Looking for some icon editing advice

[A Canadian Cat]

I am trying to make a mod that will provide tactical symbol floating icons ala

Lo Vis Icons

http://www.battlefront.com/index.php?option=com_remository&Itemid=314&func=fileinfo&id=1121

But my icon editor (Paint.Net) does not allow me to create 32bit bitmaps. Neither does the built in Paint (it tops out at 24 bit). I just did it anyway but there is no transparent areas in my versions of the icons (I unpacked the Lo Vis Icons and tweaked them). Clearly I am missing something.

What are you guys using for icons? How do I create transparent areas that the game understands?

[Wolfe]

I use GIMP. I tried Paint.net, but I think I couldn't figure out how to play with transparency, like you said.

To affect opacity in Gimp, select Colors, Levels, choose Alpha from Channel drop-down, then drag the Output Levels arrow and adjust to your liking.

- Chris

[A Canadian Cat]

Thanks. How about saving - what file format should I pick from GIMP?

[Serk]

Hi Ian,

I was also looking for icons using tactical symbols and found this link for germans symbols:

http://niehorster.orbat.com/011_germany/symbols/_symbols_43.html

Unfortunately, I think the game limits the number of icon you can use. If so, it won't be possible to use them all

Cheers,

Serk

[Wolfe]

Thanks. How about saving - what file format should I pick from GIMP?

AFAIK, they're all 32-bit BMPs, so save as that. I just use the default settings in GIMP (from the image that I loaded). If you start as a new file, you may have to fill the background with transparency (rather than background color) under advanced options. It's easiest to start with an existing file and work from there. Even if you're going to erase everything that file has, the settings will still be consistent.

- Chris

[A Canadian Cat]

AFAIK, they're all 32-bit BMPs, so save as that. I just use the default settings in GIMP (from the image that I loaded).

OK I will try that - thanks.

[A Canadian Cat]

I was also looking for icons using tactical symbols and found this link for germans symbols:

Yes, not all the symbols can be shown - you should check out the mod I mentioned in my first message. He uses those symbols you found to replace the floating icons. It is fantastic.

[A Canadian Cat]

Just too bring this thread to a close:

Recap:

I did my initial work of tweaking files using Paint.Net but that does not correctly support alpha channel for BMP files so my icons were a total failure. Oops should have tested one before doing all the work.

The solution - which did not involve redoing all the work:

In the end I made use of a program DXTBmp (thanks Lt. Smash for your PM). With that program it is easy to extract the alpha channel from an RGBA BMP. I saved all the alpha channel images from the original Lo Vis mod I was basing my work on and then started reapplying them to my new images. DXTBmp only handles one file at a time (plus file saving formats was confusing) so I figured out how to use Gimp to do the same task - more steps with Gimp but more efficient for me to process multiple images. Samples to follow...