Graviteam

Hi everyone,

I've been mucking around with the tank markings and numbers again!

Slightly happier with their appearance now, I think I'll call this 'Version 0.2':  :)

(http://lh4.ggpht.com/_Hbtk24rNEPw/TUJ6K0vyR3I/AAAAAAAAAIk/TQyUGpejJ3w/s800/shot_2011_01_28_16_09_26_0001.jpg)

(http://lh5.ggpht.com/_Hbtk24rNEPw/TUJ6V25_83I/AAAAAAAAAIo/aGCYpEthDuU/s800/shot_2011_01_28_15_56_42_0000.jpg)

If you'd like to try them out, please download them here:

http://www.4shared.com/file/bqc54h32/KMarkingsv02.html (http://www.4shared.com/file/bqc54h32/KMarkingsv02.html)

Numbers and markings were changed for these vehicles:

Sk 232, Sk 250, Sk 251,
Panzer II,
Panzer III,
Panzer IV,
Panzer 38t (C and G),
StuG III C/D,
PzJg I,
Panther,
Tiger & 'TigerSS',
Tiger II.

Let me know if you like them, and if you don't.. well let me know too,  :-\

Credit(s):
This 'mod' also includes the unit emblems of SS Panzer Divisions 1, 2, 3 and 5; these were done by Ntalex, and have been available separately at the sukhoi.ru site.

Thanks!

Excellent! All numbers are very accurate and corresponds to the tank place. And moreover u've managed to create a bump texture for the emblems. I'd be pleased, if u'd have a possibility to write down a detail tutorial "how to create bump texture for emblems".
Thanks.

Sure, Lockie,

I'll try to post something about using the 'normal map' plug-in for Gimp,

And thanks for your help also, :)

I tried using the tiger enhancement pack and liked the tank pattern and i think there were more missions too but i think my frame rates went down so i dont use modifications to tanks anymore. Its a pity id like those extra missions. Does your mod affect frame rates?

Do you know anything about the Africa and Tobruk missions?

Thanks  benifitting from your forum.

Hi JohnN,

I think the new numbers don't affect the framerates, they're just a new and hopefully more realistic set of 'decals' that the game sticks on the tank models  :)

I think part of the reason for the framerate problem relates to LOD (level of detail) of the 3D models.
The original in-game models had 3 levels of detail, to cut down the number of polygons rendered for distant vehicles. Some of the newer tanks have just 1 LOD, at full level of detail.

About the Africa missions, all I'll say is, they sure didn't make them easy to get at...  :(

Keep up the good work

Hi everyone,

You may be curious about a couple of things:

• What's included in this mod
• To try your hand at 'numbering'

Here's a quick peek under the hood, so to speak:
(https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/_Hbtk24rNEPw/TU4wgWszDRI/AAAAAAAAAL0/BPuT7agPsxk/s800/numlesson_01.jpg)

There's a good source of information at the sukhoi.ru forum, a 'Googlish' translation is presented here for your consideration:

http://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&sl=ru&tl=en&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.sukhoi.ru%2Fforum%2Fshowthread.php%3Ft%3D52974 (http://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&sl=ru&tl=en&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.sukhoi.ru%2Fforum%2Fshowthread.php%3Ft%3D52974)

If you've read through it, here's a quick summary of the main points:

1. You need to create the .dds graphic like I showed you above  ;D
2. The numerals have to be defined and linked to the graphic in the common_res.engcfg file
3. The numerals have to be combined in a numbering scheme in the markers.engcfg file

Good news, I've done most of the hard work in points 1 and 2.   :)
Now, let's take a closer look at the markers settings, which you can experiment with!
The markers.engcfg file is in the \data\k42\loc_rus\levels\LEVELS\spec\ folder.

A typical numbering scheme in the markers file looks like this:

• 'b5' under label 1 refers to the first numeral, which is a black '5' with white outline (I'll explain more later)
• '11' under label 2 are the 2nd and 3rd numerals for the 1st tank in the platoon. The 'wingmen' in the platoon will be numbered 12, 13, 14 and so on.
• Probability is '1' which means the numbers will appear on all tanks. (100% chance)
• Prefix is 'b' which applies to the numbers under label 2, that is, they're actually identified as b11, b12, b13 and so on.

Let's now assume, for example, you want a new number scheme to represent a 1st battalion HQ tank 'platoon', with numbers being I01, I02, I03 etc.
You would set it up like this and include it in the markers file:

• The first numeral 'I' is represented by 'bi' (it's black, with a white outline)
• The 2nd and 3rd numerals are identified as b91, b92, b93 etc. This is because of a limitation in the logic; 'b01', 'b02' etc are taken by the game to mean 'b1', 'b2' etc.

If you've set things up and saved the changes, you should see the new scheme in the mission editor:

(https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/_Hbtk24rNEPw/TU43gTulceI/AAAAAAAAAMg/a2X20BiILV8/s800/numlesson_08.jpg)

And, finally:
(https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/_Hbtk24rNEPw/TU43hjNNmfI/AAAAAAAAAMk/ytWm9qv8ZzI/s800/numlesson_09.jpg)

Good luck! ( I have some more to yak about later)

Part 2 of my rambling!

Details of the numbering formats included in the mod:

	Number type
(https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/_Hbtk24rNEPw/TU4whY99UHI/AAAAAAAAAL4/11sQ41JDPl0/s800/numlesson_02.jpg)	White. (Prefix 'v') Includes numerals 0 - 9, 11 - 15, 21 - 25, 31 - 35, 01 - 05 (labelled as 91 - 95), I and II (labelled as i and ii).
(https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/_Hbtk24rNEPw/TU4whTcCDnI/AAAAAAAAAMA/tPqDOnwJ-P8/s800/numlesson_03.jpg)	Yellow. (Prefix 'y') Includes numerals 0 - 9, 11 - 15, 21 - 25, 31 - 35, 01 - 05 (labelled as 91 - 95), I and II (labelled as i and ii).
(https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/_Hbtk24rNEPw/TU4whE6hnnI/AAAAAAAAAMA/2DEEPwfovAo/s800/numlesson_04.jpg)	White Outline. (Prefix 'o') Includes numerals 0 - 9, 11 - 15, 21 - 25, 31 - 35, 01 - 05 (labelled as 91 - 95), I and II (labelled as i and ii), S (s).
(https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/_Hbtk24rNEPw/TU4wg6donVI/AAAAAAAAAMA/4lDtCw6BkDc/s800/numlesson_05.jpg)	Red, with white outline. (Prefix 'r') Includes numerals 0 - 9, 11 - 15, 21 - 25, 31 - 35, 01 - 05 (labelled as 91 - 95), I and II (labelled as i and ii), R and S (r and s)
(https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/_Hbtk24rNEPw/TU4wgxNFVKI/AAAAAAAAAMA/gB9qzsbRfJg/s800/numlesson_06.jpg)	Black, with white outline. (Prefix 'b') Includes numerals 0 - 9, 11 - 15, 21 - 25, 31 - 35, 01 - 05 (labelled as 91 - 95), I and II (labelled as i and ii), S, A and B (s, a and b)
(https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/_Hbtk24rNEPw/TU4wgjEACdI/AAAAAAAAAMA/rE0FXJmnc5M/s800/numlesson_07.jpg)	Yellow, with black outline. (Prefix 'g') Includes numerals 0 - 9, 11 - 15, 21 - 25, 31 - 35, 01 - 05 (labelled as 91 - 95).

So I won't bore you too much, the following graphic displays the basic principles in numbering. Look it over at your leisure, and note that there were always some 'exceptions to the rule':

(https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/_Hbtk24rNEPw/TU4xkJlPBxI/AAAAAAAAAMM/-S0F4_sykOs/s800/panzer-battalion.jpg)

Thank you, and good night!

Just interesting, which division this emblem belong to?
(http://img254.imageshack.us/img254/7739/t4cit1.th.jpg) (http://img254.imageshack.us/i/t4cit1.jpg/)

Hi,

That's the Regimental insignia for Panzer Regt 3 (2nd Panzer Division).

Around the period of the Kursk offensive, 1943.

Looks like that tank hit a mine or was damaged by artillery fire....

Frontal attacks tend to end up like that... :-\

Thanks for the info, but still can't find the original insignia of that regiment :(

It appears to be based on the Habsburg Coat of Arms (the double-headed eagle of imperial Austria).

Hard to see well but it could also be the Hohenzollern( former German imperial family) coat of arms. ???

Yes, that's right,

Lockie, you could base your emblem graphic on either of those 'two-headed eagles'.

I'd like to put it in  the game, but still can't find any good sample of emblem.
(http://img25.imageshack.us/img25/6677/pzdiv2panzer3.th.jpg) (http://img25.imageshack.us/i/pzdiv2panzer3.jpg/)

The picture here makes a good start:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:%C3%96sterreich-Wappen_(1934-1938).svg (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:%C3%96sterreich-Wappen_(1934-1938).svg)

You'll need to do a bit of image-editing, paste it on a 'shield', then size reduction, to around 128 x 128 pixels.

Great sample! But I don't think it's appropriate to the original, cause inside insignia should be smth like a cross instead austrian flag.
I know how to put in the emblem ;)

The cross is from the Vienna Coat of Arms,

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Wien_3_Wappen.svg (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Wien_3_Wappen.svg)

Finally, I've made the new emblem.
(http://img15.imageshack.us/img15/8692/2xhdegreg3.th.jpg) (http://img15.imageshack.us/i/2xhdegreg3.jpg/)
Thanks Kyth for helping to find a good pictures.

Great work, Lockie!

Thanks :)
I'm planing to add a soviet emblem "guards" also and a randomize slogan "Guards"(Гвардия).
BTW
What about german randomize slogans? As I know they are absent in the game.

Hi,

I don't think the slogan thing was a typical practice for Wehrmacht vehicles,

Occasionally some vehicle was given a name, which could be anything (Place names, historical figures, mythical heroes, dead crewmembers).

By the way, I get a lot of info from my worn-out copy of 'Eastern Front Armour Camouflage & Markings' (Zaloga & Grandsen).

Apparently they even gave the names of their girl friends to some of the tanks according to a post I read on the Axis History forum.They were showing some pics as examples as well.

As a rule there were no political slogans in Germans tanks.Only the Sovs would do it.

Hi everyone!

Talking about slogans, here's a peek at what I've been up to:

(https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/_Hbtk24rNEPw/TdIyjPvQclI/AAAAAAAAAUU/7wDvSN93Y9E/s800/shot_2011_05_17_16_02_27_0000.jpg)
I read somewhere that these eye-catching things were actually quite rare...

(https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/_Hbtk24rNEPw/TdIyqhnTpuI/AAAAAAAAAUY/P6nCtNUQq3A/s800/shot_2011_05_17_16_20_25_0000.jpg)
'39th Tank Brigade, 23rd Tank Corps'... nice weather...

(https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/_Hbtk24rNEPw/TdIzKGWuqwI/AAAAAAAAAVI/fqqhNKp0TTA/s800/shot_2011_05_17_16_30_14_0002.jpg)
Attention! Big Ugly got slightly less ugly...

Coming soon, soon,

Thanks for looking  ;D

Excellent!

 I second that! ;)

Okay, Kyth. I've been looking through this and comparing it to the markers files in Steel Armor, and I have a question; how do you assign a marking to a given spot on the tank?

There'll need to be a 'dummy' to mark the spot on the tank model.

I hope you checked out the translated link? Here's a useful screenshot.

(http://www.sukhoi.ru/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=107706&d=1269554775)

Okay Kyth, I'm using this as a base for editing insignia's in Steel Armor. So far, I've created the insignia's;

(http://i1141.photobucket.com/albums/n585/whukid/mod1.jpg)

And I'm staring headlong into the Common_res file. Basically, what I think needs to happen is I have to edit the entries, so that instead of displaying

bwhite_0, 1, 1, 1, 0, mark, sh_marks, 0, 576, 64, 64, marks0_dift, marks0_norsp, false;
bwhite_1, 1, 1, 1, 0, mark, sh_marks, 64, 576, 64, 64, marks0_dift, marks0_norsp, false;

They say;

comp_1, 1, 1, 1, 0, mark, sh_marks, 0, 576, 64, 64, idf_mod_insignias_dift, idf_mod_insignias_norsp, false;
comp_2, 1, 1, 1, 0, mark, sh_marks, 0, 576, 64, 64, idf_mod_insignias_dift, idf_mod_insignias_norsp, false;

Why not just add in the new lines below the old ones.

The coordinates "0, 576, 64, 64," refer to:
- upper left corner coordinate, x
- uppper left corner coordinate, y
- width in pixels
- height in pixels

They're unique to each new icon or number that you want to introduce. If you extract out the old graphic file, you can figure out which numbers you want to replace or improve.

I suspect there's one more config file that ties these numbers and insignia into a unit scheme