German HMG's (Full Version)

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sfinlay -> German HMG's (6/17/2007 3:37:16 PM)

Hi
Many thanks for the excellent campaign series. I had to give up West Front a couple of years
ago due to the infamous "sound loop" problem after upgrading to XP. Now I feel like i've died
and gone to game-heaven!
Just like to state straight away, this isn't a gripe or complaint it's really FYI, more of a
cosmetic thing and something to help me understand how the whole modding thing works. I'd kind
of tinkered with various mods in the past but nothing too in-depth.

This new edition of West Front seems to use a different graphic for german Heavy Machine Guns
( up01213.bmp) than the original. Not sure if the new one is a mistake as the uniform etc
seems to be a different colour, anyway it just doesn't seem to look quite right and personally
I prefer the original. Anyhow, i've tried changing the file (along with the corresponding
OPO1213.bit file) with an original from my West Front Cd but it doesn't seem to make any
difference. i.e. it still shows up as the new-look MG graphic. Is there anything else I need
to do to get the BMP to change?

Incidently, the up01213.bmp in east front looks like it's the original and for some reason I
can do the reverse and change that one to the "new" graphic and it will appear in scenarios
etc.
Any help appreciated.



sfinlay -> RE: German HMG's (6/17/2007 4:14:41 PM)

Been trying to upload a picture to illustrate what I mean

[image]local://upfiles/25459/74176262348149B8A4DD1ACF008B9C09.jpg[/image]



sfinlay -> RE: German HMG's (6/17/2007 4:16:32 PM)

Do'h
Forgot to say the bottom graphic is the "new" one included in this release of JTCS while the top one is from the original West Front (and the new East Front)



asiaticus -> RE: German HMG's (6/19/2007 5:27:02 AM)

If you replaced the new Up01213.bmp and Op01213.bit files in the WF game folder with the old ones you should see the change.  The new one I beleive was one of the many new German graphics added by "von Niemack" (Steve Wyckmans) during the Blitzkreig Clubs WF addon project.  His work is at the center of the new units and graphic upgrades to the Germans in WF and EF.  



asiaticus -> RE: German HMG's (6/19/2007 6:58:00 AM)

Make sure you go to the Special folder in the WF game folder and remove E-Up1213.bmp it will be substituing for Up01213.bmp in any European scenario.



sfinlay -> RE: German HMG's (6/19/2007 2:20:57 PM)

Thanks asiaticus.
I had tried looking for E-UP01213.bmp in the special folder (i.e. with a 0 and not E-
UP1213) Did as you suggested and voila! everything fine. Also discovered L-UP01213.bmp and
S-Up01213.bmp in the special folder which I believe are desert and snow cammo versions.
Just a note to Von Niemack: please don't think I was having a go at your art work, the
graphics in the campaign series are excellent. As I said it's just a question of personal
preference and what your used to. Plus, my aging eyes need all the help they can get!!   [:)]



what if -> RE: German HMG's (6/25/2007 1:20:16 PM)

I'm want to change these files but I don't have the original game, is it possible to get them elsewhere?



sfinlay -> RE: German HMG's (6/25/2007 2:06:25 PM)

Hi what if
If you e-mail me I can send them to you. As long as it's o.k. with whoever has copyright etc!



Ladmo -> RE: German HMG's (6/25/2007 9:39:03 PM)

Scotsman,

Regarding BMP for West Front, it was and I think still is as follows (and I have done a lot of work with these)...

E-010000 Early War The Panzer Grey colour
L-01000 Late War, those great German ambush camoflage schemes
S-01000 Snow, of course.

Infantry and artillery in the original game had no alphabetical prefix and were "default"

The default vehicle graphics for Germany and Britain were a sort of Desert scheme, but not a very good one. Russia, USA etc on had a default and snow graphic. The closest thing to Desert scheme is confined to Britain and Germany, vehicles only, although the British Infantry and artillery graphic as "deserty". One of these days I am going to redo those and make those tommie trade in their shorts for proper breeches. Norway is too bloody cold for bare legs!

(Edited to correct my atrocious spelling!)



sfinlay -> RE: German HMG's (6/26/2007 12:53:58 AM)

Hi Ladmo
Of course, makes more sense L-for late, E-for early etc.

So, how does this work in practice. Does the game look for any early or late versions etc in the special folder, for a given unit and show them. If none are found, does it show the universal .bmp ?

If no "special" versions of a given unit are in the special folder can you just modify the original .bmp and insert one of your own into the special folder?  A La , your camouflage tanks?  How are they coming along by the way?

Incidently, have you tried changing the default in-game background music nback0,1,2.,3.ogg and xback0,1,2.ogg etc ?
Can't beat an armoured charge to the strains of "Ride Of The Valkyres"



Ladmo -> RE: German HMG's (6/26/2007 2:54:49 AM)

Scotsman,

You pretty much have a good grasp. The program will look for the appropriate bitmap and revert to the UP010000 or whatever if it doesn't find it. The great thing is that you can create, for instance, late war artillery and by using the L-prefix it will show up in scenarios. I used to have complete artillery and infantry icons for late, early, snow, and desert on my old computer. It took me two years to make them all. Unfortunately, my house was almost completely destroyed by a tornado in November 2005 and I lost my computer. That is one of the reasons it is so hard for me to muster the enthusiasm for reinventing the wheel, as it were. However, I will try to do more and hopefully others on these boards will too. In time, perhaps we can put together a library. The scenarios are are so much more fun for me with a nice dish of the appropriate eye-candy. I used to love playing Ardennes scenarios with the Wermacht wearing their long great coats. I had done some armour that looked snowed on but not white-washed to simulate the hasty-preparation ofthe German offensive had. There is no limit to the wonderful things we could do. I wish they could add a zero in and drastically increase each equipment slot - then I could go to town on all the camoflage schemes.

Here is a peak at what I think could happen with artillery. I whipped this up in about twenty minutes, so it may not completely pass muster, but I should be very interested in your thoughts and criticisms...



[image]local://upfiles/24291/3ABE2F886E7E4A19B43C08BEC18C9ADA.jpg[/image]



Ladmo -> RE: German HMG's (6/26/2007 2:59:33 AM)

I thought it would be appropriate to demonstrate the "snow-on but not white-washed" concept of S-UP00000 files. I thought it was an interesting look. I have no idea if anyone else will agree. Notice the addition of side-skirt armour to the Panther...

P.S. I have changed the music and even added more music and effects slots (the Sound.dat file - pretty easy to figure out.) The only thing I cannot change is the menu music. My version of West Front used to utilise the entire score of the movie Battle of the Bulge, composed by Benjamin Frankel.



[image]local://upfiles/24291/27B366F922CA4492BB480F3D64A7BF88.jpg[/image]



Jarexx -> RE: German HMG's (6/26/2007 5:06:26 AM)

I've a load of stuff that was ment for the PB#1 patch along with all that was put together for PB#2 & PB#3 haven't even started to have free time to even start digging through all the stuff tho yet [8|]

[image]http://homepage.eircom.net/~nightingale/graphics/Up01113.bmp[/image]

[image]http://homepage.eircom.net/~nightingale/graphics/s-up01607.bmp[/image]

[image]http://homepage.eircom.net/~nightingale/graphics/Up01609.bmp[/image]

[image]http://homepage.eircom.net/~nightingale/graphics/up01602.bmp[/image]

[image]http://homepage.eircom.net/~nightingale/graphics/up01606.bmp[/image]

[image]http://homepage.eircom.net/~nightingale/graphics/Airfield.BMP[/image]


Jarexx aka Raven




Hammer732 -> RE: German HMG's (6/26/2007 8:38:11 PM)

In regards to this type of issue, can anyone direct me to a download site for bases and objective emblems more along historical lines; IE Swastikas for Germans and Hammer and Sickle for the Red Army. I saw such a site years ago but cannot find it now.

Thanks for any help, Hammer732



Jason Petho -> RE: German HMG's (6/26/2007 8:42:42 PM)


quote:

ORIGINAL: Hammer732

In regards to this type of issue, can anyone direct me to a download site for bases and objective emblems more along historical lines; IE Swastikas for Germans and Hammer and Sickle for the Red Army. I saw such a site years ago but cannot find it now.

Thanks for any help, Hammer732


http://www.geocities.com/jetathrieve/icons.html

Do NOT replace the Icons2d.bmp file as they are completely different than the old version!! The icons3d.bmp, icons4d.bmp and icons5d.bmp are fine to replace.

Jason Petho




Hammer732 -> RE: German HMG's (6/26/2007 8:58:47 PM)

Just to clarify, where would the Icons2d.bmp files be? I'm still not quite familiar with the individual file types in the CS Games.

Thanks for your help,
Hammer732.



Jason Petho -> RE: German HMG's (6/26/2007 9:06:08 PM)


quote:

ORIGINAL: Hammer732

Just to clarify, where would the Icons2d.bmp files be? I'm still not quite familiar with the individual file types in the CS Games.

Thanks for your help,
Hammer732.


They would be in the main East Front, West Front or Rising Sun folders, depending on which upgrades you are making.

It is best to unzip the files that you are downloading into a new folder, and then copy-paste them into the appropriate main directory.

For example, assuming you are wanting the East Front graphic mod:

Unzip files to F:\Games\Matrix\MCS\New Goodies\
[the path of your install is more than likely different than mine]

Select all BMP files with the exception of icons2d.bmp, right click and copy

Right click and Paste into your game folder - F:\Games\Matrix Games\MCS\East Front\
[the path of your install is more than likely different than mine]

Click OK to Replace.

And you should be good to go.

Jason Petho



Hammer732 -> RE: German HMG's (6/26/2007 9:19:04 PM)

Thanks Jason,
I will use extra care on this one.

Best Regards, Hammer732.



sfinlay -> RE: German HMG's (6/27/2007 12:37:24 AM)

Ladmo and Jarexx. Loving your work gentleman!

Genuinely hope you can get the stuff out to us mere mortals as soon as possible. The only thing I would ask would be that you provide details of exactly what was meant to replace what, when, etc otherwise it could get very confusing with all these up-00 blah blah blah.bmps etc.

Great thing about modding this system is that you as an individual can have all the graphics mods you want, set up how you want without effecting your opponents set up or gameplay.

Ladmo- re sound mods, just for a larf I tried using the Laurel and Hardy and the Benny Hill theme tunes during a game.
Funny as F....anything.



Ladmo -> RE: German HMG's (6/27/2007 5:54:58 AM)

Scotsman,

I would have loved to see a panzer attack to the Benny Hill theme. I have to admit that in a fit of madness I replaced my friends sounds with the official Burps and Flatulence sound mod. It was so obnoxious he could move his tanks without succombing to a paroxsymal fit of laughter.

Regarding the icons I have down. I have mostly shown what I used to do. I would be willing to participate in a group effort to present to the Campagin Legion, but I doubt I shall be pursuing a mod on my own. The work is stupefying boring and you burn out very quickly. I suspect Wyatt and Jason and co. would attest to this fact. If we got a team together and had a plan to systematically attack this stuff, I would say lets go to it. Jarexx obviously as the talent we are looking for...Perhaps he would join the noble cause. If you do not already engage in this activity, I'd be happy to give you some pointer on how to do it. No special qualifications are needed: I assure you I am not particularly artistic and my mind is prosaic at best.

As if is, I would be happy to share what I have and tell you exactly what vehicles and numbers are utilised. I have one difficulty. I am a strange fish and I love everything about this game except those blasted op.bit, the masks used to hilight your units on the battlefield. For most people they are very important, but I cannot abide day-glo colours in my combat environment. Consequently, as soon as I instll the game I delete all ob.bit and xp.bit. To my knowledge I am the only CS gamer I've ever met that feels this way.

The bottom-line is, those units bmps you have seen have no corresponding op.bits to with them, and I ain't going make 'em. You could make your own or used existing op.bits, renaming them. But I won't fool around with something I don't use.

That said, maybe you and I can email each other and I can set you up with what I have. I'd be pleased to share anything with a Scotsman (my great grandmother was Scottish) I am still working on artillery, infantry, and new terrain bmps (I hate the buildings in the old one)

I shall leave you with what I should like to see with all default German inf and art in West Front...I give you...the Afrika Korps!



[image]local://upfiles/24291/DD3695C4179548EBAB90888BF7D45782.jpg[/image]



sfinlay -> RE: German HMG's (6/27/2007 2:24:54 PM)

Ladmo

I'd be happy to help out. Only thing is I  would have to put it on hold for a few weeks. Not a cop-out, just that I have far too much on at the moment and then i'll be on holiday for a couple of weeks at the end of July.
That said, I would lke to give the .bit files a go. As far as i'm aware the are just simplified .bmp files (just two colors) and they look as if they might be simpler to deal with. (famous last words) Interestingly the "tutorial" that comes with the encoder/decoder software shows an alternative to using full outlines for units, using squares instead.
Any help/pointers from you or anyone else would be very helpful and feel free to e-mail anytime.

And lets see if anyone else wants to sign up as well.



Ladmo -> RE: German HMG's (6/27/2007 10:29:04 PM)

Scotsman,

Sounds like a plan - and do not concern yourself with not being able to jump right into this. We all love the game, but we all have real lives which must come first.

You raise an interesting point with the op.bit. I did do a set once that were simple lines under the figure. I did not have to make many, as one usually worked on a dozen other bmps. I just renamed them. What would you think of that.

Hopefully someone out there will join in. We need all the help we can get. I've done a fair amount of German infantry and artillery stuff, mainly late war and winter. And I may have some modified American armour (foliage, damage, equipment.) I think the American infantry is pretty much okay. I hate the current Russian infantry and would like to see it modified. The French and Italian and British need re-colouring but are otherwise not too bad. For some reason I can't stand some of the British artillery.

It almost seems as if Talonsoft orginally went for a toy soldiers look to the infantry. Some of the poses come directly from the wonderful Airfix sets of the late 1960s and early 1970s. I think we should go for the painted miniature look.

I'd like to know your thoughts, what you would like to see done. Finland is also on my hit list because that far of the war fascinates me. Tomorrow I shall go up to the Patton Museum (I live 30 miles from Fort Knox, Kentucky) and I hope seeing the tanks will inspire me. They have what may be the only Panther II in existence there.

Enjoy your holiday.



sfinlay -> RE: German HMG's (6/29/2007 1:17:24 AM)

Ladmo

Agree, we should go for the painted miniature look.

I'm hoping that most of the graphic changes will be minor as far as the .bit files go. Most of your mods are to do with changes in colouring etc. I'm thinking e.g. changes to vehicles such as gun lengths would not be a major problem to change corresponding .bit files.

As for any wholesale new graphics i'm not sure how to do the bit files from scratch. I suspect it could be done using layers in a graphics package, "tracing" around a bmp file ?? I'll have a look into this but if anyone knows an easier way or how it was originaly done, please feel free to chip in.

I'll send you an e-mail to set run a few  ideas by you, if that's alright?



Jarexx -> RE: German HMG's (6/29/2007 2:43:40 AM)

Some captured Artillery.

[image]http://homepage.eircom.net/~nightingale/graphics/Up01257%20-%20105mm%20Leichtgeschutz%20Hammer.BMP[/image]

[image]http://homepage.eircom.net/~nightingale/graphics/Up01709%20-%20leIG37.BMP[/image]

[image]http://homepage.eircom.net/~nightingale/graphics/E-Up01255%20-%20leFK18.bmp[/image]

[image]http://homepage.eircom.net/~nightingale/graphics/Up01254%20-%2075mm%20PaK%2050.BMP[/image]

[image]http://homepage.eircom.net/~nightingale/graphics/Up01250%20-%20PAW%2010H64.BMP[/image]

[image]http://homepage.eircom.net/~nightingale/graphics/Up1253%20-%20leFK%207M85.BMP[/image]

[image]http://homepage.eircom.net/~nightingale/graphics/Up01259%20-%20155mm%20Kanone%20417.bmp[/image]

[image]http://homepage.eircom.net/~nightingale/graphics/Up01258%20-%20150mm%20Kanone%20408.bmp[/image]

[image]http://homepage.eircom.net/~nightingale/graphics/Up01256%20-%2010cm%20sK42.BMP[/image]

Bunker

[image]http://homepage.eircom.net/~nightingale/graphics/mg-bunker.BMP[/image]

Jarexx aka Raven



Ladmo -> RE: German HMG's (6/29/2007 3:49:00 AM)

Scotmans,

By all means, email me. I look forward to chatting with you. I 'll respond to your most recent points then, but once again - your thinking really does reflect mine in these matters.




big dawg -> RE: German HMG's (8/7/2007 5:56:46 AM)

Hello guys.

I saw Flying Scotsman post and I too feel the urge to change the MG icon.  I like Steve's work, but this unit drives me nuts!  The original is much easier on my eyes. 

I think I fixed the EF game by replacing UP01213 file with the original file from the EF disc.  I tried to do the same w/ the WF game but was not successful.  I read your post time & time again, but I have no idea where to find a bmp file.  I found the bte file, and looked in special folder too. 

I know just enough to be dangerous.  I would appreciate any help!

Jack
dawgs85@monroeaccess.net



sfinlay -> RE: German HMG's (8/7/2007 2:01:39 PM)

Big Dawg,

The .bmp, up01213.bmp you used from the original EF game is the exact same file used in West Front so it's possible that you have change the file properly in the west front directory, however, it may also be necessary to delete the S-up01213.bmp, L-up01213.bmp and E-up1213.bmp files in the special folder. Please note that for some reason that last bmp (E-up1213.bmp) doesn't seem to follow the usual naming convention i.e. there is no o before the 1213 part. This might be why you were unable to find it.

Let us know if this helps?



big dawg -> RE: German HMG's (8/8/2007 4:37:04 AM)

Yes, I understand now that I had to delete the 3 files after adding the original drawing/file back into the game.  It worked!
I completely agree with your initial post.  I thought it was just me, but the image has a odd shape & color to it.

I appreciate the reply!
Jack



Schlonz -> RE: German HMG's (8/26/2007 1:30:55 PM)

Hi Flying Scotsman,

sorry you don't like the HMG platoon icon. I've made the graphics (as well as the
Bersaglieri plt. up02202) some years ago, since I didn't like the "tripod-on-a wooden-box"
graphic of the original HMG platoon. The uniform color is field-gray and - as you already
noted - doesn't match the blue-gray color of the original graphics. Nevertheless it's the
more appropriate color.
The files were available for download and later I sent them to George while he was
working on the Blitzkrieg-CD. I was quite suprised (and pleased) to find them in JTCS
after I'd installed the game yesterday.

Regards
Schlonz



sfinlay -> RE: German HMG's (8/26/2007 7:05:28 PM)

Hi Schlonz,

You are, of course, right to redress the balance here. It's really a matter of preference. As i've said already, no offence intended on my part. ( I really don't believe I could create a new graphic from scratch, as you have done)When I first started JTCS I was surprised to see what,to me, was an unusual HMG graphic, one I wasn't used to. As you can see there are other aspects of the game that many others have changed. I think this is actually part of the games appeal. I will say this though, finding out how to change certain aspects of the game has been really fascinating to me and i've learnt alot about how the game is structured and how it works.

I hope you enjoy the game as much as I do, whatever your preferences. [:)]



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