[GUIDE] How i invert civ-coloured flags in 6 steps

[Osymandias]

[GUIDE] How i invert civ-coloured flags in 6 steps

this is a special guide for my flagpacks but suites also for every other civ-coloured flag.
since many flags of my packs have primary coloured symbols and secondary coloured backgrounds but the civ-default and from time to time requested is the other way round, i make this tutorial so that everyone can change the way the coloures were showed ingame for his desire.

what we need
- i would recommend DXTBmp, it works fine and doesn't make any problems (i heard that gimp do so, but i don't use it so i can't say)


let's start:

i take this flag for demonstration (flagdecal_falkenkopf.dds from my flagpack no. 4):

it has the symbol primary coloured and the background secondary coloured. it would look like that ingame:

if you don't like it this way, then i show you how to change it easily for yourself in 6 steps:

1. open the flagdecal_falkenkopf.dds in DXTBmp
this is the window it looks like. on the right upper corner is the alphachannel, which is used to show it in civ-colours.

2. double-click on the alphachannel-picture. now it will open a paintprogramme like MS Paint (default). it will look like this. the file is called trans.bmp.

3. now go to "image-->inverse colo(u)res" (hope it is called similar in the english windows) or you can also hit ctrl+u.

now it should look like that:

4. save the bmp. now you can close MS Paint. go back to DXTBmp and press the "refresh after edit"-button.

now the alphachannel-picture should have changed to the one which you have saved in MS Paint

5. go to "file-->save as-->dds texture" and save it as "dxt3 dds". you can also type in another name if you want (but if you do so, don't forget to rename it also in the xml!).

6. let's have a look at the (changed) ingame-flag:

done!

have fun!

 

[The Legionary]

Nice Guide! I searched quite a long time for that.
I followed your steps as described, but the game crashes,
when i replace the dds. Any idea?
Have others the same problem. I feel like these guys at the
time beeing:
Maybe it's time 4 a little break.

 

[sourboy]

Is it possible to create a 3-color image with your process? Mainly the primary Civ color, secondary Civ color, and a third color that only appears as a trim on the flag.

Example - America in blue with red for a secondary color... but flag shows blue, red, and white.

 

[Osymandias]

@sourboy
no, you can only use 2 civ-colours.
but you can try it with a trick: you can load a real-color-picture (the us-flag for example) in the main-picture section of dxtbmp. ingame then you have the picture wich is overlayed of the the alpha-picture with the civ-colour. i used this trick with my acutal flag for germany and it looks quite good.
but some notes:
-the more the civ-colours are getting colder (blue for example), the more they are overlaying the picture.
-also white on the real picture gets completely filled by the civ-colours. perhaps you can do it that your secondary color is white.
-sadly i don't remember if both civ-colours overlay the picture or just the primary....
you can try it this way but if it doesn't work then i have no idea.

@The Legionary
i'm so sorry....i completely forgott that you posted
i don't know why your game crashes....are you sure that you have saved it in the correct format and with the correct size? if i remember correctly the game crashes if the picture-sizes weren't correct....i had a lot of trubble with a selfmade leader-grafic until i found out that the size differed just some pixels.
but since you posted a month has elapsed and perhaps you have solved your problem.

 

[Kingpin]

Do you happen to know where the flags are located in Warlords? I want to replace the Greek flag but cannot find it anywhere. I'm referring to the flag that has the hoplite helmet on it.

Does anyone know?

 

[Osymandias]

As far as i know, all the vanilla-grafics are in the civilization iv folder.
to get it you have to either unpack some files (assetsX.fpk if i remember right (haven't modded since a 3/4 year...)) or just to replace is you don't need the old flag, but just copy your new greek flag into ...\mygames\warlords\customassets\art\interface\teamcolor
i think when you call the new flag the same as the old, the new will be used.
the name of the original flag can you read in the civ4artdefines_civilization.xml, which you can find in ...\warlords\assets\xml\art

 

[Kingpin]

Thanks. I appreciate your reply.

 

[Osymandias]

You're welcome

 

[Sturmgewher88mm]

@Osymandias Saw that you updated your other tutorial to bring back the images, would you be able to do the same with this one?