MikeyD Posted January 3, 2003 Share Posted January 3, 2003 A new from-scatch mod of a vehicle that really needed some help: British-built Valentine mkIV you can view/download it here: http://www.cmmods.com/web/CMMods.nsf This version isn't CMMOS compliant (I work off a mac) but Gordon should be putting a compliant copy onto his CMMOS site soon. Enjoy. [ January 03, 2003, 02:14 PM: Message edited by: MikeyD ] 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jgdpzr Posted January 3, 2003 Share Posted January 3, 2003 Damn fine piece of work. Thanks for sharing! 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndrewTF Posted January 3, 2003 Share Posted January 3, 2003 Cool! 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Iberian Posted January 3, 2003 Share Posted January 3, 2003 My goodness Mikey, what an incredible work of art! Thank you very much. You just made me register in the forum just to thank you for your gift! Thanks again! Greetings from Spain. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr.Poisz Posted January 3, 2003 Share Posted January 3, 2003 This mod is absolutely stunning ! Please please please (with sugar on top) tell us you will consider modding the M18 Hellcat for CMBO (yes, I know, this is the CMBB forum, but I still like playing CMBO too) because that one has been overlooked a bit; and you just gave us proof you're capable doing the job. Well, this is just my request, don't take it too seriously, but rather keep on modding 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doodlebug Posted January 3, 2003 Share Posted January 3, 2003 That is simply fantastic. Makes you dream of playing the early war Brits at some point in the future. Thank you for your efforts. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeyD Posted January 3, 2003 Author Share Posted January 3, 2003 That was my very first attempt to upload to the CM Mod Database. Couldn't be simpler. Couldn't be smoother. Look for more esoteric vehicle mods soon. By the way, I spilled BLOOD doing that danged Valentine. Oh my God, what a widget-filled beast to draw! 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jussi Köhler Posted January 3, 2003 Share Posted January 3, 2003 Originally posted by MikeyD: [QBI spilled BLOOD doing that danged Valentine. Oh my God, what a widget-filled beast to draw![/QB]Was that truly the first piece you modded??? Incredibly good man man!!! Fantastic work! 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeyD Posted January 3, 2003 Author Share Posted January 3, 2003 A small correction: the first piece I put onto that particular site, not the first piece I modded. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
panzermartin Posted January 3, 2003 Share Posted January 3, 2003 Excellent work! :eek: You know most of the modders(including my self), mostly rely on the original textures to make a mod.Making a mod from scratch seems so difficult to acheive.Especially a mod of such high quality.Attention to detail is astonishing in this one. Makes me wonder about the method that you follow.I guess that this isnt possible by working directly on a blank bmp :confused: Thanks a lot! 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bruno Weiss Posted January 3, 2003 Share Posted January 3, 2003 I'm stunned. Absolutely marvelous. With all these cool mods coming out, geeze it's like Christmas morning groundhog day. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Juju Posted January 3, 2003 Share Posted January 3, 2003 MikeyD! Absolutely gorgeous hardcore mod! 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tanks a Lot Posted January 3, 2003 Share Posted January 3, 2003 It looks great. You deserve a lot of credit doing it from scratch. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeyD Posted January 3, 2003 Author Share Posted January 3, 2003 Oh geez, you want to know about technique? Hold onto you hat, this is going to be a loooong note: ___ MODS FROM SCRATCH ___ Programs used - Adobe illustrator and Adobe Photoshop. Step 1: If the original bmp is halfway accurate I import the bmp into Adobe illustrator as placed art, and use it as a template. Draw my line art directly over it, replace all the details. Then I delete the original bmp , save the line art as an eps file, and reopen it in Photoshop. Step 2: I've now got a straight b&W mod. Then I start applying layers of shading and shadowing. I think on the Valentine hul top I counted over 30 different layers at one point! When it looks convincing I flatten the image down to one layer. Step 3: I've now got a greyscale mod (no color). Then, I slip a layer BEHIND the art layer and give the whole layer a solid color. I change the art layer to 'Multiply' mode, which lets the color show through. Add more layers underneath the art layer to add highlights, change colors on individual widgets, etc. And let's not forget the magenta knock-out layer on top. I've now got a full color mod. BUT, the art probably won't display well in the game due to color banding when it's downres'd. So I've got to go to the bottom color layer and add noise (speckles) to break-up the banding effect. Now I flatten the image and save as a bmp. --- We're not done yet. That was if you've got a decent default bmp to draw over. What if you DON'T have base art... Step 1: Create a blank white photoshop file in a standard size (256 pixels by 512 pixels for instance). Guess where major elements would go and draw big black lines and circles to sketch the areas. Save as a bmp file under the proper file name. Drop into the bmp folder, open the game and check the vehicle to see where your sketch lines fell. Go back to photoshop, reposition your sketch lines, resave ,reimport, reopen the game, etc .etc. Repeat about a million times til you're got all the basic area accurately blocked-out on the file. THEN, import that sketch bmp into illustrator and draw your line art over it as describe above. Follow steps 2 and 3 as before. From-scratch modding ain't for the faint-hearted but it's a good way to pass the time on a cold winter evening. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BeauCoupDinkyDau Posted January 3, 2003 Share Posted January 3, 2003 Sweet! And by sweet, I mean totally cool. Makes me want to freak out and kill someone! 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
solo Posted January 4, 2003 Share Posted January 4, 2003 Exellent! 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bruno Weiss Posted January 4, 2003 Share Posted January 4, 2003 Well MickeyD, it's like making sausage. I'd much rather savor the sweet taste than to visualize what actual parts of the lil porker went into it. Great job though. This might propel mod making into a whole new realm. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrNoobie Posted January 4, 2003 Share Posted January 4, 2003 NICE! check this off the list hell do all the lend lease im still doing the SU's and the light tanks EDIT: lately ive been doing before and after shots, i think with this particular mod the before and after can show off how much a wonderful job you've done. [ January 03, 2003, 08:36 PM: Message edited by: MrNoobie ] 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
voidhawk Posted January 4, 2003 Share Posted January 4, 2003 Really nice weathering effects too. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tracer Posted January 4, 2003 Share Posted January 4, 2003 Thanks for the info, and great work from scratch, glad someones got the time for it, wish i did 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Juju Posted January 5, 2003 Share Posted January 5, 2003 Gotta bump this one to the top for all those who haven't downloaded and installed this work of art. It's Stupendous! 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeyD Posted January 6, 2003 Author Share Posted January 6, 2003 Ah, I'm bumping this up myself. My fragile ego needs the praise. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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