Modding the horizon/skybox

[Broadsword56]

(giving this its own thread so we can continue without hijacking)

adp posted this instruction in another thread:

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You'll find the bmp:s for the horizon in "...\b\terrain\skybox\mountains" once you exploded the "Normandy v100B.brz".

The entire horizon is made up of 4 different files (actually there are three sets with 4 files each for clear, haze and thick haze). Each bmp measures 2048x256 pxls. I made one very long horizon measuring 8192x256, pasted actual photos from Italy into one picture and then split it into 4 individual parts. You have to be very cautious when you make the 4 parts - if you miss 1 pxl it'll show up as a nasty glitch on the horizon ingame - which seems to be the case in CMA (which I own btw).

Shouldn't be to hard to make a part of the horizon showing the sea - I seem to recollect that this was done with one mod in CMSF (called CMSFUBKModv1, think you can find it in the Repository)

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Do the bmps have identifying characteristics that tell you they're for the N,S,E,W horizons, or do you have to use trial-and-error if you want the ocean horizon to be, say, North?

Once you make those new bmp files, how do you get them back into the game? Do you:

1. rezpack them into their own .brz file with its own name, like "ocean skybox" and then place it in the z folder? Will the game automatically detect the modded bmps and use them instead?

2. rexpack them into a .brz file with the same name as the original (Normandy v100B.brz) and place it in the z folder?

3. Just put the bmp files on their own, unpacked, in a subfolder in the z folder, and the game will detect them to substitute them for the originals?

[sdp]

Some answers;

Yes, the bmp:s have names that let you easily identify them - like "Mountains West" or something similar...

To get them back into game;

1 - yes, that's one way that will work

2 - no, don't think that's a good solution. It might work, but it's a bit confusing, since it reall only contains the bmp:s for the horizon (and not of all the other stuff that's in the original v100B file).

3 - yes, will also work

[Reaper28]

Is there a way to make it so that the horizon can be taller? I tried to do it and i didn't get an error but it didn't seem to make a difference. I would like to try and close the gap you see between the horizon and the repeating ground texture.

I hate how sometimes on certain maps when you are zoomed all the way down you still can see the gap between the horizon and the repeating ground texture.

Or is this something that is coded into the game that you cant fix?

[sdp]

You mean the "far terrain" beyond the map edge? Sorry, but that's hardcoded and can't be changed. Well, the bmp for the far terrain might be altered/modded, but not the "gap".

/sdp

[shocker28]

Where can the bottom repeating texture be found?

[sdp]

Once you exploded "Normandy v100B.brz" (atleast that's were I think it is...) you'll find it in;

...b\terrain\ground

and it's called "distant ground"

/sdp

[Reaper28]

Five minutes of work... I could tweak the texture more, but its way better then before.. at least to me anyway. Thanks for the help

[necramonium]

I would be nice to have a certain terrain type on only like the west side of the map, would make my Omaha beach map look allot better.

[bruce90]

Nice Reaper. Why not put it in the Repository?

[Reaper28]

OK Bruce its up on the repository.... lol i get this will be one of those why didnt i think of that moments for some people. To me it looks much better especially zoomed in on your troops.

[MikeyD]

Is there a way to make it so that the horizon can be taller?

The upper part of the horizon is masked off using an alpha channel layer which can be altered. CM:Afghanistan's got big freaking Himilayan mountains as background art!

It was considered briefly dropping the north horizon down to nothing in the game but it was judged inappropriate for a title that's eventually going to take us almost to the German border by the end of September. That shouldn't stop modders, though!