[Release] Unit highlight arrow to One Ring inscription

**Taro_M** · June 05, 2015, 06:15 PM

Hi folks, a little UI mod for you today: I have replaced the highlight icon that shows up at units feet when selected. I replaced the vanilla MTW2 one with circular One Ring inscription like it was done in old Battle for Middle-earth games. I left the "far" highlight (with shows up when zoomed out from unit) as it was, since it was more visible.

Note: it may look odd on cavalry units and monster units. nothing I can do about that Im afraid.

Its a 256x256 size.

Installation:

Drop the arrow.tga file into "[your MTW2 installation]/mods/Third_Age_3/data/textures"

Download: http://www.mediafire.com/download/5m...vdv/#arrow.tga

One Ring Inscription Highlight

If you wish to use this in your mod, feel free to do so, would be nice to get credit, but I leave it at your discretion.

Credit: seeklogo - site I got the vector image I used to make this, no other info on uploader or creator though.

**xHolyCrusader** · June 05, 2015, 06:21 PM

Wow, that gives some fancy looks

+rep

**alreadyded** · June 05, 2015, 09:42 PM

That is neat. I think a gold version would look nicer though

.

**Withwnar** · June 05, 2015, 10:32 PM

Top idea Taro.

I think a gold version would look nicer though

The game applies the colours: green, red and blue.

**alreadyded** · June 05, 2015, 10:49 PM

I tried a few different colors, gold and yellow do look nice but are a bit harder to see what is highlighted from a great distance.

Edit;

Spoiler Alert, click show to read:

**Taro_M** · June 06, 2015, 05:09 AM

I tried a few different colors, gold and yellow do look nice but are a bit harder to see what is highlighted from a great distance.

The game applies the colors by itself, all I did was changing the shape of the marker. Nothing else I can do about that though.

**Olifantenstaart** · June 06, 2015, 02:14 PM

Splendid!

**alreadyded** · June 06, 2015, 03:47 PM

Originally Posted by Withwnar

Top idea Taro.

The game applies the colours: green, red and blue.

Originally Posted by Taro_M

The game applies the colors by itself, all I did was changing the shape of the marker. Nothing else I can do about that though.

You can edit it at the bottom of "descr_ui_colour_db."

; specify pairs of colour name and colour values (opacity, red, green, blue)

Code:

;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;; BATTLE COMPONENTS;
;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;


marker_formed                   255, 255, 255, 255
marker_proxy_summer             255, 255, 255,   0
marker_proxy_summer_selected    255,   236, 216,   0
marker_proxy_winter             255, 255,   0, 255
marker_proxy_winter_selected    255,   0,   0, 255
marker_select                   255,   236, 216,   0
support_army_marker_select        255,   0,   0, 255


marker_prim_us                    255,   236,  216,   0
marker_scnd_us                        255,   236, 216,   0
marker_prim_allied                255,   0,   0,  64
marker_scnd_allied                255,   0,   0, 255
marker_prim_enemy                255,  64,   0,   0
marker_scnd_enemy                255, 255,   0,   0
marker_prim_non_combatant            255,  64,  64,  64
marker_scnd_non_combatant            255, 255, 255, 255


own_marker_flash                255,   236, 216,   0
ally_marker_flash                255,   0,   0, 255
enemy_marker_flash                255, 255,   0,   0


; _pos and _size members are interpreted as SCREEN_COORDs in code, use alpha for x, red for y
; _pcnt read int perentages (0-100) from alpha, rgb ignored
aisa_card_sprite_pos                  0,  14,   0,   0
aisa_card_men_total_clr                255, 255,   0,   0
aisa_card_men_remaining_clr            255,   0, 255,   0
aisa_card_men_bar_pos                  3,  73,   0,   0
aisa_card_men_bar_size                 42,   4,   0,   0
aisa_card_missile_pos                  1,   3,   0,   0
aisa_card_movement_pos                 16,   3,   0,   0
aisa_card_combat_pos                 31,   3,   0,   0
aisa_card_routing_pos                  3,  56,   0,   0
aisa_card_running_test_pcnt             10,   0,   0,   0
aisa_card_walking_test_pcnt             10,   0,   0,   0
aisa_card_firing_test_pcnt             10,   0,   0,   0    ;pcnt of missile capable units firing
aisa_card_under_fire_test_pcnt             10,   0,   0,   0
aisa_card_melee_test_pcnt             10,   0,   0,   0
aisa_card_routing_test_pcnt             10,  30,  75, 100    ;slow flash, med flash, fast flash, solid

**Taro_M** · June 06, 2015, 03:59 PM

You can edit it at the bottom of "descr_ui_colour_db."

oh, nice to know, but I will leave my little tweak as it is. Its simple but effective.

It seems you can change the text color using this, with is lovely. Thanks for pointing that file out.

BTW: Check out what Im experimenting with right now: http://www.twcenter.net/forums/showt...micro-textures

**Withwnar** · June 06, 2015, 09:47 PM

Originally Posted by Taro_M

It seems you can change the text color using this

Some others are in descr_event_images.txt and I think that some are hardcoded.

**Jacob251** · June 07, 2015, 11:05 AM

Awesome stuff

**twmatador** · June 10, 2015, 02:24 PM

Thanks Taro_M, and also Alreadyded,
What a simply superb idea! Made my day.
I think it makes such a big visual change while playing.

I did end up modifying. I wanted to see it better far away to suit my playstyle.
Up close though - those ring details are a treat.
Here's a screenie of my modded version.
The ghost cavalry is the one with the unit selection. More subtle.
The other units are being marked by the unit flash command. Brighter for better huge battlescape management.

Spoiler Alert, click show to read:

**alreadyded** · June 10, 2015, 06:20 PM

Looks nice. I made one of the eye of Sauron with red color, and a artsy swirl one that fits with all factions. I think that one you are using would look nice in purple and also be more noticeable. Maybe silver as well.

**twmatador** · June 11, 2015, 04:50 PM

Oh - eye of sauron - that would be nice. Screenie possible?

I dialed down my enemy flash strength - was just too red for my eyes.
Purple and silver would look good. Purple would be great for noticeable. I decided for my play-style subtle noticeable is better, so I think I'd go silver, especially if i did alot of night battles.
I settled on the medium subdued green becasue I do so many screenshots, and too many times i don't disable the highlights with the "enter key", so that green highlight blends enough in daylight grassy situations (>60% of my battles).
Maybe call it "lazy Screenie-Nut" green?

**Taro_M** · June 12, 2015, 03:47 AM

All you need to do is replace the highlight arrow with an empty (black alpha) TGA file. This way you will completely disable the highlight.

The Eye talk gave me an idea. Wait a moment.

EDIT: Heres the text with rings and a simple Sauron's eye in the middle.

http://www.mediafire.com/download/rz...zd1/#arrow.tga

And heres an alternative version where rings and text show up as normal and the eye shows up when you press the button to flash the units or at distance.

http://www.mediafire.com/download/cb...ht_devided.ZIP

**twmatador** · June 13, 2015, 09:03 PM

Taro_M, in my MOS 1.6.2 install subdirdir there was just the green_circle.tga BEFORE adding your #arrow.tga
Is it maybe PCP which has the Sauron.tga image addition already?
Originally in my MOS 1.6.2 playthrough, the #arrow.tga from before was being pulled from the default M2TW>data\textures folder along with all the other tgas.

So i downloaded both links and looked at your new alpha mask layer.
That looks very sharp! Would sure help beef up the visbility.
I can see how eye of Sauron would be a popular addition to gameplay.
Great addition once again!