View Full Version : Graphic help
Hi, I'd like to ask if there is someone skilled in graphics with enough free time to edit unit icons for my Middle Eastern mod.
I don't have ambitions to create completely new units, but I'd like to have them at least little diferent in battle interface - when you click at the unit it would be basicaly little diferent.
What would the diference be?
here are some examples:
Turkic tarkan:
http://img133.imageshack.us/img133/5599/turkmekny4.png
Steppe cavalry:
http://img341.imageshack.us/img341/7082/turkmenxc6.png
if there would be someone who's able to do such operations better, I'd appreciate his help, because I need to edit at least this units:
desert archer (to assassins)
saracens (to mameluk infantry) - make them look like they are armoured
cataphracts (to nakharars) - give them other background
highlander (to caucasian highlander) - make them stand on desert background
sowrdsmen or heavy swordsmen (to nubian infantry) - desert background and darker skin
akyndji (to byzantian spearmen) - give them greener background
mongol (to bulgar) - give them swords instead of bows
Well, as I'm working with Photoshop 90 % of my time on my computer (cause I'm making texture and Beckgrounds for PES6 and other games and so on) I think I can help you. What do you want ? :)
that would be great.
If you could just work on at least Bulgar for now.
You have this unit, don't you?
If you'd be able to make them look little diferent than Mongols (if you need I can send you icons of mongols)
if you could hive them a sword in heand (you can use icon of Turkmen-Turkic Tarkans or Steppe cavalry) and if you could give them some kind of armour(use Boyars or Mameluks?) it would be fantastic!
I would be glad to at least try to help you, but I have spent hours trying to convert the .rle files into some editable format. It seems completely impossible, unless you want to waste your money on some stupid piece of software. The old forum would be definitely a lot of help, but it doesn't exist anymore, so could anyone help me with this problem?
Right...the .bmp files are in a very specific folder.
Anyway, here's my view of Assassins:
http://www.imagehosting.com/out.php/i1048341_assassin.png
that's really cool! :go:
Thanks, I'm not sure if it looks as nice in game, though.
Here's the Nubian infantry.
http://www.imagehosting.com/out.php/i1050866_nubianinfantry.png
And Nakharars with changed background. I used a picture of Armenian landscape I found on the internet.
http://www.imagehosting.com/out.php/i1050950_nakharars.png
Caucasian Highlanders with desert background as you asked and with Caucasian mountains.
http://www.imagehosting.com/out.php/i1051801_caucasianhighlanderdesert.png http://www.imagehosting.com/out.php/i1051800_caucasianhighlandermountains.png
Just tell me if you think these pictures would need some more effort, because I did them quite fast.
When making the Mameluk infantry I used some details from other units to make then look armored. I thought I'd rather not touch the gray area, because it should be covered with a color in the game.
Saracens:
http://www.imagehosting.com/out.php/i1051517_saracen.gif
Mameluk infantry:
http://www.imagehosting.com/out.php/i1051503_Mamelukinfantry.png
Great work, that's really good!
SuperStalin
22 Aug 2007, 19:14
Ok, I made this nubian drawing, but I suck at coloring
and pixel art. I hope you like it.
http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f232/jaguar78/Nubian1.jpg
Ok, I made this nubian drawing, but I suck at coloring
and pixel art. I hope you like it.
That's a very nice drawing, especially the body contours. I think it would be great to see it more in KoH style.
Byzantian spearmen:
http://www.imagehosting.com/out.php/i1051699_Byzantianspearmen.png
Ok, I made this nubian drawing, but I suck at coloring
and pixel art. I hope you like it.
http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f232/jaguar78/Nubian1.jpg
Maybe you could make two in one image and make it smaller (All KoH unit icons have two units), also stylize it like KoH just as Liiwo said then it's KoH material!
Here's the Nubian infantry.
http://www.imagehosting.com/out.php/i1050866_nubianinfantry.png
And Nakharars with changed background. I used a picture of Armenian landscape I found on the internet.
http://www.imagehosting.com/out.php/i1050950_nakharars.png
Caucasian Highlanders with desert background as you asked and with Caucasian mountains.
http://www.imagehosting.com/out.php/i1051800_caucasianhighlandermountains.png
Just tell me if you think these pictures would need some more effort, because I did them quite fast.
They are simply amazing :go:
If I could voice more specific demands, I think that Nakharars could stay as they are, as well as Assassins.
Just if the Nubians could be unbearded somehow (I know it could be rather hard) and I'll look how will the caucasian mountains look in the game... but I like the second one better, just of the colours could be bit more KoH like... if I'm not asking too much
When making the Mameluk infantry I used some details from other units to make then look armored. I thought I'd rather not touch the gray area, because it should be covered with a color in the game.
Mameluk infantry:
http://www.imagehosting.com/out.php/i1051503_Mamelukinfantry.png
I like the mameluk infantry, they're great too, I think I could use them almost as they are (maybe just leave the head-cover as it is, if possible :go:
Ok, I made this nubian drawing, but I suck at coloring
and pixel art. I hope you like it.
http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f232/jaguar78/Nubian1.jpgthis one is great too :go: just if he could be more KoH stylish and I think there even could be 2 nubian units
Byzantian spearmen:
http://www.imagehosting.com/out.php/i1051699_Byzantianspearmen.pngas to this, I think we could combine your and mine Byzantian spearmen - I would give them european helmet (I used roman infantry one) instead of "desert one" and maybe also put the symbol on the shield.
I also thought about persian infantry which could be derivation of armoured byzantian spearmen and desert spearmen (bit like these: http://www.dbaol.com/armies/army_146_figure_1.htm - click at spears)
SuperStalin
22 Aug 2007, 22:19
I have two problems:
1. As I said, I suck at pixel art.
2. I have a broken optical mouse which makes it a humongous pain
to work precise stuff in photoshop.
If anyone wants to stylize my drawings, I'm all for it.
When I get a new mouse, I'll try to learn how to do it myself.
I'm really looking forward to this mod, as I just finished reading a great novel
called "Crusades through Arab Eyes" by Aamin Malouf
Great work on the HR1.8 it's a lot of fun!
I wasn't sure what did you mean by the more KoH like colours, so I just smoothed the background a bit.
http://www.imagehosting.com/out.php/i1053574_caucasianhighlandermountains.png
I really couldn't unbeard the swordsmen, but I have some alternatives. Of course I may try to do something with SuperStalins drawing, too.
http://www.imagehosting.com/out.php/i1053585_nubianinfantry3.png (http://www.imagehosting.com/out.php/i1053585_nubianinfantry3.png) http://www.imagehosting.com/out.php/i1053584_nubianinfantry2.png (http://www.imagehosting.com/out.php/i1053584_nubianinfantry2.png) http://www.imagehosting.com/out.php/i1053583_nubianinfantry.png (http://www.imagehosting.com/out.php/i1053583_nubianinfantry.png)
The Mameluk Infantry as you could like it.
http://www.imagehosting.com/out.php/i1053594_Mamelukinfantry.png (http://www.imagehosting.com/out.php/i1053594_Mamelukinfantry.png)
I tried to put the symbol on the Byzantine spearmen's shield, but it looked quite bad, so I took it from the Roman infantry, the same goes with the helmet. And I colored the yellow to gray so they would look more unique.
http://www.imagehosting.com/out.php/i1053606_Byzantianspearmen.png (http://www.imagehosting.com/out.php/i1053606_Byzantianspearmen.png)
And if anything bothers you about the pictures, just let me know and I hope I can fix it. And about turning the Mongols into Bulgars, perhaps it would be better to make some changes with the steppe cavalry.
http://www.imagehosting.com/out.php/i1053574_caucasianhighlandermountains.png http://www.imagehosting.com/out.php/i1053584_nubianinfantry2.png (http://www.imagehosting.com/out.php/i1053584_nubianinfantry2.png) http://www.imagehosting.com/out.php/i1053594_Mamelukinfantry.png (http://www.imagehosting.com/out.php/i1053594_Mamelukinfantry.png) http://www.imagehosting.com/out.php/i1053606_Byzantianspearmen.png (http://www.imagehosting.com/out.php/i1053606_Byzantianspearmen.png)
And if anything bothers you about the pictures, just let me know and I hope I can fix it. And about turning the Mongols into Bulgars, perhaps it would be better to make some changes with the steppe cavalry.
these are simply amazing :go: I think this way they are ok, I really like the way they are
as to theBulgars I think I have very simle solution, I think switching them Turkic Tarkans horizontaly and giving them green background (from steppe cavalry) should be enough, don't you think?
Just I have an exam next week so I should not spend my time on modding for about a week now.. but in the beggining o september I might have more time so I could put them all in the game
Alright, here's what I did with the Bulgars. I also made them wear a chain mail, thought it would make them look more unique. Are you sure you want them to use a bow like Turkic Tarkans rather than a sword?
http://www.imagehosting.com/out.php/i1053932_Bulgars1.png (http://www.imagehosting.com/out.php/i1053932_Bulgars1.png)
And this is what I did with the SuperStalin's drawing. I think it would be much more original than the images I modified. Or do you still think it doesn't look enough in KoH style?
http://www.imagehosting.com/out.php/i1053945_nubianinfantry21.png (http://www.imagehosting.com/out.php/i1053945_nubianinfantry21.png)
Weird time for exams, since I've had a holiday since the midst of June.
great! :go:
well, maybe a sword for Bulgars could be better. considering there already are 3 units of this style with bow. Sorry
PS: SuperStalin's Nubians look great ;) so there could finaly be nubian infantry and nubian spearmen
btw, could you also please (I hope it is my last unit demand) edit desert spearmen
http://img214.imageshack.us/img214/9103/desertspearmanyw7.png
to be armoured (use "armour" from swordsmen f.i.) and to make diference similar to diference between
ghulam cavalry and desert cavalry:
http://img477.imageshack.us/img477/9798/ghulamcavalrydb9.png http://img214.imageshack.us/img214/7135/desertcavalrylj4.png
Because I think there should be also one more Persian unit, not just Ghulams (especially considering that Persia covers almost 1/3 of the map)
These are the Bulgars.
http://www.imagehosting.com/out.php/i1054845_Bulgars3.png (http://www.imagehosting.com/out.php/i1054845_Bulgars3.png)
And the Persian infantry(?). They look kind of odd, so you can just tell what could I change.
http://www.imagehosting.com/out.php/i1054844_Persianinfantry.png (http://www.imagehosting.com/out.php/i1054844_Persianinfantry.png)
I think you could also take a look at how the the units will look in the game, when they are covered with the kingdom specific colour.
perfect, thanks a lot! :go:
I tried it, but there is a little problem. They can be seen only in the middle size (yet I don't know why), while in the small they look like their "model unit" that has both .bmp and .rle icon
middle icon:
http://img508.imageshack.us/img508/472/byzantiantarkansx7.png
small icon:
http://img514.imageshack.us/img514/4894/byzantiantarkan2hi1.png
big icon:
http://img211.imageshack.us/img211/6624/byzantiantarkan3ry2.png
http://img211.imageshack.us/img211/7385/byzantiantarkan4sz6.png
but you can see it's not the only problem
Well in that case my theory is that the colored unit pictures are hardcoded inside the .rle file of the unit, which means that the .rle file has to be changed somehow.
So You're just going to wait for the tool(s) Frujin promised to publish in the other thread. Meanwhile I would ask if You suddenly aren't in need of any more units or I could even try to create some building if necessary. Just don't hesitate to ask.
Well at the moment I am more or less waiting for any .rle editor. But at the same time I have to learn for my exams, so I don't work on the mod recently.
But if I could ask you I plan to make several new buildings such as:
karavanserai and also have new graphics for zawiya, madrasa and hospital (or rather a spital - an institution where hospitaliers or monks were trying to help sick and injured people - no a hospital as we understand it now)
karavanserai should be a building like hostel but in muslim architecture and perhaps some camels in the front
zawiya is some kind of monastery-spital-hostel in muslim world
and mardasa is a koranic shool always associated to a mosque
possibly I will also consider replacing recent market with 2-level market whose 1st level would be "suq" and second "bazar" but for these 2 buildings I think I'd need to make some research in photos to give you something to work with
Alright, I have some examples.
Karavanserai:
http://img210.imageshack.us/img210/3756/doorkijkhotel1d963fdjz0.th.jpg (http://img210.imageshack.us/my.php?image=doorkijkhotel1d963fdjz0.jpg) and http://img53.imageshack.us/img53/6352/kerst3zj3.th.jpg (http://img53.imageshack.us/my.php?image=kerst3zj3.jpg)
Zawiya:
http://img168.imageshack.us/img168/8528/1038120099e38d6785emuc5.th.jpg (http://img168.imageshack.us/my.php?image=1038120099e38d6785emuc5.jpg)
Madrasa:
http://img524.imageshack.us/img524/4783/cifteminaremadrasajg8.th.jpg (http://img524.imageshack.us/my.php?image=cifteminaremadrasajg8.jpg) or http://img524.imageshack.us/img524/794/madrasazo8.th.jpg (http://img524.imageshack.us/my.php?image=madrasazo8.jpg)
A hospital:
http://img406.imageshack.us/img406/558/dspitalfarbte2.th.jpg (http://img406.imageshack.us/my.php?image=dspitalfarbte2.jpg)
(ofcourse in an arabic architecture)
I'm going to use these pictures only for the idea, not as base images, so the actual pictures are going to be made from a different angle. Just tell me if there's anything really wrong with these pictures. Also, I woun't have much time either after the school starts.
they're great, from mardasas I prefere the first one.
And the hospital - leave it in euro architecture, it is building where hospitaliers are recruited ;) and it is christian building
thanks if you could make them :go:
Here's an example of a hospital. Unfortunately it doesn't look very much like other buildings in KoH, but this is what it's like.
http://img74.imageshack.us/img74/2139/hospitalhr0.gif (http://imageshack.us)
Here's an example of a hospital. Unfortunately it doesn't look very much like other buildings in KoH, but this is what it's like.
http://img74.imageshack.us/img74/2139/hospitalhr0.gif (http://imageshack.us)
it's amazing. You know I can't expect it to be 100% KoK like and I think this is better than I expected
Well in that case my theory is that the colored unit pictures are hardcoded inside the .rle file of the unit, which means that the .rle file has to be changed somehow.There is a special byte for Team Colours, yes.
Some files could de tried to be converted using the existing convertor (http://www.filecrunch.com/file/~1j15oh), altough it is very limited.
There is a special byte for Team Colours, yes.
Some files could de tried to be converted using the existing convertor (http://www.filecrunch.com/file/~1j15oh), altough it is very limited.
Thanks for the converter, but it doesn't seem to work. It just gives me a message "Exception in thread "main" java.lang.NoClassDefFoundError: rle2png". Or is there a more complicated way to use it?
Good point, there was a manual: Manual (http://www.filecrunch.com/file/~wlrok7).
Good point, there was a manual: Manual (http://www.filecrunch.com/file/~wlrok7).
Oh. well, I still can't get it work. However, here are the images.
Karavanserai:
http://img509.imageshack.us/img509/4592/oomajaet2.gif (http://imageshack.us)
There are no camels, because all that was left from the camels after resizing the picture, was a mess of pixels and I really couldn't work it out.
Zawiya:
http://img410.imageshack.us/img410/9793/hooldemajavq7.gif (http://imageshack.us)
Madrasa:
http://img260.imageshack.us/img260/9448/kooliasiux7.gif (http://imageshack.us)
This one looks quite bad, but I just tried different things and eventually just got tired of messing, so I may improve it in the future.
Oh. well, I still can't get it work. However, here are the images.
Karavanserai:
http://img509.imageshack.us/img509/4592/oomajaet2.gif (http://imageshack.us)
There are no camels, because all that was left from the camels after resizing the picture, was a mess of pixels and I really couldn't work it out.
Zawiya:
http://img410.imageshack.us/img410/9793/hooldemajavq7.gif (http://imageshack.us)
:eek: OMG! they are so sweet :go: I love them!
no matter there are no camels in Karavanserai, it is lovely ;)
Madrasa:
http://img260.imageshack.us/img260/9448/kooliasiux7.gif (http://imageshack.us)
This one looks quite bad, but I just tried different things and eventually just got tired of messing, so I may improve it in the future.
I don't think it's bad, just if the entrance could look little less monumental? it should not look more monumental than a mosque. Thanks anyway for great graphic work :go: :go:
btw, I have tried to save assassin.bmp files as .rle and here is the result:
buying assassins (http://img249.imageshack.us/img249/5243/assassinbuyld5.png)
mercenary assassins (http://img249.imageshack.us/img249/262/assassinmercslh7.png)
assassins in battle (http://img258.imageshack.us/img258/4188/assassinbattleup0.png)
:eek: OMG! they are so sweet :go: I love them!
no matter there are no camels in Karavanserai, it is lovely ;)
I don't think it's bad, just if the entrance could look little less monumental? it should not look more monumental than a mosque. Thanks anyway for great graphic work :go: :go:
btw, I have tried to save assassin.bmp files as .rle and here is the result:
buying assassins (http://img249.imageshack.us/img249/5243/assassinbuyld5.png)
mercenary assassins (http://img249.imageshack.us/img249/262/assassinmercslh7.png)
assassins in battle (http://img258.imageshack.us/img258/4188/assassinbattleup0.png)
I don't know if you wrote it quickly or not, but the description for the first image (buying assassins) has a grammer error, 'they are' or 'they're' not their, just wanted to help.
I do everything quickly so no wonder there are many typos in my texts :bash:
so THANKS :go:
I don't think it's bad, just if the entrance could look little less monumental? it should not look more monumental than a mosque. Thanks anyway for great graphic work :go: :go:
I'm glad You like them and thanks for the advice. Here's a better image of the madrasa.
http://img213.imageshack.us/img213/1681/kooliasiap7.gif
btw, I have tried to save assassin.bmp files as .rle and here is the result:
buying assassins (http://img249.imageshack.us/img249/5243/assassinbuyld5.png)
mercenary assassins (http://img249.imageshack.us/img249/262/assassinmercslh7.png)
assassins in battle (http://img258.imageshack.us/img258/4188/assassinbattleup0.png)Did you try adding a .IMG with the same name and some standard properties, but above all, drawmode=translu in it? If I read correctly, that was the key to letting KoH draw the BMP's visibly when it expects RLE [read from SF boards (archive) (http://www.goneflowers.de/archive/index.php/t-7740.html)]. But perhaps it doesn't work just to add an IMG file just like that. Any chance that the existing RLE<->PNG converter can handle your pictures when saved as PNG?
Liiwo, this Madrasa icon is fully satysfying for me, thanks a lot
Doux - to be honest I have no idea. I just tried what came up to my head (from reading wangyushi's post) I never really got any deep enough to understand scripting and diferences between file types, I always took this graphic part as something too complicated for me to understand..
I just try banal things (I also tried to make the converter running, but when I had to script something I gave up, I have no clue what it can cause so I better don't do it)
but I hope (but nothing is sure - I think everyone who reads this thread understand the problem better than I) that if I could create .rle files it could solve all problems.
Maybe next week I will have time to look at it and test something, I'll see
thanks for your great help anyway!
guys, I have a question. Could anyone of you interpret this file as an image?
I mean would you be able to give it shapes and colours?
class = CDrawSourceDef
image = ./shieldbase.rle
origin = 8,12
width = 17
height = 24
boundrects = 2,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,15,0,0,0,23,0,0,0
colorization = 2
offset = 0,0
class = CDrawSourceDef
image = ./shape1.rle
origin = 8,12
width = 17
height = 24
boundrects = 2,0,0,0,1,0,0,0,13,0,0,0,21,0,0,0
colorization = 2
offset = 0,0
class = CCompImageDef
images = 2
guys, I have a question. Could anyone of you interpret this file as an image?
I mean would you be able to give it shapes and colours?I'm not sure what you're asking, but I'll report what I think I know.
Your file is \images\Shields\Size 0\shape1.img and it defines the 'shape1' shield by taking one .rle file, the shieldbase.rle which is the shield form and takes the whole background
http://img411.imageshack.us/img411/4826/shieldbaseng0.png
and putting the shape1.rle over it (compiled image: CCompImageDef).
http://img504.imageshack.us/img504/7886/shape1lh1.png
So, the game gives those two images a different colour depending on the input, rendering a shield with two colours and a distinct pattern. Note that the .rle's were converted to .png with the existing convertor.
Using Irfanview, I converted the .png to .bmp, edited it with paint, saved it again with Irfanview as .png using black as the transparent colour.
http://img111.imageshack.us/my.php?image=shape12qv9.png
But I wasn't yet able to convert it back to .rle (...IndexOutOfBounds...). When comparing the original .png with the edited one, there is a clear difference: the first one contains much less information. No idea yet how to solve this. What's sure is that the .rle files are 256-bit.
Edit: It actually worked!! The .png was converted to .rle. Now testing..
Edit (2): Knights of Honor crashed when I clicked on a rebel army. The .rle was not right implying that the .png was not right. Maybe some testing will show a way to obtain correct .rle's.
The method I used was Irfanview & PNGout plugin, with some options I don't understand. So here's some tweaking possible by using different options. Or perhaps we could rely on the .bmp method only.