VCMI Project - Heroes 3: WoG recreated

[Ivan]

128x128? For secondary skills (as well as most other hero-related icons) H3 uses these sizes:
44x44 - for example in exchange window
58x64 - hero screen
82x93 - messages (e.g. Witch hut, Scholar).

Regarding 8 bit - yes, all H3 content must be 8-bit. Palette is quite specific so your 8-bit images won't work in H3. VCMI can load 32 or 24 bit images correctly but there are several issues:
1) There are multiple places where VCMI assumes that image have palette (8-bit images). Battles and adventure map are probably most difficult to fix, interface requires some work, towns should be ready.
2) In H3 animation or image sets (like primary\secondary skills) have its own format (def) which makes replacing them more complicated.
3) Transparency - it's really slow. Better not to use it right now unless really needed.

At this point all you can do is to render icons at sizes I mentioned and upload them with their 3d models so it will be possible to tweak\re-render them anytime.

I'll fix the code so it will accept 32 bit images at least for hero-related icons. After this you'll have to wait for next release or development build.

[OutSane]

I find it amazing that h3 looks so good with only 256 colors lol. Also amazing how much time it takes to handle one tiny icon . now I am thinking of rendering the images big (HD 2048 pixels) and after that down sampling will do minimal damage to them. For that I am gonna need to make a new background texture.
Gonna upload the models too so if any1 else comes along can use them too. Any prefered format for the models btw? Cause I am using softimage which is kinda the underdog in 3d application?

Update: Wuhu! found a way to convert it to 8bit without burning up the image. Well almost there now(1 down 27 more to go :P).
you dont have to make 32 bit support for images on my account, although I guess that would improve the platform that would improve the platform.

[RandomEd]

As Wargmonger said, I'd choose them over the original ones. They look really good.

BUT, I think they should have 16 bits color depth.

[Ivan]

It's not 256-colors game actually - H3 screenshot usually have ~3000 colors. For pure 256-color game you should check HoMM2. In H3 each individual image is 256-color but all of them are printed on 16-bit color screen.

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Any prefered format for the models btw?

Don't know much about them. Something that will work in as many apps as possible?

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you dont have to make 32 bit support for images on my account

I have to do this at some point anyway. Currently replacing animation or image sets is too complicated for regular user IMO.

And note regarding images rendering - use .png or other lossless formats like targa with 24 bit color depth (or 32 - it's basically same). Jpg's or 16-bit depth will decrease image quality a bit.

[OutSane]

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use .png or other lossless formats like targa with 24 bit color depth (or 32 - it's basically same). Jpg's or 16-bit depth will decrease image quality a bit.

I was not using JPG photobucket seems to convert all images to jpg after you upload them. don't know why but it forces me to upload the usable images in a zip archive

Here is the goods
http://www.4shared.com/ge...cholarship.html
You have the usable icons, models as well as high resolution versions.

I uploaded a preview in the replacing secondary icon thread here http://forum.vcmi.eu/viewtopic.php?t=489

[Tow]

There a number of various graphics with artifact: small and big icons, with and without background, and so.

My suggestion would be to prepare artifact images in some high resolution, and then shrink it (and add background if needed) to create actual images. AFAIR the biggest are images in ARTIFBON.DEF that are 58x64.

[HM]

One question about the towns, is it worth doing new images of towns and if so can they be bigger than just 192x192?

[RandomEd]

I'm also curious of this, what do you consider high resolution for an artifact image?

If one were to make the image of an artifact in 2D, what would be the preferred size of the original artwork. I'm asking this because maybe in the future we could have bigger images for artifacts.

Would 150x150px or 200x200px be sufficient? Evidently, the interest in keeping it smaller is having fewer details so it takes less time to draw.

[Ivan]

Maximum size of icons in H3 is 82x93 pixels. New images should be somewhat bigger for high-res so 256x256 is probably highest one. Something like 192x192 should work as well.

Besides - you can always larger image for artifact description dialog.

[RandomEd]

I did today this "rendition" of Cape of Velocity. Its size is 200x200 scaled down from 300x300.

I'm not an artist, so it won't look like a work of art. I'll try to make it look better. I also try to make as close to the original as possible.

I am aware of its defects, but it's too late now to concentrate. I'll fix it tomorrow.

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cape_200x200.png The bigger version of Cape of Velocity

1483 Time(s) 91.52 KB

velocape.gif Original Cape of Velocity

1483 Time(s) 2.95 KB

[RandomEd]

I've finished the image. You can find it here.