Graviteam

Hi,


I would like to see in game the historically correct german flag during ww2 but, there is a restriction option that I couldn't use. So, I unflat the "map_map_marks0000_dift.loc_def.dds" but all I could find is the right flag. Is anyone know how I could activate it or change to make the game historicaly correct ? I have no affiliation and are not member of any political party. I just, like all my ww2 wargame, want to play in right consideration for each sides.


Thanks for help

Believe my I looked to. I second that request.

I looked in this file     misc

C:\Steel Armor\data\mtc80\shared\textures\misc

but I couldn't open this dds file like others.  It's the only file in this folder. hmmmmmm maybe it's there.
I doubt the pc version is hardcoded since I have seen it in screenshots I have seen the real flag.
__________________________________
UPDATE: Got it open with GIMP (Couldn't with PaintNET). Didn't see anything just a checker file-like when nothing is there.

Hunt continues.

It's bloked for English version.

Is there anyway to unlock it ?  :-\

Only redraw polytical correct flag.
1) Unpack "tex_replace.flatdata" in last update.
2) Convert to DDS and redraw "map_map_marks0000_dift" and "menu_game0000_dift" sprite atlases.
4) Make mod as described in modutils manual, convert and add this redrawed files to it.
5) Install mod to game.

But, I think german cross which replaces swasticas on flag it's a normall decision for this issue. And there is no need to change that.

Andrey is correct,
Every game i have brought that has been an "English version" has had the swastika removed, wether it is on the rudder of a plane in Il2, or the flag of a ship in Sh3. But strangly the swastika is not a banned symbol in the UK.
And even stranger, since the last update the in game encyclopedias Wehrmacht flag has a Swastika on it!  ;D

Thank you very much Andrey ! I'm going to make the change and I'll report it later , thanks again ! ;)



Regards,

Joch


BTW, I have made the change for il2 1946 with il2 Mat manager 2.36 to let it more historically correct. And many others. I understand the desire of those who will censor but it becomes paranoia.


yes, I noticed that too ;)

Hmmm, I'm just a little bit confused Andrey...I have not really understand how to create flatdata with mkflat command. The 3.3 Summary table of commands from the  modtools.pdf did'nt explain clearly for me how to exactly add the two files, "map_map_marks0000_dift.loc_def.texture" and "menu_game0000_dift.loc_def.texture" to the t"ex_replace.flatdata". Could you tell me how do I have to proceed, please ?



Regards,


Joch

Try this page on modding in Steel Armor Blaze of War regarding MKFLAT. Specifically KYTH's comments.

http://graviteam.com/forum/index.php?topic=10253.15


In fact read the whole string and the issue I had putting  a Iraqi -Russian Style helmet on a Russian soldier with a soft cap in the Steel Armor forum.

http://graviteam.com/forum/index.php?topic=10226.0


MKFLAT experience with me was screwed up due my not understanding DOS very well. The mod manual gives a lot-but some things are obscure or assumes you know something about code when in fact it turns into a learning experience.  ;D

Incidentally I tried what andrey suggested weeks ago-but still show the latest politically correct flag-i.e. an Maltese Cross overlaying the swastika on the Wehrmacht flag. Maybe I didn't mod it right-or maybe you will put the flag in right-but the game from another file overlays a a Maltese cross over the swastika because I do not see any flag in the files that looks like what we want to get rid of (the Wehrmacht flag with a Maltese cross). I'm curious to see what you find out. Maybe I didn't pack it right for updating when I tried my mod modification.

This what I was using to MKFLAT and it wasn't working-NOTHING appeared. No FLATDATA file was produced.

My mistake I had too many \..\.. in my MKFLAT CMD file after the cd

What worked was


In the end it depends where your modfolder resides in relation to the MKFLAT CMD file in  your root file.
Caused no end of grief for me because I don't know DOS very well.

You can use the flatlist produced from unflattening but edit out the files you do not intend to modify-only leave those  one or two files in.
Any questions just ask-more people who mod the better the game gets and it extends it's life.

Wunderbar ! I success to create Flagdata and make the mod to work perfectly as I want. Easy way, finally, when you know the process but not simple at the first glance. Thanks you Rod and Andrey for your very usefull advices ! ;)


For those who are interesting for :

http://www.2shared.com/file/Ne_bdxLW/Wehrmacht_Flag.html


PS: I hope not to offend anyone with this mod. The goal is just to make immersion a little more realistic in regard to the German side. I do not support any ideology and serves no propaganda of any kind.


May you have some good time with Graviteam wargames like me !


Regards,


Joch

Hi Jochem:
This what I have and what I had before with a flag mod ???
Do you see something masking your hackenkreuz? ( I mentioned this 'mask' it in an earlier post.) Your mod is at the very top in my update.
The hackenkreuz shows up on the DDS file-but when it is in game you can see it is masked. I looked but I can't find this mask on any dds files I opened.

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v348/Tempest555/Flag.jpg)

All is working perfectly fine as you can see. If anyone could confirm to be sure.


(http://img15.hostingpics.net/pics/722198upcmd.jpg)

(http://img15.hostingpics.net/pics/837724starter2012041703240787.jpg)

(http://img15.hostingpics.net/pics/550425starter2012041703255150.jpg)



I have replace the two files from the dev_update 5.77 as suggested by Andrey ;)




Regards,


Joch

Looks like I have some work to do.  ;D
Hope it's just a case of where the Flag mod is on the updater

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v348/Tempest555/Screen.jpg)

 ??? ??? ??? Nothing changed 'politically correct' flag is still there. Arranged on the updater so that patches and mods we both have in common are in the same order. I even deleted my profile. When I disable the mod the old Imperial German tricolor shows. When I re enable I get back the 'politically correct' flag. I reinstalled the mod 3 times and nothing changed.
I do know what is strange is the update you made is only 6 to 7 Megs yet it take a long time to update.

My game which runs on XP resides in my C: Drive i.e.  C:\Achtung Panzer Operation Star and is a direct download from GamersGate-is yours the same or different?

Gamersgate version too. Have you try to unflat my files ? As you can see, this is the right files. It worked at the first time. I installed the game here :

M:\GAmes\WRgms\WWII\Kharkov Zvezda

I have deinstalled it. So, the game retrievied its original configuration vith 'political' correct flag.
I reinstalled my mod and all is working well without problem.

The adresss of the mod, once updated with update.cmd, is :

M:\GAmes\WRgms\WWII\Kharkov Zvezda\data\k43t\Mods\shared\packed_data\wehrmacht_flag.flatdata

I unflattened your file-everything is in order. I don't think it's your MOD-There is something with my install. Yet the file resides where you said it should hmmm I tried installing the mod again and it takes too long for such a small file to install. Maybe the install/update patch is corrupted. I will investigate further. Thanks for getting back.

I have reorganized the file to something that looks like as the updates and mods in the tree directories. Try to install this version and tell me what it does, please.

*Download:

Wehrmacht_Flag 1.0

http://www.2shared.com/file/3IQSvbav/Wehrmacht_Flag.html

*Installation:

1) Unpack archive at the root of your game.
2) Click "update.cmd" batch in the main menu of the game.
2) A new window will appear. Click "Install" button here. Locate the folder where you have unpacked the mod [step 1] and select desc.addpack file.
3) Click "Save and play" button.

Here, the tree of my installation.

M:\GAmes\WRgms\WWII\Kharkov Zvezda\data\k43t\Wehrmacht_Flag\shared\packed_data\wehrmacht_flag.flatdata


Of course, I have tested it and it's working perfectly....for me. I hope it will work for you too. Let me know please. ;)

Ok thanks-if this one doesn't work I am uninstalling and cleaning out my register and then reinstall the game.
Looking at your mod I didn't see anything wrong with the structure.

Nope that didn't work either-and that to took a long time to update. Something is corrupted in the game and or registry. So I will uninstall and report back. FWIW I do not think it's your Flag Mod. It's my game. Thanks though for the extra effort.

Willys, the creator of the VAPOSM mod has installed my mod with success ! So, it seems to work finally ;)

Jochem,
Works fine with me to, thanks.
Now all we need is the uniform mod with Sig runes on the SS helmets, and perfect!!

Seems the Uniform mod is on the good way ! I can't wait anymore to install it !

(http://img15.hostingpics.net/pics/895845shot201204081819440009.jpg)

(http://img15.hostingpics.net/pics/861500711.jpg)

Well I cleaned my registry and did a clean install and still no go. Still politically correct. Oh well I'll just have to accept it. Weird.

It's crazy....I couldn't imagine how it is possible. If the file is updated, normally it couldn't make the difference. Try to change the Communist flag and see what it does.

Jochem-No finesse now-just brute force.

I'm going to do a work around tomorrow-a whole new tex_replace.flatdata that is a game file sprinkled throughout the game in some 5 different game sub files including if you have the 2 addons.  Just duplicate the game file and just a copy and paste in 5 different files once I have that large flatdata file made (it's about 355 megs). 2 files for the flags are in that file. Not going to mess with CORE and update cmd.
You can help me though-how do I convert the 2 altered dds files  back. Like from from map_map_marks0000_dift.loc_def.dds   to   map_map_marks0000_dift.loc_def.texture?

From def.dds to def.texture

I don't think I'm doing that right.

And yes it is crazy I updated with all the patches and Sokolovo and Volokonovka Addons with update cmd and the game works and doesn't crash.
 

From what I can make out from the Russian site, the uniform mod will be out early May.  There are even hints of another patch out as well.  Perhaps Andrey can confirm this?

Jochem:
Couldn't wait.
Brute Force worked.
Not elegant-but ...... ;D
I made the file but I used your 2 def.texture files to reconstruct my tex_replace.flatdata. Then copy and pasted tex_replace.flatdata
wherever I could find it (like I said some 5 different files in the game.)
But do explain how to make def. texture from dds.
This bashed together file is for my own personal use so don't worry I will not share it since it included your 'intellectual property'
It's 12:21 AM-I'm going to bed I go to work in 5 hours.
This was crazy.


(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v348/Tempest555/flag-1.jpg)

P.S. if you want the modified tex_replace.flatdata just PM me I'll give it to you and you can do what you want with it.

Hi Rod,


To make dds to atf you have to use the batch dedicated for that: "dds2atf.cmd" is located in asets folder. Attention ! You have to respect the characteristics of the texture formats listed in a table otherwise it will not work ! You could find it in the modtools.pdf, the Table 2. For Menu_*.def.texture files, by example, it is DXt5. Respect the generated mip maps number and fuse your layer before. You have to save a proper file to convert it exactly as the file was before you make the changes.

Nice to know ! I'm waiting for this release with great interest ! ;)

Thanks Jochem. I will work at this.

From what I gather, SABOW and APOS use mostly the same files. As I've found out via the IDF mod, the flags are hidden in separate files for separate modes. I believe there's a total of 4 files you need to edit before having the edited flag found everywhere in game.

Alas, I don't have APOS, so I can't be certain

Seems that it doesn't work under the new patch and polygon files, maybe because of the new extensions that are used?

Anyhow any way to get the historical correct flag?

Every patch changes alot of the visual stuff such as insignias, buttons, marks, icons, ect.  it's really not that hard to do yourself, just unflat the tabs folder and tex_replace and overwrite the in game flags with the historically accurate ones. re-convert the .dds files to .texture files and then place the files you edited into your own folder. Make a new text document called "flatlist" and add the required entries (use the unpacked folders as a guide). Edit MKFLAT.cmd with the proper paths to your flatlist and the name and bingo, you have your own mod :)


I'll do a more detailed tutorial later; I'm starved :P

Lol, simple.  Sounds like Greek to me.

Anyway bon apetit. :D

Hey Whukid,
You seem to know what youre on about,
have you any idea how it is possible to get rid of those hideous blue boxes around selected units. Or even better could you tell me which files i need to alter, and how to do it.
The game for me is unplayable with them, and theres no option to turn them off. :'(

Why unplayable ?

F6 already does this :)


As for my rushed tutorial,


Once you've finished editing whatever you're going to edit, save the files and then use the "dds2atf" file in the mods folder to re-convert it to a format that the game can read. This is only done for visual things like textures and such. If you want to edit the in-game names or text files, you'll have to use the .txt converter, as well as the .config converter for files that mess with balances in the game.

Once you've done that for all the files you want, place them in a new folder in the (main steel armor/APOS directory)/users folder. It doesn't matter where they came from or that they're all the same file type, they just have to be in the same folder. Then, make a document labeled [your mod's name here].txt in the folder or copy the .!flatlist file over from one of the un-packed files (that's what I did). Add the entries so they look like so;

(http://i1141.photobucket.com/albums/n585/whukid/Noobs1.jpg)

save the file, and then change the name from "[your mod's name here].txt" to "[your mod's name here].!flatlist". You'll get a warning that you might permanently damage your file or whatever, but just ignore it (FOR NOW. DO NOT MESS WITH ANY OTHER FILES ON YOUR COMPUTER IN THIS MANNER <= disclaimer) because notepad and word can still read the file. When you open it for the first time, Windows will tell you that it doesn't recognize the file type. There's two ways to get around this;
1. Right click on the flatlist file and go down to "Open file with.." and select wordpad or word or whatever you use. I use notepad2.0

2. double click and select "browse computer for program" or something along those lines. find notepad or whatever you use and select it.

Now, your folder should look like this
(http://i1141.photobucket.com/albums/n585/whukid/Noobs2.jpg)

Congrats, you've reached level 2. Welcome to hell, because the first time you do this, it sucks :)

Now comes the fun part. go into your docs/modwork/flatwork folder, and select the "mkflat.cmd" file. Copy it and paste it in the main APOS directory, like so

(http://i1141.photobucket.com/albums/n585/whukid/Noobs3.jpg)

Right click it and go down to "Edit with notepad++ [or whatever you use]". (Let me just say that you should download this program; it makes life about 83239478239847 times easier) The file should open up and should look confusing. :) the top row, when using notepad++, has cd../../.. or something along those lines. Delete it. since it's in the main directory, you no longer need them. If you understand how .cmd files work, have at it, however I took them out for ease of use.

Now that the top row has been removed, add two new sections to the remaining text. This is the entry I used;


The first bracket tells the computer what to use. The second tells it where to put the .flatdata file (if you want it in a separate folder, say the "docs" instead of users, you would put docs\[folder you want it to go into (optional)]\[the name you want it called].flatdata). The last bracket tells the .cmd file where to find the list of files to be compacted. This part is pretty nifty, because you don't have to delete a file out of the folder if you don't want it included in your mod; either delete or disable (put // in front) the entry in the .!flatlist

(http://i1141.photobucket.com/albums/n585/whukid/Noobs4.jpg)

Save and double click the .cmd file. You should now have a file labeled [your mod here].flatdata somewhere. Whatever you put into the second bracket is where it will go. Mine went into the users folder, however you can also have it go into your mod's folder if you want to avoid clutter


(http://i1141.photobucket.com/albums/n585/whukid/Noobs5.jpg)



I have to go to work, so I'll finish the rest in a few hours. Luckily, the next few parts aren't too hard to do :)

Hey andrey,
When i said "unplayable" i didnt mean the game was literally unplayable, ie; it doesnt work.
I meant i personally find the boxes very distracting and unrealistic, and just wished there was an option to turn them off.
I wasnt a big fan of the "blue halo" effect we had before but these are far worse.
I know most people dont seem to mind them, and the rest of the game is superb,
Its just a personal choice, no offence meant!

Go to the button on the right side of flag on the user interface and click it till the blue boxes turn off.

Or-

You can also left click mouse button to temporarily turn them off until you select a unit again then the boxes will come back just left click mouse button again to hide them.

Is there an updated version that works with the latest patch?
Preferably one that does change ONLY the flag.
Tried this one but that changed a thousend icons in many menus, very distracting.

It is really frustrating and disappointing that the historical insignia option is greyed out.
I do find it immersion breaking that there is no straightforward way to enable historically correct insignia.
Like the above poster I found the downloaded Wehrmacht Flag pack altered lots of things other than its intent, due to files being moved about in updates, no doubt.

Is there a fix for this available for the most recent build, please?

Balla.  ???

I moaned about those myself when they where first introduced..much prefer the old way..though I've forgotten what that was now but it looked much better than the blue box.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U5iVd0STJ0k

This is a video of the old way.

This thread has two themes going on.  Blue boxes and Historical flags.  It started out about flags.

Ballacraine wanted to know if there was a straight forward way to have historically correct flags.

Yes,
If an individual mods it and shares it with the community.
Graviteam said they will not add it to their game officially.

Dont think they really CAN do that.  The swastika.  That damned thing is banned in many places.  And having 2 versions of game floating around is never a great thing.

Now modding it in.... no issues.  When I was playing modded silent hunter 5 i liked the modded in evil swastika on the German Navy.   When they got sunk it made it easier to watch.   :-\  I also loved how my entire crew of my U boat was not pro nazi.   :P  But soldiers born in certain times and places don't have a choice of which wars get fought.

Only in Germany, I think.

It is a bit odd it does not appear in the English version of the game.

I could understand it not being present in a German version.

Balla.  :-\

Andrey mentioned He didn't want to deal with any negative publicity it may generate,which is one of the reasons they don't want to cover any modern DLCs about the Arab Israeli conflict either.

Which I don't think would happen.... At least if handling 1973 war.  Guess what, the Arabs almost won.  IF a historical accurate campaign where to be done I think there would not be any negative issues, if anything the opposite might happen.  With the nazi thing... yes a potential head ache.  But its a sad state when potential issues with PR either from media, players, or publishers takes things off the table. 

I say this often but how Egypt conducted its initial surprise attack against the IDF is text book stuff.  How could anybody of Arab dissent have issues with that? It was really well done.  Just they had no plan what to do AFTER they breached everything.  I don't think they expected to achieve complete surprise and the always mangled cooperation between the various Allies was the usual mess. But if on day 3 or 4 they drove in mass on Israel proper...Not alot the IDF could have done.  Either stay and keep fighting the Syrians or pulled their armor from the North and move it south to deal with Egypt.  Either way its just plain bad. 

If what is often said is true...  The IDF was ready to drop tactical nukes.  Well if they actually had any then.  One vary likely reason for Operation nickle grass.  Having the IDF nuking a future US ally...not so good.

If there was not so much hypocrisy in banning the Hakenkreuz( hooked cross as it is called in German) but not the Hammer and Sickle of the infamous Soviet flag which also stands for so much devastation, brutality and untold deaths I wouldn't mind but this whole issue is such a politically-correct leftwing hogwash that it makes me nauseous........  >:(

frinik

+1

Like the name implies-Graviteam Tactics.

This is a tactical wargame not a politics game,the flags are nothing but tactical reference points.
They are not political objectives.

I respect Graviteams choice of not wanting to deal with the politics of this era and focusing only on the tactical aspects.

Nazi symbolism isn't  necessary to the enjoyment of this game.
If you want a Nazi flag-Mod it.

I personally don't  play with the flags,so this is a complete non-issue for me.

I am not a modder, nor am I able to master it.

As I said in an earlier post:

'It is really frustrating and disappointing that the historical insignia option is greyed out.
I do find it immersion breaking that there is no straightforward way to enable historically correct insignia.
I found the downloaded Wehrmacht Flag pack altered lots of things other than its intent, due to files being moved about in updates, no doubt.

Is there a fix for this available for the most recent build, please?'

Balla.   ???

I think it's pretty clear that there is not, unfortunately.

Im thinking about making new swastika flag mod.  Have not decided yet if its worth it.  Be much more nifty if swastika air identification flags on the back of tanks.   :P   But that would take access to the source models....there I go again taking something simple and turning into hard.

Hmm actually..... maybe I could fake that by merging good normal maps into textures.  Might not look to crappy.  =)

I'm in a different camp.
I find all the flags to be immersive breaking as they float over the key points.
I don't mind referencing their position and then turning them off but if there is one thing about the flags I would like to see changed,it would be that we are allowed to choose where they are placed for Quick Battles.

My problem with them(flags) during QBs is that I don't like that some of the key points are not what I would consider the key tactical terrain feature in some of the grid squares.

Cause there not =)  Just some sort of random placement. 

I understand that FB.
And I'm aware that the flags are meant to represent historical tactical objectives.

My complaint if you want to call it that is that when I set up QBs most of the battles I try to recreate are of an ahistoric nature and have nothing to do with the actual battle created for these maps.

I usually select a key feature from these maps to battle over but sometimes find that the flags are set in such a way that completely dismisses what type of battle I'm trying to recreate and the battle usually ends up playing out in way that defeats the whole reason I set it up in the first place because the AI has decided that what I want and what it considers the key objectives in that grid square are 2 different points of contention.

I was wondering if the flags were to be movable if the AI would try to defend/attack them instead of still trying to defend/attack the old flag positions.

Worghern youre my HERO!!!i cant thank you enough,now ive got to get my friend to install it correctly for me,i swear my versions of both MF and OS all had "Classic"flags originally?and now i really seem to notice the change,that was without my permission,im also from UK and it is NOT banned here,so they should leave our game files alone,This really annoyed me and i dont mind admitting it.My reasons are the same as everybody elses too.Who wants to look at a Panzer 4 with no markings or planes with no markings or the wrong ones.Maltese cross has become the replacement.I seem to be playing more and more older games that i have that cant be touched and changed without my permission.

Krabb: Fixed the quotation.

This is what i get-"The file link that you requested is not valid. Please contact link publisher or try to make a search".???so none of those links to that site work for me in UK.:(

@Dane we do Mod it mate,but they keep changing it back,twice ive managed to change my Flags back to Classic swastika but now we cant even find these,or ones that STILL work..

Krabb: Fixed the quotation.

Well, it probably doesn't work anyway. There was an update that changed the graphics files (added new symbols or something), so this mod needs updating, too.