graphics modding help anyone?

[phoenix]

The screenshot below shows a part of the map from Kharkov 43. To the left is version 1.02, to the right is the new 1.03 update, but using the features files Strela kindly provided to remove the hex edges that come in the stock 1.03 update. What I'm looking for is the most natural looking map I can get, no hexes, no hex edges, but all the new contour colours in, new trees in, but NOT the new PB style houses, villages, rivers and streams). I've been messing around in Paint trying to cut and paste various bits of the 2dFeatures100 and 50 files (in the map folder - but I'm using the ones Strela provided without hex sides) but it doesn't seem to work. I get black lines and cut off edges and villages in the wrong place. I'm obviously doing something wrong. I was wondering if anyone (more expert at manipulating the game graphics than I) could advise me how I can do the following:
Basically, I would like the 1.03 graphics (using the no hex edges files) but with the rivers, streams, villages, towns from 1.02 (NOT the trees from 1.02). That would look most like a normal real life map, for me. Is anyone able to help? Is there a reason why I cannot identify (this I have found difficult) the relevant features in the 1.02 Features file that I would like and cut and paste them onto the 1.03 Features files, replacing those 1.03 features that I don't want? This is what I have tried, but it doesn't seem to work.


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[Strela]

The screenshot below shows a part of the map from Kharkov 43. To the left is version 1.02, to the right is the new 1.03 update, but using the features files Strela kindly provided to remove the hex edges that come in the stock 1.03 update. What I'm looking for is the most natural looking map I can get, no hexes, no hex edges, but all the new contour colours in, new trees in, but NOT the new PB style houses, villages, rivers and streams). I've been messing around in Paint trying to cut and paste various bits of the 2dFeatures100 and 50 files (in the map folder - but I'm using the ones Strela provided without hex sides) but it doesn't seem to work. I get black lines and cut off edges and villages in the wrong place. I'm obviously doing something wrong. I was wondering if anyone (more expert at manipulating the game graphics than I) could advise me how I can do the following:
Basically, I would like the 1.03 graphics (using the no hex edges files) but with the rivers, streams, villages, towns from 1.02 (NOT the trees from 1.02). That would look most like a normal real life map, for me. Is anyone able to help? Is there a reason why I cannot identify (this I have found difficult) the relevant features in the 1.02 Features file that I would like and cut and paste them onto the 1.03 Features files, replacing those 1.03 features that I don't want? This is what I have tried, but it doesn't seem to work.

The problem is that between Kharkov '43 1.02 & Kharkov '43 1.03 the graphics system changed.

This is what broke Jison's Mapmod.

Essentially the standard width for the 2DFeatures 100 file became 228 bytes across instead of the original 219 bytes. These extra 9 bytes screws up the alignment for everything.

Here is a visual example. The top line is the original village graphics, the below the new, wider graphics. The black area is the difference of 9 bytes.





To fix Mapmod, I had to move each graphic individually into the correct location. It can be done - it's just time consuming. It has to be done in the features files and the hexsides files.

This is one fix I definitely don't have time for currently...!

David

[-72-]

The interesting thing too, is that when the styles changed in some of the other series (NB and CWB to be precise), the width of the files were not modified (so it did not break a lot of mods that were in use).

Basically all that you need to do is to (if Paint uses it - it may not for all I know as I have never used it), copy out the terrain that you want any align them on top of where you want them to be *but* don't go over where the last building of the original grouping is.

If Paint allows you to use an opacity control, you could apply that to the layer that you added and then move to exactly where you want it.

I use the Adobe stuff, and it might have more features for all I know, so I am only relating how I work with this sort of thing -but it might not be possible on what you have. I don't have time to do custom mods at the moment either, but it does sound solvable and doable, Phoenix.

[phoenix]

OK. I understand the black bars now. Thanks David and Trauth.

Peter

[Der Landser]

Which Panzer Campaigns titles are affected by the graphics system change?

[-72-]

Which Panzer Campaigns titles are affected by the graphics system change?

All that have been published and sold by JTS, with the exception, I think, of Tunisia '43 - keep in mind though that JTS is selling all its back catalog on its site now and those are also impacted.

If you have the HPS versions, I don't think that any of those have been changed.

[Der Landser]

Thanks for the info Trauth. Kh43 is the only JTS PzC title that I own, all of the rest of my PzC titles are the HPS versions. I'm a huge fan of Jison's Map Mod and I really like his aesthetics. I prefer to keep Jison's Map Mod for Kh43 and I wish that there was some way to do so and still be able to update Kh43 to 1.03.

[Strela]

Thanks for the info Trauth. Kh43 is the only JTS PzC title that I own, all of the rest of my PzC titles are the HPS versions. I'm a huge fan of Jison's Map Mod and I really like his aesthetics. I prefer to keep Jison's Map Mod for Kh43 and I wish that there was some way to do so and still be able to update Kh43 to 1.03.

Der Landser,

There are a heap of threads on the board here on how to get Mapmod working.

Here is one;

https://www.theblitz.club/message_boards...?tid=68336

This includes the file you need to load AFTER Mapmod for it to work with the updated JTS titles.

David

[Der Landser]

Thank you for the link Strela.

My Kh43 installation is currently at 1.02 and I have Volcano Man's art work and Jison's Map Mod installed. If I understand the post correctly, I need to uninstall my current Kh43 installation, reinstall Kh43 from scratch, apply the 1.03 patch and then install the Map Mod file referenced in the link. Am I on track?

[Strela]

Thank you for the link Strela.

My Kh43 installation is currently at 1.02 and I have Volcano Man's art work and Jison's Map Mod installed. If I understand the post correctly, I need to uninstall my current Kh43 installation, reinstall Kh43 from scratch, apply the 1.03 patch and then install the Map Mod file referenced in the link. Am I on track?

My recommendation is to take a copy of your existing directory (1.02) as a backup.

Then uninstall/reinstall the base game, add 1.03 then Map mod and Volcano Mans art in the order you want. The final step is to apply the patch from the other thread that will correct the alignment of mapmods hexes.

Good luck!

David