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A few graphics glitches to report...
05-18-2011, 08:12 PM, (This post was last modified: 05-22-2011, 07:04 PM by John Given.)
#1
A few graphics glitches to report...
To whoever is in charge of fixing / making / improving the icons for the various units (Jason?)

Just a simple list of some anomalies I've noticed, all for JTCS, in no particular order:

1. In EF, the King Tiger is the new 'series turret' style, and I spy a white outline of the unit, near the 'north' portion of the icon from every direction save when the unit is pointing south or SE. This proud unit needs a redo on the icon to eliminate the white outline, and the outline of the turret is so fuzzy (where it meets the hull) that it's very hard to make out. :(

Might I suggest that there be an original porshe turret design (re)added to the oob for those who like the older style, or for historical reasons prefer it (the series turret did not appear till late '44, but the porshe turret was used on the earliest Tiger II's, starting in May '44).

2. Again for EF (and maybe WF too), a captured French HT used by the Germans, the Unic P107, needs to have 'German' colors. Currently, the ones in the oob are that ghastly yellow color. I have seen some painting and photo's of some captured examples, and they actually look quite good (and rather sinister, all dark grey).

3. In EF, another captured allied unit, called a T-34 M43 (747)r, seems to have a permanent winter paint scheme. It needs to have a proper skin for summer. It's features also seem slightly muddied and blurry.

4. A new HQ unit (for EF, maybe for WF as well), the Gepanzert, would seem to need armor. It looks to me like the vehicle is based on the German 231 armored car. I wasn't sure what effect this might have on game balance, but someone should look into whether this thing actually had armor (I might look myself later - I'm really tired). Very interesting unit by the way. It currently has a 'soft' defense factor of two.

5. In EF, the Maultier (called SdKfz.3b Halftrack Prime Movers in the oob) quite frankly looks like crap. There is a very noticeable white outline all over the 'north' part of the unit regardless of what direction it's facing, AND the canvas top looks like it has small trees growing out of it (and not in a good way).

My suggestion is to fix the outline issue, and give the vehicle a cammo-style canvas. IF it were to 'lower' its canvas when unloaded (similar to how trucks do), this could easily become one of my favorite transports.

Btw, the WF version of the Maultier looks beautiful, and does not have any graphics issues that I can see.

6. In EF, a German rocket launcher HT called a Vielfachwerfer has a noticble white outline that is most noticeable on the gun tubes near the rear of the vehicle, and to a lesser extent in a few other spots. The unit is also colored a bit too dark, which makes details of the unit hard to make out.

7. In WF, a Russian (yes Russian - there are Russians in the WF oob) tank called a T-46r has a strange outline of a square that appears on the unit when you select it or hover your cursor over it. Low priority to fix this, but I thought, why not.

8. In EF, the German ADGZ armored car icon is much too large - the thing is as big as a tiger tank. It's also too darkly colored, which hides many of its features.

9. Almost forgot - a useful new Russian halftrack for EF called a ZIS42 - the vehicle seems too large, and is poorly drawn, actually blurry-looking in appearance. If this design could be reduced in size somewhat and have its graphics tigntened up, it would probably be a good looking machine. The graphic shows the canvas as missing, it might look better to have a canvas in place, similar to the truck.
Thus, what is of supreme importance in war is to attack the enemy's strategy.

Sun Tzu
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05-19-2011, 04:59 AM,
#2
RE: A few graphics glitches to report...
I doubt if there will be time to fix these things any time soon, but if you're interested in the game graphics and know a little how to work with graphic programs, perhaps you can fix them. It is not rocket science.
It's time consuming though but rewarding and a great help to the team in the end.
Maybe Jason can send you some documentation how to mod/improve graphics.
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05-19-2011, 05:17 AM, (This post was last modified: 05-19-2011, 05:18 AM by Jason Petho.)
#3
RE: A few graphics glitches to report...
(05-19-2011, 04:59 AM)Huib Versloot Wrote: Maybe Jason can send you some documentation how to mod/improve graphics.

Yes, yes I can.

The information is in the attached PDF. This is a section from the manual, keep in mind it is still in DRAFT mode.

Jason Petho


Attached Files
.pdf   16.1 Unit Graphics.pdf (Size: 38.5 KB / Downloads: 32)
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05-19-2011, 07:52 AM, (This post was last modified: 05-19-2011, 08:37 AM by Warhorse.)
#4
RE: A few graphics glitches to report...
If, when posting icon glitches, please try to include which unit strength unit is in question, and/or what time of year and theatre, also year of scenario in question. In the case of the King Tiger, there are two icon numbers, but in the special folder there can be also an early, late, and snow version of the same icon, in addition to the standard icon!!! This ould save me time tracking it down, and time is something I'm pretty short on usually!! Thank you guys! I will try to address some of this, if I can...

Mike
First two on list completed, will try to do more tomorrow!!

Mike
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05-19-2011, 05:15 PM, (This post was last modified: 05-19-2011, 05:31 PM by John Given.)
#5
RE: A few graphics glitches to report...
(05-19-2011, 07:52 AM)Warhorse Wrote: If, when posting icon glitches, please try to include which unit strength unit is in question, and/or what time of year and theatre, also year of scenario in question. In the case of the King Tiger, there are two icon numbers, but in the special folder there can be also an early, late, and snow version of the same icon, in addition to the standard icon!!! This ould save me time tracking it down, and time is something I'm pretty short on usually!! Thank you guys! I will try to address some of this, if I can...

Mike
First two on list completed, will try to do more tomorrow!!

Mike

Thank you warhorse - the majority of the units were from the summer and fall of '43 for east front, but I realize that isn't very specific. In the future, I'll include exactly what unit came from where, and when.

Btw, the method I used to ferret out the units and look at them is to create a test scenario. I use a map from any other scenario and call it 'vehicle test scen' or some such. Then I make an oob and add any and all units from all nationalities that I suspect are new. I then create a scn file and put the new units onto it. Finally, after saving the file, I open the scen as if i were a player of the scenario, choosing 'manual' to both sides. At this point I can check their firepower, armor, mobility, graphics, and description - anything I want, and it's easy to make.

Quote: Huib Versloot Wrote: Maybe Jason can send you some documentation how to mod/improve graphics.


Yes, yes I can.

The information is in the attached PDF. This is a section from the manual, keep in mind it is still in DRAFT mode.

Jason Petho

Thank you gentlemen; I'm going to give this a good looking through. I was pretty good with microsoft paint at one time; it doesn't look like it'd be that difficult to create new icons. Top priority are the units that will be used often.
Thus, what is of supreme importance in war is to attack the enemy's strategy.

Sun Tzu
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05-20-2011, 07:29 AM,
#6
RE: A few graphics glitches to report...
No problem, appreciate the troubleshooting!! Will do what I can, I'll post the updates as soon as I get a few more done, and will also give to Jason for inclusion with the next patch. I'll send a txt file with were to put each icon, just in case that's a mystery for some folks!

Mike
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05-21-2011, 09:56 AM,
#7
RE: A few graphics glitches to report...
OK, here are what we have so far-
King tiger fixed-
.bmp   L-Up01020.BMP (Size: 44.93 KB / Downloads: 40)

Maultier fixed -
.bmp   L-Up01943.bmp (Size: 60.8 KB / Downloads: 25)

T-34 captured fixed-
.bmp   Up01610.bmp (Size: 65.87 KB / Downloads: 28)

Vielfachwerfer fixed-
.bmp   L-Up01650.bmp (Size: 44.58 KB / Downloads: 24)

And Unic P107 captured-
.bmp   Up01749.BMP (Size: 20.55 KB / Downloads: 39)

More to come...
Mike
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05-21-2011, 11:17 PM, (This post was last modified: 05-22-2011, 07:05 PM by John Given.)
#8
RE: A few graphics glitches to report...
Warhorse, you do beautiful work my friend!

I especially love that P107 halftrack - you nailed it! Big Grin

I had not seen all that many vehicles that had messed up graphics so far - at the rate you work, this should be wrapped up in short order.

Quote:4. A new HQ unit (for EF, maybe for WF as well), the Gepanzert, would seem to need armor. It looks to me like the vehicle is based on the German 231 armored car. I wasn't sure what effect this might have on game balance, but someone should look into whether this thing actually had armor (I might look myself later - I'm really tired). Very interesting unit by the way. It currently has a 'soft' defense factor of two.

Oops- it only just now occurred to me that item #4 has nothing to do with unit graphics, but I welcome comments on the issue just the same.
Thus, what is of supreme importance in war is to attack the enemy's strategy.

Sun Tzu
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05-21-2011, 11:41 PM,
#9
RE: A few graphics glitches to report...
Thank you sir, my pleasure!

Just an FYI everyone, there are two bit files that go with this, do to a revamped icon in both cases, Up01650, and Up01943. I will try to post them also, in the meantime if used, the outline when hovered over or selected, will not be correct. I have them made, just need to upload them.

Mike
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05-23-2011, 12:41 AM,
#10
RE: A few graphics glitches to report...
OK, finally fixed all of the above, as well as the ZiS-42 AA HT, since I had to totally redo the standard HT!! All BMP/Bit files are enclosed as well as a text file where to put each, enjoy!!

Mike


Attached Files
.zip   Fixed Icons.zip (Size: 86.69 KB / Downloads: 21)
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