Now that the 1914 Scenario is gearing up for a preliminary release, I thought I'd release some of the stuff I've been using to make images in the game. Here's the Tech Image maker and some instructions for use.
Requires: Adobe Photoshop, the Tech Image Maker rar file , and the image(s) you want to use. The rar file is called: "Province and Tech Pics-1914.RAR"
Note: Directions are for PC. Mac Users can use these directions but may have to use alternate keystrokes, pull-down menus, etc.
1. Unzip the rar file into a location that is preferably seperate from the 1914 directory.
2. Open Photoshop and go to Window>Actions to show your actions toolbar. Click the a small circle in the upper right of the toolbar and select "Load Actions". See image below.
Load Actions. Actions are like little programs that perform step-by-step functions with a single keystroke.
3. Go to the unzipped folder and locate the 1914 Actions.atn file. Click "load". Open the 1914 Actions folder, there should be three actions: F5-Province Pics - Part 1, F6-Province Pics - Part 2, and F9 - Tech Pics. F9 - Tech pics is the only one you'll need to worry about. See below.
Correctly loaded actions. Note that your version of Photoshop may be newer/older than mine, so this might look slightly different.
4. For this example, I will replace the tech image for "Improved Scout Fighter" with a new image. To make a technology image, you first must know the id number of the technology. Every technology has its own unique ID in HoI2. These can be found in your 1914 directory in DB\TECH\[type]_tech.txt file. My example is located in the Aircraft_tech.txt file. Scrolling down in this text file, we see:
The tech id (application ID) for Improved Scout Fighter is 4040. Note that the component ID's (4041, 4042, etc.) are not needed as there is no tech image associated with them in HoI2. The ID is all you need from this file, so you may close the file now if you like (don't save over it).
5. Go into your 1914 directory and locate GFX/INTERFACE/TECH. This is the location for the technology images in 1914. This folder does NOT include technology team images. See how they're listed by number? That's why you need to be sure you know which one you want to modify.
6. Find the existing tech image and load into Photoshop. In my example, I've opened up 4040.bmp. You may want to save a backup copy (4040-old.bmp for examplle).
7. Find an image that you would like to replace with the existing image. Note: the image must be large enough so that it doesn't look blocky if resized. The image should be from 1900-1920 to keep with the overall appearance and theme of the 1914 mod. The image shouldn't have any borders either - the action filter will automatically add a border. I'll be replacing the 4040.bmp image with the image of a Sopwith Camel (an improved scout fighter). See below.
The existing tech image at left, the image I want to use at right.
8. Copy and paste your new image into the tech image. Resize the image if needed, but don't rotate it. The image should be large enough to overlap the existing image. If you need to reduce the opacity of the image when you are placing it, remember to make it 100% Opacity when you're done. See below.
Place the image so that the old image can't be seen. This image will be rotated, so it's best to have a nice overlap on the image underneath.
9. Press F9. The image will be rotated slightly, cropped, filtered, textured, have a slighty gradient added, and other good stuff. All of this is done automatically with the actions filter and in a matter of seconds. See below.
Voila! Almost there.
10. You're almost done, but you need one more item to finish it off. Go into the unzipped folder you created and open "dirt.psd".
11. Press "Ctrl+A" to select all of dirt.psd. Copy dirt.psd and paste it the tech image. It should fit correctly over the image.
12. Flatten the image and save over the existing .bmp file.
Completed image.
13. Start the 1914 mod and it should work. Then bug Allenby to get it in the mod.
Requires: Adobe Photoshop, the Tech Image Maker rar file , and the image(s) you want to use. The rar file is called: "Province and Tech Pics-1914.RAR"
Note: Directions are for PC. Mac Users can use these directions but may have to use alternate keystrokes, pull-down menus, etc.
1. Unzip the rar file into a location that is preferably seperate from the 1914 directory.
2. Open Photoshop and go to Window>Actions to show your actions toolbar. Click the a small circle in the upper right of the toolbar and select "Load Actions". See image below.
Load Actions. Actions are like little programs that perform step-by-step functions with a single keystroke.
3. Go to the unzipped folder and locate the 1914 Actions.atn file. Click "load". Open the 1914 Actions folder, there should be three actions: F5-Province Pics - Part 1, F6-Province Pics - Part 2, and F9 - Tech Pics. F9 - Tech pics is the only one you'll need to worry about. See below.
Correctly loaded actions. Note that your version of Photoshop may be newer/older than mine, so this might look slightly different.
4. For this example, I will replace the tech image for "Improved Scout Fighter" with a new image. To make a technology image, you first must know the id number of the technology. Every technology has its own unique ID in HoI2. These can be found in your 1914 directory in DB\TECH\[type]_tech.txt file. My example is located in the Aircraft_tech.txt file. Scrolling down in this text file, we see:
Code:
application = { # Improved Scout Fighter
[COLOR=DarkOrange][B]id = 4040[/B][/COLOR]
name = TECH_APP_AIRCRAFT_4_NAME
desc = TECH_APP_AIRCRAFT_4_DESC
position = { x = 24 y = 96 }
year = 1918
component = { # Improved Short Range Engine
id = 4041
name = TECH_CMP_AIRCRAFT_4_1_NAME
type = aeronautics
difficulty = 8
}
component = { # Improved Scout Fighter Airframe
id = 4042
name = TECH_CMP_AIRCRAFT_4_2_NAME
type = aeronautics
difficulty = 8
}The tech id (application ID) for Improved Scout Fighter is 4040. Note that the component ID's (4041, 4042, etc.) are not needed as there is no tech image associated with them in HoI2. The ID is all you need from this file, so you may close the file now if you like (don't save over it).
5. Go into your 1914 directory and locate GFX/INTERFACE/TECH. This is the location for the technology images in 1914. This folder does NOT include technology team images. See how they're listed by number? That's why you need to be sure you know which one you want to modify.
6. Find the existing tech image and load into Photoshop. In my example, I've opened up 4040.bmp. You may want to save a backup copy (4040-old.bmp for examplle).
7. Find an image that you would like to replace with the existing image. Note: the image must be large enough so that it doesn't look blocky if resized. The image should be from 1900-1920 to keep with the overall appearance and theme of the 1914 mod. The image shouldn't have any borders either - the action filter will automatically add a border. I'll be replacing the 4040.bmp image with the image of a Sopwith Camel (an improved scout fighter). See below.
The existing tech image at left, the image I want to use at right.
8. Copy and paste your new image into the tech image. Resize the image if needed, but don't rotate it. The image should be large enough to overlap the existing image. If you need to reduce the opacity of the image when you are placing it, remember to make it 100% Opacity when you're done. See below.
Place the image so that the old image can't be seen. This image will be rotated, so it's best to have a nice overlap on the image underneath.
9. Press F9. The image will be rotated slightly, cropped, filtered, textured, have a slighty gradient added, and other good stuff. All of this is done automatically with the actions filter and in a matter of seconds. See below.
Voila! Almost there.
10. You're almost done, but you need one more item to finish it off. Go into the unzipped folder you created and open "dirt.psd".
11. Press "Ctrl+A" to select all of dirt.psd. Copy dirt.psd and paste it the tech image. It should fit correctly over the image.
12. Flatten the image and save over the existing .bmp file.
Completed image.
13. Start the 1914 mod and it should work. Then bug Allenby to get it in the mod.
