Calling EFX modders

[flakfernrohr]

I have some custom infantry units I made a long time ago and have never been able to make or match up the EFX commands for them. If someone is out there that can and is willing to do this, could explain (in simplified terms) how to do it or otherwise I would be most appreciative.

Attached are some samples (there are not a lot of them)

[Razz1]

Those are very good units.
Copy the line for the same type of unit and country.
Paste on bottom of file. Change ID # and name of png to the name of your unit.

Soviet_Hvy_MG.png (0,0) (0,0) (0,0) (0,0) HvyInfMG34-1 Leg_HW_1

[flakfernrohr]

Thanks Razz for the compliments. I have a lot more. I can easily copy and transfer the equip listing, etc., but the problem I think I am going to have is the gun flashes, etc. that come from the EFX files, because these aren't exact matches to ones in the game. I have not experimented yet, but I know the units in the game usually have flashes, "EFX" and animations that match the weapons, etc. I just want them to work right. Here are some more:

[flakfernrohr]

Here are my answers to the Grossdeutschland PZG icon in the Ostfront mod from DMP. I did not care for the icon in the game, especially the Stug, so I changed it around and have copied the equip file and efx. I have yet to test them in action.

[McGuba]

The problem is that the vanilla animations are all pre-set, they correspond to the vanilla icons. And there are not so many animations, if you check the Animations folder you can see that there are only a limited number of animations available, for example just one for the normal infantry, one for heavy infantry, and so on. And all the vanilla units use the same animations i.e. all Axis and Allied basic infantry units use the same anims (Infantry1, Infantry2, Infantry3) which obviously require the icons arranged in a way so that the position of the flashes in the anim files and the position of the guns in the unit icons match each other. Basically it is possible to make new animations, but I think it is a tedious work, especially, that you have to make a new animation file for each of your new units. Also you would need to add the sounds as well so that they match the flashes at the right time. Thus, when I make new units icons I always arrange the figures, weapons, etc. in the unit icon in a way that they match the existing animation files just to make it easier.

I usually do it with Photoshop: I just open a vanilla unit icon for which there is a working animation and paste the new icon over it as a new layer. Then I just rearrange the figures or the vehicle so that the tip of the weapon(s) exactly matches that of the vanilla icon. Somehow like this:

Soviet_SMG2.png (100.15 KiB) Viewed 8761 times

I opened the vanilla Wehrmach infantry icon and pasted your Soviet SMG icon over it and rearranged a bit so that the first soldier's gun matches that of the vanilla icon. Then I would need the move the other soldiers as well so that their weapons also exactly match the vanilla ones. When done I just delete the layer with the vanilla icon and use the vanilla Infantry1, Infantry2 and Infantry3 animations in the efx file for this new unit icon.

[flakfernrohr]

Thank you for the tip and the instructions McGuba. I do seem to remember seeing a grid of some sort in a thread here on the forum that helped a person line up animations with units. I wish I could find it and figure out how to use it. Since some of the units are "stacked" a bit for looks, I am not sure I can get them rearranged to fit the animations. I could use the layer arrangement method described on some of the units I made, but not all of them.

[Messmann]

You need this.

[Messmann]

Okay, "inventing" an animation is easier than designing a new unit, but it is tricky in some ways. I will try to explain it here, but these are only first notes... There will be open questions here and there, but its a start.

At first, I try to explain these charts. The normal pc animation chart tells you where openings of the guns are, which means where the animations is supposed to spring forth. So if an animation is supposed to spring forth at location 20, -20, then it will spring forth at twenty pixels to the right and twenty pixels upwards. This is valid for the animation which is directed towards the right. For an icon directed to the right, you will see the numbers -20, -20. The efx file is full of these numbers.

The large chart can tell you where to combine and shift several animations, so that each is springing forth at the correct location. This is necessary for creating a new animation.

The marked animation chart tells you the starting point of some antitank animations. I don't know how and why, but there are at least two counting systems for where animations spring forth. One is for large antitank guns, and one is for several any other weapons.

[Messmann]

Now, how to create an animation? Well, you need a program, at best for free.

Basically, I recommend to use Gimp 8.0, a refined free graphics program. I can also recommend to get acquainted with this program on a basic level at least. You need to know what layers are, and how to shift layers. You should also be able to have an overview at any time of the process.

Then, if you have looked around a little, open the large animation chart. This is your first layer, and is for your orientation only.

Afterwards, open many icons of your unit you want to create an animation for. Spread these icons loosely around this animation chart, so that they are located somewhere. It's not important where they are yet.

Now you need to have a basic animation. Take a normal animation from the animations file of the standard game. This has to be the animation with the largest flame, burst or whatever. Take the largest one first. This is your base animation. Load it up, and give it a name.

Take one of your unit icons and put it in a location where the burst is springing forth from a gun.

Take a second animation for the next gun. Shift it around, so that the opening of the second gun is dealt with. Take care that the relation of the burst is allright. It's not where the bursts actually are, it's where the bursts are spinging forth, and the relation of the bursts.

These two burst do unify in a new layer. (For that you need to swich off the visibility of your animation chart, switch off all icons. Only the two animation layers need to be visible).

You are ready. The animation is finished, at least, if there are no more weapon openings left. You need to add a third or more layers, if an opening is left. Then, export the layer and give it a name you can recognize.

Now its the time for finding the proper numbers. If the animation is small, you may shift an icon precisely between the red borders - each pixel is important - so that it is located exactly in the middle of a red square. Focus on the part of the icon which is facing to the right. Then, shift the icon with the arrow keys up and down, and count how many times you have to press the button. This slow method gives you quite precise results.

If you need to shift it to the right, count positive, when upwards, count negative. This is the efx number for the side facing right.

This works, in most cases at least.

[flakfernrohr]

Thank you so much for the grids and instructions Messmann. I really hope I can figure out how to use these. It looks pretty daunting at first glance.

[Messmann]

A few specialites...

Whatever happens, take great care that the relation of the burst is correct and that each burst is visible. Check with several unit icons at once. Then create an animation based upon that. Remember: Where the animation begins and springs forth you will find in the efx file, but how the bursts are related to one another is the actual animation you create.

Animation number 0: If you find zero in the efx file, it means the animation is not moved. It can be used right away by the system - but only for this type of unit. For example, the pioniere unit is going by 0/0, because the flame is springing forth where the flamethrower just happens to be. However, if you shift the flamethrower around you need to shift the animation accordingly. So you need to count the pixels and write new numbers in the efx file.

Deleting little bursts: Sometimes you will not find a proper animation as base animation, and you have to edit an original animation. For example, for my Jager units, I took the normal infantry animation, but I had to remove a rifle burst. Other than that it works perfectly well, since I took care that all barrels were ending at the same place as normal infantry units.

Anti-tank numbers: There is different counting system for large barrel guns. I think the starting point is somewhere in the red location of the "marked animation chart". I still have not figured it out exactly, though. With some anti-air units I had these problems as well. It took some time to find out the correct numbers of how to shift.

[Messmann]

Oh, excuse me, the sound

Well, the sound has to correlate with you animation somehow. Usually, I took normal soundfiles and changed it with audacity a little. You can get audacity for free.

For each new unit, I wrote an alias in the efx file. It appears that the system does not recognize new sound other than that. I think you can download the redux sound mod to see how that works, at least basically.

I hope I have not scared you off with that

[flakfernrohr]

Thanks again Messmann. I will see what I can manage with your excellent instructions, but with my pea sized brain, I don't know what I can accomplish. I have the Gimp 2.6 version on my computer, but when I downloaded the new 2.8 version, I am unable to pin the start to my desktop for some reason. I guess I will have to figure out how to crank the newest version of Gimp up. I understood the earlier version pretty good for a novice unit icon maker.

[captainjack]

I really appreciate the instructions.

I have a couple of custom units, some of which need a controlled tweak in position of the muzzle flashes and I now have somewhere to start. I had a similar feeling of uncertainty just before starting to modify icons, but I managed to get my head round that after a few goes. Roll on a rainy weekend!