How to create civ icon with gimp?

[Gedemo]

I have Gimp2 and the DDS plugins that works correctly.

I'd like to do the civ icons, so I have a .png file (black and white).

But I don't know the correct way to create the good .dds with the good alpha (using layer, brush, color to alpha...I'm lost!)

Does anyone could explain the correct path to a perfect dds?

Thanks!!

 

[steveforez]

i use gimp to to create my pics but without dds pluggin .... I make it in png and convert with paint net after. For my Alpha i use ... Alpha "transparent".

 

[Eltoshan]

Did you ever find an answer? I'd like to know as well.

 

[Gedemo]

I've made several icons in different ways but they need to be tested....BUT for now I did not succeed to implement icons in a mod, so I don't know if it works.

 

[ReichAdler]

I use Gimp.... since java became unpopular & my $2000 Adobe became redundant on my Mac :/

I just take any image, do what I wish with it. Then add an Alpha layer via layer/Transparency menu.

Then export as a .dds with no additional settings changed.

You can use just .dds files as icons in game, as long as they are in the game. If you want things to show up at the front end menu, you need to turn them into .blp's.

My post here explains that process... https://forums.civfanatics.com/thre...atra-in-the-dip-screen-make-blp-files.611608/

 

[luei333]

Important thing to note is that your image can only have one layer when you export it. It should warn you of as much if you try to export with multiple layers. Make sure it has an alpha layer, make sure it's of the correct size (256x256 is the largest, so just start with that), make sure the layer's boundary is the same as the image (the export process will default to the layer's boundaries, if different), and it's all implementation and experimentation from there.

For a civ icon, it should be pure white (Colors->colorize->lightness 100), and add a little drop shadow (Filters->Light and Shadow->Drop Shadow) (I got the perfect settings once but didn't record them, something like radius 3, x 0, y 3, transparency 50). You'll need to export that image in multiple sizes, 256, 200, 128, and like ten more, no joke. From that point, getting them into the asset editor is a whole different beast. Hopefully the post above mine can help.