new discovery's --MODS

[DRG]

Sometimes ( it's rare ) aircraft will fly in and the game centers on the aircraft and it stays centred while the terrain under it scrolls by. Sometimes the aircraft is what scrolls which gives it a staccato-like display and I would like to find out why it sometimes comes in smoothly.

Way back the original game had a "smooth move" control that never worked well because ( I think.... ) most computers back then could not draw the graphics fast enough for it to work properly and that's another thing I want to poke around with

[Karagin]

I wish I could draw as well as you guys do with the different paint programs...every time I try to do an icon for for the SHP files..yeah so much never turns out looking right.

[scorpio_rocks]

Originally Posted by Karagin

I wish I could draw as well as you guys do with the different paint programs...every time I try to do an icon for for the SHP files..yeah so much never turns out looking right.

Start with small changes to an existing icon. Try just changing the colour to learn how the shading works, for instance.


Don't expect results like DRG manages, Don had been finding creative ways to get around the limitations of a restrictive palette and the pixel scale for over two decades!

[Imp]

Originally Posted by scorpio_rocks

Start with small changes to an existing icon. Try just changing the colour to learn how the shading works, for instance.


Don't expect results like DRG manages, Don had been finding creative ways to get around the limitations of a restrictive palette and the pixel scale for over two decades!

As you say its quite impressive with the scale working at sure there is quite a lot of fooling the eye by causing 'blending" to achieve a shape or shade.

[DRG]

As Scorpio says, I've been doing this for 20+ years so I learned a trick or two but basically for aircraft you find a drawing then pixel reduce it to the wingspan you want.

That gives a rough starting point [A] then it gets cleaned up a bit [b] then the outline is applied over a blank fuselage with wing detail ( I have various version for single and muliti engine aircraft along with a series of engines configurations and that gets you to [C] ( more or less ) then it's adjusted a bit more [D] then the glass and prop details are added [E]

Then you create copies [F] using the various palette shades and picking the ones that give these results is part of that 20+ years experience and how many are done depends on how many you need.

Since all the copies are exact duplicates you can start with a base [G] then cut out one of the copies [H] then paste it to the base [i] . A more complicated one may require three or more cut outs [J]

The trick is to have good colour definition but keeping the contrasts reasonable otherwise its a mess of contrasting colours that obscure the detail in the actual aircraft or vehicle

These examples are sharp edge camo. The blended overspray versions are handled differently depending on the size and colour of the Icon. Sometimes it works......sometimes it doesn't

These have all been expanded 2x normal

[zovs66]

Wow! I'll just stick to designing scenarios and campaigns, way much easier lol

[Karagin]

Originally Posted by zovs66

Wow! I'll just stick to designing scenarios and campaigns, way much easier lol

Yeah...but sometimes I get this bug that says hey this whatever should look like this. I blame it on my building miniature scifi models and such. Then again I am always tinkering with (breaking) things, so there is that fun.

I have MAYBE 8 icons I have done since figuring out all the fun of this game that I have made that turned out close to what I was going for. And one good thing about this group of folks, everyone is always helpful and there to answer questions. Now if I can convince my air force to STOP attacking its own side...

[Imp]

Gives you an idea of the work involved - there are how many units and many have several different camo schemes, no wonder Don has learned a few tricks.
Awesome.

[Imp]

Now if I can convince my air force to STOP attacking its own side...

At least they look good while they are doing it

[DRG]

Originally Posted by scorpio_rocks

Don had been finding creative ways to get around the limitations of a restrictive palette and the pixel scale for over two decades!

The palette is only as restrictive as you let it be restrictive. There are some combinations of colours would be nice to have >256 but there are many ways around that.

Every colour here is in the game palette