Mod Question / Static Leaderhead Placeholder

[Tekk]

Hi

I´m trying to do some modding myself, and I found many helpful informations in this thread, but some questions are still there, and I hope you know how to solve them.

1. I want to replace the Animated Leaderheads with static Graphics - jpg bmp or such. Where and how can I do that?

2. I want to bundle this changes into a own mod, so I can decide whether to play the mod or not, at the beginning of the game. How is that problem solved?


That´s it (for now)

Tekk

PS: Thanks for your help, in advance

 

[catwhowalksbyhi]

You have to find a flat mesh, or a bilboard, of the right size and the graphics would have to be in dds format or maybe tga.

 

[ArbitraryGuy]

Actually, static leaderheads are quite easy, and only require a dds editor. Take a look at the Desert War scenario, for it has static leaderheads.

1) Make a 256x256 dds w/ your leaderhead and put it in the mod folder.

2) Edit the ARt_defines_leaderhead xml to point the right leader to the right graphic. Just put the dds file for the <nif>...</nif> section under the proper leader.

Take a look at the Desert War scenario included with the game for more info. It's pretty easy to do.

 

[Tunch Khan]

It's easier to convert from bmp to dds instead of from Jpg, so you don't experience color loss.

 

[Tekk]

Okay, first thanks for the help

I tried to implement some static Leaderheads, but there were some problems:

1. The leaderheads appear "deformed" in the Game. The x-axis is smaller than the y-axis in the diplomacy-leaderhead-window, so everything looks rather "squishy"

2. The pic quality ingame (once converted and implemented) is . I tried to convert 256x256 bmp, but it stays bad. I literally can see every pixel in the pic. (I noticed, that in Ancient Greek Scenario, the "not animated" leaderheads are similary bad - and they were pre-implemented. Does that mean Civ4 can only do that quality at best? That would be poor.)

I hope, you may again help me out

Tekk

 

[ChaosLord]

I've put in a bunch for a couple small mods and noticed the same thing, then saw your post here and decided to try something. I used 512x512 instead of 256x256 for the dds and it worked fine, it just shrinks the image automatically to fit(at least using 1024x768 resolution) so the quality is pretty good. Its as good as the original picture it seems anyway. Hope that helps.

Its also possible even larger sizes are supported, but I would think 512x512 would be enough.

 

[snepp]

ChaosLord, is it safe to assume that you and ChaotikVisions are one in the same? Anyway, here's the link to the related thread on Apolyton.

http://apolyton.net/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=141770

 

[ChaosLord]

Yeah, thats me. I'm going to post it over here once I find some other upload space since its only on Apolytons upload space at the moment. Can't just post it here and link back to them for dl. I'm working on getting static pictures of all the Civ3 leaderheads for use in Civ4 now, so people have something to use until real animated leaderheads come out for new civs.

 

[Tekk]

Thanks .

I tested the 512x512 jpg and the quality in the civ selection screen is okay.

But in Diplomacy Window the Leaderheads are still "squished" horizontally, and this is just disappointing.
Is there a way to use pics with different x-y-axis-length? I think, if I could use e.g. 400x512 wide images,
they wouldn´t be squished anymore in the diplo-screen. Or is there another Workaround?


Tekk