Leaderheads_All creation wizard

[Ingenery]

Hello! Not quite sure if this is where I should post this, but it's part of a tutorial I created. I created this tool a few months ago to make advisors_all flags that fit in the game (the circular icons in the foreign advisor screen). I've tested it in-game and it's worked quite well, so I've decided to share it with instructions based on how I've used it. The tool is attached to this post. Here's how to use it in Paint Shop Pro (which I've been using) :

1. create a new image with dimensions 461x346 and 24 bit colors/16.7million. I use white background because it doesn't usually blend in with any flags.

2. Open the picture of the flag you want to use, then re-size it (shift-s) to 115x115 (you might need to uncheck the maintain aspect ratio box at the bottom). Note that the flag might look squeezed in, especially if it has a unique pattern or design; in that case it might be better to crop the flag to similar dimensions, then size it down/up.

3. Using the selection tool, highlight the flag, copy it, then paste it in the top left corner
of the blank page (it helps to zoom in to make sure you have the alignment right). Make sure you get it exactly in the corner, or the finished thing will be off-centre in-game.

4. Repaste the flag again next to the first one, lined up right next to it; repeat until you have four identical flags next to each other on the top of the image. There should be a slight white line between the far-right flag and edge of the image.

5. Fill in the next row below. It's easier to highlight the 1st row with the selector, copy it, then paste right below it. Repeat again, so you have three rows of four columns. Again, there should be some space between the bottom edge and the last row.

6. Open the advisors overlay that I've attached to this post, highlight it with the selector, then paste it over the image. Make sure it is lined up exactly with the image.

7. You're almost done! Now, decrease the colors to 8-bit (go to colors, down to the bottom of the drop-menu. A box will pop up, just accept the options and continue.

8. Go back to the original flag image you used, then under colors, select edit palette: if it is 8 bit to begin with, and the last space in the palette is not being used, then fill it in with Red255 and Blue 255 (Green should be 0). This will give you the pink that the game substitutes with civ colors in game. Save the palette with the flag name, go to the new image, and load the palette. This makes the colors identical with the original image.

9. Save the image as X_all.pcx (X being the name of the nation). Put the saved file in your scenario's art-->advisors folder, make sure the pediaicons text file has the right name, and you're good to go!


Note: These instructions were written for using Paint Shop Pro 7. It might be similar in other programs, but I can't say. Let me know if there are any problems using it.


advisors_all overlay.pcx

[Pounder]

Thanks, I have wanted a template like this is the past, so now we have one

[Ingenery]

You're welcome! It was an idea I had to make it much easier to do, but it took me a while to figure out how to make it work.