4 SEASONS ALTERNATE GRAPHICS

[Ormand]

Well, it will take some work on your part!

You need to put them in a directory and then set the graphics for the subformation types in the editor. This can be a laborious, if not mind-numbly boring, process. Because you have to do it for the four levels of the subformations and several peoples (extra graphics). You can't just plop them into the directory and then change their names to the same used in the vanilla game. One reason you can't is that the vanilla game uses layers and an overlay color, so it wouldn't look right. And, in the event that there is an update for ATG, they will just get overwritten.

So, two options. Both need the editor and involve loading them and saving the file as your own.

1. Go into the editor and manually change the graphics for each subformation type.

2. Create an event that will set the images for each of the subformations. By far the easiest way but you need to create an event that you just execute in the editor. To do this, you will want to put the names of the images into a stringlist that the editor will read. I did this by making a row for each of the subformations I wanted to load graphics for and a column for the people. So, a 2D matrix of files names (you can do this in a text file and load the text into the stringlist). Then make a loop over the rows in the stringlist (and put the subformation number in the first column) and "read" the files names in using something like TempString100 = checkstringlist(SringListID, Row#, Column#). Then use the NEW exec functions ExecSFTypeExtraGraphics and ExecSFTypeExtraGraphicsName. The first will load an image for the people type, while the second will set its name. This will take a little work, but you can do it with less than 40 lines of code. And it will save you a lot of time relative to doing it manually. To run the event click on the yellow "=" box. Not to worry if you mess it up, just DO NOT save it as your original file. When you do things like this never, ever overwrite your file until you are 200% sure you did what you wanted to, and even then, make a backup. But do save your file before you run the event as this will have your code in it and you won't to start that all over again. If you don't feel comfortable doing it with code, go back to option 1, which was the way you had to do it before.

After you do this and are happy, save it to your own file name and then you will need to edit the mod file, or create your own and put it into the mod folder so you can select it. Just put your at2 file where the Phoenix file name is. This is needed to tell the random game generator to use this file. With your own mode file, you can select it or not as you start ATG.

[basilstaghare]

Well, it will take some work on your part!

After you do this and are happy, save it to your own file name and then you will need to edit the mod file, or create your own and put it into the mod folder so you can select it. Just put your at2 file where the Phoenix file name is. This is needed to tell the random game generator to use this file. With your own mode file, you can select it or not as you start ATG.

Thanks so much for the detailed instructions. I will give it a looksee!

[Ormand]

I will try really hard to get the next update to Four Seasons in the next week, but it will be a bit of a challenge since I am traveling and I need Vic to put it on the web site. But, inside is an event that does exactly as I described. Heck, I am no fool, and I can add execs to do it. Seriously, I have found that events can be really helpful. I have to alter movement, then AA for artillery, and a bunch of other stuff. For these, it is MUCH faster to use code. Although, I admit that it takes a little while to "write" the code and then to make sure it isn't bugged.