Where do I find the little tech pictures in the tech tree

[Game-God]

Hi all!

I am attempting to create an Excel file for the tech tree that will be made available here "if" and when I can get the information I need. This will not be the standard one "PDF" or BMP type file but the player will have the ability to select a type of victory condition and select certain criteria such as:
* Resources available at startup.
* Civ / Leader.
* Victory condition you will be attempting.
* Any other selectives that come to mind later as I develope this.

So.
To start with I have typed the names in for reference points to the most appropriate cells (spreadsheet), and now I am in need of those nifty little pictures that are used for each tech showing the name and units/buildings you'll be able to create with the tech.

After I get those pictures (I'm not sure where to look in the BTS files for them) I'll be able to take things to the next level of connecting the pictures with lines of some sort.

I might take some time for this to be finished but I think it is worth the wait for me at least while I work on it. I am a slow worker on the computer but...

If anyone has knowledge of where to look in the files for the pictures I would be most

Thanks!

[Rubin]

Game-God, I think you are looking for the .dds interface buttons (technology icons) in .../assets/art/interface/buttons/

I've just checked and it looks as if these icons are located in one of the Assets*.fpk files. Hence, you need to unpack the .fpk files to locate the icons.

In vanilla Civ4 the file you want is techtree_atlas.dds.

[Game-God]

Originally posted by Rubin
Game-God, I think you are looking for the .dds interface buttons (technology icons) in .../assets/art/interface/buttons/

I've just checked and it looks as if these icons are located in one of the Assets*.fpk files. Hence, you need to unpack the .fpk files to locate the icons.

In vanilla Civ4 the file you want is techtree_atlas.dds.

Thanks Rubin!

I just checked for the files in the directory and found the BTS atlas .dds, .nif and .kf files but no .fpk files in the BTS directory. I did however find the .fpk files in the Civ4/Assests directory named assests0-3.fpk are these the files you refer to?

Now I just have to unpack them with Dragon unpacker.

[Game-God]

Well after attempting to unpack the dds file I have not been successful to say the least so that method is out of the question I guess.

Any other suggestions, anyone?

I could always copy and paste the little pics from a .jpg file using the crop tool but that seems more adventurous than I was hoping for.

ah well, nothing worthwhile is ever easy huh...

If someone comes up with an idea on how to extract the pics from the dds file let me know please as this will save considerable time I believe.

[Dale]

Run this: http://apolyton.net/forums/showthrea...ght=unpack+fpk

Use GIMP to modify dds files: http://www.gimp.org/

[Game-God]

Originally posted by Dale
Run this: http://apolyton.net/forums/showthrea...ght=unpack+fpk

Use GIMP to modify dds files: http://www.gimp.org/

Gimp does not open this type of file. (according to gimp)

[Rubin]

I use DXTBmp for all .dds images--and if you need to do a lot of changes it is well worth it because all you do is converting between .bmp and .dds format... and the tool makes it very cumbersome to work on copies of copies of copies, etc. Hence, you won't suffer extra image quality loss from extensive editing.

You can download DXTBmp here:

http://www.mnwright.btinternet.co.uk/programs/dxtbmp.htm

I use GIMP 2 or Paint(!) for any modifications to the .bmp files.

[Dale]

Originally posted by Game-God


Gimp does not open this type of file. (according to gimp)

Funny, Google says it does: http://www.google.com.au/search?hl=en&q=gimp+dds&meta=

I've been using GIMP for Civ4 dds files since joining the beta team in early 2005.

[Dale]

Originally posted by Rubin
I use DXTBmp for all .dds images--and if you need to do a lot of changes it is well worth it because all you do is converting between .bmp and .dds format... and the tool makes it very cumbersome to work on copies of copies of copies, etc. Hence, you won't suffer extra image quality loss from extensive editing.

You can download DXTBmp here:

http://www.mnwright.btinternet.co.uk/programs/dxtbmp.htm

I use GIMP 2 or Paint(!) for any modifications to the .bmp files.

DXTBmp is very unstable. Plus you risk image quality loss with all the conversions you have to do. Easier to use GIMP (see post above).

[Game-God]

Originally posted by Dale


Funny, Google says it does: http://www.google.com.au/search?hl=en&q=gimp+dds&meta=

I've been using GIMP for Civ4 dds files since joining the beta team in early 2005.

I just tried to load a single dds file into gimp and it says the following in a popup:
=========================================
GIMP Message

Opening 'C:\...\Temp\Techtree_Atlas.dds' failed:

Unknown file type

=========================================

I can't figure out why it would say this unless it ment it, perhaps the newest version I have downloaded for windows does not access this type of file? I am not sure as I have not worked with this type of file tool before.

Are there other programs which can do the same thing as Gimp?

I have not tried the above DXTBMP yet so I will go see if it works any better than Gimp has so far.

BTW: I do not have to adjust anything in the file after getting it opened. Just save it out as a picture file that is recognized by MS Office products like excel or word to create the data flow chart which I will be creating.

[Rubin]

Game-God, the problem you'll be facing is that the icons are all in a single image, so you need to isolate each icon in the image. I believe you can use Paint for this.

Dale, I haven't experienced anything unstable about DXTBmp (been using it for almost 2 years now). If, however, the GIMP plugin can reduce image quality loss, then I am switching right away!

I usually use GIMP to draw the image I plan for the .dds file and I use DXTBmp for the conversion only. If I later need to modify the .dds image I go back to the GIMP file, edit that one and only use DXTBmp for the conversion. I never use an already converted image as base for modifications--if I can avoid it.

[Game-God]

Originally posted by Rubin
Game-God, the problem you'll be facing is that the icons are all in a single image, so you need to isolate each icon in the image. I believe you can use Paint for this.

I have already tried to use PSP and can copy and paste each image I need (for the moment) from a JPG someone else created somehow like this one:



Though there's a whole lot more to this, and I might have to have the smaller icons yet for selectability and options as this thing grows.

[Dale]

Game-God:

Did you install one of the plug-ins? I recommend the first one in that Google search.

Rubin:

GIMP with that dds plug-in (the first one in the search) allows you to work natively on the dds files in GIMP. Zero image loss (use DXT3 compression) and miniscule file sizes for the icons (typically 4-7 kb each).

[Dale]

BTW, DO NOT COPY-PASTE from a dds into something else (or vice-versa). It's the number 1 culprit of image quality loss.

[Rubin]

Thank you, Dale! I took the hint... DDS plug-in installed Will probably take some tries to getting used to.

(Was that last warning directed at working with .dds files in GIMP?)