I Made this ART for FREE, should I keep going?

[Iosue Yu]

Well I dont exactly know how I would do it, especially locking the images to specific cultures and even specific goverment types.

Anyway, if interest is high enough and Paradox dont see it as useful themselves (or the correct way to implement new content), I might create a lot anyway for mods. If there is a demand for it. Its starting to look like there is though, so thank you all for the likes and compliments!

Let me just brief you a bit. Basically you should find the file you are "replacing".

Then, make a path in Documents\Paradox Interactive\Imperator\mod, and put a new file named xxxx.mod, according to some format.

This is an example that I used. You can just change the name accordingly.

name="Rome with Wolf Flag"
supported_version="1.6.*"
description=""
tags={
    "Experiment"
}
path="mod/wolf_rome"

Then, make a folder in the mod directory. Name the folder according to what you configured in "path". For my example, it's wolf_rome.

Inside this wolf_rome folder, make directories to what you are replacing in the mod. For example if you're replacing \gfx\coat_of_arms\colored_emblems\ce_roman_eagle.dds, then make the folders accordingly and put your new file into that colored_emblems.

Final file:

\Documents\Paradox Interactive\Imperator\mod\wolf_rome\gfx\coat_of_arms\colored_emblems\ce_roman_eagle.dds

Run the game with the new mod activated. You can test it in game.

 

[Tarnholm]

Damn that's fantastic! Please continue.

 

[cabesadaseituna]

Great job man! I wish the paradox boys could appreciate your art and effort. They could even offer you some charges.

 

[Decius]

So, Imperator: Rome 2.0, it has convinced me that the game is going to be something for me going forward.
And I also see that the game uses art more than ever, both CK3 and I:R, which to me is always welcome.

So the background paintings, they are beautiful, but few. So I decided to do something about that, at least try, so I found the folder with the DDS files(Background art) and tried to find the right format etc.
Why?
Well I have dared to, and tried at least to make more of them, starting with one pilot project painting.
My idea is to offer them for free, to help flavorize Imperator: Rome.

The only question is, is it good enough, and do people want to implement it to the game?
I have no ambition to make it even permanent, I dont dare believe my work is that good, but maybe they can be fillers until Paradox own artist's can get some time to expand this area themselves.
In other words, kick out my art with their own later.

So lets see it, well yes but one thing, for this pilot project I chose to stick close to the Kingdom Government background art, staying in Hellenic culture/faith style.
I want to make art for many cultures and faiths, but only if this Pilot project is good enough and actually gets implemented to the game.

I had to guess the size according to DDS info, so I saw 800x256, guessed it was pixels, and put in a 300 pixels per centimeter.

I really really hope the community likes it, and wants it, and maybe even Paradox?

Anyway,
Here it is:

Definitely keep going! Looks great! With some small adjustments like shadows, saturation, levels etc. - just to fit with the other ingame pictures in those regards, I wouldn't be able to tell any difference at all, if it's made by paradox or you!

May I ask with which program/software you created this beautiful picture? Do you know any good youtube tutorial aswell?

 

[Umrem300]

 

[Axis89]

Definitely keep going! Looks great! With some small adjustments like shadows, saturation, levels etc. - just to fit with the other ingame pictures in those regards, I wouldn't be able to tell any difference at all, if it's made by paradox or you!

May I ask with which program/software you created this beautiful picture? Do you know any good youtube tutorial aswell?

Wow thank you, thats very nice to hear!
I use photoshop, with a wacom tablet, thats it.

For tutorials I dont have that on hand right now, I can come back to you here later and give som tips and some youtube channels. Thanks again!

 

[Decius]

Wow thank you, thats very nice to hear!
I use photoshop, with a wacom tablet, thats it.

Are you working on existing pictures or is this made from scratch? Both answers doesn't lower the outcome, but the latter would be even more impressive!

Wow thank you, thats very nice to hear!
I use photoshop, with a wacom tablet, thats it.

For tutorials I dont have that on hand right now, I can come back to you here later and give som tips and some youtube channels. Thanks again!

Thank you, that would be awesome

 

[SAS]

Nice work! Feed that artist.

 

[Axis89]

Are you working on existing pictures or is this made from scratch? Both answers doesn't lower the outcome, but the latter would be even more impressive!


Thank you, that would be awesome

To answer your first question, I made it from scratch. I had to work from scratch to understand how I can reproduce the same style and quality which fits into Imperator: Rome, especially if im going to make completely new backgrounds for India or the Steppe nomads.

Second question, still coming back to that when I can.

 

[trjacobin]

Well I dont exactly know how I would do it, especially locking the images to specific cultures and even specific goverment types.

Anyway, if interest is high enough and Paradox dont see it as useful themselves (or the correct way to implement new content), I might create a lot anyway for mods. If there is a demand for it. Its starting to look like there is though, so thank you all for the likes and compliments!

Contact Agamidae, he'd have it up in a matter of hours I'm sure! That guy's a UI wiz if I've ever seen any...

@Agamidae Could this be incorporated for Greek or Hellenistic countries?

 

[Axis89]

Are you working on existing pictures or is this made from scratch? Both answers doesn't lower the outcome, but the latter would be even more impressive!


Thank you, that would be awesome

Now I have some tutorial channels you can use from youtube, but I must add that I did go to Kingston Univeristy London for a Bachelour in Illustration, plus years of practice.
Now, set a goal, and many small goals, and stay patient. You might feel like youre banging your head against the wall for the 100th time, and then you sorta give up and relax a little to only have a breakthrough when you least expect it.
Sometimes you just need a lot of time to look back, practicing a year, two years, three years, then look at what you did last year etc, it can be incredible how "negative" we can be about ourselves.
Best tip: Dont be like me and spend years being a perfectionist, it only demotivates and stops you from advancing. Be critical, but dont over do it.

Heres some sites Ive used through the years next to other types of training:

Proko

https://www.youtube.com/c/ProkoTV/videos

ImagineFX

https://www.youtube.com/user/imaginefx/videos

Watts Atelier of Arts

https://www.youtube.com/user/wattsatelier/videos

Btw, I hope I dont break any rules by linking to tutorial channels.

Have a good day!

 

[fabius]

Thanks for posting you art here!
Yes it would be great if a modder picks some of your work up to add your high quality pic or pics for variety!

 

[Federalist girl]

Well I dont exactly know how I would do it, especially locking the images to specific cultures and even specific goverment types.

Anyway, if interest is high enough and Paradox dont see it as useful themselves (or the correct way to implement new content), I might create a lot anyway for mods. If there is a demand for it. Its starting to look like there is though, so thank you all for the likes and compliments!

Great work!! Loving the Greek kingdom-style background out. I would love to see something similar in the Persian style and also for the Romans when you eventually convert them into an imperial monarchy — since a Hellenistic style doesn’t quite exactly fit them either.

As for how to lock it to certain cultures and governments, the relevant files are in the GUI folder. I haven’t tried modding these backgrounds specifically but I’ve changed other ones (diplomacy backgrounds), so let me know if you need help finding the right files.

 

[Decius]

Now I have some tutorial channels you can use from youtube, but I must add that I did go to Kingston Univeristy London for a Bachelour in Illustration, plus years of practice.
Now, set a goal, and many small goals, and stay patient. You might feel like youre banging your head against the wall for the 100th time, and then you sorta give up and relax a little to only have a breakthrough when you least expect it.
Sometimes you just need a lot of time to look back, practicing a year, two years, three years, then look at what you did last year etc, it can be incredible how "negative" we can be about ourselves.
Best tip: Dont be like me and spend years being a perfectionist, it only demotivates and stops you from advancing. Be critical, but dont over do it.

Heres some sites Ive used through the years next to other types of training:

Proko

https://www.youtube.com/c/ProkoTV/videos

ImagineFX

https://www.youtube.com/user/imaginefx/videos

Watts Atelier of Arts

https://www.youtube.com/user/wattsatelier/videos

Btw, I hope I dont break any rules by linking to tutorial channels.

Have a good day!

Thank you I'm gonna try it, but reading now about your experience, I guess my attempts will fail completely

 

[Agamidae]

The only question is, is it good enough, and do people want to implement it to the game?
I have no ambition to make it even permanent, I dont dare believe my work is that good, but maybe they can be fillers

How absolutely DARE you think of your skills so little? This is great. Seriously!
I'll take a look at adding it to character backgrounds. Should be straightforward enough.

 

[Symbra]

I made this low effort meme for the original room in the modding discord

So naturally, here you go

(On a serious note, it's great! Hope it can be added to the game!)

 

[Nokori]

Sometimes you just need a lot of time to look back, practicing a year, two years, three years, then look at what you did last year etc, it can be incredible how "negative" we can be about ourselves.

The only question is, is it good enough, and do people want to implement it to the game?

The artists paradox. You know what you intended when creating your art and see all the places that diden't went the way you wanted it to. We on the other side come free of expections and can marvel the beauty you created. So yes, I am sure peopüle want more of this and as long as you enjoy doing these, please, oh please continue.

Two more points though:
1. Just in case you don't already doing it. From an usebility perspective it would be awsome if you would keep in mind what kind of content might end up infront of your art ingame, and if it might clash with your background. Especialy in a viewpoint of readability.

2. You might post a post in the modding forum here. Maybe you can get help from someone to implement it so you can concentrade on the art or even collaborate with other designers on a whole art improvement/expension mod. Or you could also offer your art for other modders to use in thair mods.

Anyway thanks for the work. I like it.

 

[Axis89]

Thank you I'm gonna try it, but reading now about your experience, I guess my attempts will fail completely

Well, dont expect success now, just plan with patience, this is a marathon. Seriously, you will feel like failing so much, I do, but keep going and when you have gone the extra mile and look back, well just see for yourself.
Just be thoughtful of what you are looking at, be thoughtful of why you make that line or paint that dab and never skip/hide hands and feet(Many hide or try to avoid drawing hands and feet because it is hard to grasp).

Maybe I will see your art here in the future!

 

[Axis89]

Great work!! Loving the Greek kingdom-style background out. I would love to see something similar in the Persian style and also for the Romans when you eventually convert them into an imperial monarchy — since a Hellenistic style doesn’t quite exactly fit them either.

As for how to lock it to certain cultures and governments, the relevant files are in the GUI folder. I haven’t tried modding these backgrounds specifically but I’ve changed other ones (diplomacy backgrounds), so let me know if you need help finding the right files.

How absolutely DARE you think of your skills so little? This is great. Seriously!
I'll take a look at adding it to character backgrounds. Should be straightforward enough.

I made this low effort meme for the original room in the modding discord

View attachment 685127


So naturally, here you go


View attachment 685128


(On a serious note, it's great! Hope it can be added to the game!)

The artists paradox. You know what you intended when creating your art and see all the places that diden't went the way you wanted it to. We on the other side come free of expections and can marvel the beauty you created. So yes, I am sure peopüle want more of this and as long as you enjoy doing these, please, oh please continue.

Two more points though:
1. Just in case you don't already doing it. From an usebility perspective it would be awsome if you would keep in mind what kind of content might end up infront of your art ingame, and if it might clash with your background. Especialy in a viewpoint of readability.

2. You might post a post in the modding forum here. Maybe you can get help from someone to implement it so you can concentrade on the art or even collaborate with other designers on a whole art improvement/expension mod. Or you could also offer your art for ozher modders to use in thair mods.

Anyway thanks for the work. I like it.

Thanks for posting you art here!
Yes it would be great if a modder picks some of your work up to add your high quality pic or pics for variety!

So many to reply to!

First of, thank you all, all who I reply to directly but also many others who I havent quoted here, thank all of you for the support!

So yes, where do I start..

Federalist Girl thank you! Heres my on the fly thoughts
Persian backgrounds, yes I would love to make that too, as far as I know from the top of my head what I immidiately think needs to be done is:
India
Steppe Nomads(Maybe a western and eastern version as they are vast and not all the same)
Persia(Non-Greek)
Aksum(Eithiopian, east African. Ethiopia is a often forgotten ancient country/civ)
Greco-Egyptian
Egyptian
Carthaginian/Punic
Imperial Roman
Major Greek States(Macedon, Phrygia, Seleucid except Egypt)

Take this with a grain of salt, just a thought in a hurry. I will look at what people want first of all, and so far I have heard India, Steppe Nomads and Persia.
Me personally down the road would love Sparta and Athens too, and of course Imperial Rome and maybe Generic Republic/Democratic background, so that Republican Rome can keep that beautiful background which is in-game already.

Agamdiae, thank you, I am glad I did this now, posting my work. Well, I sure got motivated to make more art for Imperator: Rome, seeing all the support here, and having it as a mod is a good idea, that way people can use it already.
If by any divine chance Paradox actually wants to implement the art themselves I would be over the moon, but until that happens a mod can make it available in-game for all.
Thanks, I would love to co-operate this!

Love the meme Symbra! xD I happen to be a Spiderman fan too, so he's always welcome to swing by!

Nokori, thank you too, and yes I will try to always keep in mind that the design wont clash with characters, information etc. Thanks for the heads up!
Also, yes a mod might be the thing, as I said to Agamidae, that way it can be used straight away. If Paradox wants it implemented officially they are welcome to do so by me, but people seem to like the art and I know waiting for content can be a struggle. So yes, why not!

Fabius, thank you too, I've noted your support and suggestion too, as many others here whom I cant get around to replying, sorry, but also thank you so much!
I will say this, my next project will be India - Autocratic, as that would fit what is needed in-game with Maurya being such a big player and all, and make my fiancee happy to see me make something Indian!

Thank you all, and I'll try to answer more of you when I can!

 

[MohawkWolfo98]

Your post got mentioned on the Imperator Twitter!! And well deserved too, that is honestly top notch, it’s up there with the artwork Paradox put ingame. Hopefully we can see throne rooms of different types as more patches are added in.