Right, I will change.

@Edit: I don't know but without the blue colors, it looks not so good...Maybe create lights instead of that new color? But it will look as activated too.

(18.10.2009 20:31)Valery Wrote:  What do you mean?
I created them as 32x32 defs then I place them on rock (black) 10x10 terrain and I open a small 7x7 area view when have to select, so the player see ONLY the symbols and can click on them. After he do the code, the symbols are covered again with fog of war.

I mean, cover symbols player select with fog of war. This will probably work better with 64x64 symbols.

(18.10.2009 20:31)Valery Wrote:  There are two gates, one desactivated and one activated. Both defs replaced monolith exit/entrance to be able to place them

You can set them to be any unused type/subtype combination. However, this way AI will have problems entering them. I'll explain in details if that's ok.

(18.10.2009 20:31)Valery Wrote:  My "flying boat" (thanks to illusion created by shadows)

Nice.

(18.10.2009 20:31)Valery Wrote:  I created also a special "water" terrain, so no more beach on swamp/sand, it is passable and anything can be placed under it and accessible by heros.

If it's properly animated, that's great! I always wanted something like that.

(19.10.2009 13:41)GrayFace Wrote:  I mean, cover symbols player select with fog of war. This will probably work better with 64x64 symbols.

It takes a lot of place at 64x64. But before selecting a symbol, the player is given a bmp with the right symbols to choose, 7 times, (like "here is your list", "now select first/second etc", after selecting the first symbol, show the list again so it should not be difficult to find the right one. I will try with 64x64 and see if covering them with fog works in a proper way. 64x64 raise other minor problems, as clicking on the right square, I think I will have to enable clicking on the 4 adjacent squares to work for every symbol (not all symbols layouts fulfill 4 squares, but only a few, may become confusing). The process of selecting symbols is not a puzzle in itself because it would become very tedious for the player every time to do so. He has to find the right symbols by doing some quests, then use the list freshly acquired on the DHD and travel to another planet. For every of 9 planets he has to acquire a list of symbols, like in the movie.
I did not start the coding yet so I don't know how could 9 lists be included in different CM. Basically I need 9 functions and CM working inside (with absolute cursor position) with 9 different setup and exits if error.

Quote:You can set them to be any unused type/subtype combination. However, this way AI will have problems entering them. I'll explain in details if that's ok.

AI will never enter them, but I will bring him manually in front of them and simulate animation. I prefer to control manually AI in my maps, with so many custom objects, otherwise it is a mess. What you mean by any unused subtype/type? All I want is using new objects and place them with UN:I, so I have to replace the ones who work in this way. Not all types/subtypes can be placed without errors, but monoliths work.

Quote:If it's properly animated, that's great! I always wanted something like that.

No I did not animated it. All I wanted was to be able to create lakes inside land without having beaches, and create a passable water terrain, being able to place any dead ends, labyrinths or traps under it. I did a long research on the net for finding animation tools but all I could find was ridiculous bad. If you could suggest me a way to animated the water, I will certainly try via Photoshop. All the animations I could do until now were contracting parts of the image with filters or change progressively the colors/shadows.

I am working currently on artefacts and gear. Almost all weapons and armors from StarGate are black and they simply look like nothing in the HoMM Interface. An armor as:


gives.....THIS in game


What should I do? Look for other models just for the layout and forget SG armors or should I change the interface color for only this map?

Same thing for weapons.

One more question (sorry but many things I do them for the first time): Is there a way to change/remove only one bmp directly in Artifacts.def without extracting them ALL or I have to redo/create the whole list everytime I want a new artefact inside?

Or maybe I will stick to those nice good looking guns from WOW. Some of them have a nice SCI FI looking and could work here.

Try making white glow around black stuff.

(20.10.2009 02:16)Valery Wrote:  One more question (sorry but many things I do them for the first time): Is there a way to change/remove only one bmp directly in Artifacts.def without extracting them ALL or I have to redo/create the whole list everytime I want a new artefact inside?

There is an add-on that allows replace individual cadres in defs: http://wogarchive.ru/files/%D1%EE%F4%F2/alpha1.1.rar
The readme is in Russian, so ask me about things that are hard to understand in it.

P.S. I haven't watched Star Trek.

Thanks for the tool, if you could just paste here the russian read me would be great, so I can copy/traduce it. The text I downloaded does not recognize cyrilic thus I can't translate it.

I don't know how to create a white glow, but a white contour. I guess it is not the same...(any tips?...tutorials online ask for Corel Draw, here Photoshop)


It is not Startrek, but Stargate Atlantis, one of the best series movies around. It ended after 100 episodes and folowed Stargate SG1 series, which ended after 250 episodes. It is like Starwars but different characters, top animations and SCI FI effects.

Pics can be found HERE

I can't believe this did not run in Russia, it is an amazing movie. The best serie around IMHO.

Valery, can i help you to create the white glow?
I have learned it a few days ago

P.S. Sorry for my English... again

Sure I want that you help me!

As I was avoiding black items because of no glow, I made a list with more light colors artefacts but black ones are better:


I guess this will take me a lot of scripting


Don't worry about your english, my russian isn't better

Here is a 44x44 source bmp for you. If you can explain me how you do it, I would greatly appreciate
Black Armor

Ok, i will try to explain you, how i do it.

Valery, this is archive. There ara new image with a white glow and a small manual, compiled by me, which explains how to do it. I tried to write the most obvious

Archive

Thank you Astaroth, going to try it

A few questions:

"Third step:
Getting to white glow.
First make the outer glow (Pic. 4)
Opacity set at 100%
create a new layer and combine it with a layer of our artifact (not with a background!) (Pic.5)"

Where do I have to click to create a glow? In filters column? Which one?
Will it work with Photoshop CS <3 too? The CS3 is buggy on my laptop and freezes my computer when running. I have previous version working ok.

"Open Photoshop.
Create a new image with size 44 x 44 (Pic. 1)
Copy into new image your artifact image and your backround image (Pic. 2)
Remove the blue background of the picture image. Minimize it, so that the distance to the edge was at least 2 pixels (Pic. 3)
Ok, now are all ready for create the white glow"

When removing the background, I let it transparent or putting a dark one, as I see in your pics? You used black background.

Is glow useful for all colors artefacts, or only for black ones?

Can you just give me a "click" steps: make layer, click filters, click on "glow" (where is glow and what is the traduction for french arghh), merge layers, create selection etc. Please, it will be easier for me looking at pics and at "click" steps, as all your pics examples are from russian photoshop so no idea where you clicked on.

I have also a "script" question. I want to implement the "ammo" concept. The four creatures from SGA can shoot, but every time they shoot the ammo variable should decrease by 1 and stored between battles

AMMO artefact (bullets for weapons)


Example:
!#VRv99:S100; create ammo variable, will be reseted to 100 every time SGA buys AMMO
!?BG0;
!!BG:A?v4; action shoot
!!BG&v4=7:N?v5; shooting stack=v5
!!BMv5&v4=7/v5>=0/T?v7; shooting stack type
!!FU&v4<>7:E; exit if other action
!!VRv99|v7=174/v7=175/v7=176/v7=178:-1; **if one of the 4 SG members shoot, decrease ammo value

Now: how should I script this to CANCEL shooting ability if v100>=0? I mean, the cursor shows shooting but the action is canceled and the creature can only attack melee.
I tried
!!BG&v99<=0/v4=7:A2; **walk in place if no more AMMO (but it still let me shoot) How to cancel shoot...

Should I remove entirely the ability during battle if v99<=0 like:
!!BG&v99<=0;
!!MA:X174/?v300; save natural abilities in v300
!!VRj:Sv300 &6*-1; check for shooting ability;
!!VRk:Sv300+j; get rid of it if so
!!MA:X174/k;
and for every member? And where to place it in previous code?

Valery Wrote:"Third step:
Getting to white glow.
First make the outer glow (Pic. 4)
Opacity set at 100%
create a new layer and combine it with a layer of our artifact (not with a background!) (Pic.5)"

Where do I have to click to create a glow? In filters column? Which one?
Will it work with Photoshop CS <3 too? The CS3 is buggy on my laptop and freezes my computer when running. I have previous version working ok.

This is not a filter. Right click on the layer and choose "Layer Parameters"
Previously I had Photoshop CS2 and it worked normally

Quote:"Open Photoshop.
Create a new image with size 44 x 44 (Pic. 1)
Copy into new image your artifact image and your backround image (Pic. 2)
Remove the blue background of the picture image. Minimize it, so that the distance to the edge was at least 2 pixels (Pic. 3)
Ok, now are all ready for create the white glow"

When removing the background, I let it transparent or putting a dark one, as I see in your pics? You used black background.

Transparent, dark background - this is other layer

Quote:Is glow useful for all colors artefacts, or only for black ones?

Yes

Quote:Can you just give me a "click" steps: make layer, click filters, click on "glow" (where is glow and what is the traduction for french arghh), merge layers, create selection etc. Please, it will be easier for me looking at pics and at "click" steps, as all your pics examples are from russian photoshop so no idea where you clicked on.

Ok, sorry. I try to give you "click" steps.
Just seems I have not turned out very well explain all the steps, showing images from Russian Photoshop.
I'll try to describe all tomorrow

You explained it very well, it is only that I am a noob at Photoshop effects. I need a detailed way for the first time, after that I will do it myself, as everything

@Edit: Astaroth, I greatly appreciate the help, but I got someone to help me using Photoshop (starting tomorrow a 6 hours lesson) so I can avoid asking help for every little thing. Thank you again

Valery, here's a detailed description of the action.
Bold action specifically for your artifact.
A simple type of color that will go to create a glow to any artifact

The first step - creating a new image
1. Open Photoshop
2. File --> New. Height - 44, Weigt - 44, Other parameters - no change
3. File --> Open. Open the image background it is called "Fone for Artifacts.jpg"
4. Select the image background is fully and copy it.
5. Paste it, in your new image file. The image will be in a new layer. Let it be known as the "Layer 1"
6. File --> Open. Open the image with your artifact without glow
7. Select the image artifact is fully and copy it.
8. Paste it, in your new image file. The image will be in a new layer. Let it be known as the "Layer 2"
9. Hide Layer 1.
10. Close images with artefacts and background

Now you have an image, which contains three layers:
Layer 2 - The image artifact
Layer 1 - the background for the artifact
Background - general background (not to be confused with a background for the artifact!)

The second step - primary processing
1. Select Layer 1
2. Removing blue background from the Layer 1
Use for this "Background Eraser" with parameter tolerances - 1% (This setting should be is located under the section "Window", i think
3. Edit --> Transform --> Scaling.
4. Now you can resize the image. Change the width and height by 90% (These settings are located under the section about "Filters").
5. Then click on any tool on the toolbar. Window appears, click "Apply"

Now for your image, you can create a normal glow

The third step - the creation of glow
1. Right-click on layer 2 and select "Overlay parameters".
2. Tick parameter "Outer Glow"
3. Structure panel:
    a. Mode - no change
    b. "Opacity" to 100%
    c. Select the desired color. By default - beige (Note! Color of the glow
    from the dark color is almost not visible).
    d. Noise - you can try to change, can get something good
4. Elements panel:
    a. Method - better not to change
    b. Swing - you can try to change, as in the case of the noise can get
    something good
    c. Size - well, then I think everything is clear
5. Quality panel - there is better not to change anything
6. Tick parameter "Inner Glow"
7. Structure panel:
    a. Mode - no change
    b. "Opacity" to 30%
    c. Choose a color that you chose for the parameter "Outer Glow"
    d. Noise - no change
8. Elements panel - there is better not to change anything
9. Quality panel - there is better not to change anything

Now you have created the perfect glow for your artifact

The fourth step - allocation of emission
1. Layer --> New --> Layer. You created a new layer, let it is called "layer 3"
2. Select layer 2 and 3 (by clicking on them with pressed key Ctrl)
3. Right-click on layer 2 and select "Merge layers". Now layer with an artifact should be named "Layer 3"
4. Unhide "Layer 1".
5. Select the "Layer 3" (layer with an artifact)
6. Using the tool "Lasso", select of the image with artifacts and glow (darker parts are not selected)
7. Select the "Layer 1" (layer with a background). Selection should not be canceled!
8. Edit --> Copy
9. Edit --> Paste. You should see a new layer, "Layer 4"
10. Select Layer 1 and delete it
11. Select the layer "Background" and paint it in blue color (R = 0; G = 255; B = 255)

Now you have an image artifact with glow

The fifth Step - Creating image file
1. Image --> Mode --> Indexed color. Window appears, click "Ok"
2. Palette panel:
    a. Local (Selective).
    b. Colors - 256
    c. Force - Black and White
3. Control parameters:
    a. Degree - 20%
4. Then select palette - Custom
5. Change all colors that are shades of blue or close to it in the blue colors (R = 0; G = 255; B = 255). Just do not be carried away by strong replacement colors, and then you can change the color of a fragment of the artifact
6. File --> Save As

Excellent! If you were served properly, then you should get an artifact with the glow! Do not faint, white glow that is imposed on a dirty brown color, in a game that should not be appreciably

I tried to describe each step as much detail. If questions - please!