Request for a simple useful mod

[Pdifolco]

As 99.99% of the people in the world I hope, I can't distinguish a Master Somethink from a Somethink's Guild when looking at the icons... All are remarkably resembling, with maybe some additional wall here or there
http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/rolleyes.gif

So I would find it quite useful to just put the building's level order number (1 to 4) in the upper left corner of the icon.
I suck at everything graphical http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/dizzy.gif and it will take me months to modify half of the stuff, they are in 120 bif file sin 25 folders, bwahhh...

If someone more efficient is interested in the idea it'll be cool http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/tongue.gif http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

[Pdifolco]

No takers ? http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/frown.gif
I tried to do stg with the Bif Reader utility, but the buildings icon files are totally garbled. The "real" bifs files with frames (troops) are ok, but I can't do anything with those totally plain vanilla stupid flat files http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/mad.gif
Why didn't CA choose to use bmp's for that ?? http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/confused.gif http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/mecry.gif

[Duke John]

Right-click on the building to get a description popped up, then you will see clearly what kind of building you're looking at. This doesn't solve your problem exactly but I doubt it's worth the trouble adjusting all the BIFs for such a minor issue.

Cheers, Duke John

[Pdifolco]

Noble Sir John http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/wink.gif ,
I already spend my time r-clicking to know if my Breeder is Guild or Master ...
http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/rolleyes.gif If looking at a province you could see instantly that you have Breeder2, Sword2, Armourer3 it'll be MUCH easier to properly manage the provinces.
Adjusting all the icons should NOT be that tedious, in Civ2 for example it'll be done in a couple hours Damned bif's ... http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/angry.gif

[Wellington]

Quote[/b] (Pdifolco @ Aug. 12 2003,03:47)]Adjusting all the icons should NOT be that tedious, in Civ2 for example it'll be done in a couple hours Damned bif's ... http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/angry.gif
Hi Pdifolco,

I here what your saying, and the MTW file structures are inmdeed a pain, but MTW is not Civ2.

All MTW modders are masochists ... we have to be ... but this tendancy merely adds to the enjoyment

I agree with DJ. I can't see why you want this, no one is going to do it for you, and (with all respect&#33http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/wink.gif if your having problems differentiating between MTW building icons, then ... er ...

... I can't imagine what problems you'll encounter if you try changing other things http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/rolleyes.gif

Welly

[Pdifolco]

Wellington,
Bah, I CAN find out what those stoopid buildings are, it's just that it'll be so much easier if a number of special icon system existed ...(let's say 1 shield for armorer, then 2 for Guild,etc..)

And well, if nobody is going to do it, could you at least help me find a proggy to decode this damned bif's into anything editable ? http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/rolleyes.gif

[barocca]

go here
Org Tools Downloads (http://www.3ddownloads.com/strategy-gaming/totalwar/Tools)

find readbif22b, new version, not listed on webpages yet,
2/3 down the page

this will allow you to extract to a bmp and import from a bmp,

:-)

[Duke John]

Quote[/b] ](with all respect&#33http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/wink.gif
Don't you hate it, when trying to be serious the board makes http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/wink.gif smily when typing ) You might start thinking Wellington is playing mindgames http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/shock.gif

[Wellington]

Quote[/b] (Duke John @ Aug. 12 2003,12:09)]
Quote[/b] ](with all respect&#33http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/wink.gif
Don't you hate it, when trying to be serious the board makes http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/wink.gif smily when typing ) You might start thinking Wellington is playing mindgames http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/shock.gif
You won't believe how much this pisses me off DJ.

... ))))) &#33http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/wink.gif &#33http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/wink.gif &#33http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/wink.gif &#33http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/wink.gif &#33http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/wink.gif ...

Maybe the solution is never to use exclamation marks ... whoops did it again http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/frown.gif ... , (or right parentheses) ... SHIT ... I give up http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/mecry.gif



EDITORS ADDITIONAL NOTE: And, as an afterthought, whilst iconboard insists on littering serious posts with pathetic smilies you won't believe how many posts I've made in other Org forums that were intended to be humourous/light-herated (ok - typical British dry humour) that received "outraged" responses from patrons and moderators alike who just "did'nt get it".

Some even (they know who they are) requested I SIGNPOST MY HUMOUR IN FUTURE POSTS VIA COPIOUS USAGE OF THE "CLICKABLE SMILIES" in order to ensure that ignorant members of the Org could interpret any humourous content within my posts in future.

Jesus - talk about "dumbing down". Still, as such individuals are undoubtedly the same type of people whose sole experience of the English language is limiyed to Dubya's speeches ... well ...

... what can I expect.

Anyway, that's why I rarely use humour at the Org anymore. It just is'nt worth the effort - SHIT ... done it again

[Duke John]

I've had similar problems at our LotR forum. They asked if I could use smilies to let them know I was being sarcastic. IMO it was dripping from the post, but some people just don't understand this higher form of posting that can only be known as the Art (Ok that was an obvious one, but just to be sure http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/joker.gif http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/rolleyes.gif http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/wink.gif http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/tongue.gif http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/confused.gif or whatever http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif

Cheers, Duke John

[Yelping Godzilla]

Disable emoticons.

Secondary benefit - no more risible eye rolling smilies. I can imagine your expression of imagined superiority without the visual aid, thanks. My chimplike faculties extend at least so far.

I don't think this is such a bad idea for a mod. For me though, it moves too close to a problem I am simply unwilling to tackle; the hostile interface of MTW after a certain point. Once you control over a third of the map, the process of managing titles, buildings, unit creation, agents and so on simply becomes a chore. This reality is too depressing for me to worry about and while this mod might help a little, the general feel of the late game cannot be changed so lightly. I've won MTW enough times, my interest now lies with the early/mid game and after a certain point I simply quit. This point falls before I can become overly tired of keeping track of my building levels.

Let's try and keep things positive, shall we? This is a forum to field creation, not derisive pruning - this is what seperates an amateur cleaning up the problems CA left us and a real modder.

Hmm. Two forms of elitism in one thread. And Wellington was only responsible for one of them. Outstanding.

EEUURAAH.

[Pdifolco]

Thx to all for the humor http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/tongue.gif http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif
Barocca,
I did get the latest BIF reader as per your instructions http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/tongue.gif http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/wink.gif , and I get this when I open the BorderFort bif :


http://perso.wanadoo.fr/pdifolco/Clipboard01.jpg

What am I to do with this ?? http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/confused.gif http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/confused.gif http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/rolleyes.gif

[Wellington]

Quote[/b] (Yelping Godzilla @ Aug. 12 2003,13:11)]Hmm. Two forms of elitism in one thread. And Wellington was only responsible for one of them. Outstanding.

EEUURAAH.
Oh dear - ammunition for the able

I really do hope your comment regarding "elitism" is NOT directed to myself Why? Because it was only 2 days ago that I was expressing my opinion (that was requested via E-mail via a moderator) as to why I absolutely deplore such "elitism", within such a group - whether it be individuals or sub-groups.

I don't mind anyone knocking my knowledge, because I know such individuals are few are far between, but I really object to anyone knocking my principles.

Unfortunately your addendum "And Wellington was only responsible for one of them" tells me something and nothing about you

I do hope you will feel the need to clarify such comments.

If you choose to, then I'm a patient respectful patron.

If you choose not to, then ... hhhmmm ... what can I say.

Welly

[Yelping Godzilla]

It amuses me that a man expressing his incredulity at being asked to signpost his comedy would ask me to clarify myself.

What can you say? Anything. Bob Hope is dead.

EEUURAAH.

[Pdifolco]

Quote[/b] (Yelping Godzilla @ Aug. 12 2003,20:11)]Disable emoticons.

Secondary benefit - no more risible eye rolling smilies. I can imagine your expression of imagined superiority without the visual aid, thanks. My chimplike faculties extend at least so far.

I don't think this is such a bad idea for a mod. For me though, it moves too close to a problem I am simply unwilling to tackle; the hostile interface of MTW after a certain point. Once you control over a third of the map, the process of managing titles, buildings, unit creation, agents and so on simply becomes a chore. This reality is too depressing for me to worry about and while this mod might help a little, the general feel of the late game cannot be changed so lightly. I've won MTW enough times, my interest now lies with the early/mid game and after a certain point I simply quit. This point falls before I can become overly tired of keeping track of my building levels.

Let's try and keep things positive, shall we? This is a forum to field creation, not derisive pruning - this is what seperates an amateur cleaning up the problems CA left us and a real modder.

Hmm. Two forms of elitism in one thread. And Wellington was only responsible for one of them. Outstanding.

EEUURAAH.
Oh, at least a friendly soul that agrees to my idea http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif
Thx Godzilla

Indeed what was a simple, elegant campaign interface for STW is just not appropriate to MTW : too much provinces, units, armies, agents, buildings ...
There would be much more to do that my putting numbers on buildings, but it is mostly not possible : having real information screens for economics, military,diplomacy ...
RTW screenies so far doesn't bode well : undoubtly many more things and same unfunctional interface http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/frown.gif

And I'm like you : I start (preferrably early), make my faction the most powerful country in a century or so, then quit and start another game. In STW I liked the end game, here it's too much tedious.
Will try VI Dark Ages campaign soon, looks more limited in scope http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/rolleyes.gif

[barocca]

Quote[/b] (Pdifolco @ Aug. 12 2003,15:03)]Thx to all for the humor :p :D
Barocca,
I did get the latest BIF reader as per your instructions :p ;) , and I get this when I open the BorderFort bif :


http://perso.wanadoo.fr/pdifolco/Clipboard01.jpg

What am I to do with this ?? :confused: :confused: :rolleyes:
ok,
thats the info pic, when you click on the building for information, that little pic is "overlayed" onto the parchment displaying what the building does

there are more border fort bifs floating around in the games file structure,
which one are you trying to find?

[barocca]

hmmm Barocca,
how about you read thread title??

Medieval\campmap\review_panel\Buildings

there are a lot of unsued ones to wade through,
if you suceed in this endeavour please Upload them to the Org,
others would no doubt appreciate it,

Tips.
try to use a compatible/suitable font http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif
and edit the extracted bmp file directly,
and try to find a colour that is already in the bmp palette, that way it wont get all scrambled http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

B.

[Wellington]

Quote[/b] (Yelping Godzilla @ Aug. 12 2003,16:50)]It amuses me that a man expressing his incredulity at being asked to signpost his comedy would ask me to clarify myself.

What can you say? Anything. Bob Hope is dead.

EEUURAAH.
Well, I'm British - NOT American, and "Bob Hope" means nothing to me.

Sigh ... this is NOT the forum it was six months ago.

[Pdifolco]

Oops http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/eek.gif
I was pretty dumb and confused the "Info Pics" with the "Review Panel" images http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/rolleyes.gif
Thx Barocca, now I *just* have to extract the icons, and put my numbers in PSP.
I'll come later (a year or so, with my graphics skills http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/eek.gif ) to upload the stuff http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif
Thanks to all, even if I unvoluntarily started a dispute - "Wellington vs Godzilla" http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif - didn't get the point of it though http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/confused.gif ...

[barocca]

Im not going to close or split this thread today,

frankly i fail to see where the argument is relevant,
and although some comments were meant as humourous i can understand where a cultural difference may misinterperet same,
But those it was initially aimed at obviously Understood the "poke in the ribs" style, while those it was not aimed at considered it something else.

Guys, a simple "that was a bit harsh", rather than a battle of words, which always risks escatlating beyond control, would be far more effective in explaining the humor was not readily apparent.

Remember, although the humour of a statement may be apparent to the author, and indeed to his compatriots,
it may not be so apparent to some-one for whom English is not the native tongue, and thus have to concentrate somewhat to translate from one to the other (i have to concentrate very hard to read French and German, and oftentimes "slang" totally escapes me).
Nor would some English Language based humour be at all apparent to a patron who has never even heard of Fawlty Towers or Red Dwarf...

Remember we have people from all countries coming here,
i could almost guarantee that neither of those shows are at all popular in Korea or Poland for example..

I have to date Never issued any Chips, although i have warned a few members they were perilously close to that.

Today I have issued no warnings, simply requesting here,
Please calm down...

[Pdifolco]

Sorry to get my thread back on topic http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/rolleyes.gif (smily &#33http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/wink.gif, but I have some issues with Readbif : although the readme states that you can use it with command-line options under DOS window to make "batch" conversions, it doesn't work http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/frown.gif
When I type "readbif" in my DOS window it says "Program must be run under Win32" http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/confused.gif

I can obviously use the program interface to make the conversion of files one by one, but it would be sooo much easier from a command line ...

Lastly as for the numbering on the icons, what about Roman numerals (I, II, III, IV..) ? Pretty fitting with medieval setting, no ? http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/wink.gif

[barocca]

odd,
it works here, (Win98) and i believe it works for XP,
Wellington uses XP,

what OS are you using ?

[Yelping Godzilla]

No misunderstanding, I just don't like Wellington.

Hope you can get things sorted out Pdifolco. Perhaps some of the high profile mods would put your work in as a feature. Couldn't hurt to ask.

EEUURAAH.

[Wellington]

Quote[/b] (barocca @ Aug. 14 2003,09:00)]odd,
it works here, (Win98) and i believe it works for XP,
Wellington uses XP,

what OS are you using ?
Pdifolco/B,

The DOS command line interface for Bifreader (ReadBif.exe) version 2.2a does work for W98/ME and XP. However, this interface is NOT a DOS command line interface as such. Rather its a DOS interface thats intended to be invoked via another program.

When RSW added this interface seveal months ago it was really a request to allow LMM to interface to ReadBif.exe in order to allow the "batch conversion of files" you require.

However, ReadBif.exe does NOT recognise spaces in a file name or path name - therefore you will get weird errors when trying to use this command line interface via a DOS session.

A new utility, MTTM, be available in 3 weeks in so and this utility offers the ability to convert many BIFs to BMP's and visa-versa.

It you want to wait then is option 1.

You can use the windows interface and extract (and then later import) the BIFs/BMPs one by one. This is option 2 but quite painful

Option 3 is to write a quick VB script program that will do it for you.

As as example this is a part of the LMM code that imports BMPs into BIFs (read the comments, they explain this) -

' ****** START OF CODE *******
' This is a bit more complicated, and probably confusing to anyone perusing this code.
' What's it's doing is using the BifReader, 'Readbif.exe', to import our bmp filetypes
' into the bifs (via a DOS command line interface).
'
' Unfortunately Bifreader does'nt recognise spaces in either a path or file name so we
' have to frig it a bit We know that some of the bifs we have copied from the MTW folder
' DO have spaces in the file names (eg: "factions map lukup.bif") and as Bifreader does'nt
' understand we must therefore -
' - ensure the PATH contains no spaces (by using the DOS short path name)
' - ensure the bif FILE contains no spaces (by converting the name - temporarily)
' - ensure the bmp FILE contains no spaces (by converting the name - temporarily)
'
' How we do all this is -
' - use the short DOS path name
' - change the file names (into 'temp&#39http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/wink.gif
' - change the current windows directory (this one&#33http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/wink.gif to the BifReader directory
' - run 'readbif.exe' via the WSH shell DOS command interface
' - change the directory back to ours
' - then change the filesnames back again (to their original names) ... Phew

Sub InsertBmpIntoBif(thename)
Dim MSDOSCommand, command, shell, aResult, fromBMP, toBIF, savename
fromBMP = GetShortPath(PrdPath) & "\" & GetShortName(PrdPath & thename & ".bmp")
toBIF = GetShortPath(PrdPath) & "\" & GetShortName(PrdPath & thename & ".bif")
If (fso.FileExists(fromBMP)) and (fso.FileExists(toBIF)) and (fso.FolderExists(BRPath)) Then
Call ChangeTheName(fromBMP, "temp_f1.bmp")
Call ChangeTheName(toBIF, "temp.bif")
fromBMP = GetShortPath(PrdPath) & "\temp_f"
toBIF = GetShortPath(PrdPath) & "\temp"
command = "readbif.exe -i1" ' import 1 frame
Set shell = createobject("wscript.shell")
shell.currentdirectory = BRPath ' change directory to BifReader folder
MSDOSCommand = command & " " & fromBMP & " " & toBIF
Call WriteSLmsg(0,"... executing MSDOS command - """ & MSDOScommand & """")
shell.Run MSDOScommand, 0, true
shell.currentdirectory = RootPath ' restore directory to LMM folder
Call ChangeTheName(GetShortPath(PrdPath) & "\temp_f1.bmp", thename & ".bmp")
Call ChangeTheName(GetShortPath(PrdPath) & "\temp.bif", thename & ".bif")
End If
End Sub

' ******* END OF CODE ********


If can program in VB script then just download LMM and crib the necessary routines.

Welly

[Pdifolco]

Hum,
I like both of you as you're both helpful http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/tongue.gif , I like Barocca too http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif
I use W98, but don't program in VB and won't start for this..
I'll start converting files 1 by 1 and wait for the new utility (to finish ...) unless a good soul can make an exe calling this readbif thingie with a couple of parameters http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/smokin.gif (but I don't really expect this to happen &#33http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/wink.gif
Thx again

[Wellington]

Quote[/b] (barocca @ Aug. 13 2003,15:01)]... apparent to a patron who has never even heard of Fawlty Towers or Red Dwarf...

Remember we have people from all countries coming here,
i could almost guarantee that neither of those shows are at all popular in Korea or Poland for example..
Not true

I dont know about Red Dwarf but the Fawlty Towers episode with the German tourists was EXTREMELY POPULAR with the Polish http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

[barocca]

Quote[/b] (Wellington @ Aug. 14 2003,11:00)]
Quote[/b] (barocca @ Aug. 13 2003,15:01)]... apparent to a patron who has never even heard of Fawlty Towers or Red Dwarf...

Remember we have people from all countries coming here,
i could almost guarantee that neither of those shows are at all popular in Korea or Poland for example..
Not true

I dont know about Red Dwarf but the Fawlty Towers episode with the German tourists was EXTREMELY POPULAR with the Polish http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif
http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

[Lancer6969]

Everytime there is a thread with someone handing good information out, somebody is always arguing with Wellington??

Amazing.... http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/frown.gif http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/frown.gif http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/frown.gif

Just help out, or dont, its that easy. No reason to argue and get at each other all the time.

Damn http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/smokin.gif http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/smokin.gif