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Uxbridge counters - 9/19/2009 9:55:12 PM   
Uxbridge


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Here's my attempt at making the game more GMT-like. I have used a lot of colours. I prefer it that way, since I find it easier to supevise the general situation if I can do that by looking at the map, rather than at each individual unit.

Thus infantry divisions have the normal NATO-symbol, whereas corps have a black and white "guards" symbol, making them immediately recognizable even at casual glance. This symbol didn't work for armour and solid "bathtube" symbol was ugly, why I used mechanized symbols for armour corps.

All tech levels are colour-coded. White for level 1; yellow for level 2; green for level 3; red for level 4; and finally purple for the fearsome level 5 units. Ground units (apart from paras) have their symbols filled with the tech level colour, so that you can easily see which enemy units are the most dangerous, or which of your own that needs a little fill-up. Air units always have blue symbols to distinguish them from the ground units, and their tech level is shown by a small stripe. Same goes for the paras.

Air unit symbols are three fighters in Vic-formation for fighters with light blue background; a 2-engine plane symbol with a darker blue background (to really distinguish them from other air, since they're more active) for bombers; and a 4-engine symbol with light blue background for strategic bombers.

The map is the same I used pre-patch, with all eye candy taken away. It is based on Agents original, with more terrain and weather effects added.

I made these changes primarily for my own benefit, but if anyone wants to try, I can upload them once I've made the finishing touch.







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< Message edited by Uxbridge -- 9/19/2009 10:01:15 PM >
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RE: Uxbridge counters - 9/19/2009 10:05:59 PM   
Uxbridge


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This is how the above situation looks with original graphics (slightly different view):






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< Message edited by Uxbridge -- 9/19/2009 10:09:14 PM >

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RE: Uxbridge counters - 9/20/2009 12:15:07 AM   
Magpius


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Interesting posts, Ux.
What it highlights to me is just how little contrast there is between the standard map and pixel units.
(they all get lost in a sea of dull greens).
I wonder just how many play on those settings?
I never played GMT games, to me your units look more 'TOAW-like'.
The colour coding, while intuitive for you, would just leave me looking for a colour key.
Good work on the units.


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RE: Uxbridge counters - 9/20/2009 8:29:32 AM   
Uxbridge


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You're right about the TOAW. That game had units of similar look. Would have been a more striking reference. My mention of GMT has more to do with that company's high graphical representation than actual look of the counter.

I see precisely what you mean with all them colours confusing, but that won't happen when playing my 1939 campaign. At start all units, save BEF and a few other units, will be white. Then gradually more colour codes will be introduced for each new tech level reached, and the player has ample time to get used to the meaning of the different colours. Its the same for the standard 1939 and 1940 campaigns (except for some more yellow level 2 units).

Here's how it will look in 1939 standard scenario:








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< Message edited by Uxbridge -- 9/20/2009 9:20:16 AM >

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RE: Uxbridge counters - 9/20/2009 8:53:13 AM   
Uxbridge


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Sample from the Italian front 1944:






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RE: Uxbridge counters - 9/20/2009 9:17:51 AM   
Uxbridge


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And a naval battle:






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RE: Uxbridge counters - 9/20/2009 10:01:39 AM   
Magpius


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pretty cool, where did you source them?
but go bigger





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< Message edited by Agent S -- 9/20/2009 10:11:00 AM >


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RE: Uxbridge counters - 9/20/2009 10:10:50 AM   
Uxbridge


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Source? I draw them myself, pixel for pixel.

In fact, they're extremely crude. Zoom them up and the look just awful. Its our brains making them into what we want to see.



< Message edited by Uxbridge -- 9/20/2009 12:46:57 PM >

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RE: Uxbridge counters - 9/20/2009 10:24:14 AM   
dooya

 

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Really nice work!

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RE: Uxbridge counters - 9/20/2009 1:44:50 PM   
Magpius


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...



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RE: Uxbridge counters - 9/20/2009 1:48:03 PM   
cpdeyoung


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That U-Boat in the moonlight is a pretty sight for a RAF Hudson!

Seriously though, this is lovely stuff.

Chuck

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RE: Uxbridge counters - 9/20/2009 2:22:29 PM   
jack54


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wow,this is good stuff!

I'm amazed at how easy it is to compare the relative front line strengths!

Also love the seperate air units color scheme, that will really help in rebasing,tech upgrade,replacements ect.

It looks as though the para forces are air color too(great idea!), I've missplaced several paratrooper units and then spent an unnessesary amount of time looking for them.

Keep up the good work!

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RE: Uxbridge counters - 9/20/2009 5:39:57 PM   
H. Hoth

 

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This looks really nice, you do good work, congrats.

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RE: Uxbridge counters - 9/20/2009 5:48:35 PM   
gwgardner

 

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Great work. The 'guards' symbols seem to clash with the overall look. Are you final with that solution for corps?


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RE: Uxbridge counters - 9/20/2009 6:08:11 PM   
Uxbridge


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Yes, I think I am. Its an inheritance from countless Napoleonic games I suppose, and i like them. But I can always make a special type for you, if given a hint what you want.

< Message edited by Uxbridge -- 9/20/2009 6:39:32 PM >

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RE: Uxbridge counters - 9/20/2009 6:20:00 PM   
Uxbridge


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You can download and try the graphics live from here:

Uxbridge Graphics Just click "ladda ner".

Put the "MapSkin" and "UnitsSkin" in your gfx-folder and the "WWII-Uxbridge" in you scenario folder. Then change to these mods in the properties and start the WWII-scenario normally.

Note 1: If you should try the graphics with other scenarios, the eyecandy from the original game will still be active. This can be corrected by copying the eyecandies-file from "WWII-Uxbridge" to the scenario in question, but be sure to make a copy of the original file if you want to restore the original graphics for this scenario.

Note 2: Also, unit colours will only be mine in the "WWII-Uxbridge"-scenario. In all others it will be those from the original scenarios.

Except for the two notes above, placing my folders into the gfx- and scenario-folders should not affect any original settings in the game.

Have a go ...



< Message edited by Uxbridge -- 9/20/2009 6:39:10 PM >

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RE: Uxbridge counters - 9/20/2009 10:58:58 PM   
Uxbridge


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Made a new version, with the "guards" symbol replaced by an "army" one instead. Motorized have two white dots in the lower right corner and armour has their symbol semi-filled.

Do you like this better, GW?




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RE: Uxbridge counters - 9/20/2009 11:05:26 PM   
H. Hoth

 

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quote:

ORIGINAL: Uxbridge

Made a new version, with the "guards" symbol replaced by an "army" one instead. Motorized have two white dots in the lower right corner and armour has their symbol semi-filled.

Do you like this better, GW?





Question, do you copy the other file into to the scn file of the grand campaign, or under the file scn? I love the yellow and black as I am a Hawkeye fan.


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RE: Uxbridge counters - 9/22/2009 9:26:11 AM   
Uxbridge


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The scenario goes into the scenario-folder as an ordinary scenario; it should not be in any of the other, named scenario's folders.

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RE: Uxbridge counters - 9/22/2009 9:42:50 AM   
Uxbridge


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I have tried some more and wasn't to happy with the motorized corps. Too difficult to distinguish from the infantry corps in zoomed-out view. I therefore changed the checkered pattern from black and white for motorized to blue and white. Worked better, I think. To further differentiate the air units I made the background for strategic bombers is now black and the tech-level stripe has been moved to the bottom of the symbol.

I'm now rather pleased myself; what do everybody else say?






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< Message edited by Uxbridge -- 9/22/2009 12:30:37 PM >

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RE: Uxbridge counters - 9/22/2009 11:38:25 AM   
Uxbridge


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Same, but Italian front:








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< Message edited by Uxbridge -- 9/22/2009 12:32:32 PM >

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RE: Uxbridge counters - 9/22/2009 2:44:09 PM   
Magpius


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  • I'm finding the white infantry symbol on the blue background hard to distinguish.
  • What's the vertical green line on the left?
  • the white text on bright yellow is tough to read?
  • What symbol is the unit labeled 0  0, looks like a bunker?
64 million+ colours - perhaps you could use even more

in all honesty a little too bright and cheery for me!
...but given it's just you, me and swatter pushing pixels at the moment, keep up the good work.



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RE: Uxbridge counters - 9/22/2009 3:09:13 PM   
Uxbridge


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The paratroopers? I could change the lines to black. They might come out better that way.

The vertical line is the tech-level. I want all paras to have a blue background, so I can't fill the symbol. They therefore have the TL on the side.

Yes, the yellow units are original scenario colours. I haven't changed those, since the patch will make them back into yellow again. Have to be pre-patch. Same goes for the unit names. I will re-write the entire OOB when the patch comes, and when that's done, I can decide for size and colour of the text.

The 0-0 is a beachhead. It's supposed to look like an evening coast with fires raging. It looks better in game than here.


Only 64 millions?? Sad, I need much more!  

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RE: Uxbridge counters - 9/22/2009 5:53:49 PM   
Fintilgin

 

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Looks great.  I assume we can just use the counters, right?  I want the new counters with the original map. :)

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RE: Uxbridge counters - 9/22/2009 6:36:03 PM   
Uxbridge


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Give me half an hour and I will upload the last version.

Yes, you can use the counters separately.

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RE: Uxbridge counters - 9/22/2009 7:11:51 PM   
Uxbridge


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You can download and try the new graphics from here:

Uxbridge Graphics Just click "ladda ner".

Note: there's just one download, so the earlier link above will yield the same files.

Also note: being a helpful chap, I added the name "uxbridge" to the scenario-folder name. The purpose was only to let the player distinguish it easily in the choice-of-scenarios list. Stupidly, I never thought of changing the name in the misc.csv-file also, making the scenario unplayable. I have now corrected this in the downloadable version, but if you downloaded the files prior to september 23rd, you'll get problems. In this case, either just remove the "uxbridge"-reference from the scenario name (thus it should read just "WWII"), or download the files again. Sorry for this.

< Message edited by Uxbridge -- 9/23/2009 2:11:06 PM >

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RE: Uxbridge counters - 9/23/2009 2:16:22 PM   
Uxbridge


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Attention! See my post above.

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RE: Uxbridge counters - 10/1/2009 8:53:58 PM   
AH4Ever


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All I can say is great work and thanx for the effort.

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RE: Uxbridge counters - 10/2/2009 8:55:57 PM   
Uxbridge


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You're welcome.

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RE: Uxbridge counters - 10/9/2009 1:12:17 AM   
Hairog


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I have your excellent units working in 1.6 except for the ships don't show up. Any ideas?

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