Dogs Of War Vu
Network of Friends => World War II Europe 1939-1945 => Schwerpunkt => Mods/Scenarios => Topic started by: Agent Smith on December 09, 2024, 09:35:48 PM
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I still have a soft spot for Tactics II, and Avalon Hill's D-Day, Afrika Korps, and S&T Magazine's Cobra.
Games I played endlessly. With that in mind, I tend to go for desaturated colour palettes.
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Here is a before after. You can see how vibrantly intense the sea is, and the plains are very yellow. I'm thinking a darker map will also create a sharper contrast for the units.
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here is the modified tile
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I've managed to modify all the tiles!
Step 1: Installed the BIMP plug-in into Gimp, and Hue Saturation modified all the files in a batch conversion.
Time 45mins (approx.)
Unfortunately all the files saved as 32 Bit colour, so they were either black or grey in game.
#BIMP 2.6
#MANIPULATION SET DEFINITION
[USERDEF0]
procedure=gimp-hue-saturation
num_params=5
PARAM0=NOT_USED
PARAM1=1
PARAM2=0
PARAM3=0
PARAM4=-35
[USERDEF1]
procedure=gimp-drawable-hue-saturation
num_params=6
PARAM0=NOT_USED
PARAM1=5
PARAM2=0
PARAM3=-70
PARAM4=-50
PARAM5=0
[USERDEF2]
procedure=gimp-hue-saturation
num_params=5
PARAM0=NOT_USED
PARAM1=4
PARAM2=0
PARAM3=0
PARAM4=-100
[USERDEF3]
procedure=gimp-drawable-hue-saturation
num_params=6
PARAM0=NOT_USED
PARAM1=3
PARAM2=0
PARAM3=-30
PARAM4=0
PARAM5=0
[USERDEF4]
procedure=gimp-hue-saturation
num_params=5
PARAM0=NOT_USED
PARAM1=2
PARAM2=0
PARAM3=25
PARAM4=-65
Step 2: Used ImageMagick with the command line: magick mogrify -depth 24 -type Truecolor *.bmp to convert all the .bmp files to 24 Bit color.
Time <30seconds.
Every tile now playable.
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Battle for Anzio, Rome.
(May tweak a little, but now I know the entire process takes about 1hr.)
Time to play.
(these are screen grabs, so you can adjust the brightness accordingly).
- The plains tile, is now a more neutral 'bone' colour.
- Forest greens have been tweaked up.
- The Hills/ Mountains are similarly toned down.
- The brightness, can vary depending on monitor intensity, but as there is both white and black text, this current mod keeps both legible.
- Blue could be brighter in later mods, but there is not a great emphasis on sea battles in this game.
- The map colour palette when zoomed out, actually looks like a camo pattern.
[UPDATE] Couple of hours in, much easier on the eyes, the mountains always looked like chocolate sprinkles. This is the most cardboardy pc game I've played. Thanks Ron.
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Google Drive
LINK
- Map Tiles (all zoom levels changed)
- Terrain Key Card reflects new tiles.
- Minimap on Command Panel etc.
Zip File is just under 1GB (945.3MB)
(Feedback most welcome).
It's JSGME compatible.
[UPDATE]
I noticed I needed to update the high level map. (now done).
If anyone needs that file, or wants to download the mod, PM me, and I'll send through an updated link.
Given I've had no feedback, I'm not sure if anyone actually has.
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What's next...1. A lighter variant on base scheme.
2. A Tactics II. option.
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Now for the extraneous stuff.
- Detailed Report Card
- Order of Battle-1 (W.I.P)
- Order of Battle-2
- Game Status Sheet (next post)
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Old school report card vibe.
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Concept Stage. But so far okay...
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Checking a possible workflow for redrawing the entire map. GIMP + Inkscape.
Stay Tuned.
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Checking a possible workflow for redrawing the entire map. GIMP + Inkscape.
Stay Tuned.
Please note that there are 23 files with graphic errors in the original 1,395 low level images. I have corrected them and sent them on to Ron.
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Thanks for the heads up Zovs.
Still working my way through putting them all together.
The 19px overlap between tiles is annoying, but almost sorted.
Once I have a completed low-level map, I'm going to import it into inkscape and draw a vector map.
Then import out as .bmp, and slice and dice back in GIMP.
Very interested to see where this all leads.
Were the graphic errors significant? (I have yet to arrange all the tiles.)
(Also noticed we're the same age. I guess good graphics still count for some folks).
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Hey Zovs,
I think you're the only one reading this so...
I think you're also a couple of moves ahead of me.
I've placed a row of tiles and a column of tiles to create a low level map grid.
The image size is 23907 PX x 21631 PY.
These are odd numbers to my mind, can you confirm the low map size if you've made one.
I'm checking grid points, before filling in the rest.
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In some ways we are both ahead and behind each other.
I have not tried to stich together the 1,395 low level maps to make one big map. I have only concentrated on re-coloring/re-styling each individual map and also checking for any discrepancies.
The 23 graphic errors range from subtle to outright glitches.
I'll be 59 next year so its good to be in good company,
I have inkscape but am still learning how to use it. Maybe we can coordinate offline to share files. I have 4 mods for WWII-E and the most recent one I am working on I a doing the hex outlines in a style like Compass Games Proud Monster Deluxe.
I think my map colorization looks pretty good but I also know beauty is in the eye of the beholder.
Don (you can reach me at my email)
zovs66 (AT-Sign) gmail (DOT) com
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Cheers Don.
I use modding as a way of learning the software.
I've only recently started using inkscape, as I got sick of pencilling in individual pixels.
Despite the overlap error, I have imported into inkscape, traced some vector shapes over the map.
Exporting back out into GIMP should be straightforward enough.
It's interesting to compare work flows.
Modifying each individual tile... I don't know how you can do it.
I've had this game for a while, but considered modding it nigh on impossible. (Until I discovered batch changes).
The only other game I've found impossible is Advanced Tactics, the folder structure there leaves me scratching my head.
As for this one, I think I may have a suitable workflow.
Put it's going to take some time.
This may well be a modding AAR.
Attached is a really basic trace of the tile map.
But first it's about putting together all the low level tiles onto a single page.
Then into inkscape for some serious learning.
(Ron if you're reading this a dropbox link for Don and I would be most welcome!)
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As far as resources go, I will use cooper's site for this one.
http://www.jrcooper.com/gaming.htm (http://www.jrcooper.com/gaming.htm)
Specifically for the terrain tiles.
Refer image.
My driving aim is simplicity and clarity.
D-Day is one theme I intend to recreate.
(One thing I love about this game is seeing the hex coordinates when playing).
Not familiar with the specific title, but compass games produce some good graphic work.
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I'm also working on the notion, that if I can create a low level map, I should be able to generate the mid and high level tiles, by rescaling exports and using guides in Gimp to create the tiles.
We'll see.
At least this gives me something to do over the Christmas Holidays.
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A couple of notes, I have always been ore into SPI wargames then the Avalon Hill ones, so I tend to aim for SPI type of graphics.
Second of all, my research indicates your best bet is to use Inkscape for the scaling and not Gimp. Gimp and Paint.net (both of which I use) are raster (or pixel) graphics and scaling really sucks in them. Inkscape is vectors or math and this is ideal for scaling.
Once you get base Inkscape image with all the default 1,395 images in it can you share with me the Inkscape version prior to you modding it?
I'd like to use that as a basis to really learn Inkscape well. And to recolor and repaint the original files.
I have had to spend countless hours modifying each of the 1,395 files, its tedious to say the least.
I have a paid for Dropbox account and you can contact me off list if you were able to share your files for Inkscape there.
Don
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Was hoping Ron may take pity on us, and email or PM us a dropbox link to the original low level map. (please Ron).
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I think putting in all the tiles in to try and create a low level map, may be a dead end.
The pixel count I've got for the image is just odd.
12 rows in, (out of 45), and the machine is starting to grind.
Rethinking the strategy here.
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The low level map has run into a snag.
At about Column 18 East of Brest-Litovsk at Kobryn. The registration of the tiles slips.
There are also some tiles out (by a couple of pixels), at the far east side of the map.
The flow on effect may be significant.
Compiling this into a single graphic has ground to a halt for the moment.
Re-evaluating the workflow on this.
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Maybe.
Going to be a long journey.