Slitherine

Posted: **Thu Sep 23, 2010 1:05 pm**

Ok. This is doing my head in.

I have created a texture for the USMC flag. I cannot export directly from photoshop because the nvidia plugins dont work with the 64 bit version. I have opened the .psd in Gimp (many, many times) and then saved it as a .dds file. I copy the flag into the game and when I launch it says the image is not square and the game crashes.

I just specified that I would like to save the 256 x 256 file using DXT3 compression (I know it might not be right, but I am getting desperate) and I get the message shown below. Gimp is lying.....

Tim fixed the Japanese flag for me last night, but he didn't say how exactly. I have a feeling he didn't use Gimp.

If anyone has any ideas I would be most grateful, but for now I am going to cut myself......

Edit: Because I am very special I also decided, unconsciously, to replace the original flag file in my core directory without backing it up so that it crashes even when i try to play a couple of multiplayer turns. I am so proud of myself.......

Posted: **Thu Sep 23, 2010 3:21 pm**

I still don't know what I did, but I made it work. I think the colours on the flag are a little washed out, I'll make it better when I have had a holiday in rehab.

Posted: **Thu Sep 23, 2010 5:47 pm**

Looks good. You could have used the other one without the frill if that is easier on you.

Posted: **Thu Sep 23, 2010 8:53 pm**

Merr - sounds good - not sure how you will get it to work but could be cool.

I've had a go at a cave - let me know what you think

Caves

Ed - if you have trouble in the future just send it over. i use Photoshop. I think Gimp takes the size of the image within the document somehow - it was odd becuse the document was square but it said the image wasn't - I put it in Photoshop and it was square.

Posted: **Thu Sep 23, 2010 8:59 pm**

Cheers Tim. I think I get the option to install as 32 bit, I might try that. I managed to break the texture again by messing with it. Will fix tomorrow.

Cave looks good, but you have an issue with your smoothing groups? The crease to the right of the sandbags? And I think possibly on the top left, as we look at the image, but hard to say with just one screenie.

Posted: **Fri Sep 24, 2010 12:50 am**

Tim looks good so far. I'll try it in game.

Paul are you going to make a cave too?

What did you do to get the flags on the map so that I can stay with the same format?

Posted: **Fri Sep 24, 2010 12:58 am**

I wonder if you could create a tiny object (or one underground) which had the attributes of a hedge to box in caves preventing LOS into/out of them? I don't recall exactly how the hedgerow logic works off the top of my head, but I feel it should be possible to get something like that working.

Cheers

Pip

Posted: **Fri Sep 24, 2010 2:29 am**

Tim the cave looks good in game but units placed inside have their heads through the top. Raise the roof.

EDIT I can increase the size to solve that problem.

Can I rotate other than 90 and 180? EDIT Read the docs j2d

EDIT Tim I need destroyed and M and hidden if you are up to it.

Posted: **Fri Sep 24, 2010 4:44 am**

Here is my PTO test campaign

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/6754176/Japan%20cave.zip

Extract the folder into your MyGames\BBCBA\Campaigns folder

Play the first "test battle", use the back arrow at the bottom. It is not complete, just testing the caves.

Posted: **Fri Sep 24, 2010 7:40 am**

pipfromslitherine wrote:I wonder if you could create a tiny object (or one underground) which had the attributes of a hedge to box in caves preventing LOS into/out of them? I don't recall exactly how the hedgerow logic works off the top of my head, but I feel it should be possible to get something like that working.

Cheers

Pip

That's what I was thinking!

Paul are you going to make a cave too?

Yes, I'll give it a go.

What did you do to get the flags on the map so that I can stay with the same format?

Not quite sure what you are asking for here. I simply replaced Gb and German flag marker textures with the new ones. If you want detail on how I created the graphics and the transparency, *deep breath* I'll let you know when I fix the one I just broke again.

Posted: **Fri Sep 24, 2010 11:52 am**

No, not how you made the flags, how you scripted them. Sounds like you didn't script them, just named them for existing countries.

IOW instead of naming the dds and s3f japan_marker you used german_marker?

Posted: **Fri Sep 24, 2010 11:53 am**

Yep, that's all I did.

Posted: **Fri Sep 24, 2010 10:26 pm**

Here's the destroyed and M dds - sorry forgot about them!

Missing_dds_files

Ed - yes I need to look at the smoothing I think.

I wonder if you could create a tiny object (or one underground) which had the attributes of a hedge to box in caves preventing LOS into/out of them? I don't recall exactly how the hedgerow logic works off the top of my head, but I feel it should be possible to get something like that working.

Pip - can you make objects that go underground (below tile level) - like a trench say and the troops walk along the bottom of it? Or do the walk at tile level?

Posted: **Fri Sep 24, 2010 10:30 pm**

We don't (generally) use the object height for things. Having said that, there is the height info used by bridges etc, but that won't punch a hole in the normal tile - if you see what I mean.

Cheers

Pip

Posted: **Sat Sep 25, 2010 12:13 am**

pipfromslitherine wrote:We don't (generally) use the object height for things. Having said that, there is the height info used by bridges etc, but that won't punch a hole in the normal tile - if you see what I mean.

Cheers

Pip

But , if you set the height to a negative value will it "sink" the unit when on the trench object? Might add to the drama if able.

Subterrainian (pardon spelling) levels would be an interesting addition ... If this was based on X-COM a little up/down toggle would work ... though CPU requirements might bust the roof!

Posted: **Sat Sep 25, 2010 12:23 am**

tim1966 wrote: like a trench say and the troops walk along the bottom of it? Or do the walk at tile level?

You could use the old "smoke and mirror" trick .... if it will work ;

1. Create a new tile DDS that has a mask that outlines the trench.
2. If negative height works (that is, sinking the unit on the tile with the trench object) then you will see the trench imbeded into the tile and you can see the floor beneath.

EDIT : Of course, you would have to change the trench "Y" value to a negative in the model, you know, lower it a bit from origin.

Pip ?

Posted: **Sat Sep 25, 2010 12:31 am**

If we had three levels, 0, 1, 2

0 below ground
1 ground level
2 above ground level

Then you could have basements, dungeons, trenches, foxholes, gullies and rivers...

Posted: **Sat Sep 25, 2010 1:20 am**

Merr wrote:
tim1966 wrote: like a trench say and the troops walk along the bottom of it? Or do the walk at tile level?
You could use the old "smoke and mirror" trick .... if it will work ;

1. Create a new tile DDS that has a mask that outlines the trench.
2. If negative height works (that is, sinking the unit on the tile with the trench object) then you will see the trench imbeded into the tile and you can see the floor beneath.

EDIT : Of course, you would have to change the trench "Y" value to a negative in the model, you know, lower it a bit from origin.

Pip ?

I think the base (tile) layer ignores any alpha in the texture, IIRC.

Cheers

Pip

Posted: **Sat Sep 25, 2010 1:22 am**

junk2drive wrote: Play the first "test battle", use the back arrow at the bottom. It is not complete, just testing the caves.

junk2drive,

Very nice work!!

Comment ... Would the Japanese Icon look better as a "meatball" instead of a target? Perhaps a rising sun?

Also, don't forget to add the OBJECTS.TXT file to your PTO folder .... I'm using this (for starters) ;

Code: Select all

// PTO Objects File

[Pillbox]
BLOCKING
TERRAIN HeavyFortifications
PLACEMENT 8
DAMAGE 250
FADE
HIDES
CLUSTER 0.5
HIDEDAMAGE

[Cave]
BLOCKING
TERRAIN Heavyfortifications
PLACEMENT 8
DAMAGE 250
FADE
HIDES
CLUSTER 0.5
HIDEDAMAGE

Posted: **Sat Sep 25, 2010 1:44 am**

The Rising Sun was used by IJN (Navy) and the meatball by IJA. SNLF (Marines) could use the RS but then I end up with two countries.

I could make that "target" larger but I'm still testing.

I didn't hide the caves yet because I wanted to see how they act.

I'll have another version of the campaign uploaded tonight.

I'm having trouble getting the briefing to show in the battle selection screen. I suppose I need an animation text?