Icon making - questions

[dominic81]

Hello.
I have problem with icon making.
I would like to make tech icon for naval airforce. In google I found the 24-bit image and then converted it into 2 pcx images for civ3con (keeping appropriate image sizes).
But when I run my civ3c mod these images were black (in advisor screen and in civilopedia).
I guess that problem is 24-bit image, 'cause for civ3 8-bit image is need. Is it right?
I converted my images into 8-bit RGB, but they became so illegible.
Help!!! Please.
How make the icons?

[Spacer One]

what you need to do is "index" it to 256 colors(actually 254 and make the last two colors magenta)

what prog do you use? (if you use Gimp I can tell you exactly how to do it)

[dominic81]

Originally Posted by Spacer One

what prog do you use? (if you use Gimp I can tell you exactly how to do it)

What do you mean "index it"? I'm begginer.

I use Corel Photo-Paint 12.
I found and install Gimp prog...
What must I do?

[William GBTW]

Here see this link for help from the pro!GIMP sucks (IMO) compared to William GBTW style!

[dominic81]

Where I can download this converter?

[William GBTW]

Here is is!

[Spacer One]

William, I hate to say it, but the "converter" you use may have something to do with the pixelation your Icons suffer...Gimp is perfectly fine for making PCX files...If you really believe that Gimp sucks, then you must not have used it very much...it is limited, but not for making PCX files of any kind...

Dominic, Gimp will do what you want in 2 easy steps...if you want a quick tutorial, PM me...

{edit} after seeing that the "converter" you use is Civ3multi tool...I stand by my above comments

[William GBTW]

My Icons are of such a high grade that its hard to fully value them.

[Spacer One]

In your opinion

[William GBTW]

They aren't bad.

[Rambuchan]

Dominic: William is talking absolute rubbish. Gimp is perfect for even a newbie to make icons with. I recommend you ignore his advice, go with the gimp and follow what Spacer One has to say.

William: Shame on you for misleading a newbie. Gimp has been recommended on here for years.

[William GBTW]

@ Rambuchan: I added IMO and I don't like GIMP! Its better for tech icons to do i other since GIMP co$t money!

[Spacer One]

Gimp is free...you would know that if you actually tried it, and didnt just act like you know everything

[William GBTW]

I don't pretend to know everything. I use Microsoft Digital imaging and am working on a non C&P on, but for basic beginner work I find the convertor fine.

[Rambuchan]

Originally Posted by dominic81

What do you mean "index it"? I'm begginer.

I use Corel Photo-Paint 12.
I found and install Gimp prog...
What must I do?

In Gimp:

1) Open your image.
2) Go to the "Image" menu
3) Select "mode".
4) On the drop down you will see RGB, Greyscale and Indexed. That's where you make the change.

Note 1: You need your image to be in RGB to make colour corrections, I do believe. That's fine. Switch the mode to RGB, make the colour change, then put it back into index mode.

Note 2: Also in that Image menu is "scale image". You'll be using that to get your pcxs to the right size.

Good luck and keep asking


William: Gimp is free. Both your information and your opinion is wrong.

[William GBTW]

@ Rambuchan: I disagree; my opionion isn't firm or I wouldn't call it my opionion. Thanks for letting me know GIMP is free; I'll try it for my non C&P work; is it also good for C&P as well?

[Rambuchan]

is it also good for C&P as well?

Yes it is. But I don't know that much about doing this.

[Spacer One]

One final note regarding Tech Icons...if you are using GIMP, you need to "index" to 254 colors, and add "magic Pink" to the last two...(screen shot attached)
Shouldnt be too hard...just follow the steps:
On the pic, select: Image, Mode, Index...a new box will pop up, use the scroll bar to lower it to 254(it should automatically be at 256) select OK...progress bars will move across the bottom of the pic...3 times...

Now go back to the GIMP main box...at the top select: File, Dialogs, colormap

another box shold pop up(your pallette, or colormap)...now again go back to the main GIMP, the two boxes I circled in bright green are for your foreground/background colors, double click either(you have to do both, well dont have to, but is easier)...another new box pops up...choose the color shown in the pink circle(far lower right) for both boxes...

now go back to your pallette...push the + button twice, it should add two pink boxes at the end...Now save and your done...

I hope that wasnt too confusing, if it is, PM me for a more detailed(less hasty) explanation


GIMP is brilliant for C-N-P work...in fact if you look at EVERY wonder/improvement Ive done(quirky buildings link in siggy), all the tech Icons for the SG-1 MOD, and all the tech Icons for BfNY, you can see the work GIMP can do...

in fact, except for a few minor things that I do in MSpaint, I do everything I work on, in GIMP...

[dominic81]

Many thanks to All for Your advises.
Concerning Converter - it is really easy and works. I think it is fitted for newbie 'cause converter is very simple to use.
Concerning GIMP - it is really free to download. Moreover, I think it is good prog, cause it allows to work with images that converter doesn't. Only it is hard to understand for newbie who doesn't go into "images' making" - I am such newbie, for example. But, fortunately, there is CFF where I can ask oldbies. It's great.

[Spacer One]

oldbies...nice word coinage...

glad to be of assistance...