CMFI [alpini] mod work in progress

[kohlenklau]

@MalaspinaCiao Enrico. Va bene, va bene. It is coming along slowly. I can fix that goof I made on the helmet with my twitching fingers. Too much coffee?

I have to put an alpha layer around the feather so it is nice and crisp. I have to relearn alpha layers every time I use them. Uggh. Big dreams, small brain.

Later we can put the alpini stencil on the helmet front if you want...

Maybe I can even add in various color "flower ball thing" where the helmet meets the feather. 

[kohlenklau]

almost there! uv map work is so not fun. (parasite my a$$!)

[kohlenklau]

ok, she is done. 

[kohlenklau]

 

[Erwin]

Nice job...

 

[Malaspina]

Yes, great job! But take your time, no rush...

[Rake]

On 10/26/2021 at 10:23 AM, kohlenklau said:

@MalaspinaCiao Enrico. Va bene, va bene. It is coming along slowly. I can fix that goof I made on the helmet with my twitching fingers. Too much coffee?

I have to put an alpha layer around the feather so it is nice and crisp. I have to relearn alpha layers every time I use them. Uggh. Big dreams, small brain.

Later we can put the alpini stencil on the helmet front if you want...

Maybe I can even add in various color "flower ball thing" where the helmet meets the feather.

Alpha channels are a PITA.  I've been working on a mod of floating icons...  a modification/conglomeration of Bil's WW II icons. 

I use Photoshop and save all of my selections, creating new channels.  When I'm finished with an icon, I save it as a PS .psd file so that all the new channels are saved.  Then I will flatten the image, delete all the channels except the one that will define the border (Alpha 1) and save as a 32-bit.bmp.

Often, after closing everything and reopening a file, I'll find that ALL of the channels have disappeared from my .pad file.  I'm certain that it's user error, but I'll be damned if I can figure out what I'm doing wrong.

[Lucky_Strike]

11 hours ago, Rake said:

Alpha channels are a PITA.  I've been working on a mod of floating icons...  a modification/conglomeration of Bil's WW II icons. 

I use Photoshop and save all of my selections, creating new channels.  When I'm finished with an icon, I save it as a PS .psd file so that all the new channels are saved.  Then I will flatten the image, delete all the channels except the one that will define the border (Alpha 1) and save as a 32-bit.bmp.

Often, after closing everything and reopening a file, I'll find that ALL of the channels have disappeared from my .pad file.  I'm certain that it's user error, but I'll be damned if I can figure out what I'm doing wrong.

Alpha channels do cause some consternation, mostly because the game uses both 1-bit and 8-bit alpha channels, so care needs to be taken when modding to ensure use of the correct type of alpha for the mod. Sounds like you have this side of things under control.

I'm assuming you save your multi-channel/layered .psd just before flattening? One curve ball that PhotoShop may be throwing your way is that when you save a flattened .psd file as a .bmp it will sometimes suggest (insist) that you save it as a copy - it'll even try to add the word copy into the file name for good measure. Depending on the order that you do things this might leave you with an open document that is NOT the newly saved .bmp file but ACTUALLY your original .psd BUT in a flattened state. Your next, natural, action might be to close the file thinking it to be the just saved .bmp, PhotoShop will immediately say the file has unsaved changes and offer a save dialogue which, because it seems to be the .bmp, all to often one clicks save, unwittingly saving the original .psd in a flattened state and closing it in the process so loosing the undo history. The way around this is to make sure that after you have saved out your .bmp and are back in the open document you close this document without any further save (assuming you previously saved your .psd), OR you revert to the unflattened state and make sure it's saved as a .psd. I always check the document title in the window or tab heading to make sure it's got the correct suffix before saving or closing. Also don't trust that PhotoShop has any idea about what you want to do - when it suggests stuff always double check before clicking any okay or cancel buttons.

Quite why PhotoShop has this strange behaviour always baffles me, I have been caught out by it once or twice, so much so that I now always use the undo history after saving a .bmp so that I know I've at least got my original .psd file back to it's previous state, then resave and close if necessary.

[Rake]

LS...  Yes, I do save the layered file first before flattening.  After flattening and saving the .bmp, I generally CTRL-ALT-Z and back up to the point that restores all my layers and selection channels.  Since I've noticed this issue with the channels disappearing, I've started saving the .psd file again. 

As I'm sure you know, the icon files are 128x128 pixels.  To make sure that I feel they're going to look okay, I usually look at the file at 100% just before closing...  this doesn't permit the entire file name to show in the floating window.  I'll try your advice and either drag the window larger or magnify the window to make it large enough to view the file name AND extension.

BTW, I'm amazed by what you've been able to do with the terrain files.  I eagerly await your next version of bocage, bushes and trees.  I have a hard time playing fall scenarios now, using the stock graphics.  I've spent a fair amount of time poking in these files and have no idea how they work in the game.  Thanks for what you're doing!

 

Edited November 5, 2021 by Rake

[Lucky_Strike]

4 hours ago, Rake said:

LS...  Yes, I do save the layered file first before flattening.  After flattening and saving the .bmp, I generally CTRL-ALT-Z and back up to the point that restores all my layers and selection channels.  Since I've noticed this issue with the channels disappearing, I've started saving the .psd file again. 

This is a very wise approach, it's basically what I do as well and saves a lot of headscratching, pulling out what little hair is left and swearing.

4 hours ago, Rake said:

As I'm sure you know, the icon files are 128x128 pixels.  To make sure that I feel they're going to look okay, I usually look at the file at 100% just before closing...  this doesn't permit the entire file name to show in the floating window.  I'll try your advice and either drag the window larger or magnify the window to make it large enough to view the file name AND extension.

I usually have so many files open that I can't see more than a few letters of the file name let alone it's extension - somewhere, the Window menu maybe, can't recall off the top of my head, shows a list of open files with the current/front one ticked.

4 hours ago, Rake said:

BTW, I'm amazed by what you've been able to do with the terrain files.  I eagerly await your next version of bocage, bushes and trees.  I have a hard time playing fall scenarios now, using the stock graphics.  I've spent a fair amount of time poking in these files and have no idea how they work in the game.  Thanks for what you're doing!

Thanks I'm glad you enjoy using the mod. I've taken a look at autumnal versions of my mods, mostly they should be fairly straightforward so I will eventually make some. At the moment I'm having a small break to do some much needed renovations around the house, thanks to my better half for keeping me gainfully occupied ... but I will get back to working on my revised foliage and new pack for further east ... so long as Kohl doesn't keep distracting me with his fancy feathers and what not 

Look forward to seeing your floating icons mod when it's ready.

[Rake]

12 hours ago, Lucky_Strike said:

Look forward to seeing your floating icons mod when it's ready.

The icons are a mashup Bil's WW2 & NATO icons.  I did some for the Germans, Americans, CW and Soviets some time ago.  The difference is that I've given each nation their own color background...  Feldgrau for the Germans, Olive Drab for the U.S., CW Tan and the Russians Red.  Currently, I'm working on the Italians (flag colors, not the yellow used in many boardgames)

The shared icons are a bit of a pain.  I plan on doing a set for each nation.  They would need to rotated in and out of the Z folder (or JSGME for those that use it) depending upon the nations involved.   The problem would occur when two allies fight together. One set of the shared icons would have to be used for both.

Many apologies to Kohlenklau for hijacking his thread...

 

Edit:  @Lucky Strike Rather than further hijacking this thread by posting an image, I tried to PM a sampler of my icons, but it wouldn't let me insert the image - I pasted the URL and... nothing

Edited November 6, 2021 by Rake
Add Note

[JM Stuff]

13 minutes ago, Rake said:

... The problem would occur when two allies fight together...  one set of the shared icons would have to be used for both.

Many apologies to Kohlenklau for hijacking his thread...

@Rake Modtags can resolve this "problem" i made several Floating Icons to find this solution, see pictures!

If you want to follow something about, without hijacking this thread open a new thread, we can talking about!

Here you have all categories from allied and axes units (sorry not include the British French and CW commandos).

Of course you can choose yourself, the appropriated modtag names and not these scatty one s, ! where you will have the same avatar as Bootie asking what s happend !

Well I reconized that some are a "little crazy", but this is my way to love them! 

 

 

 

PS don t pay attention to the extentions of files on the pictures,... in game they are all working, ...according to the correct modtags of course !

 

JM

[kohlenklau]

2 hours ago, Rake said:

Rather than further hijacking this thread by posting an image, I tried to PM a sampler of my icons, but it wouldn't let me insert the image - I pasted the URL and... nothing

it is ok, go for it here is ok with me

 

[kohlenklau]

1 hour ago, JM Stuff said:

Well I reconized that some are a "little crazy", but this is my way to love them! 

you bet JM. do what makes YOU enjoy it!

[JM Stuff]

58 minutes ago, kohlenklau said:

you bet JM. do what makes YOU enjoy it!

Oh no, I don t want to bet Phill, this is not worth for me, I loose already, I do crazy things only, or things that nobody think about, you, did and continue to do things interresting to everybodys, this is the difference, we are happy to have you but,... waiting impatient to a little more, about,  early war,... with Suchy as captain or second lieutnant!...

 

JM

 

[Lucky_Strike]

13 hours ago, Rake said:

The icons are a mashup Bil's WW2 & NATO icons.  I did some for the Germans, Americans, CW and Soviets some time ago.  The difference is that I've given each nation their own color background...  Feldgrau for the Germans, Olive Drab for the U.S., CW Tan and the Russians Red.  Currently, I'm working on the Italians (flag colors, not the yellow used in many boardgames)

The shared icons are a bit of a pain.  I plan on doing a set for each nation.  They would need to rotated in and out of the Z folder (or JSGME for those that use it) depending upon the nations involved.   The problem would occur when two allies fight together. One set of the shared icons would have to be used for both.

Sounds far more complex than dealing with trees and bocage ... but as JM says, tags are probably your best bet here, that way, I guess, all the files can stay put. Our uncle Kohlenklau knows a thing or two about tags.

13 hours ago, Rake said:

Edit:  @Lucky Strike Rather than further hijacking this thread by posting an image, I tried to PM a sampler of my icons, but it wouldn't let me insert the image - I pasted the URL and... nothing

That's some other fella, probably why I'm an "_" ... don't remember it was so long ago when I registered ... mind wanders off into a dim memory of CM past (it's late here...). He'll be like '????????'

Kohl is used to us lot hijacking his threads. We are very grateful for a place to dump our thoughts.

12 hours ago, JM Stuff said:

Well I reconized that some are a "little crazy", but this is my way to love them! 

Those are purdy JM

11 hours ago, kohlenklau said:

it is ok, go for it here is ok with me

Thank you kind sir

 

[kohlenklau]

My amateur explanation of what I did as an amateur in Blender...

I imported the regular Italian helmet mdr. I also imported the bmp for the regular helmet. I was in edit mode and edges selection mode. I picked an edge of a polygon. It was a white line when selected. It was horizontal on the left side of the helmet where I thought the feather would start. I made a duplicate. Then I think it is holding the right mouse and I PULLED the duplicated edge upwards to make a long rectangle polygon. This took a few tries. You must constrain some axis. I think the x-axis. then you triangulate it to become 2 triangles in the rectangle. Then I switched to face selection and selected the 2 triangles in my new rectangle. Then I duplicated that and moved them just g x .001. Then you choose to see the normals. Then make sure that one side of the feather is normals pointing away. The other side also pointing away. Switch if there is a problem. Then I did the uv map just for the 4 new faces. The original helmet bmp is shown and over in the uv map area you move and scale the new triangles to be in a part of the bmp where you can add new art using GiMP and Photoshop.

It took a few times to get it fixed.

I can also send some pictures to try and explain better.

[kohlenklau]

In Blender, working on the sun helmet...

First there was the XXXL size he was issued back at the supply depot in Naples. "Take it! Your head will swell in the heat and it will fit fine. NEXT!!!"

I had scaled and rotated numerous times but in game it didn't seem to take. The secret was (in Blender) to "apply" the transformations by Ctrl-A and this reset to 0,0,0 as it became an mdr.

Then he got this one off a dead guy. Maybe now it is too small. I will go back to Blender and tweak the position and scale and material shininess.

[JM Stuff]

42 minutes ago, kohlenklau said:

In Blender, working on the sun helmet...

First there was the XXXL size he was issued back at the supply depot in Naples. "Take it! Your head will swell in the heat and it will fit fine. NEXT!!!"

I had scaled and rotated numerous times but in game it didn't seem to take. The secret was (in Blender) to "apply" the transformations by Ctrl-A and this reset to 0,0,0 as it became an mdr.

Then he got this one off a dead guy. Maybe now it is too small. I will go back to Blender and tweak the position and scale and material shininess.

Looking good Phill he loose already the  sombrero!

[Aragorn2002]

Great stuff! Perhaps one day we will also see the Gurkhas in CMFI. If I had to finance that game (as someone did) I would have demanded their inclusion. Unique fighting men, Gurkhas. 

[kohlenklau]

3 hours ago, Aragorn2002 said:

Perhaps one day we will also see the Gurkhas in CMFI.

I got it penciled in for late 2044. Just after Labor Day. I will be 79 but should knock it out along with a few scenarios and maybe a campaign.

[Aragorn2002]

5 hours ago, kohlenklau said:

I got it penciled in for late 2044. Just after Labor Day. I will be 79 but should knock it out along with a few scenarios and maybe a campaign.

You're right. That must have sounded ungrateful for what you're already doing for us. Sorry about that. 

 

Edited December 5, 2021 by Aragorn2002

[t34577685]

hi,Phil。

where to download this lovely helmet

[kohlenklau]

3 hours ago, t34577685 said:

where to download this lovely helmet

Hi Wang,

The alpini OR the sunhelmet?

I will send a PM link...

[t34577685]

36 minutes ago, kohlenklau said:

Hi Wang,

The alpini OR the sunhelmet?

I will send a PM link...

alphi please