurative counters, came from the link below, but wasn't finished. Since the guy used only silhouettes, the figures have a more generic look, so that they can be used for both sides on the map. And I must say that this guy was patient. I have tried to make some figurative counters, but space is too limited and resolution too low.

fb.asp?m=4395847

[Dave25210]

Thanks for explanation, Cabido. Too bad the game can't be modded as in the screenshot above...

I generally like the most map from WITE, and also it's counters. DC series has great unit counters too, but the map, particularly in Barbarossa, is poor. I purchased TOAW just week ago, didn't install any mod yet.