Terrain graphics

[Tank_Guy#3]

I was wondering if there was a tutorial for the creation of terrain graphics. In particular one teaching us how to make fortresses and such. So I guess it would be a tutorial on terrain improvements.

I looked through the sub-forum, but couldn't find one.

 

[Vuldacon]

Tank Guy#3... All you need to do is Open the "TerrainBuildings.pcx" found in your Terrain Folder.
Make anything you want that will fit the Tiles there... if needed, the Images can be a little larger than what those Magenta Tiles show with no problems. The Magenta and Green colors are Both Totally Transparent so the Magenta Tiles serve as a General Size Guide.
You can use Google SketchUp for example or any other Graphics program you like to make the Images you want.

First Change the TerrainBuildings.pcx file to 16 Million Colors then add your New Images. Save this File as a .bmp so you have a Copy.
Reduce the Palette for this File to 256 Colors then Change the Magenta and Green Background colors to any of the Colors that are used in your Images. This will remove those two Colors and reduce the Palette Colors to 254 colors.

Increase the Colors to 16 Million colors then immediately change the Colors to 256 Colors. This palette will have 254 Colors without the Magenta and Green Colors. It will leave the two Blank Pixels at the end of the palette using Paint Shop Pro for example so you can add the Magenta and Green back to the Palette in the Slots where they Go at the end. Note that IF you use a Different Graphics Program for the Palette, this may be Reversed where the Magenta and Green are at the top.
Save this Palette as any name you like.

Open your Saved TerrainBuildings File and apply your New Palette to it using Nearest Color Matching and Save it as a .pcx file in your Terrain Folder...Done

IF it will help... here is a Blank TerrainBuildings.pcx file. Note that I placed the Magenta and Green Colors on the palette where they will be when you complete the File.

Just so you know... the Images on the Left Side are for Fortresses and the Images on the Right Side are for Barricades. From Top to Bottom are Both Era Specific for all 4 Eras so Era 1 would be Top Left and Top Right and Era 4 would be Bottom Left and Bottom Right.

 

[Tank_Guy#3]

Thank you Vuldacon, this is exactly what I was looking for. I know we discussed already, but it kind of got put on the back burner with all my classes, work, and the biggest re-enactment our unit goes to this upcoming weekend.

All that polishing, refinishing, and repairwork on my gear eats up time fast.

 

[Vuldacon]

Good Deal... Glad it will help you.
Google SketchUp is a Fast way to make many things and IF you use Poser, you can get the Free MeshLab that will allow you to Import the Images into Poser.
http://meshlab.sourceforge.net/

 

[General 666]

In the last time I have started making several new Terrain Packs. So in the moment I have hundreds of (RGB)pcx on my HD ,that needs to be brought to the right palette. The method I`m using is nearly the same. Only that I use RGB-pcx instead of RGB-bmp. I was not able to see any difference or loss of quality. My finished files looking very sharp and detailed.

 

[Vuldacon]

General 666... It is ok to save the File as a .pcx rather than a .bmp.
It is simply a habit and precaution I use from transferring Palette Colors such as for Pedit.
.bmp is the most absolute and in this case it will not be saved long before changing it to a .pcx for the finished file.

 

[Ares de Borg]

and the biggest re-enactment our unit goes to this upcoming weekend.

WW2 I assume?

Have a good time, bro.

 

[Tank_Guy#3]

WW2 I assume?

Have a good time, bro.

Yes. By the sounds of it, the unit I'm in will be defending the woods against an Allied assault. Hopefully our beloved gruppenführer will have his MG42 up and running, then we can really teach those nasty Americans how futile it is to assault a GD unit.

Come now, as a fellow re-enactor (slightly different era of course) you can undoubtedly attest to how much fun they are.