Brief Mod Sprite Tutorial

[NTJedi]

Is it possible to create magic sites which produce negative gems each turn?

Will hidden magic sites work for recruiting creatures?
The modding looks like it's only possible to make magic sites for recruiting creatures used by nations starting with the magic site.

[Endoperez]

NTJedi said:
Is it possible to create magic sites which produce negative gems each turn?

Err... It might... I hope it isn't , but it might be. If the amount of gems were ever to go below 0, though, the game would probably crash.

Will hidden magic sites work for recruiting creatures?
The modding looks like it's only possible to make magic sites for recruiting creatures used by nations starting with the magic site.

Sites have to be found to allow recruitment. This is always the case. Otherwise, it'd be really easy to find out all those Crystal Citadels and Towers of Nexus and Kingdoms of Elludia and Alchemists' Guilds and Pypriphlegatons' and the towers of the three metallic orders, not to mention Sages and Lore Masters.

Only #homecom and #homeunit are available. Similar, non-restricted commands have been requested. See the list I composed in the modding wishlist thread; it lists (most?) other things missing from site modding.

[Uh-Nu-Buh]

If your image is facing the wrong direction (the right direction is the wrong direction, of course) then you can use a number of image editors and/or viewers to fix this simply and easily. Since this tutorial uses The Gimp, here is how you can make your image face do an about face, quickly and simply.

To Flip A Right-Facing Image to Face Left for Dom III
-----------------------------------------------------
1. Start The Gimp.
2. File-->Open the picture file (steps 1 and 2 can be combined by double clicking on the image file to both start The Gimp and open the image, if you have set file attributes correctly.)
3. Image-->Transform-->Flip Horizontally
4. File-->Save

[Amos]

Sizes of canvas other than 64x64 and 128x128 might lead to loss of sharpness in game. I had this problem with a unit in Horror mod. This loss of sharpness might be useful for certain units. But if you want your units to be sharp be careful when you resize. Also, you can have canvas size larger than 128x128.

[Uh-Nu-Buh]

Good tips. I think the larger the icon the better the image too, not just for canvas but the image itself.

I wonder how much it matters having outsize units? I bet it makes the battlefields a horror. if all units are 128x128, then the size 1 units would be really crowding eachother (not a problem with transparent canvases that are 128x128, I am talking the actual unit sprite).

I will check.

[Uh-Nu-Buh]

If you are too lazy to make your new evil demonic SantaKnight have a two image sword movement, then here are some easy ways to get the two primary benefits of a second sprite: aesthetic, and to see which unit is doing what on the battlefield.

1. Open your first sprite in The Gimp (SantaKnight1.tga in this example).
2. Script-Fu-->Alpha to Logo-->Alien Glow accept the defaults. Now SantaKnight is a Green Glowing Action Enigma, easily discernible from the non-active units, and startlingly aesthetic. Beautiful even. Good for SantaKnight, because he is a demon from the Green Dimension, but only reveals himself in the depths of combat.
3. File-->Save As-->santaknight2.tga

2a. Alternative. Script-Fu-->Alpha To Logo-->Frosty, good for jotuns, or nords, or van, or any really cool race.
2b. Glowing Hot--good for hot races, radiating races, abyssian types.
2c. Neon is pretty snarky.
2d. Particle Trace is cool for mage types who might be casting spells.
2e. For Warriors, try this: Filters-->Blur-->Motion Blur. You cannot beat Motion Blur for lazy but effective #spr2 images for warriors.

[Uh-Nu-Buh]

I can't think of anything else to put in this tutorial. If anybody has any requests, let me know.

[Ragnarok-X]

How to make alpha channels in PS would be good

[Ragnarok-X]

wtf am i doing wrong !?

[Jack_Trowell]

Another way to make the second sprite for melee units is just to move lightly the unit on the canva to the right. It should give the impression the unit is moving forward to attack.