TLD for LSA...Matrix, may I?

[TAIL_GUNNER]

Thanks guys....but now a new problem.

Pic attached below is a new BG of the 711. Infanterie-Division. I've created a bunch of new Axis teams with lowered morale and experience to simulate the troops attached to these static divisions. Also lowered the Osttruppen's numbers to better reflect how worthless they really were.

Managed to carefully create a blank graphic to add new patches...but as you can see, text does not show up so well. I'm using GIMP and tried all kinds of settings...but the game will not display correctly. Weird thing is, the graphics look just fine in the Explorer Thumbnail views...

Any advice?

[Tejszd]

Couple of ideas based on CC standards;
1) white is treated as transparent; so if you used white text make it more grey
2) almost all graphics files are 16bit TGA, if you accidentally save something as 24bit it looks weird 

[TAIL_GUNNER]

ORIGINAL: Tejszd

Couple of ideas based on CC standards;
1) white is treated as transparent; so if you used white text make it more grey
2) almost all graphics files are 16bit TGA, if you accidentally save something as 24bit it looks weird 

That must be it...I'm using the purest white there is for the text.

Thanks yet again Tejszd!

[TAIL_GUNNER]

That's better....well, at least it's visible anyway..[:D]

Mind you I'm no graphic artist...in fact, I'm gonna use the TLD patches where I can for the initial version....maybe convert them to LSA backgrounds later..

[Amgot]

Looks great TAIL_GUNNER!

How's the general progress so far? Do you have any ETA for a first playable version?

[TAIL_GUNNER]

ORIGINAL: Amgot

Looks great TAIL_GUNNER!

How's the general progress so far? Do you have any ETA for a first playable version?

Hello Amgot.

I would say I'm about at the 50% mark..

I'll be the first to admit that I was very dumb to think I could port this over in a few weeks...I wrongly assumed that the two games were not that far apart from release dates and thus shared many attributes.

I couldn't have been more wrong...they are very different..
Hell, it took me about two hours last night just to get the 37mm FlaK from LSA into the mod.

I would guess release should be before Christmas.

[kweniston]

Thanks, Tail_Gunner. Nice project. Looking forward to hopefully a nice X-mas present! (no pressure! .

[TAIL_GUNNER]

oh boy...

have just realized there are MASSIVE differences in certain weapons.txt and vehicles.txt data fields between TLD and LSA...
I converted all of the original TLD .txt files to run in the LSA engine....but the changes are too great to ignore and will affect gameplay..


Not sure yet how to proceed.....need to sleep on it.[:o]

[Manu]

Don't give up. we look forward to the first LSA big mod.

[Tejszd]

ORIGINAL: TAIL_GUNNER

oh boy...

have just realized there are MASSIVE differences in certain weapons.txt and vehicles.txt data fields between TLD and LSA...
I converted all of the original TLD .txt files to run in the LSA engine....but the changes are too great to ignore and will affect gameplay..

Not sure yet how to proceed.....need to sleep on it.[:o]

Yes, in LSA supposedly the the calculations were adjusted for consistency but it does mean WAR/TLD and earlier CC5 data can not be directly used in those areas. Hopefully by looking at LSA data maybe you can come up with a calculation to convert the data....

[Andrew Williams]

One can only wonder why all values have been altered in LSA to no longer be compatible with the preceding 8 releases... and has there been any noticeable improvement after all that work?

[kweniston]

Can't Matrix give some clues as to how to convert the data (or the reason behind the alterations)?

[TAIL_GUNNER]

Yes, in LSA supposedly the the calculations were adjusted for consistency but it does mean WAR/TLD and earlier CC5 data can not be directly used in those areas. Hopefully by looking at LSA data maybe you can come up with a calculation to convert the data....

Comparing a PaK40 between the two versions vehicles.txt shows a whopping 25 different fields....a Panther G is even worse with 44 changes! I can't make out consistency either.

Taking one field for example: Hull Armor Front Low.
For the PaK40 this was reduced 66%, a StuG IIIG 8%, and a Panther G 35%..

I would not mind copying and pasting the LSA data over...but unfortunately, many units in TLD are not present in the LSA data...


So, I'm kinda sad to say...this project is dead.
[:(]

If Matrix ever decides to bring the TLD data up to LSA standards...I will resurrect it.

[Tejszd]

You have done lots already, maybe it doesn't have to die.

How does LSA data compare to some of the data on the web? Hopefully the changes made the game closer to what can be found. If so then it might be easy to add missing weapons as you can use the web data....

[TAIL_GUNNER]

ORIGINAL: Tejszd

You have done lots already, maybe it doesn't have to die.

How does LSA data compare to some of the data on the web? Hopefully the changes made the closer to what can be found. If so then it might be easy to add missing weapons as you can use the web data....

OK..ya got me....I'm a big drama queen... [8|]
it's not going to die yet....I actually felt bummed all day thinking this was it...

So, right now I'm making a little spreadsheet with all entries that both games share in the vehicles.txt file for a comparison...
Hopefully will be able to glean something useful from it..

[kweniston]

There is software to compare excel files, a quick google will help you if you need this.
Please find the strength to continue, I'm so looking forward to your mod [:)].

[TAIL_GUNNER]

oh, I knew in my heart I couldn't abandon it even before I finished typing out that I was going to.....I gots too much time into it!
I just thought I was finally past all the dull data manipulation and finally into the fun stuff...creating OOBs and testing.

But it's not as bad as I thought it'd be....edited the first 10 vehicles tonight using comparisons of existing LSA units and a little creative manipulation.

Just spotted a new wrinkle though...I see in LSA there is a new movement to seperate AT guns from tank guns in the weapons.txt file....
Before you would just create one weapon (like the 5cm L/42) and use it for both the AT and KwK versions...now there are two seperate entities..

More number-crunching to look forward to.....can't wait![8D]

[Overkenshin]

Wow great job thank you. keep up the good work.

[TAIL_GUNNER]

Thanks buddy...appreciated!


Small update:

Still crunching numbers for conversion of TLD vehicles into LSA guidelines..on the downhill with this arduous task....weapons.txt comes next, should be easier..

No way will it be 100% accurate....but these revised armor numbers should be fairly close..

Noticed in LSA that Allied tanks now have all their AAMGs...I think I will leave these off in this mod as I've read that most were removed by their crews..

However, the appropiate German vehicles will receive their Nahverteidigungswaffe (that's a mouthful)[8D]

[Tejszd]

Thanks for the update TAIL_GUNNER glad that is coming together!!!