Overviews

[Dubieman]

Overviews....
Easy? No, not for me. Its something I still constantly struggle with. I cannot make a pic to save my life. I dunno why its so hard. I just tried Fishion's little tut in the ed depot and set the pic to 128 x 256 and errors errors...

What I need is a step by step process. Using OFP, MS Paint, and Microsoft Imaging. I think my trial paint shop pro has ran out...

You know like
1.) take screen shot with print screen
2.) paste into MS paint
3.) save as .jpg
4.) open imaging
5.) ?? now what?

I can script and make missions, but imaging and pictures are a strange and weird land. I guess you could view this as a request or it can be moved to editing general. But I think of it as a request.

If you solve my problem, I'll give you lots of hugs and kisses (makes you really want to help doesn't it? ;D).
Thanks
A frustrated editor
GRK

[dmakatra]

I have no idea what MS Imaging is... But no doubt it's shit since it's MS. Download a Photoshop trial, now there's a bloody good program. I use it every day.

Don't want the hugs and kisses, but say hello to your sis for me. ;D

:beat: *Gets Shot* :beat:

EDIT: Oh, don't worry about running out of the trial. Just uninstall and install again. I think that'll work. I got my copy of Photoshop from my dad and his work so I never really used the trial more than a week or so.

[macguba]

1. Take screen shot using PrtScrn key or free proprietary (DirectX capable) screenshot software downloaded from the net.   Good screenies tend to have just a couple of loons or vehicle or building as the main subject:   long shots don't work.

2.  Paste into Paint.

3.  Then into your image editing software.   (Or drop it in here directly.)   Paint is not sufficient.  Start - Programmes - MS Office Tools - MS Photo Editor is, just.    Photoshop or Paint Shop Pro are best, but nowadays the trial versions do expire and are clever enough to detect a fresh download.    They must leave a little file somewhere.    Save your screenie as a .jpg.

4.  From an existing mission such as the Tutorial Mission take the pic and open in your image editing programme.     Hack it to bits using cut and/or crop commands until you are left with only the border.    Save.

5.  Open your screenie and crop to the desired size.  

6.  Add the border.   It doesn't matter if the border and pic are different, you can copy and paste sections of border to make it fit.    Spend a little time on this:  it is fiddly but worth it.

7.  You now have the perfect pic.   Save.   The imaging software will tell you the size in pixels, if you hunt hard enough.     Use these size numbers in your line in the Overview.html document to define the size of the picture.

8.  Give the pic sides in pixels which are a factor of 2.   Exactly how you do this depends on which software you have.  (Try Image - Resize.)   Then save it.
2^1=2
2^2=4
2^3=8
and similarly 16, 32, 64, 128, 256, 512, 1024.
It doesn't matter which you use, although its easier if you use the ones closest to the actual size of the pic.    Normal values for Overview pics are 64, 128 or 256.    The important point is that when it is saved to these values the picture is distorted, but it doesn't matter because the command in Overview.html is what defines the size of the picture when you see it, thereby undoing the distortion.

9.   Put the pic into your mission folder.

10.  Use the Overview.html file from the Tutorial Mission as a template for your own mission.

11.   Sit back, sigh with satisfaction and pat your stomach.

[456820]

i just use the camera.sqs file then find a pic i want to use then press print screen button.
then i load paint and then start selecting squares wich look like they would fit in the border template i have then i paste it in then delete it then copy a new size and paste again until i can get the right sixe to fit in the template
takes a whil but works

[greg147]

If you use Microsoft 'Picture it!' Standard 9, as I do now, you can type the numbers you want into a box to automatically get the right size, and you can do the same with pixels. You can also put the pic into black and white using it.  

[Acecombat]

I use Adobe Photoshop CS its pretty good and can help you with shadow effects , things which MS paint and such small editors cant help you with. Heres a pic i did recently for a overview , mind you its not good just a rough 2 min PS job plus i couldnt be bothered with a good enough angle on the pic.