Cull Posted April 30, 2001 Share Posted April 30, 2001 I initially started with a search, but just ran out of patience Anyway, I'm interested to know what software programs the mod-makers out there are using these days. Thanks kindly for any info, recommendations, etc.! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clubfoot Posted April 30, 2001 Share Posted April 30, 2001 Sonic Foundry's Sound Forge 5.0 (not too spendy) for sound editing. Adobe PhotoShop 6.0 for graphics (considerably more expensive). A lot of people use PaintShop Pro for graphics which will produce fine results and (correct me if I'm wrong, somebody) is free for download. Hope this helps a little. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cull Posted April 30, 2001 Author Share Posted April 30, 2001 Thanks, Clubfoot....appreciate it. Anybody else have anything else/different? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gunnergoz Posted April 30, 2001 Share Posted April 30, 2001 Paintshop Pro is fine software and the demo is free, but time-limited and so has a minimal utility unless purchased. I use it quite a bit. I also use Cpic for file viewing and management and for general art use it's tough to beat PhotoImpact, the third leg of my modding "tripod." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maximus Posted April 30, 2001 Share Posted April 30, 2001 I use PhotoImpact 4.2. It's more of a photo editing program for stuff like scanning and digital cameras, but it is a pretty decent paint program as well. It has layers and all that, but I have yet to figure out how they work. However, it is actually better at touching up the bmps in the brightening area. For example, some of the mods out there are a bit too dark. (At least on my screen, CM does not appear to use the same gamma correction as to what the desktop is set to>) All I have to do is click up on the brightness or contrast control to adjust the overall look of the image. In fact, that's how I did the winter versions of Fernando's PSW mod. As such: I greyed out the areas and then did a precise selection using the mask tool and then did the brightness and contrast method to brighten up just the selection. I also created these British Desert uniforms the same way. I just manipulated the brightness and contrast on these areas. Didn't even have to do any repainting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew H. Posted April 30, 2001 Share Posted April 30, 2001 But those Brits should be in shorts! :cool: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Dorosh Posted April 30, 2001 Share Posted April 30, 2001 Woot. Don't start on us about the shorts again! Paint Shop Pro is fairly inexpensive and worth the money if you run a website or are doing a lot of mod making. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tiger Posted April 30, 2001 Share Posted April 30, 2001 Jack, when I was modding I used Picture Publisher 8 by Micrografix. Version 9 was just released just recently. I've tried JASC 7.0 and adobe photoshop 5.0 but found that I preferred picture publisher. Here's the link in case you want to check it out. It's a great image editing/creation proggy that won't cost you an arm and a leg or your next born. Good luck. -John http://www.digitalriver.com/mg/pp9/upgrade/041801/36450 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doug Williams Posted April 30, 2001 Share Posted April 30, 2001 Maximus, When you brighten a mod bmp like that doesn't that change the pink areas that are supposed to appear translucent in the game such that they appear pink in the game? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cull Posted April 30, 2001 Author Share Posted April 30, 2001 Wow, nice effort guys. I was getting a little bummed with lack of responses at first. Thanks to everybody---especially Maximus and Tiger for the links/mini lessons! I'll kick these around with my graphics design friend and see what he thinks I should do to get started. Thanks again... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Dorosh Posted April 30, 2001 Share Posted April 30, 2001 <BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Doug Williams: Maximus, When you brighten a mod bmp like that doesn't that change the pink areas that are supposed to appear translucent in the game such that they appear pink in the game?<HR></BLOCKQUOTE> You can clean this up with PAINT - the one that comes with Windows (if you use windows). The pink that CM recognizes as invisible is one of the default colours in the palette. Alternately, you can copy the pink colour from one of the other "skin" files using whatever software you are using, then reapply it over the other pink areas you have brightened (or darkened). Or, you can use a smaller brush when lightening and be careful not to touch the pink bits. [ 04-30-2001: Message edited by: Michael Dorosh ] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pud Posted April 30, 2001 Share Posted April 30, 2001 Pink pits? I use the "magic wand" (Paintshop/photoshop) to select that pink colour, then inverse the selection thereby having all other areas selected and then you can apply whatever you like and these pink areas are left alone. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Col Deadmarsh Posted April 30, 2001 Share Posted April 30, 2001 I'm cornfuzed. Why are there pink spots there in the first place? Another question for the modsters out there: Do you use a writing tablet to draw with or do you just use your trusty old mouse? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deanco Posted April 30, 2001 Share Posted April 30, 2001 I can't draw a thing, believe it or not. If it wasn't for technology I'd be totally out of a job. I use photoshop myself, but I'll bet the other programs mentioned here do a good job as well. The real pain in the ass is learning how to use the program in the first place. Once you've learned with one program and are used to it, if you try another prog, you tend to think that that prog is not as good as the prog you know. If that makes sense. But that's not necessesarily true, it's just because you are used to your particular prog. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeyD Posted May 1, 2001 Share Posted May 1, 2001 I'm a mac guy and Photoshop 5.5 is my mod cup-o-tea. Photoshop is the app that the big boys in the agencies use, and can do more stuff with photos and art than you can think of (you should see my 'UFO' vacation pics!). I recall some scanners come with mini-versions of Photoshop bundled in so it might not be completely beyond your reach. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeyD Posted May 1, 2001 Share Posted May 1, 2001 About pink spots: They're actually the color 100% magenta, and the computer drops the color out of the skin on the polygon making the magenta invisible. 99% magenta will not drop-out so modders must be very careful. This seems to be a standard technique for this type of game, just judging by the rare pinkish spots seen in corners while roaming Tombraider mazes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gordon Posted May 2, 2001 Share Posted May 2, 2001 <BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Tiger: Jack, when I was modding I used Picture Publisher 8 by Micrografix. ... -John http://www.digitalriver.com/mg/pp9/upgrade/041801/36450<HR></BLOCKQUOTE> Ok, am I the only one who picked up the past tense in the above sentence? :confused: Tiger, I hope you haven't given up doing mods. Gordon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maximus Posted May 2, 2001 Share Posted May 2, 2001 <BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by MikeyD: About pink spots: They're actually the color 100% magenta, and the computer drops the color out of the skin on the polygon making the magenta invisible. 99% magenta will not drop-out so modders must be very careful.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE> If you really want to get technical. The RGB values are R=254, G=0, B=254. Anything else appears as pink spots. Doug, brightening up a bmp with transparent will change the values. However if you up the contrast by the same amount, the RBG values go back to the correct values. e.g. 2 click-ups on Brighten and 2 click-ups on Contrast will return the RBG values back to the correct values. BUT if you find that equal click-ups won't achieve the effect you want, that's easily fixed too. What I do is use the color replace tool, use "eyedropper" to select the actual pink that is being shown and then use the correct pink color as the replacement color. Paint over the area and WALLA, it's back to transparent. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doug Williams Posted May 2, 2001 Share Posted May 2, 2001 Maximus, Thanks for the info. Tiger, I really hope you don't mean that you are going to quit making mods for CM. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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