Missing original graphics in Eagles Strike update?

[Simulacra53]

Well it doesn’t look like the missing original art was added to the ES and Grenada updates. Without specific info on the page you’d have to guess which files were updated and if the fix applies to your problem. Bit vague to say the least.

The Ritchie61/Mike Amos update affects more than just art, reverting to the included original art files will leave blank and mis matched unit art. Unclear which titles and scenarios are impacted.

If I’d known I would not have bought four SB titles, even with the benefit of the Xmas discount on three of them (otoh, I bought enough titles to warrant the regular discount - well, I got the MC Gold updates for which I am grateful).

Pity, not sure if I am game anymore for the other SB titles I originally wanted - ES, SAW & SCW to name a few.

...

Wonder if it is possible to get the previous pre-update version instead?

[Warhorse]

Sent you an email.

[Simulacra53]

Sent you an email.

Thanks.

[SoakOff]

I find the original graphics much preferable to the newer modded graphics. In my opinion, they are much more personal and personable, providing much immersion to compelling gameplay, and are a significant factor in my decision to buy into the series.

My two-cent-shuffle. Cheers!

[gabeeg]

I am also a fan of the older unit graphics. I just want to throw this out there form another thread from Warhorse:

"I am sure it's because the new graphic is in a larger, much larger icon sheet, therefore using a different number. I added a ton of graphics, necessitating the need to give units new numbers and such. Unfortunately to use the original graphics, means most likely using also the original dat files....

EDIT-the new vehicles sheet is twice as big as the old one, same goes with weapons sheets."

So at least for some SB titles it will be more complicated than just replacing the new files with the older graphic files but also replacing the new dat files with the old dat...which means any scenarios using new units that have been added in the update (or in the future) will not appear or appear properly (or cause errors?) if using the older graphics (existing images maybe incorrect as well depending on the changes). Someone would need to create new "old style" unit/vehicle graphic files.
(Warhorse, if you read this...can you confirm that I'm correct?)

If there are updated SB titles that have *not* had the unit graphics expanded or re-numbered then replacing the new graphics files with the old should work just fine, and all scenarios should work just fine.

It is unfortunate, hope there is a solution...but that is going to take some work by someone.

[Warhorse]

No, there should not be any problems with the dat files at all. What I meant was like in the case of the Tauchpanzer III, it shared an icon with the panzer III, I gave almost everything their own graphic now. So, in the scenario's, no, I did not change the NAME of any unit, that is what the program looks for, just the graphic number. I'm sorry all this happened, but I was never told that we would still be using the old graphics, I thought we were moving on!! IMO, the old ones should have been left in the past an moved on, now there is this can of worms. All one has to do is take the new sheet, copy/paste the old one into it, then look up which graphics need replaced with the side shot type. In the case of the infantry weapons they are still like the old ones, just many more of them now. Resizing to the 100 and 50 levels in the map folder is the tricky part, especially the Units.bmp.

[gabeeg]

No, there should not be any problems with the dat files at all. What I meant was like in the case of the Tauchpanzer III, it shared an icon with the panzer III, I gave almost everything their own graphic now. So, in the scenario's, no, I did not change the NAME of any unit, that is what the program looks for, just the graphic number. I'm sorry all this happened, but I was never told that we would still be using the old graphics, I thought we were moving on!! IMO, the old ones should have been left in the past an moved on, now there is this can of worms. All one has to do is take the new sheet, copy/paste the old one into it, then look up which graphics need replaced with the side shot type. In the case of the infantry weapons they are still like the old ones, just many more of them now. Resizing to the 100 and 50 levels in the map folder is the tricky part, especially the Units.bmp.

Thanks for the clarification Warhorse.  That sounds at least feasible and hopefully someone puts in the effort as a mod.  In the mean time I will just play SB with the new graphics...and if I just cannot live without the old graphics I can put in the work myself (job and three kids..highly unlikely).

I appreciate the updates.  I am glad SB is getting some love.  The communication that the old graphics were still viable with a swap was unfortunate, sorry if it is unjustly taking a little of the shine from your graphics efforts with SB.   Anyone working on keeping SB rolling along has my gratitude.

[rahamy]

I *believe* the only two games that will have the vehicle issue is AotR & ES, as those are the two Mike (Warhorse) put the most time into and made the most changes...I may be incorrect though, he would have to clarify...

I spent a couple hours this morning rebuilding and uploading new copies of all the updates to our site - so I am confident all of the updates have the Original Graphics zip included in the \Notes sub-folder now. (Grenada is the exception...for some reason I didn't make an archive file on that...when I get some time I'll have to circle back to that.)

It should be noted that you can selectively restore individual graphics files if you wish...so if you want to use the Unit "heads" for example and not the top down images of the soldiers/officers you can do so - just restore the Units.bmp file to the appropriate \Info folder in the game and you are set...

http://www.johntillersoftware.com/Updates.html

I am *NOT* changing the date on these on the JTS site or making an announcement past this post - as it will just cause more problems/work than it solves...I've only had a handful of emails about the original graphics, so this is the most concentrated spot on the web of people looking for them - that I am aware of...

Sorry many of you don't like the mod...just trying to give an option for people, as we didn't have an artist that could redo the entire game series from the ground up...

[Compass Rose]

Thanks Rich!

[Wolfgang]

A technical question here regarding the game mechanics with regard to the .DAT files.

(I'd like to preface this by saying that I am a Software and Systems Engineer and Consultant, and I focus primarily on data: migrations, transformations and security. I'm used to dealing with millions of records in large databases.)

Let's use the AotR Vehicle.DAT file for the purposes of my query.

In warhorse's post, he remarks that the game engine identifies which entry in the .dat file to use by an integer, in our case it's labeled as "Picture".

Let's say the game is making a call to the Vehicle.DAT file because an SdKfz 250/3 has just fired its MG-34.

In the original AotR, the Picture# for that vehicle is listed as "100"

When I look at the original Vehicle.DAT file for that, I see 4 entries for Picture # 100

(The Data file is sorted Alphabetically by Name from A-Z and each entry has a different set of weapons systems associated with it):

From the original AotR Vehicle.DAT file, in the original order that they are found are these entries:


Name                Picture       Weapons
SdKfz 250/1,   100             (MG-34)
SdKfz 250/10, 100             (PaK-35),(MG-34)
SdKfz 250/3,   100             (MG-34),(FuG Radio)
SdKfz 250/7,   100             (GrW-34),(MG-34)

How does the game know which of the 4 records to reference?

1) It looks up Picture # (100) first, and then looks for the first weapon system matching what was just fired - in our case, the MG-34. The first record of Picture 100 having an MG-34 is actually the SdKfz/1 entry. So the engine would in effect us the SdKfz/1's entry to resolve the fire.

2) The needed entry could also be referenced first by Picture# and then Name, and then lastly locates the weapon system used.

3) Or the game may just bypass the Vehicle.DAT file to resolve the MG-34 fire by going right to the Weapons.DAT file (with the Vehicle.DAT file only being used so that the game can tell which Weapons to display on that vehicle when the battle is initially setup for play).

* Upon further reflection, I think #3 is the most likely candidate.