Problems with GIMP and TGA

[whiplashomega]

So, I've lurked this forum for a long time, picking up tips on modding and such, and recently I decided to finally flesh out a nation mod I've been working on off and on for a while, well, I've figured out my back story, got a working version of the .dm file, using pictures from the game and copyspr command, and in this version, where it was only for my own use, a few pictures hijacked from other mods.(Before I distributed it I would create pictures of my own, or get permission.) Anyway, the mod is a MA nation related to Caelum, Harabatia, that turns the Raptors into a complete nation without the standard Caelum stuff.

The Problem: I attempted for the first time to create a picture of my own, or rather, edit a vanilla picture, the arcoscaphalean elephant, anyway, I got a screenshot of the unit screen, edited out everything but the elephant pic, set it to 128 x 128 pixels, black background, magenta shadow, spliced in wings on the people and saved it in TGA format. However, when I included the new picture file in the .dm, suddenly the game started switching out the unit! When I reference it by the unit #(whatever number I use) it loads a blank infantry unit with no name, when I reference it by the name "Raptor Elephant Riders" it loads an MA Pythium Serpent Lord (everything, stats, etc). I attempted disabling other mods didn't help, attempted saving it without any compression didn't help. I'm out of ideas, and finally relented and decided to post a question instead of remaining totally anonymous. Any ideas? (I'm using GIMP 2.6 to edit the picture)

[Gandalf Parker]

Many people in the forum here will greatly acclaim IrfanView as a great side program to GIMP and Dom mapmaking. It makes it easy to view the maps directory AND it converts files from one format to another. Im guessing it will be as helpful in modding.

TIP: always save your work in the format native to the application first. So save a GIMP project in GIMP format and THEN save it again as a tga or whatever. There almost always is some useful information, layers, resolution, etc lost when you convert from the programs native choice to something else. Having it in the programs format can be very helpful if you want to make changes later.

[whiplashomega]

Here is the edited picture I'm trying to include if that helps. I have irfanview, should I save it in GIMP format and use irfanview to convert it to TGA?

[whiplashomega]

And the relevant code, descriptions omitted

#newunit 2899
#copystats 150
#spr1 "./Harabatia/RaptorElephant.tga"
#name "Raptor Elephant Riders"
#weapon 182
#weapon 24
#end

#selectnation 72
#name "Harabatia"
#epithet "The United Raptors"
#flag "/Harabatia/rapatiaflag.tga"
#era 2
#color .1 .8 .3
#addrecunit 2901 --Wingless Archers
#addrecunit 2906 --Wingless Raven
#addrecunit 205 --Raptor
#addrecunit 1278 --Raptor Warrior
#addrecunit 2912 --Iron Crow
#addrecunit 2913 --Raven Guard
#addrecunit 2905 --Risen Yasad
#addrecunit 2914 --Bull Ogre
#addrecunit 2915 --Ogre Irongut
#addrecunit 2899 --Raptor Elephant Riders
#addreccom 2902 --Raptor Scout
#addreccom 2903 --Crow Lord
#addreccom 951 --Harab Seraph
#addreccom 2910 --Iron Crafter
#addreccom 1282 --Caretaker
#addreccom 2909 --Harab Elder
#addreccom 2900 --Harab Seraphine
#startcom 2911 --Hero Leader, Beralin
#startsite "Mount Raptor"
#startscout 2902 --Raptor Scout
#startunittype1 1278 --Raptor Warrior
#startunitnbrs1 20
#hero1 2916 --Ogre mage unit
#hero2 2911
#multihero1 2904 --Great Seraphine
#defcom1 2903 --Crow Lord
#defcom2 1282 --Caretaker
#defunit1 205 --Raptor
#defunit1b 2901 --Wingless Archer
#defunit2 1278 --Raptor Warrior
#defmult1 10
#defmult1b 10
#defmult2 10
#idealcold 3
#castleprod 10
#templepic 2
#startfort 31
#defaultfort 8
#farmfort 41
#mountainfort 9
#forestfort 35
#swampfort 7
#end

[Gandalf Parker]

Nice thread mini-tutorial on sprite graphics.
Only one minor change, you can kindof have more than two graphics for a sprite now with the various modding access to things like form change and terrain change.
http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/showthread.php?t=31987

[whiplashomega]

I feel dumb, looked back through the .dm file, I had accidentally placed the #newmonster command after my #selectmonster commands, this apparently causes the game to freak out in unusual ways. Anyway, problem solved, and thank you for the direction to the GIMP advice thread. Now I just have to figure out how to keep the "color to alpha" command from making my elephant semi-transparant

[Endoperez]

I think "Color to Alpha" only affects current selection. If so, first "Choose by Color", then "Color to Alpha".


There was a short-lived project about Fire-based Caelum (Caelis Immolatum) with tower shield/javelin troops. It was interesting due to the fact that javelin-wielding fliers could be scripted to Fire Closest, which would make them WALK forward until in range to use their weapons. This made groups of Caelian infantries stay mostly together and seemed like it might help in keeping their formations intact and actually giving them uses in the battlefield. You might want to try what javelins would do to your infantry tactics.

[Aezeal]

hmmm don't know if this is what your problem is but I usually have alpha channel problems (with an alpha channel the black isn't counted as 0,0,0 and you have a black box around your unit. I think it happens when you save with a transparent back ground or something..

When I notice I have such a tga file I usually just create a new image of the appropriate size (rgb colors) and ctrl A, crtl C (select all and copy) and then paste it in the new image and the alpha channel is gone. 3 sec work.

No idea if that is really your problem though since I don't really understand it all

[whiplashomega]

Thanks Endoperez, that solved the problem, I now have Raptor elephant riders! woot!