Map snapshot smudged (and problem with 3.4 beta)

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Map snapshot smudged (and problem with 3.4 beta)

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All Forums >> [Current Games From Matrix.] >> [World War II] >> Norm Koger's The Operational Art Of War III >> Map snapshot smudged (and problem with 3.4 beta)

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Map snapshot smudged (and problem with 3.4 beta) - 12/9/2010 11:58:10 PM

Abalieno

Posts: 19
Joined: 4/24/2007
Status: offline

I was looking at a FitE AAR here on this forum and seeing these beautiful maps:
http://img243.imageshack.us/img243/7161/fite.jpg

Now the problem is that if I run the game and take my own snapshot here is what I see:
http://www.cesspit.net/misc/fite.jpg

...Not the same thing and very ugly. I also have tried installing all versions and patches but couldn't have a different result.

It seems a bug specifically of the 3.4 beta that labels can't be hidden. They are hidden in the game, but if I take the snapshot the labels are all there (this wasn't the case with previous versions).

Instead there's a common problem about the units being all smudged in the highest zoom mode. And so I wonder how they could take that picture in that AAR that shows blue and red dots clearly defined.

Or even this AAR that shows an even larger zoom and still dots clearly separated:
http://www.matrixgames.com/forums/tm.asp?m=2604632

Post #: 1

RE: Map snapshot smudged (and problem with 3.4 beta) - 12/10/2010 12:19:57 AM

Telumar

Posts: 2236
Joined: 1/3/2006
From: niflheim
Status: offline

Okay.

Place Names:
Place names were not visible in a (internal) screenshot under 3.2 when turned invisible in the game. This has changed in 3.4, they are visible in the screenshot no matter the in-game settings. Don't know wether this is intended or not.
The screenshot you obviously got from the German TOAW forum has been made under 3.2.
EDIT: In 3.2 screenshots were .bmp files, which are "uncompressed" and thus of better quality.

Smudge...
This depends on the zoom level. In the all-out zoom level the unit dots become unclear. One zoom level back and they'll be clear as in the screenshot from Pio vs. Rums. It also looks like Pio resized the screenshot to a more managable size; besides that he flipped it. See my attached screenshot from D21 under 3.4.201 and .png graphics on. I cut off irrelevant parts of the front and resized the picture to 25%.
EDIT: Also it adds to clearness to turn the Hex Grid off in the higher zoom levels.

The last screenshot (from Larry's AAR) was a shot from the micromap (bottom right panel in game). You can get this by turning the movies option on in the game option. Then after each player's turn such a screenshot will automatically be created and saved in the Saves folder. (I wouldn't recommend turning Auto Save Large Movies on in games of the size of FitE)

D21 screenshot:

Attachment (1)

< Message edited by Telumar -- 12/10/2010 12:35:24 AM >

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RE: Map snapshot smudged (and problem with 3.4 beta) - 12/10/2010 12:25:50 AM

Telumar

Posts: 2236
Joined: 1/3/2006
From: niflheim
Status: offline

Note that the quality of your screenshots depends on the JPG quality setting (in fact: compression rate) in the game options. 90% is a good compromise between quality and file size. (Nevertheless i have set it to 100 as i usually edit my screenshots with a graphics programm)

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RE: Map snapshot smudged (and problem with 3.4 beta) - 12/10/2010 12:49:33 AM

Abalieno

Posts: 19
Joined: 4/24/2007
Status: offline

Yeah, I noticed that a closer zoom the units where better defined, but I thought that picture I posted had an even better definition and so something was going on. I guess the only thing is to ask if we can have Labels disabled when disabled in the game before 3.4 is released officially. There's still time?

Also forgot to ask: is there a way to disable mouse scrolling on the map? It's very annoying having the map moving when I only want to press a button. I'd prefer to disable the mouse scrolling and just use arrows keys...

Another thing: no option to save again in .bmp for better quality?

< Message edited by HRose -- 12/10/2010 12:51:21 AM >

(in reply to Telumar)

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RE: Map snapshot smudged (and problem with 3.4 beta) - 12/10/2010 9:38:23 PM

Telumar

Posts: 2236
Joined: 1/3/2006
From: niflheim
Status: offline

quote:

ORIGINAL: HRose

Yeah, I noticed that a closer zoom the units where better defined, but I thought that picture I posted had an even better definition and so something was going on. I guess the only thing is to ask if we can have Labels disabled when disabled in the game before 3.4 is released officially. There's still time?

This i can't tell you. But yes, it would be nice.

quote:

ORIGINAL: HRose

Also forgot to ask: is there a way to disable mouse scrolling on the map? It's very annoying having the map moving when I only want to press a button. I'd prefer to disable the mouse scrolling and just use arrows keys...

In the opart3.ini you have the option to turn it off. Set allowMouseWheelZoom to N

quote:

ORIGINAL: HRose
Another thing: no option to save again in .bmp for better quality?

No. Besides it isn't really necessary. Bmp files are huge. And with 100% JPG quality you won't see a difference. Even with 90 - 95% quality setting you won't see much of a difference. And as all screenshots posted are jpg files anyway (forum attachment file size/file type limitation, or in the case of external hosters like i.e. imageshack a 300 kb JPG loads much faster (in your browser when reading an AAR i.e.) than a 2.2 MB bmp) why to stick with .bmp?

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RE: Map snapshot smudged (and problem with 3.4 beta) - 12/14/2010 2:08:31 AM

ralphtricky

Posts: 6685
Joined: 7/27/2003
From: Colorado Springs
Status: offline

Sorry, 3.4 has been frozen for a while. I'll look at what's going on with the labels for 3.5.

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Post #: 6

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All Forums >> [Current Games From Matrix.] >> [World War II] >> Norm Koger's The Operational Art Of War III >> Map snapshot smudged (and problem with 3.4 beta)

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