Matrix Games Forums

Hey everyone,
I'm trying to mod some counters and after hours with re-drawing the counters 2 mix I thought I was done. I started the new game only to find out that my re-drawn counters had a big block of white all around them!! So how do you make new counters then? I then went to mix 2 and added some color to my German tank units, and now the game crashes. I have patch 1.60.

ORIGINAL: axisandallies
I started the new game only to find out that my re-drawn counters had a big block of white all around them!! So how do you make new counters then?

You must edit and save them as PNG files that allows you to use transparency.

ORIGINAL: axisandallies
I then went to mix 2 and added some color to my German tank units, and now the game crashes. I have patch 1.60.

Are you sure that this is the only change you made? As long as those skin files are PNG files named correctly, game should not crash...

ORIGINAL: Bleck

ORIGINAL: axisandallies
I started the new game only to find out that my re-drawn counters had a big block of white all around them!! So how do you make new counters then?

You must edit and save them as PNG files that allows you to use transparency.

ORIGINAL: axisandallies
I then went to mix 2 and added some color to my German tank units, and now the game crashes. I have patch 1.60.

Are you sure that this is the only change you made? As long as those skin files are PNG files named correctly, game should not crash...

Thank you for your fast response. I go the TOW editor, go to the Grand Campaign, select "explore" option which brings up the app file and unit file. I open the unit file with "paint" change the counter 2 with what I like, then I save as counter 2. Please can you walk me through it, a thousand thanks if you can.

ORIGINAL: axisandallies
I open the unit file with "paint"

There is your problem MS Paint does not support PNG format. You need other application. There are many free ones, Ultimate Paint Standard, GIMP, Paint.NET etc. In those apps you can edit both pixel colors and transparency. And Remember to save files using PNG format

ORIGINAL: Bleck

ORIGINAL: axisandallies
I open the unit file with "paint"

There is your problem MS Paint does not support PNG format. You need other application. There are many free ones, Ultimate Paint Standard, GIMP, Paint.NET etc. In those apps you can edit both pixel colors and transparency. And Remember to save files using PNG format

png format? please give example......

If you get Paint.NET you will quickly catch on. I think the web site is called GetPaint.net, clever huh? In any case it is a Google away.

The png format is a graphics format like bmp or jpg, but it happens to be the one needed for this task. Paint.NET is free and very good.

Chuck

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portable_Network_Graphics

Examples are in ToW already. Units skin files are not BMP, not JPG/JPEG, not GIF, but PNG. PNG file can be opened by Paint, but when saving the BMP format is used, so there is no transparency informations in it, therefor game displays all pixels (also white ones). You need to open PNG file in other program that fully supports PNG file format, edit, and save as PNG file.

ORIGINAL: cpdeyoung

If you get Paint.NET you will quickly catch on. I think the web site is called GetPaint.net, clever huh? In any case it is a Google away.

The png format is a graphics format like bmp or jpg, but it happens to be the one needed for this task. Paint.NET is free and very good.

Chuck

yes I just did this, thank you very much for helping me out. I will return the favor to someone else tomorrow and hope he or she will do the same[:D] Again thanks.

ORIGINAL: Bleck

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portable_Network_Graphics

Examples are in ToW already. Units skin files are not BMP, not JPG/JPEG, not GIF, but PNG. PNG file can be opened by Paint, but when saving the BMP format is used, so there is no transparency informations in it, therefor game displays all pixels (also white ones). You need to open PNG file in other program that fully supports PNG file format, edit, and save as PNG file.

Thank you for taking time and helping me.[:)]

Hey A&A,
post up a screengrab.
I'd love to see a work in progress.
(once you get your head around the layers and transparency issues, it all falls into place pretty quickly).
-AS

ORIGINAL: Agent S

Hey A&A,
post up a screengrab.
I'd love to see a work in progress.
(once you get your head around the layers and transparency issues, it all falls into place pretty quickly).
-AS

Yes you are right, I feel kinda stupid right now, I did get paint.net and boy it was easy. Please understand that I am brand new at all of this. May I ask some more questions?

feel free...
there are no stupid questions, and the more people modding the more interesting and diverse the results.
eg: until I saw swatter's level indicators on the side of the unit icon, I was still mucking about with the old ones on the info.png file.
Everyone and everything helps, regardless, of the level you're at.

ok here goes....
1. how do you upload files to this site or forum?
2. how to do take a pic of the game you are playing?
3. I want to change the aircraft pics for my mod counters, can you import pics from paint.net?
4. Can you add more leaders to this game?

again thanks, many thanks

A&A,
1. Maybe it's a firefox issue, but for me to upload a file I need to actually edit my post to do so, (unless I'm starting a new thread, in which case the option to upload is present.)
2. The easiest way is to do a printscreen capture and then paste the image from the computer's clipboard into a new image file. (I use GIMP and it has an option to paste as new image). I then reduce the image to around 800x600 pixels. It doesn't lose detail and keeps the image size manageable on the browser.
3. I'd say yes to this one, but I don't use paint.net, so perhaps others can answer the specifics on this.
4. There is a commanders.csv file that allows you to edit names, and associated values, I havent changed this one, yet, but the process should be straightforward. I would suggest using notepad.exe for this as it prevents any formatting screw-ups by using excel.
not definitive perhaps, but hope that helps a little.
AS

Regarding question 1, If you choose "Post Reply" rather than using the "Fast Reply" then there is a Upload Dialog available, and "embed picture".

Chuck

ORIGINAL: cpdeyoung

Regarding question 1, If you choose "Post Reply" rather than using the "Fast Reply" then there is a Upload Dialog available, and "embed picture".

Chuck

Yes I see this now, kudos to you!

ORIGINAL: cpdeyoung

If you get Paint.NET you will quickly catch on. I think the web site is called GetPaint.net, clever huh? In any case it is a Google away.

The png format is a graphics format like bmp or jpg, but it happens to be the one needed for this task. Paint.NET is free and very good.

Chuck

Yes I am laughing at myself right now, when you save it, it is already in pgn format!