Lbm List
 

I know it's been a while since this was last mentioned, but I've attached a list of the lbms in v5.5, at least as I read them. All errors are, as usual, mine, and feedback is always welcome.

In addition I notice that 4 lbms (11000, 21176, 24964, 29356) are missing. 23062 will serve for 11000, 36926 for 24964, and I have added the other 2 in the attachment. I have also added some 17 lbms which are in use in the game and are currently the incorrect size. Most are only a pixel out, although 36350 is a stunning 160 x 66:)

There are another 12 incorrectly-sized lbms which are not currently in use (08196, 25154, 29286, 36170, 36210, 36250, 36420, 36430, 36510, 36795, 36802, 53005). If it would be of use to the designers, I can also upload these.

Richard H

Re: Lbm List
 

Baie Dankie.

troopie

Re: Lbm List
 

I'll be starting work on OOB related issues in the next few weeks and will look into this then. Unused photos are generally unused for a reason and generally that reason is newer, better ones were added using a different number then the OOB's that used the old ones were changed so if they are the wrong size it doesn't matter as they will never be used.

The missing pics are in my master but obviously didn't get put into the patch files and those will be added to the next one. Any off size PIC's will be corrected as well

Also, I had a quick look at some of the photos you sent and my question for you is how could anyone do all this work and NOT know greyscale images are useless to the game ? From what I can see with random sampling none of the B&W LBM's have had the proper pallete applied.


Don

Re: Lbm List
 

Don

My apologies, but as you may remember I'm not used to working with black & white lbms.

You are quite right about the unused lbms, most of them date from 2005, and some are not the greatest shots in the world.

Richard H

Re: Lbm List
 

It doesn't matter if the images are B&W or colour they all need the palette applied as anyone who uses those images you provided will discover

Don

Re: Lbm List
 

My apologies to all those who may have downloaded the first set of lbms. Please find attached a revised set with the correct palette applied.

Richard H

Re: Lbm List
 

Great work. Have you checked all instances manually?...

BTW: some pictures should be added to the game, like 9P149 Shturm-S, BTR-D, Lockheed F-80, Challenger (WW2). Should I make them myself and upload here?

Re: Lbm List
 

Hi Pibwl

Not sure what you mean by 'checked manually'? Have I cross-referenced them against my own picture library? Wherever possible, yes of course.

I know, and have PM'd you.

Richard H

Re: Lbm List
 

In the list itself, please disregard my remarks re 00028, the Timsakh. My bad, I've just found the original photo (all I had was a very poor shot dating back years!)

Apologies.

Richard H

Re: Lbm List
 

I meant checking and counting LBMs' usage in all oobs, unit by unit, without assistance of some miraculous program, that would count them automatically :) - Tough work.

Re: Lbm List
 

There is no 'magic counter':) I just run my cursor down the full Excel sheet (having already sorted it by lbm number) and read the number off at the end! Either that, or I count them manually (up to 4, IIRC!!!)

I'm aiming in my own mod to get down to a max of 10 uses per photo - but it's not easy. BTW, my own set has BTR-D, F-80, WW2 Challenger - and many others.

Richard H

Re: Lbm List
 

Regarding LBMs, does anyone know why there are red dots on some of the pics in the game?

I see these dots on some standard lbm pics that come with the game.

The dots are not there when you see the lbms in MobHack, but I see them on some of the pics in the game itself.

Hers's an example:

http://img20.imageshack.us/img20/8326/lbmdotslarge.png



Thanks,
Cross

Re: Lbm List
 

If I had memorized every photo's number I could look up the original and know for certain but the short answer is even though the photo is B&W when the palette is applied some shades of grey can be interpreted by the graphics progam as closer to an actual colour rather than a shade of grey.

Usually this shows up as scattered blue pixels

Don

Re: Lbm List
 

Hey, just curious, can't this be exploited to make color pictures appear without weird things happening to the game?

Re: Lbm List
 

It seems to me, atfer limited testing, that color pictures might be used, if they have proper palette. Are these "weird things" only blinking and weird pictures, or has it any negative effect on the game itself?

Re: Lbm List
 

Some colour pics flicker, especially when accessed over a 'running water' hex. But then, so do (or did) some of the old b/w lbms. I've asked this several times and never received a full response, but I believe there is a sequence of colours within the palette that is prone to flicker, and especially if you leave a stray pixel of one of these colours, off it goes.

However, in my experience the lbm will only flicker if you right-click on an enemy unit within the game (which IMHO is gamesmanship anyway, because it lets you know whether or not his tank is still fully crewed or whether he's got one poor Joe left trying to drive/fire/get the f*** out of the tank!).

I have played with colour lbms in my own oobs for several years, and other than flickering, they have absolutely no effect on game play whatsoever.

Richard H

Re: Lbm List
 

I went through a phase of collecting and making colour pictures for SPWW2, and have not had any flashing problems with them at all.

Although the game designers may want to keep all the pictures B&W for consistency/simplicity etc. go ahead and mod or collect as many colour pictures as you care to. It's a bit like collecting cigarette cards.

You can download a tool for converting images to LBMs here:

http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/showt...t=47031&page=2


Cross

Re: Lbm List
 

Well, thanks: I have some 13-year experience of creating color SP pictures and now I am slowly working upon SPMBT color sideviews. However, I always preferred to improve the game, than to play with it :) The only problem is limited source material, as for modern sideviews.

Re: Lbm List
 

The game tends to like side views, in that they flicker less (often not at all), but I'm not sure they always give a true flavour - some truck side-ons I've seen are grim (IMHO). BTW if you didn't already know, you can find side views of pretty much any aircraft you want here http://wp.scn.ru/en/ and of most small arms up to MMG size here http://www.world.guns.ru/

But why re-invent the wheel? I probably have most of them, so why not PM me with a list of what you're after?

Richard H

Re: Lbm List
 

Aircraft are no problem (except for Finnish Valmet Vihuri, which I can't find), but problem is with less popular vehicles and specific variants of otherwise well-known tanks (for example, how to find different pictures for 5 or so little differing Abrams variants). Interesting pictures happen to be on sides of boxes of models by Tamiya, Trumpeter, etc, but I have no access to them...

Re: Lbm List
 

If you are having trouble with colour pics that "flash" it's becasue you are using the full pallete that contains all the colours the game uses to animate smoke or water or fire that is why there are four variations of the palettes in the Game Data/Design/Palettes folder

One for colour pics
One of B&W
One full pallete
One of Icons

The colour pics palette is used for the colour pics that show up on the start screens. There are no colour pics in the game, and never officially will be, for consistancy. You can ALWAYS find or make a B&W image becasue there is a good useable series of greys in the pallete but there an not enough of the other colours to make decent colour pics.


Don