Right Box Graphic Issue

[Grandraem]

Hi all,

I'm having a puzzling issue with a modified graphic. I altered the graphic for the right hand box on the main game screen.

I kept the size of the graphic identical to the original. I made the "trans" file with the original palette of the game's transparency file, and altered the graphic to match my new design, making sure it only used the pure black or pure white to prevent any issues.

I thought all was good with my graphic, until I tested it multiple times in the game, and this kept happening...



(Notice the robe missing in areas on the left)

Any ideas on the problem or how to fix it???

 

[Vuldacon]

IF I understand what you are saying...Reduce the Left Side in Width... It is getting into the Area programed for Buttons.

 

[Pounder]

Reminds me of the transport window problem where I had to move the graphic 4 pixels to the left.

http://forums.civfanatics.com/showthread.php?t=95637

Maybe they shifted both in the game and maybe you should leave (maybe add) blank pixels too the left side of your graphic, looks like it might be 4 pixels here as well.

 

[Pounder]

IF I understand what you are saying...Reduce the Left Side in Width... It is getting into the Area programed for Buttons.

If you did invade on the Buttons area, ignore what I said and do what Vuldacon said.

 

[Pounder]

Moving the graphic may not be a good idea since there are buttons on this graphic on the right side. You may have to remove pixel coloumns from the middle of the graphic, along with added black pixel coloumns to the left side of the graphic.

 

[Pounder]

This is what I mean:



I guess that would go for the alpha file as well.

 

[Pounder]

Looks like seven pixel columns, not four, on closer inspection of what is cut off.

 

[Grandraem]

Thanks for the replies.

Yeah, I considered moving the graphic over, though I didn't want the wizard infringing too much on the area needed for units and the script information. I was hoping that there was some other thing I'd missed, though I couldn't imagine what it could be.

I considered the idea of the button graphic infringing, but that seemed a little unlikely to me, because the buttons seemed so far away and because I thought the bottom of the robe should be cut off the same amount as the middle of it if that was the case, as the buttons go close to the bottom of the screen. (I attached a graphic to show my questioning of this)



I may just have to try adjusting the graphic a little to compensate, as suggested, though I'm not thrilled with that, as I was quite pleased with the graphic I'd made as it was. Oh well.

While I'm here, I should also ask if anyone has any ideas with the other little issue I had, of the buttons on the right side. I made them round, and used transparency in the file, but they appear with that little horizontal line at the bottom of them. Is that preventable? I checked the file and it should be transparent there, but it doesn't appear like that.

 

[tom2050]

You altered both Alpha files, 'box right alpha.pcx' and 'box trans alpha.pcx'? Maybe one of them is causing the problem?

 

[tom2050]

I remember having a similar issue, but it was long ago, and not sure how I solved it (or if I did). If I remember I will post.

 

[Grandraem]

You altered both Alpha files, 'box right alpha.pcx' and 'box trans alpha.pcx'?

Yes, I resaved the 'box right alpha.pcx' as the 'box trans alpha.pcx' to make them identical, assuming that if one overlapped the other, it wouldn't make any difference because they matched up with each other.

 

[Grandraem]

For anyone interested, I changed both right box files to solid black (the whole image) and both transparency files to solid white (again, the whole image), and this was the result:



Clearly something is cutting out a small section of the left hand side...

 

[Vuldacon]

Exactly... that area is for the Buttons and you need to keep the Graphics images out of that area or they will not show. Buttons Only There...Programed and cannot be changed.

The Small area that is being affected on the Robe should be an easy adjustment and still look Good.

Edit... I see that you have a little more room to the right side of the Box.... Move the Entire Box to the Right and that might be enough to allow your graphics to show as you made it You might consider making the Frame Narrower on the Right side and allow the right buttons to be on the Box screen.

The box trans files are exactly the same as the Box Right files without the Light.

Grandraem... I made a Box Right with Alpha from your images.
I increased the Width for the Box Right to 300 and kept the same Height 137 with Resolution 72.
I reduced the Lower image frame height by 3 pixels and moved it down 3 pixels (To the Bottom). I reduced the Right Frame Width by 13 pixels from the inside window and move the entire image with Box to the right 6 pixels.
...I tested it in game and all shows.

The reason I reduced the right frame width is so the Buttons that were on that frame would not be split between that frame and the inner window after moving all to the right 6 pixels. They will show inside the inner Window, which is Fine.

I did not have your light or True image with palette so this is just an example to show you that you can test in game and perhaps use as a guide.

I included the same Box Right Color that has Magenta around the Box and image so you can see the margins better.
Hope it helps

 

[Grandraem]

Thanks, Vuldacon. I'll download and have a look at that file. I still don't really see why the buttons overlap the one part of the right box graphic and not the lower part (the part I circled in my above posted picture), but as we all know, not everything makes sense in this game.

 

[Vuldacon]

Grandraem... I think that area of the Buttons gets a Button in one of the games. IF not, perhaps it was going to and then did not.

 

[Blue Monkey]

Strictly aesthetically speaking (not addressing the general problem):

Trimming the robe so that the problem area is gone would be one solution. The fold of his cape would be gone, but it would just look like it was hanging straight down. Hardly noticeable to the average eye.

 

[Grandraem]

I ended up doing a combination of moving the graphic over a couple of pixels and trimming the robe a little. It works, and looks acceptable enough, although of course I wish it wasn't necessary anyways.

Thanks for everyone's input on this.

 

[Vuldacon]

Grandraem... Glad you worked it out.

Buy the Way... It seems the Reason for that small blocked out area on the right side of the Button Area near the Right Box is for Labels that pop up when you scroll over the right Buttons. The labels state what the Buttons do.

 

[Grandraem]

Ah, thanks for clearing that up. I don't know anything about the way graphics are programmed in games, but I don't see why those pop-ups couldn't appear on top of the other graphic without needing to leave it transparent, but I'll live with it, now that it is no longer an issue for me.

 

[Vuldacon]

Well, yes that area could have been programed to another place but it was OK for the CIV III Game and that was all they were working on when making the game