Is there someone who can tell me, how to do a leaderhad image, so it would really appears at the beginning of a game, when a player choose the civilization.

I don't mean an animated picture as the official CIVs, just a portrait picture of 512x512 pixels.

I don't understand as a lay person the really function of this Alpha Channel thing. Is it possible to make all this with freeware?

Thank you.

Jecrell made a fine description of this process-) Check it here: http://forums.civfanatics.com/showthread.php?t=144425

I made anything what is described in this forum to make a workable leaderhead image. But no success. The button works.

So I want to declare myself officially as to silly to make it. :)

I want to help you. Can someone make a proper .dds-file from the image attached for a leaderhad (512x512)? It would be grateful. This leaderhad shows three men, not one as usual.

Thank you.

The way I know, leaderhead images are 256 by 256, no?

Yes, there are mods with leaderhad images 256x256 and other ones with 512x512.

- open you image in PhotoShop (or whatever)
- crop and resize it to exactly 512x512 (you may have to de-select "preserve image ratio.."
- save it as a JPEG
- convert the image from JPEG to DDS using something like DDS Converter 2.1

- put the image in the folder Assets/Art/Interface/Leaderheads
- go to Assets/XML/Art and find _ArtDefines_Leaderhead.xml
- add an entry for your leaderhead - copy and existing entry to make sure you get the format right
- there are several entries for graphics - NIF files, etc.
- you only need to replace the *first* of these entries - leave the others be
- make sure you have the right path to your image!

Ok, Kyburg, here it is. :) Write a word after you get it and i'll delete the attachment.

Nice picture, btw;)

Thank you NeverMind for the wunderfull picture image.

Unfortunately it is still a problem, by starting it shows not the leaderhad image, but a pink wall. I don't know, where the problem is. But it is not the image because I have now one which is perfect, the pathes in the XML-Files are also o.k.

Maybe I find it out one day.

Thank you NeverMind for the wunderfull picture image.

Unfortunately it is still a problem, by starting it shows not the leaderhad image, but a pink wall. I don't know, where the problem is. But it is not the image because I have now one which is perfect, the pathes in the XML-Files are also o.k.

Maybe I find it out one day.

If you're getting the pink image, then the problem is in your XML files

There is a possibility that you forgot a comma...

Thanks, the commas are o.k.

Now it works. The mistake was in the NIF-line for the new leader in the File CIV4ArtDefines_Leaderhead.xml.

In this line i forgot the word "interface"
<NIF>art/interface/LeaderHeads/3Leaders512.dds</NIF>

In the NIF-Lines of the other leaders there is not a word "interface".

Thank all very much, especially NeverMind for the perfect picture. I made there also a lot of mistakes.

I'm working on a SWISS MOD. I make the Swiss peacefully but strong in the defensive and good in science and economy.

ok, the problem I am having, is similar, but the program I am using won't save the black alpha channel, and it won't work because of that. I can't seem to find another program to convert it to dds though. could some one please post a list of programs that might work for this?

I use DXTBmp and find it more useful than DDS Converter: http://www.mnwright.btinternet.co.uk/programs/dxtbmp.htm

Image should be saved in DXT3 format.

Kyburg, Good luck in making your mod! :)

DTXbmp is what I have, but that doesn't seem to save the alpha channel.