Matrix Games Forums

Yes, after taking a look, I do not mind the numbers as well.[:)]

Thank you all for your comments. I will do some work over the next few days to check how these behave in game. I will post my findings with some pictures.

The tank is easy to see which way that it is facing, but not so much the infantry.

Well I have been trying lots of different versions of counter art and sadly none work very well in game. The issue is clarity. Top down 2d usually looks good and clear but it is not the view I wish to play in.

In other views the clarity is poor and changes as you pan and zoom. Sometimes figures look very blobby. I am not sure why the images do not maintain sharpness but there it is.

Also all the numbers just clutter the counter and take up space that may allow a larger image.

As it is I am not willing to mod all the counter art for a mediocre result. I will still experiment and hopefullyI can find a happy medium where the quality is consistent enough to warrant working through all the icons.

What about the unit looks from the Panzer Grenadier board game? I know that there are some in here somewhere.

http://www.pg-hq.com/mission.php

They will need to be doctor'd up a little firsth. It might be what you are looking for. I will look around as well.

ORIGINAL: Ratzki

What about the unit looks from the Panzer Grenadier board game? I know that there are some in here somewhere.

http://www.pg-hq.com/mission.php

They will need to be doctor'd up a little firsth. It might be what you are looking for. I will look around as well.

Hi Ratzki,

Thank you for the link. The counters look good but I am sure they would suffer from the same clarity problem while panning and zooming.

With one of the designs I tried the following using the Standard German Infantry Rifle Sqaud.

1. I removed the soldier at the back. So I had 3 to use.

2. I enlarged them as much as possible without infringing on the chit numbers.

3. I seperated each soldier as independent objects to maximize placement.

4. Using different combinations of darkening and dropshadows I tried to make them sharper and more visible.

5. I created 10 variations just of this design and tried each in game. None was suitable.

I have done whole counter sets for games such as Flashpoint Germany, HPS Eagles Strike, and ATF the Falklands War among others. They are all 2d, top down, BMP based so they worked quite well at least to what satisfied me.

The very thing that makes the Maps so enjoyable and clear also makes having the counters sharp and clear quite difficult. But I hope to find some compromise.

All the best

John

If you make the art as a bmp, then convert to png, do you think that would help? I'm a bumbler when it comes to graphics. I use Paint.net and it usually gives me choices when I save or convert. Maybe one of these choices would give you the clarity at different levels.

z1812..how did you shrink the vehicle bmps and keep clarity for the HPS game? I wanted to do 2D top down for RV and AOTR but found the coutners about 4 or 5 pixels too small to get a good clean counter...

the helmet counter was the best for Inf you did for this game..

ORIGINAL: junk2drive

If you make the art as a bmp, then convert to png, do you think that would help? I'm a bumbler when it comes to graphics. I use Paint.net and it usually gives me choices when I save or convert. Maybe one of these choices would give you the clarity at different levels.

That is exactly the process I have used.

ORIGINAL: wodin

z1812..how did you shrink the vehicle bmps and keep clarity for the HPS game? I wanted to do 2D top down for RV and AOTR but found the coutners about 4 or 5 pixels too small to get a good clean counter...

the helmet counter was the best for Inf you did for this game..

It was an exhausting process especially close to the end. This is how I did it.

1. I opened the existing 2d graphic set. I built a grid to reflect the placement of the units.

2. Then I cut out all the units and and filled in the spaces left.

3. Next was to seperate each unit as I prepared to work on it.

4. You must then enlarge each unit and remove any graphic artifacts left from the process above.

5. After enlarging the individual unit to the point that you see each pixel. You pixel by pixel create a black out line.

6. Now you can start, pixel by pixel, painting and replacing colours of the unit.

7. I nearly always constructed wheels myself and attached them.

8. When Finished you place it correctly back into its proper location in the grid.

9. Enlarge again and check for artifacts remove and touch up as reqiured.

10 You have now finished 1 unit and are ready to start the next.

11. Periodically you should check the appearance in game. It saves a lot of work later.

Not for the faint of heart, or short of time. At first it was satisfying. I did Eagles Strike First and then Soviet Afghan war. I never did get around to AoTR.

What about the standard NATO symbols for the infantry.
I am at work at the moment, what size in pixels is the final image that is pasted on the counters?

@Z..yeah I did all the faces for AOTR and RV and wanted to do top down vehicles but boy everytime I shrank them down so they'd fit on the counter they would blur up to much. Even side on view was a pain..I found the size was about 5 pixels to small for anything to really look good.

The process for the new faces was time consuming aswell..especially the pixel by pixel bit so you had no transparent pixels around the edge.

ORIGINAL: Ratzki

What about the standard NATO symbols for the infantry.
I am at work at the moment, what size in pixels is the final image that is pasted on the counters?

The Chit Size is 256 pixels by 256 pixels. I am not really much for Nato symbols although your suggestions are appreciated. The images I put onto the chits vary.

The helmet pics are 136 pixels by 99 give or take a few pixels. The Panzer IV is 98 x 234 pixels.

I have pretty much decided upon a Helmet or Cap with a weapon below. That will suit small crew served weapons. Tanks will have no cap. I have not tackled artillery or guns yet.

Just an update to say the art work is coming along. I have completed the counters for "the Gap" scenario and will post some screenshots of the in game results.

Interested in seeing how they look now!

Here are examples of what the mod will look like when finished.

Another Example.






All images made by Jon Oldham and Dick Shoenberg and are from the Junior General site.

Those look very nice.

Yes, those look excellent. Still working on them?

Any word?