Can't Seem to Get My Flag Working

[Ambug666]

Hey there.

I'm taking an already established modular civ and changing it to my own modular civ. I have a dds exporter for Photoshop, but the files it is creating don't seem to work. I tried editing the flag and I've attached the file, but it shows up black in game.

I'm saving it as DXT3 AGB 8bpp explicit alpha with no MIP maps. Any ideas?

Thanks!

[The Capo]

Originally Posted by Ambug666

Hey there.

I'm taking an already established modular civ and changing it to my own modular civ. I have a dds exporter for Photoshop, but the files it is creating don't seem to work. I tried editing the flag and I've attached the file, but it shows up black in game.

I'm saving it as DXT3 AGB 8bpp explicit alpha with no MIP maps. Any ideas?

Thanks!

You did it wrong. The file you have doesn't have an alpha channel. I could make it civ-style for you, but I'm not sure what you want it to look like.

EDIT: Here, try these, they are bi-color (Civ style) though.

[Ambug666]

Hm, I thought I saved it with an alpha channel. I wonder if Photoshop is not saving the alpha channel. Thanks!

[Shiggs713]

its easy if you use DXTBmp for a final edit. After you fix the flag up just how you want it, in PS, save it, open it up in dxtbmp, send alpha channel to editor (paint), bucket paint it black, save the alpha, close it, then save your map again. Make sure to use bWhiteFlag 1, and it'll work.

[Ambug666]

Originally Posted by Shiggs713

its easy if you use DXTBmp for a final edit. After you fix the flag up just how you want it, in PS, save it, open it up in dxtbmp, send alpha channel to editor (paint), bucket paint it black, save the alpha, close it, then save your map again. Make sure to use bWhiteFlag 1, and it'll work.

That worked. Thanks!

[Shiggs713]

sweet. your welcome. I remember being frustrated with flags b4

[cool3a2]

Here you can read everything about civ4 flags you want to know. The tutorial is based on GIMP, but it mentions some bakcround info, too, that migh help you even if you are working with Photoshop (as you will have to do the same things, only via different tools):
http://forums.civfanatics.com/showthread.php?t=315966

If you like to create a non-bicolour flag some day, you should know, that it might be necessary to have no alpha channel. That depends on your machine. You can find more information about that in my tutorial.

[deanej]

I've never understood how it depends on machine. As far as I understand mods that use non-bicolor flags don't need two versions for the machine types so how do they do it? Or is it something quirky about saving (and why does it only affect flags)?

[cool3a2]

I can't tell why actually there are problems with the alpha channel on some machines. Still, fact is, that non-bicolour flags need two versions as otherwise the flag remains completely white one some machines. Bicolour flags however always seem to need the alpha as the alpha tells the game what's to paint in which colour. It works like a mask / filter. So far, I didn't recognize any problems with bicolour flags.

[The_J]

2 versions? What 2 versions?

I also had a problem with 2 non-bicolor flags. One has been just yellow, the other one should be white with a symbol, but it's orange with the symbol (no interference with the civ colours, i've checked that). I guess, it's the same problem. Would be really good to know the reason.

[Shiggs713]

there is a certain way of making multi colored flags that always works perfect. I described the tricky part in an above post. Basically as long as its DXT3, no mip maps, with an alpha channel bucket painted black, and bWhiteFlag, and it'll work every time.

[The_J]

i wanted to ask, if you could look at one of the flags, but now, after i've clicked on it, i see, that i've added a normal button alpha channel instead of a just black one . I'm an idiot .
But thanks for making me look again at it .

[cool3a2]

there is a certain way of making multi colored flags that always works perfect. I described the tricky part in an above post. Basically as long as its DXT3, no mip maps, with an alpha channel bucket painted black, and bWhiteFlag, and it'll work every time.

A-a. I read tutorials about flag creation with dxtbmp and followed them word by word. Did what you said here, too. Even tried to play around with it, but I NEVER got a flag working that was created via DXTBMP (might be machine related again). It's actually the only program I can't recommend. Also, what you doing with DXTBMP seems to be exactly the same what others do with Photoshop or with GIMP or dds converter. 100% the same. This ways, I can't imagine you solve the said issue with your method. But well, if you are still sure it does, then keep on working with it.

2 versions? What 2 versions?

If it is about non-bicolour flags: one with, one without alpha channel. Believe me, there are machines that can't handle alphas for non-bicolour flags. You said one of your flag is white. Then, if it has an alpha, try it without alpha. If it doesn't have one, add one. That should fix it. The other problem you mentioned sounds familiar to me as well. Check whether the colour your flag has been painted it, is the secondary colour of the civ you are using it for. I bet it is. Then, play around with the bWhiteFlag in the xmls. Set the secondary colour of your civ to white. Play around with the alpha. I believe there is already a problem like that covered in my tutorials thread. But not in the first 3 posts. You'll need to search a little. Check the appendix of my tutorial. I used to add a reference to interesting parts of the discussion there.

[Shiggs713]

well you didn't read very carefully. I said edit the flag with gimp or PS, and then for a final edit with dxtbmp only for the alpha channel.

[cool3a2]

I said edit the flag with gimp or PS, and then for a final edit with dxtbmp only for the alpha channel.

Don't see how this statement fits to mine. The reason why a flag is white on some systems, but is okay for others is the alpha channel. If you have a flag thats image file seems to be fine but is white in the game, check whether there is an alpha channel in the dds. If there is an alpha, remove it. If not, add it. Then, for you the flag will work, but will stop working on those systems where it was okay before (those will get a white flag now). Adding an alpha can be done via GIMP or PS, too. Of course, theoretically also with DXTBMP. And I used that for the alpha channel only, too, but it always destroyed my file or at least it didn't solve the problem. Can't remember. Others seem to have similar problems. Still, even if it's working for you, I can't imagine you solve the said problem with the white flag. Alpha channel is standard and dds DXT3 format is standard, therefor there shouldn't be a difference between flags created with PS, GIMP or DXTBMP. Also, all other export properties you mentioned can be done with GMIP and PS, too. If you still get flags that are working for all machines, it might be because of your machine instead of because of you used DXTBMP. This ways, you could create such flags with GIMP and PS, too.
Anyways, I didn't say anything about editing the picture or at least I didn't think about that part of flag creation, all I said was about the alpha channel as this is what causes the white flag issue.

I am aware of that this wasn't about white flags initially. But we came to a discussion about whether two flags can't be avoid and AFAIK the only thing that makes two versions of the flag necessary, is the white flag issue. All other problems can be solved with GIMP and PS, too. Also, I don't try to force anybody to use GIMP or PS (for adding the alpha channel). All I want to say is, that in the end it depends on what you prefer personally working with.

[Shiggs713]

well i'm just saying, go try to bucket paint the entire alpha channel black with PS or GIMP and then try with dxtbmp. 10x easier, I don't even know if its possible with the other two, its so confusing.

[cool3a2]

well i'm just saying, go try to bucket paint the entire alpha channel black with PS or GIMP and then try with dxtbmp. 10x easier, I don't even know if its possible with the other two, its so confusing.

It is possible and actually not harder. At least, the tiny bit it might be harder gets neutralized by the fact you don't need another program. See my tutorial about how to add an alpha with GIMP. In Photoshop it is only a property in the exporter - a simple switch you can turn on or off. At least, as far as I remember. You can create an alpha there manually, too. There is a view for channels - select the alpha channel bucket paint it as you do in DXTBMP. But I think thats not necessary for flags. Not to mention dds converter. There, it's definately only a switch in the options. But that program doesn't work for everyone either.

[deanej]

Are you sure you were setting everything in DDSBMP properly when you tried it? I ask because DDSBMP defaults to DDS DX1 (no alpha), and you have to manually change it each and every time.

EDIT: and where is the tutorial on adding alpha channels in GIMP? I don't think I've ever seen it.

[cool3a2]

Are you sure you were setting everything in DDSBMP properly when you tried it? I ask because DDSBMP defaults to DDS DX1 (no alpha), and you have to manually change it each and every time.

I think so. I spent a lot of time to get a flag working with it, following tutorials. No success. I read similar statements from other users. Others, however, seem to have no problem with DXTBMP, which is why I am saying use what you prefer. Never change a running system, you know.

EDIT: and where is the tutorial on adding alpha channels in GIMP? I don't think I've ever seen it.

There is no tutorial about adding an alpha channel in GIMP solely. That would be a quite short tutorial. But I wrote a tutorial about flag creation with GIMP, including how to add the alpha. It's posted in the tutorial section and linked in this thread in post #7. You'll see that for a non-bicolour flag it is pretty easy. For bicolour flag it is a tiny bit more difficult, but same should be true if you try that with DXTBMP. Then you can't simply bucket paint the flag.

[deanej]

Yeah, I just noticed it was in there. I tend to avoid having to work with alpha channels for everything but buttons because I'm not a graphics person and suck at it.

DXTBMP works odd for me when doing flags. Normally when you add an alpha with it, the alpha is there when you open the file again. If I add an all black alpha for a flag, the next time I open the file it's gone. But, if I don't add the all black alpha before saving the file, the flag doesn't display properly in game (it's simply a rectangle of the civ's playercolor). Really odd.