Modders, help out the newbies and leave a modding tip

[tracer]

I posted a topic once, but did'nt get any replies. If you could, please leave a modding tip, so the newer modders (and maybe the older) can get a little advice. Since there isn't a forum for modding, I figure this is about the only way to shre tips and tricks.

[jmbunnelle]

Sorry, but your question is vague. What specifically do you want to know? How to repaint models?

[Matias]

That'd do for a start!

Indecies of various moddels, scales, links to groups working on mods so that effort is not duplicated. A FAQ...

Maybe asking for too much?

[tracer]

Well, just the basics, you know, like panzer martin told cannon about his stugIII and how to put a layer over it with a 50 or 60 opacity to tone down the rust effect, just little things like that. They don't seem to all important to the old time modders, but to the new guys it's a good tip

[panzermartin]

Hey Tracer, I'll try to help a little, although

I believe there are more experienced modders than

me here.

So, let me explain my winter technique in short.I dont know everything about PsP 7 just some basic things.

Firstly I convert the image to grey scale.Then I apply an overlay layer with 90-100 opacity using white color(I use some texture pattern for the

"airbrush" in order to get that random result).

If its needed I apply a second overlay layer(usually using a different texture).Then I switch

to 24bit color depth and work again with overlay layers with dark browns brick reds etc for shadowing and rust effects.

I play a lot with colors but some of them are standards in the custom pallette.Detail is important but

IMHO shadowing and lighting are the key parts to make your model look 3D.This means that you have to brighten the horizontial surfaces and

darken(in a smooth way) the vertical ones and those that are being shadowed by objects(eg shadowing the gun mantlet just beneath the gun barrel).

Hope this helps a bit

[tracer]

That's great thanks for the tip,and being the first one to help out

[MrNoobie]

i pretty much do everything that PM does. But i use Photoshop 7 rather than Paintshop Pro but from what he tells me that it has practicaly the same setting and options. You can use the PS dual brush and texture brush to get some great texture on the strokes and also play with the layers.

[Joshik]

Try what Panzermartin suggested, but instead of simply converting the BMP to Greyscale, try my technique for cultivating a better B&W image. It's found here:

Mods&Modders

Basically, you convert the image from RBG to CMYK. Then you delete the C, M, and Y channels (cyan, magenta, and yellow), leaving only K (black). This is a much richer B@W texture. The Mods&Modders page (in the "How To" section) shows the whole procedure.

Hope this helps!

[ November 19, 2002, 07:02 PM: Message edited by: Joshik ]

[tracer]

Thanks Joshik, great tip

[voidhawk]

You may find the Annotated Bitmaps of use too; you could mix and match them with the bmps your are working on to help with coverage and alignment etc.

[tracer]

Voidhawk, thanks for the bitmap link,that does help a great deal. I just hope others that want to start modding read this thread, it's given me some good tips

[jmbunnelle]

Tracer,

Sorry, I wasn't trying to be a smart ass in my initial post, just wanted a little clarification so I wasn't going on about something you already knew. I prefer PaintShop myself, as I find their .psp layers very easy to manipulate, cut, paste, etc. Honestly, the best advice I can give you is to tinker. Mess around with the various functions of the software and see what it does to the bitmap. Go back and forth from the game to Paintshop in order to see how things look in-game. You don't have to close out of CMBB every time, just go back to the main screen and come back in. ALWAYS MAKE BACKUPS!!!! But I'm sure you know that already.

It sounds like a cop-out but there really is no right and wrong way of doing things. As far as coordination between modders goes, well, that will become much more clear after the release of the first patch. I think many, myself included, are holding off to see what changes are implemented and what bitmap renumbering takes place. People's "specialties" will emerge soon enough, just as they did in CMBO.

Jim

[TheBigCheese]

I basically "hand paint" my mods and use very little in the way of other techniques.Thouugh I do make good use of the various brushes available in photoshop.

[tracer]

Well, I started this thread because there is'nt really any where else that people new to modding can go and get tips, or answers to some modding questions. So far I think it has helped out a great deal. I know there is the mod and modders page, but I have learned quite a bit just asking around on the forum, and people have really helped out,that's why this game is as great as it is (in my opinion) because of the game being the best and the people who come here to this forum, and contribute to the game. I mean even the battlefront people show up and help you out!!, can't beat that!!

[Juju]

I recommend every modder to get a dedicated team (two people should suffice) to test your mods in-game. They should give you comments, suggestions and point out flaws and mistakes. It may take a little longer before it's finished to go that way, but it's definitely worth it.

I certainly know that most (if not all) mods I made that were tested turned out a lot better (and with fewer screw-ups) than had I not have them play-tested.

[Hoopenfaust2]

Hello

I've just joined the Pig Pen and I'm having trouble doing something in photoshop. I've been using photoshop for many, many years but I've never used layer masks.

Now I need someone to translate Gordon Molek's great mod tutorial into photoshop terms and then maybe I can get my head around it.

I understand everything except for the layer mask part. Right now I'm working on the STUG IIIF.

Step 6: Create a new empty layer which we'll call the Dirt layer. It should be "above" the "Grunge" layer (and below the "Pink" layer - remember EVERYTHING stays below the "Pink" layer). Create an empty mask for this layer. Cut and paste the base layer to a new image. Adjust the saturation to -100% (e.g. grey) and the lightness to +100% (leaving the hue unchanged). This will give you a greyscale image, but leave it at 24 bits/pixel (if you use the greyscale transformation it will often drop the image down to 8 bits/pixel which is too coarse for our purposes). Next, increase the brightness by 25% and the contrast by 50%. The result should be a reasonably bright, high contrast and somewhat grainy greyscale image. Create a mask from the image and then copy that mask to the mask for the "Dirt" layer. This will allow us to apply the dirt effects in the next step without completely obliterating the details.

I just can't seem to figure it out. How do I create a mask from one image and add that mask to another image's "empty" mask.

Thanks in advance. If I can figure out more layer mask problems I'll try and do as many mods as I can in the future.

Cheers

Brett

[Strontium Dog]

Originally posted by Hoopenfaust 101:

I just can't seem to figure it out. How do I create a mask from one image and add that mask to another image's "empty" mask.

Hi Brett

Just use the load selection option under the 'Select' menu. You can choose any of the currently active layer masks by making the appropriate channel selection. Once the selection is loaded all you then have to do is save it to the new layer mask.