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Re: JA2 Graphics Overhaul[message #186448]

Tue, 27 May 2008 01:46

Shanga is currently offline

Messages:3475
Registered:January 2000
Location: Danubia

As I've said, the hair is "hacked" in to be blonde because I had no time to fiddle with nuances of red. You know, Lisac explained the problem... some nuances are taken for hair, some are taken for blood. I could've spent 15 mins and test which is which, but it wasn't the goal of my test.

TO BE DONE:
- a 3D model wearing proper gear in proper cammo colors

Here's an example of how the ladies would look with different pants on (computer generated). Width is a bit off cause the legs are not tinkered in Photoshop (those in the previous shot had pants painted over).

http://www.jagalaxy.com/shanga/demo_5w2.jpg

And here's how the different enemies look with the new setup. I am pretty pleased actually... I was afraid they wont be recognisable, but they are.. the red sleeves are pretty obvious (but we need to let the leggings be generated by the engine so they wear the know red+green uniform):

http://www.jagalaxy.com/shanga/demo_enemy.jpg

[Updated on: Tue, 27 May 2008 03:33] by Moderator

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Captain

Re: JA2 Graphics Overhaul[message #186450]

Tue, 27 May 2008 02:17

Shanga is currently offline

Messages:3475
Registered:January 2000
Location: Danubia

@Fretslayer - the background color you pick is also important because the game makes it transparent. Make sure it's not used anywhere otherwise parts of the mercs body will start to magically dissapear. Grey is a bad choice because of that. You can use the suggest type of blue (R:0 G:128 B:255). That's pretty safe.

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Captain

Re: JA2 Graphics Overhaul[message #186460]

Tue, 27 May 2008 03:50

Shanga is currently offline

Messages:3475
Registered:January 2000
Location: Danubia

Ok found out one more thing tonight (2 actually):

1. I was looking for the JA2 palettes in the wrong place. They are stored in a single file JA2PAL.DAT in Data/Binarydata/
2. Our old friend Tox from LotB already made an editor for that, which I've downloaded and gonna publish asap on my Esnips repository.

Third thing I learned is that there are too many damn stickies around here without a proper topic name. That particular "pinkskin" topic was now properly renamed and moved to general modding.

Now I gotta sleep and think about the posibilities this new discovery opens...

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Captain

Re: JA2 Graphics Overhaul[message #186463]

Tue, 27 May 2008 04:41

Fretslayer is currently offline

Messages:36
Registered:May 2008

@ Shanga,

I used gray because I saw it in an earlier image.
I thought it was an odd choice but I wouldn't know better.
LOL!

I usually use a garish pink/purple thing because it's hideous and easy to alpha out.
LOL!

I'll try and make my dude smaller next time.
I'm still experimenting with a lot of settings but I must admit I was kind of shocked to see it in the 'game world'.
Pretty cool.
Smile

Smile

I'll adjust the background color.

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Private 1st Class

Re: JA2 Graphics Overhaul[message #186473]

Tue, 27 May 2008 10:21

Shanga is currently offline

Messages:3475
Registered:January 2000
Location: Danubia

Ok, after a good night's sleep, I came to the conclusion that finding where the palettes are stored doesn't help at all with current project (just with modding in general - being able to make "natives"). Read my conclusions to see why.

To be clear for everyone, what I am testing here is just a complement to Lisac's work. For example, doing this I came to the conclusion that even if we use multi-layered sprites as he set out to do, we still have a big problem: telling apart the various groups.If mercs and soldiers don't keep a trace of individuality, of "team colors", in Meduna for example, you could end up with everyone dressed in Spectra, looking similar, because of the 3 body types all share. My plan is to find the best compromised between drawing new sprites (as whole or as layers) and using the game altered colors as "team markers".

Second goal is to define an exact procedure of HOW you can produce hundreds of new animations seemlesly (like Sir-tech did).

So far we found out why Sir-tech left 2/3 of the palette untouched: because automatic palette replacement wasnt mean to generate sprites, but "teams" (be those various groups dressed the same or blondes, brunettes, etc). The rest of the sprectrum had to be left free so the designer could have enough colors to draw stuff without fearing the engine will pervert his colors. So ... it's actually a good thing.

[Updated on: Tue, 27 May 2008 10:22] by Moderator

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Captain

Re: JA2 Graphics Overhaul[message #186497]

Tue, 27 May 2008 13:59

Shanga is currently offline

Messages:3475
Registered:January 2000
Location: Danubia

the scorpion

there are many disadvantages of using filler palettes for placeholder colors in the actual sprite. Take for example my custom bodytype. It uses inalinable colors for the coats and hats so we don't end up with Civs wearing purple winter coats or yellow hats

if we want to change the color of them, we just change the file's palette in the place where the old colors were. Fast and simple.

Well after testing further I reached the conclusion that we should skip the berets. The only decent changes to sprites would be:

1. add long sleeves for all bodytypes in default blue (let the game convert it)
2. keep the green pants and let the game convert it (modders can use editor to tweak the colors anyway)
2. make a special body type wearing a vest in non-covertible colors, with the shirt sleeves showing.

It's pretty much what you did with the long coat, but we use a vest. How did you make the custom body type? Edited all those frames by hand?

@Fretslayer - as scorp said, you can safely add hair to your model if you make the hair use another color except the convertible red/green/blue variations. You can use variations of wild pink for hair (Lisac's models for example use some fuchisia colors).

[Updated on: Tue, 27 May 2008 14:10] by Moderator

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Captain

Re: JA2 Graphics Overhaul[message #186500]

Tue, 27 May 2008 14:16

Messages:1833
Registered:September 2004
Location: CH

Shanga

. How did you make the custom body type? Edited all those frames by hand?

yes.

I know it's inferior to what you guys are doing. But it allowed me in spite of lacking 3d skills to design a figure that is totally in line with what the game ja2 looks like

had guys like lisac started their ideas 3-4 years ago, i may have had it easier by just reskinning their models, but as with everything ja2 modmaking, sometimes you just don't want to wait for the community to catch up with your ideas.

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Sergeant Major

Re: JA2 Graphics Overhaul[message #186501]

Tue, 27 May 2008 14:32

Shanga is currently offline

Messages:3475
Registered:January 2000
Location: Danubia

Ouch...all I can say...

My devious plan to take over the world, beside testing what can be done with colors, will include a second part where we test how can we add one more body type to the game.

For that I need someone with better knowledge of the source, but I don't see why cannot be done.

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Captain

Re: JA2 Graphics Overhaul[message #186502]

Tue, 27 May 2008 14:35

Messages:1833
Registered:September 2004
Location: CH

most coders i contacted about this were rather sceptical.

but let's see what might happen once the players see eye-candy soldiers with vests, maybe that could change opinions Wink

Wink

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Sergeant Major

Re: JA2 Graphics Overhaul[message #186503]

Tue, 27 May 2008 14:42

Shanga is currently offline

Messages:3475
Registered:January 2000
Location: Danubia

Making a new thread about it.

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Captain

Re: JA2 Graphics Overhaul[message #187649]

Thu, 05 June 2008 23:50

Fretslayer is currently offline

Messages:36
Registered:May 2008

I thank you all for your time however I can see my talents are not needed here.

To use my talent and resources to do a sprite overhaul is like having a Michelin Star chef in your restaurant and you place him on the fry/chips station.

As such I have moved onto a different modding community that has need of my level of talent and what I can bring to their table.

I wish you all the best of luck with your sprites and graphic overhaul.

Farewell.

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Private 1st Class

Re: JA2 Graphics Overhaul[message #187650]

Fri, 06 June 2008 00:02

Shanga is currently offline

Messages:3475
Registered:January 2000
Location: Danubia

Well, it's about loving the game or not. Everyone's work here is 100% voluntary. If you love JA2 and want to bring something new to the game, you do it.
We're a JA2 community first, who strives to mod this game into something better. And some of us managed to do that without expecting anything in return.
Good luck with your future projects, I do hope you'll find something that will inspire you the passion these wonderfull people who modded JA2 are filled with.

PS: You are free to do whatever you think will bring an extra to the game, sprites overhaul just happened to be the most important project active when you joined in.

[Updated on: Fri, 06 June 2008 00:04] by Moderator

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Captain

Re: JA2 Graphics Overhaul[message #187693]

Fri, 06 June 2008 13:20

Shanga is currently offline

Messages:3475
Registered:January 2000
Location: Danubia

Well, I tell you, we have some Michelin Star chefs around here who can cook some mean chips when they get to it. That doesn't make them less of an expert, just proves that greatness comes in all forms and shapes.

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Captain

Re: JA2 Graphics Overhaul[message #187697]

Fri, 06 June 2008 13:47

lockie is currently offline

Messages:3709
Registered:February 2006
Location: Scotland

@ fret slayer ,
he does seem a little pompous , still , takes all sorts Smile

Smile

if we're not good enough for him , then farewell !

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Captain

Re: JA2 Graphics Overhaul[message #187754]

Sat, 07 June 2008 03:12

Messages:1153
Registered:October 2005
Location: USA

Snapperhead!

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Sergeant Major

Re: JA2 Graphics Overhaul[message #187761]

Sat, 07 June 2008 08:11

Kaiden is currently offline

Messages:499
Registered:September 2003

I don't think he was capable of anything but talk, if you read back on his posts 90% of them are nothing but brag.

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Master Sergeant

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