Graphic problems - Units and gray stuff..
- Thread starter Konstabel Bach
- Start date
Broken_Erika
Play with me.
Konstabel Bach
Chieftain
thx but just why does this work, or why does my city.bmp cause the bug?
Konstabel Bach
Chieftain
It's just a bit wierd...
Catfish
Emperor
This question gets asked all the time.
Civ2 uses an 8-bit (256-colour) indexed (ie, numbered) palette. In the game, indices 253 and 255 are always transparent, regardless of colour. For the cities file, index 255 is exactly the same colour as index 16 (visible) - a medium grey (#878787). When you copy, paste or recolour using this colour, your graphics editor will only read the colour value, not the index number. As a result the invisible grey (index 255) will be assigned index 16 and thus become visible.
Solutions:
1. Change the offending area to the other transparent colour: index 253 always magenta (the pink stuff). This is the method Broken_Erika described. The problem with this is that it can blank artists' signatures.
2. Before you start editing, change the palette. Either load a palette from one of the other graphics files, such as units or terrain (they don't use grey for index 255), using a 'maintain indexes' option, or edit the existing palette and change index 255 to some other colour not already found in the palette. You'll require something better than MS Paint to do this.
Civ2 uses an 8-bit (256-colour) indexed (ie, numbered) palette. In the game, indices 253 and 255 are always transparent, regardless of colour. For the cities file, index 255 is exactly the same colour as index 16 (visible) - a medium grey (#878787). When you copy, paste or recolour using this colour, your graphics editor will only read the colour value, not the index number. As a result the invisible grey (index 255) will be assigned index 16 and thus become visible.
Solutions:
1. Change the offending area to the other transparent colour: index 253 always magenta (the pink stuff). This is the method Broken_Erika described. The problem with this is that it can blank artists' signatures.
2. Before you start editing, change the palette. Either load a palette from one of the other graphics files, such as units or terrain (they don't use grey for index 255), using a 'maintain indexes' option, or edit the existing palette and change index 255 to some other colour not already found in the palette. You'll require something better than MS Paint to do this.
Broken_Erika
Play with me.
Nice unit, 
Catfish
Emperor
That's definitely a ToT-only method. I figure the reason they implemented those transparent marker pixels is because ToT no longer uses an indexed palette. Having said that, in most graphics files magenta is transparent by default.Boco said:
I was actually halfway through writing a short guide on transparent colours in ToT and was busily hunting down the locations of the marker pixels in various graphics files. They can be a pain in the arse when you don't know where they are you start noticing chunks of your graphics 'missing' in the game. Even ToT's developers messed up on several occasions.
Boco said:Actually, it's "Gahr Ez Birj", a hidden city in an update of El Aurens that I'm plodding along with.
Speaking of which, here it is again.Wobbegong said:
Well that would explain why you didn't list it. Too bad, though. I usually find it very convenient. Sadly, neither 'Ka tafesh' nor 'Tak um Sah' survived early design changes.
Still have El Ottok, though. Just out of curiosity, what Easter Eggs have other designers put in their scens?
Konstabel Bach
Chieftain
Well thnx for the help, I'm sorry if you're tired of answering the same questions over and over again, but this place is so darn big! I get lost in the massive number of posts...
Don't sweat it! Gotta learn somewhere. I've tested W's patience with posts displaying far more ignorance than yours. Still, if you haven't already, take a look at the guides found in the top link. They can save you a lot of frustration.
Catfish
Emperor
No need to apologise; I was just pointing out that your problem isn't an isolated case. The search function doesn't work in these forums, so repeat questions are to be expected - especially from new posters. I've only answered this question once before and that was at Apolyton. Solution 1 is the most common response.Konstabel Bach said:
Actually, I've never been bothered by your questions. I'd always figured you for being one of the best informed posters. You actually read articles from SL and CoC, and threads from the strategy forums and GL, as well as perform your own tests.Boco said:
Konstabel Bach
Chieftain
OK, I've bad experiences with just these type of questions from other forum (People yelling NOOB and calling me stupid and so on)
It's nice to know that there are still decent forums out there...
Anyway i was wondering, I've been changin the names of civs in the rules.txt
But i can't seem to reduce to number of civs... If I just leave some out the game chrashes..
I've uploaded the .txt so you might have a look, please keep in mind that it's a work in progress
It's nice to know that there are still decent forums out there...
Anyway i was wondering, I've been changin the names of civs in the rules.txt
But i can't seem to reduce to number of civs... If I just leave some out the game chrashes..
I've uploaded the .txt so you might have a look, please keep in mind that it's a work in progress
Morten Blaabjerg
Settler
This is a very nice place, although not as lively in this particular section as in the era before CivIII...Konstabel Bach said:
You need to start the game with the number of civs you need - you cannot change the number of lines in Rules.txt!! (this will always make the game crash). Minimum is 3 players/civs. If you start the game out with more civs that you need (for example, if you wish only two civs) - you need to destroy them while setting up the scenario (like wiping out their sole settler). Be careful though, as they cannot usually be restored, if they have been wiped out.Anyway i was wondering, I've been changin the names of civs in the rules.txt
But i can't seem to reduce to number of civs... If I just leave some out the game chrashes..
I've uploaded the .txt so you might have a look, please keep in mind that it's a work in progress
Where can you find the latest compilation of hex-editing wisdom? I have an older version of Allard's rtf that hints that the active civ count can be hexed.
Is there a better free hex editor than A.X.E. (older freeware version)?
If you've a lot at stake, you might, if it's possible, convince a hex-editing whiz to help you. If not just start over as MB suggests.
Is there a better free hex editor than A.X.E. (older freeware version)?
If you've a lot at stake, you might, if it's possible, convince a hex-editing whiz to help you. If not just start over as MB suggests.
Konstabel Bach
Chieftain
Morten blåbjerg Danks/svensk/norsk?
Anyway, thanks; it would be easier if you could just edit it in the rules.txt or in the game.txt.. I addmit that it was a long shot...
The simple reason for me wanting to reduce the number of civs in the rules is that I've moddified the flags for each civ, and so I had to select my opponents each time, and further more each time there is a revoulution the unwanted civs appear (Zulu, Mongols ect.) under a, let's say, spanish banner...
Anyway, my solution was to take all the civs of one color and make 3 identical civs in each color so that the choices for let's say red opponent is : Russia, Russia and Russia... Simple, eh?
Anyway, thanks; it would be easier if you could just edit it in the rules.txt or in the game.txt.. I addmit that it was a long shot...
The simple reason for me wanting to reduce the number of civs in the rules is that I've moddified the flags for each civ, and so I had to select my opponents each time, and further more each time there is a revoulution the unwanted civs appear (Zulu, Mongols ect.) under a, let's say, spanish banner...
Anyway, my solution was to take all the civs of one color and make 3 identical civs in each color so that the choices for let's say red opponent is : Russia, Russia and Russia... Simple, eh?
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