Camo with PSP

[Timor_Leste]

Can anyone point me to a guide (or provide one) that shows a newbie to PSPX how to get camoflauge on Civ 2 units? I don't need it right now. What I don't like is that I'd have to upgrade my computer to get it to work. However, I still have a working version of PSP3.11. Does anyone know if that can get camo on units, and if so, how?
Thanks for even thinking about helping me.

PS- Thanks for the invitation, Harry.

[curtsibling]

Certainly - !

We had a nice guide set up before our big server extermination,
made by our own resident GFX wizards Catfish and fairline!

This here guide is from Catfish's site - And shows not quite camo,
but methods that can be adapted to other unit types.

http://users.tpg.com.au/jpwbeest/jp_makingunits01.htm

My own advice would be to work in bitmap and mask
individual areas with the rectangle selection tool.

*Have the tool window active...

*Open the layers box and make a colour layer with the mask still active...

*Then, use the spray can tool (set to pixel size 2) and apply a camo-type colour...

*Vary the camo look by making the layer 80-90 opacity or adding extra colour layers...

[Broken_Erika]

hmmmm, i still use mspaint, but i think i have psp7.1 installed somewhere,

[curtsibling]

Hmmm......MSpaint is crap.

Your should switch to PSP with all haste....

[cousarmy0001]

i use mspaint as well- which may explain why most of my units look like crap- and retain photoshop in case i need to cut & paste a complex shape.

it's good to hear that somebody with talent (i.e. Erika) still uses it, though.

[Timor_Leste]

Wow, Thanks, Curt, for the link and suggestions! and thanks Catfish and Fairline! (thought you'd never see that one used, eh?)

oh, and for whatever it's worth, i only use paint, and dont think my units look that crappy...

[Catfish]

Originally posted by curtsibling
We had a nice guide set up before our big server extermination, made by our own resident GFX wizards Catfish and fairline!

It was more of an informal discussion than anything, but yeah, if people want to get that back then they're going to have to jump up and down in this thread. Other than Mercator and Boco, no-one seems to care. MarkG's next deadline is the end of this month. No comments from SL members on Mercator's proposal to shift these threads to the Wiki site, either?

Originally posted by curtsibling
This here guide is from Catfish's site - And shows not quite camo, but methods that can be adapted to other unit types.

There's probably not a lot in that that's useful for making camo. I once wrote a tutorial on using PSP's textures to create camo patterns, but I think we've all moved on from that method. The method I now *cough* use follows the same principles as the one you just described, ie, apply the airbrush and paintbrush to multiple raster layers with various blend modes and levels of opacity. Prior to that I greyscale the bits in the background layer that I want recoloured.

Originally posted by Timor_Leste
However, I still have a working version of PSP3.11. Does anyone know if that can get camo on units, and if so, how?

That's very old. I don't know what features are supported, but I'm pretty sure it doesn't include layers. Do the retouch brushes (eg, paintbrush and airbrush) have individual blend modes? If so, you can still apply these to your units without losing the underlying texture.

For anyone unfortunate enough to be stuck with MS Paint, you might consider The Gimp. It's a freeware graphics editor that's much more powerful - and it has support for layers.

[Mercator]

Originally posted by Catfish
Other than Mercator and Boco, no-one seems to care. MarkG's next deadline is the end of this month. No comments from SL members on Mercator's proposal to shift these threads to the Wiki site, either?

But then, with a few exceptions, no-one seems to care about the wiki site altogether. Only 3 people have made significant contributions: Eivind IV, H Tower and St Leo.

[Eivind IV]

That I don't understand. It's so annoyingly easy to handle as well. If everybody contributed just a little bit, maybe even just their own work and some, the new SL site would be the best civ2 database ever.

[Timor_Leste]

Thanks, Catfish. One of the big problems I've had with relying on MSPaint is that there is no layering. Though I must say, in my defense, I rarely use Psp3.

Regarding this "shifting threads to the wiki site", are you referring to wikipedia? Is this what you're talking about?

I don't know how to contribute, Eivind, but I'd like to see if there is anything I can do.

[Mercator]

No, we're talking about this.

[Timor_Leste]

Got a look at it. A few questions:

1) It cant use this same login name, right? It didnt recognize mine...
2) I have collections of units that arent by any specific artist. Those would be accepted, right? Off the top of my head, I know I have a Babylon 5 set, along with one for WW2.

Easy it does not appear to be, but try I will, once papers/presentation out of the way are.

[Mercator]

Originally posted by Timor_Leste
1) It cant use this same login name, right? It didnt recognize mine...

Nope. You have to create an account first (since it's completely separate from the forums), preferably under the same name as you have here, to prevent any confusion.

2) I have collections of units that arent by any specific artist. Those would be accepted, right? Off the top of my head, I know I have a Babylon 5 set, along with one for WW2.

Post first, ask questions later.
Disclaimer: my opinion may not be shared by others involved with the SLeague or relevant legal institutions.

Easy it does not appear to be, but try I will, once papers/presentation out of the way are.

The easiest way to start is edit existing pages. You don't actually have to change anything. You can start with just looking what code they're using. There are also a bunch of guides at the bottom of the main page.

[duke o' york]

Originally posted by Timor_Leste
2) I have collections of units that arent by any specific artist. Those would be accepted, right? Off the top of my head, I know I have a Babylon 5 set, along with one for WW2.

You can use the units by the leave of most of the artists hereabouts, but it is considered good form to acknowledge their contribution in the game, and if you are going to adapt the units for your own use, then to leave their sigs in the unit graphic, adding your own too if you have altered them enough. However, if the artist posts regularly here, then please ask them first by PM. I can't see any reason why they would refuse, but it is common courtesy. After all, we're all interested in the survival, and advancement, of Civ II. Oh, and if you haven't already, add your name to the Civ II code petition.

[Timor_Leste]

Originally posted by Mercator : You have to create an account first (since it's completely separate from the forums), preferably under the same name as you have here, to prevent any confusion.

I've already found out what happens when I use different names on different forums...

Originally posted by Mercator : Post first, ask questions later.

Be careful what you ask for...

Originally posted by Mercator : The easiest way to start is edit existing pages. You don't actually have to change anything. You can start with just looking what code they're using. There are also a bunch of guides at the bottom of the main page.

I'll get on it. In the meantime, these are the compilations I'm working on (other than the ones stated above): ancient, Scifi, spaceships, modern land, industrial, cities, terrains, Mechs, roads/railroads. The modern land will not be as large as it could be: If I included all good infantry and tanks, they would each deserve their own file!

Originally posted by duke o' york: [I]t is considered good form to acknowledge their contribution in the game, and if you are going to adapt the units for your own use, then to leave their sigs in the unit graphic.

Some of this stuff I downloaded over 3 years ago, and they didn't indicate who did it, or even provided it. Some units don't even have a signature.