Counter mods for DH?

[novapaddy]

I've been searching around the HOI2 threads to see what mods have been done for the Counters in HOI2. FODD seems to have been successful, but so far I haven't worked out how they did it?

Is it possible to mod the counters in DH, or are they hard-coded?

 

[Fernando Torres]

You can mod them.
Is it colors or symbols that you'd like to modify?

 

[novapaddy]

You can mod them.
Is it colors or symbols that you'd like to modify?

This is good news.. I was thinking of using the country flag as the "colour" of the counter, and using say a tank image to denote armour, rather than the NATO symbols.
But Fernando... HOW?
.. making the counter more a sprite..

Possible larger counter? Flag as colour? Drop NATO symbol and use image. Any unit info just in the background. I've been playing FTM using Johnny Panzer's counters, and it makes the game totally more visually enjoyable.

But where to I get the information as to how to do this Fernando, can you help?

 

[Fernando Torres]

Colors can be changed (one by one). Check gfx/map/palette folder
You can also modify the symbols, check gfx/map/hoi_counter_strip.bmp

 

[novapaddy]

Colors can be changed (one by one). Check gfx/map/palette folder
You can also modify the symbols, check gfx/map/hoi_counter_strip.bmp

I changed the GER counter in Mod/gfx/palette folder and it didn't change in the game, leading me to think that the counter in the game is governed by something else?
.. and you know the strip of counters.. where all the in-game counters are in a strip... is this governing the counters and not the palette folder?

 

[Fernando Torres]

you need a special tool to do it
http://www.totalrealismproject.com/...le_id=44&sid=24b6e31a9797e0685c7899d7048cc3ee

 

[novapaddy]

you need a special tool to do it
http://www.totalrealismproject.com/...le_id=44&sid=24b6e31a9797e0685c7899d7048cc3ee

Small World! I actually downloaded that file last night, but was unsure as to how to use it? Thanks for taking the trouble.

I'll start playing around and see what happens...

 

[novapaddy]

Well I must say: Total Respect to anyone doing graphics... as I've spent 5 hours doing this (1st time using GIMP) .. and very little to show for it, and it doesn't work anyway.

I made up this in GIMP:

... which is the counter with a US flag as another layer, and then saved as a 24-bit bmp file.

plus this:

put them both into that program, but then only got this:

... which isn't at all what I need. It does look like the counter when I deleted the flag and nato symbol.... but blue and not grey.

Any ideas...?

 

[Fernando Torres]

Oh you can't edit it like this.
What you can edit is the flag and the air roundel, as well as the colors around them. You need to save a .bmp file (64x34) and then apply the counter maker.
But you can't change the elements size within the counter (unless you change the counter_strip directly, but I never tried that).
Europa engine is a bit tricky when it comes to counters modding.

 

[Inner Circle]

But you can't change the elements size within the counter (unless you change the counter_strip directly, but I never tried that).
Europa engine is a bit tricky when it comes to counters modding.

You can increase the size. Make sure the Width/height can be divided by 32 and add +2 pixels to the height for the frame

 

[Fernando Torres]

Good news then!
Is that counter stripes file that you have modified?

 

[Inner Circle]

Good news then!
Is that counter stripes file that you have modified?

yes indeed

 

[novapaddy]

I'm unfortunately one of those people, that once I get my teeth into a bone, I find it hard to let go...

Another 5 hours gone by and I reckon I've almost got it... 90% there... expect developments...

 

[ewphoenix123]

hehe nice.

 

[novapaddy]

OK, after much work and trying many different things and ways... Here is a first draft of new possibilities...

So far, I haven't changed the sizes of any flags or symbols. Everything is as vanilla game. This is just to see if new possibilities exist. They do!
For complicated flags like the UK, Japan and even Germany, the current quality is poor. But others, like the tricolours of Holland and France, aren't bad, and the USA (not seen) is quite good.

I've only played with Infantry so far. Nothing else is touched. Oh, I put the general's stars on the bottom, which suited my purpose better.

AND I've tried putting images onto the surface.. AND IT WORKS!

 

[Fernando Torres]

Nice
Let's see what you can come up with

 

[JRHINDO]

OK, after much work and trying many different things and ways... Here is a first draft of new possibilities...

So far, I haven't changed the sizes of any flags or symbols. Everything is as vanilla game. This is just to see if new possibilities exist. They do!
For complicated flags like the UK, Japan and even Germany, the current quality is poor. But others, like the tricolours of Holland and France, aren't bad, and the USA (not seen) is quite good.

I've only played with Infantry so far. Nothing else is touched. Oh, I put the general's stars on the bottom, which suited my purpose better.

AND I've tried putting images onto the surface.. AND IT WORKS!

I like those big counters looks better than the old ones! If only the flags/roundels could be of higher resolution...

 

[novapaddy]

I've tried everything and every-which-way I can possibly think of to sort this out, but no luck.

I've asked Paradox about the issue and Johan has replied in this thread: http://forum.paradoxplaza.com/forum...k-Paradox-(almost)-Anything-Thread&p=12643761

Seems there are only 256 colours available for the whole counter. I don't know! but I presume it being an 8-bit counter, then there is very limited "pixel space" for enlarging anything especially a complicated thing like a flag. Hmm, not entirely finished off yet, what else can I do. Maybe I need to reconsider the possibilities and try something else withing the limitations of the 8-bit counter.

.. and I just became a Major.

 

[Fernando Torres]

Try reaching Inner Circle. He likes to play with the game graphics.
As for myself, I can make some nice colors for counters but that's it. Europa engine sucks big time in that regard and every time I raised the issue, it was quickly considered too complex to mess with.

 

[ADukes]

Here http://www.designmodproject.de/forum/viewtopic.php?f=1469&t=18072 is your solution.