.PCX Pics

[NorthSwordsman]

Does anyone know of a good tutorial on creating/modifying .pcx files for smac/x? I have some good ideas for factions, but need some help in figuring out how to design good .pcx pics. I have PaintShopPro 7.04, so I just need a good tut or tips. I've tried the NetworkNode area, but I'm looking for more information that would be of help. Thanks!

NS

[Avenoct]

Check out The Network Node , and I'll refer you to our resident 'Polyton graphics guru Cybergod.

-Smack

[NorthSwordsman]

Smack,

Thanks for the quick reply. As I stated in my post, I've already been to the NN, and I am looking for ADDITIONAL information and possibly a tutorial (if any exist) on .pcx faction pic creation. Thanks for the referral, through. That would be very helpful!

NS

[Avenoct]

Cybergod and I are working, albeit slowly, on a Mod-makers manual for smac, but for now it's probably best just to track him down. Also, try looking at this forum from the last 60 days or so. I believe Cybergod answered a similar question recently.

-Smack

[aaglo]

I myself have used a raytracing shareware called POV-ray to make some custom citygraphics to the game. They took a lot of time to make, but the results aren't not so bad, I think.
Here You are, 2 free base architechtures (both made by yours truly). The other is inspired by a church in downtown Helsinki, the other is a kind of oil rig.

[NorthSwordsman]

Thanks, Aaglo. I will take a good look at them. Thank you.

NS

[Cybergod]

Oh my God, I'm a guru?!?

What's your problem and post a $10 on my account ( )...

Tips:

* Get some good pics for leaders from various sci-fi shows or some unknown foreign celebrity (ask for permission from whoever pays the bill ). Then modify their face - dye the hair, give a moustache, recolour the picture
* For bases, look up keywords like "domes", "spirals", "buildings" or take pictures from the fabulous PC games (eg Protoss buildings from Starcraft, he he he). Or look up some great 3D graphix websites
* For the symbol, be original and use some 3D text programs. Use some small images in the background of the text.
*Load up my pallette to your finished picture files - look up a thread titled "No More Pink Squares - Permanent!" by moi myself! Download the file, unzip it and load the palette in Paintshop pro, over the pictures. This will most positively work, since I use Paintshop Pro 7 aswell.

There.

[Cybergod]

Originally posted by aaglo
I myself have used a raytracing shareware called POV-ray to make some custom citygraphics to the game.

Gosh! Where do you find that? Here's my confession: I never used a 3D graphix renderer! shock and horror to all my worshippers out there

[NorthSwordsman]

Originally posted by Cybergod
Oh my God, I'm a guru?!?

What's your problem and post a $10 on my account ( )...

Tips:

* Get some good pics for leaders from various sci-fi shows or some unknown foreign celebrity (ask for permission from whoever pays the bill ). Then modify their face - dye the hair, give a moustache, recolour the picture
* For bases, look up keywords like "domes", "spirals", "buildings" or take pictures from the fabulous PC games (eg Protoss buildings from Starcraft, he he he). Or look up some great 3D graphix websites
* For the symbol, be original and use some 3D text programs. Use some small images in the background of the text.
*Load up my pallette to your finished picture files - look up a thread titled "No More Pink Squares - Permanent!" by moi myself! Download the file, unzip it and load the palette in Paintshop pro, over the pictures. This will most positively work, since I use Paintshop Pro 7 aswell.

There.

Thanks, CG. Appreicate it.

[Dimension]

PCX info

Some tips I've come up with for making PCX files:

Portraits (not counting border):

DATALINK:	162 x 196 (164 x 198, but edges are black / not used)
DIPLOMACY:	129 x 155 (131 x 157, but edges are black / not used)
BIG COUNCIL:	118 x 144 (full frame used, corner pixel transparent)
SMALL COUNCIL:   96 x 115 (full frame used, corner pixel transparent)

FILE 2:		198 x 118 (200 x 120, but edges are red / not used)
		take file 3 punish pic and re-level to 0 - 1.10 - 230

Landscape:	231 x 122 (233 x 124, but edges are black / not used)

Council Logos =  86 x 72
Diplomacy Logo = 65 x 50
Report Logos =   70 x 70
Small Logos =    37 x 29

File 3 Huge icons are about 300 x 300
File 3 top-left icon = color #40C040
File 3 mini-planet/punish = 160 x 97
File 3 huge planet/punish = 600 x 360

adjust to high brightness / high contrast
use grille opacity 20% (25% for light pictures)
apply palette with 50% diffusion

City shadows:
  Select transparency of base picture, create new layer, fill black
  Skew horizontal 30, height 75% (width 100%), move left & link

Faction colors:
  Faction/Border/Vehicle colors are all primary color
  Faction Text colors are lightest color on black

Logos:
  Council Logos -	resize icon to 80 pixels wide
  Report Logos -	resize icon to 66 pixels wide
  Small Report Logos -	resize icon to 32 pixels wide
  Diplomacy Logo -	resize icon to 58 pixels wide
	re-level brite icons (active version) to 0 - 1.00 - 238
	re-level dim icons (inactive version) to 0 - 0.60 - 255

That's the reference I made for when I'm making new faction files. I use Photoshop for everything. You should just load up one of the SMAX faction files, make the 1st color transparent, and save the palette. Then when you're making new art, you just apply the saved palette with 50% diffusion.

To make new faction portraits look right, make a template of black horizontal lines 1 pixel apart. Give it an opacity of 20-25% and it looks perfect when overlaid on your new picture. The pictures always look better if you raise the brightness / contrast a little before you apply the grille template and the new palette.

I've got files with 7-of-9 for the Cyborgs, Linda Evangelista with wings for the Data Angels, Salma Hayek for the Spartans, and Rose McGowan in a nun's outfit for the Believers, if people want me to post them someplace. I've also got a new faction with art that looks a hell of a lot better than any other custom faction I've ever seen someone make (no offense ) ... but I suppose that's why it's the only one I've got around to making, since it took so long.

[aaglo]

I don't know if this is smart, but here are two another city architechtures made with pov-ray. But be warned, they are not very good. The other one looks like a cap, and the other is a funny factory.

[aaglo]

In the above there are 4 base architechture attatched to my posts. They are made with pov-ray v3.1.
Cybergod-
In here http://www.povray.org/ you can find (I think, I didn't bother to find out) pov-ray 3.5.

[Cybergod]

thank you soooooooooooooooo much...

Aanglo, you have just made the Cybergod of the Cyber Empire even more powerful with the POVray tech! BOO-HA-HA-HA! We are extremely grateful to you and will remember you in the upcoming mods...