Tutorial: Making a units_32 pic

Sorry if this is old or anything but I have a very similar (exactly the same rather) problem as MikeLynch. Where the unit_32.pcx file is apparently not working after re-sizing it.

Does it have to be 2x larger than the original size for it to work if you want to make it bigger? Or can it be smaller than double the original size? Like 1.5x or 1.25x?

Every time it seems that the unit_32.pcx file is needed in-game, the game crashes (like after building the first city, or going to an adviser).

I guess I'll download Zulu's unit_32 file if I can't get my own modified one to work.

Also, I open it perfectly fine with MS Paint... after converting it to a bmp. then re-converting it to a pcx. Is that the problem? If it is that's going to be annoying. As everything looks fine, no quality-loss that I can see.


EDIT:

Figured out that it was MS Paint afterall unfortunately. Though, I simply changed to using Microsoft Photo Editor, which opens pcx files perfectly fine without needing to change format.

So after using a bit of cutting and pasting, I got the newly re-sized and larger units_32.pcx file working the way it used to, and better! [yay]
 
Cronus... Start by using the Original units_32.pcx file and add more frames as needed.
Make the units_32 images 32 X 32 pixels with 72 Resolution and in pcx format. Keep the Great Leaders and Army Units in the same place (or skip those frames) on the original units_32.pcx file so the game will not crash... Because the game is coded to use those specific frames for Great Leaders and Armies, if you place a normal unit in those frames and your game uses Great Leaders or Armies, the Game will crash.

When you copy and paste the images to the units_32 file sheet, they will pick up the nearest color that matches which will not be correct as far as CIV Specific colors. You will not be able to see if the CIV Colors are correct unless you load the palette I made that will show them as Green.
I made a Tutorial for units_32 images that has the palettes included. Look on the Bottom of page 1 of this thread.

Edit: Here is a zip that has the Conquest_units_32.pcx with 25 extra Blank rows and a Blank_units_32.pcx with 20 blank rows that you can use.
...I recommend using the "Conquest_units_32.pcx" because you can simply add to it without having to deal with the Army or Great Leader areas but if you know what to do and prefer a totally blank units_32.pcx, that is included.
Note: Remove the "Conquest_" from the "Conquest_units_32.pcx" Name and or the "Blank_" from the "Blank_units_32.pcx" name for use.
 

Attachments

Yeah I do notice a slight color problem in the units (a little bit of pink where the civ-color would be), though I can still see a lot of civ-color.

I'll give the information you gave me a go, thanks for replying so quickly :)
 
Now that it's been bumped, I have to say I didn't even read it before I started making my own units_32. I should have, because there's a lot of useful stuff here. Before that, I had been playing around with Zulu's file, and that's the easiest thing to mod in Civ3. So guys, try by yourself and have fun!
 
Vuldacon said:
Anyone wanting to either make or Correct CIV Specific Colors in a .pcx file...
Click to expand...

Pardon me for being a thread necromancer (although it's a tutorial that can always be referred back to). I just got the hang of the entire (easy but tedious) process of using the DefaultUnit.flc and opening it up with FLICster and exporting it as a Civ-Specific palette (red color) and resizing it to the correct size for the units_32.pcx file. I don't suppose there's an easier way of resizing the image when exporting if from FLICster is there?

For the most part, I have to fiddle with the image a bit until I'm satisfied with the resolution before minimizing it to 32x32 pixels.
 
I usually resize the image after indexing it, but I guess you can resize it in RGB-mode and try different interpolation methods. None of the interpolation modes available in Gimp gives better results for me, though.

I noticed that everyone say they exports the flc with civcolor 1 (red). Problem is that the colormap of civcolor 1 doesn't match the red colors in units_32-colormap. This is the reason some civcolor-pixels get assigned to an index outside the civcolor-area (closest match). I use civcolor 6 (blue) when I export to a storyboard. I have made a colormap with civcolor 6 in the first 32 indexes, and the rest identical to the units_32-colormap (exept index 254). This means that there is an exact match to the civcolors, and I avoid the notorious indexes 49, 87, 88 and 95. Since blueish colors are almost nonexistent in the original units_32-colormap, this method gives good results and less subsequent pixel-pushing. As the final step, I change (not re-index) the colormap to the original units_32 colormap, and the icon is ready to paste into units_32. Once I had made the blue units_32-colormap, this method is quicker even though it's a two-step procedure.
 
so i'm a total noob who wants to create a little mod for myself, and i been reading all the tutorials i understand most the stuff but i'm have a problem with the units_32.pcx. the problem is that i cant save it when i make changes to it, i have the free 30 day trial of Photoshop, and it tells me that the layer is locked(i know how to unlock it but the trial limits what i can do). so could anyone A: upload a vanilla units_32.pcx or B: show me a free or cheap software that can edit the units_32.pcx?
 
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