British Roadset [WIP - Approx 86.7956538% Complete]

Post by **Dave** » 16 Feb 2006 22:01

Hi everybody. I just wondered if drawing road surfaces/markings etc. should be done in the same way as locomotives and the like.

Very much inline with my satisfaction with Pikka's UKRS (absolutely fantastic methinks), I'm thinking along the lines of making the game have an even more British feel - well for me if no one else cares. I fancy having a bash at making the original lines more British (they do actually look quite British already to be fair) by adding give way lines, stop lines etc.

This may also be an opportunity to look at the footpaths/sidewalks - near enough all but the country roads in Britain are footpathed.

I'm not quite sure how I'm going to make it work yet, or even if I'll be able to do it. Just enquiring beforehand about the possibility.

What do you guys think? Hope I've got the right place for this.

If not, I apologise.
Dave

Prof. Frink · Post by **Prof. Frink** » 16 Feb 2006 22:08

Get GRFCodec, and use that to decode TRG1R.GRF.

Edit the appropriate sprites, then re-encode.

Use GRFDiff (in GRFCodec package) to create a .grd file of the differences

Use GRDtoGRF to convert this into a newgrf file.

For subsequent tweakings, simply decode and edit this new file.

Post by **Dave** » 16 Feb 2006 22:10

Nice one.

How quick was that response? Love it.

Cheers Prof. Frink

Dave

Prof. Frink · Post by **Prof. Frink** » 16 Feb 2006 22:13

Hmm, maybe I should make a greasemonkey script for standard responses...

Shame I have no idea how

Post by **Dave** » 16 Feb 2006 22:17

I figured that it was probably a previously asked question - but I have an issue with reading through lots of writing. (Not just being difficult, I actually have some weird eye condition)

Apologies anyway
Dave

Post by **Dave** » 17 Feb 2006 01:15

Sorry for being a pain in the proverbial rear-end, but I have stumbled upon a problem. I've edited the sprites I wanted to take a look at - a couple of them anyway - and have re-encoded the file and all.

All is well, says everything. Until I start the game and I have a weird colour problem. Everything is kinda red - especially the bottom half of the tile. and generally the colours are off. It all seems a bit straaaaaange.

The program I used to convert the .pcx to .png and back to the .pcx file is called Advanced Batch Converter - if that helps.

Ack, I knew I shouldn't start messing with this art lark. I'm cursed!

Forgive me if this annoys you, but any help would be somewhat appreciated.

Thankee all.

Dave

P.S. If you need to see what I had edited - it is literally a case of 24 pixels per sprite. I've done four. So that's 96. If you do though, just say and I'll c+p them into a .png or .jpg. Sorry to anyone who wants to solve real problems... mine seem rather weak...

DaleStan · Post by **DaleStan** » 17 Feb 2006 01:23

At some point your palette got destroyed, I suspect. Decode trg1r again, and this time save trg1r.pcx's palette. Then do your editing, and re-apply the palette to the PCX before saving and encoding. Make ABSOLUTELY sure that no "optimize palette" or "reduce palette" or any other such option is selected.

I use [url=http://www.gimp.org"]The GIMP[/url] for my PCX-editing needs, but many other programs work too.

Raichase · Post by **Raichase** » 17 Feb 2006 03:18

Personally, I can't go past Irfranview. Excellent graphics converter, which then allows you to work with the png in any program of your choice (I use paint, with the TTD palette).

Post by **Dave** » 18 Feb 2006 00:17

Right...

Thanks guys.

I'll have a look at The GIMP and Irfanview.

Cheers
Dave

DaleStan · Post by **DaleStan** » 18 Feb 2006 04:47

The other option, which is what I did before I figured out how to get The GIMP to save a palette[0], is to copy/paste your edits into the good PCX file, instead of converting back to PCX. You still have the same issue with not changing the palette when you save, though.

[0] It's well hidden:
1) Open a good PCX (that is, one that GRFCodec just created)
2a) Dialogs -> Palettes... --OR--
2b) <CTRL-P>
3) Right-click -> Import Palette
4) Under "Select Source", choose the image you just opened.
5) Click Import.
Then you'll probably want to edit the palette, to give it a new name.

Post by **Dave** » 18 Feb 2006 22:15

That worked out for me. Thanks DaleStan.

Right back to the original part of the topic.

Britain has a lot of rural roads that are lined by hedges or fences.

I've started trying to put hedges on the outside of the roads (just the most basic \ and / config at the moment) but because hedges are green...
There's not much difference between the hedge and the grass behind it. I think putting a black pixel would make it look a bit weird, so does anyone have any ideas?

EDIT: I had no idea what I was doing... And its probably very rubbish, but here we are...

It's one of a project that's very much WIP at the moment - don't read much into it.

SkeedR · Post by **SkeedR** » 19 Feb 2006 07:52

No no no no! Keep trying, thats rather impressive if you ask me, seeing as how i can't draw for my life. Thats neither here nor there however, so, as I said, thats rather impressive, i like the green verge too.

jonty-comp · Post by **jonty-comp** » 19 Feb 2006 08:14

It's a great start! A few small things though:
- It's a lot better if you save the pictures in .PNG format when you post them, JPEG messes some of it up.
- Try using a graphics app that has a 'Pixel Randomizer' where you select multiple colours and t uses them randomly.

An example is below:

*cue crude 5 minute drawing*

lobster · Post by **lobster** » 19 Feb 2006 14:07

you know, personally i use i.Mage which is a great tool.

Post by **Dave** » 20 Feb 2006 00:55

Right I'll give that idea a go if this thing becomes serious, for sure.

Here are some more sprites. It took me ages meddling with the small parts on the junctions!

And it looks pretty rubbish... but opinions and criticisms would be nice.

I've added two different shades depending on which way the hedge is facing.

Anyway... Please leave me some opinions. It'll be hard work but it'll be nice to give this a go.

Dave

jonty-comp · Post by **jonty-comp** » 20 Feb 2006 08:02

Great start!
It just looks a little boxy to me, although I'm not sure you can do anything about that.

I can't wait to see how this set turns out!

Purno · Post by **Purno** » 20 Feb 2006 08:05

jonty-comp wrote:Great start!
It just looks a little boxy to me, although I'm not sure you can do anything about that.

Using a texture.

Raichase · Post by **Raichase** » 20 Feb 2006 09:26

Certainly looks great for a first go.

My only words of advice? Have a look at the TTD hedges, under a zoomed in view, to see what they have done, and then try to replicate the technique on your own hedges.

Post by **Dave** » 20 Feb 2006 16:55

Thanks for all comments. Much appreciated.

May not be able to work on this stuff for a couple of days - got a big Communication Studies presentation coming up... I'm actually gonna work hard on it now.

I'll see what I can come up with though.

Thanks again
Dave

Post by **Dave** » 05 Mar 2006 20:01

Right... Done 2 of the 4 sprites where the road ends halfway (with no sidewalks).

Other two will be done soon. I've finished my Comms. Just my Psychology coursework then we're good to go for a bit of hard work.

I haven't textured the hedges yet... I sort of like them the way they are, though in the end I probably will.

Slow progress - 'tis only my first go after all.

Speak to ye all again.
Thanks
Dave

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British Roadset [WIP - Approx 86.7956538% Complete]

British Roadset [WIP - Approx 86.7956538% Complete]

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