[MERGED] Soldier Diaries 1.0

[ivandogovich]

I've been brainstorming a bit, on the UFOpedia entries and started fiddling until I got some working images.

I've done up the Merit Star and Military Cross, and set up a Photoshop template to work on these.  The medal pendant is just a simple placeholder to test the over all effect.

I'm using the Type 7 Entry (Alien Lifeforms, and UFO Components) as it allows a tall image on the right, and text in the left.   There is not really a good section of the ufopedia to put these it, so I've shoved them into UFO Components.   When an opportunity is presented to do some more coding, I wonder if it is possible to add a "Commendations" section to the Ufopedia.

Here are the screen Caps of the first two that I have worked up.



It feels like the short descriptions which work well on the soldier awards screen, are too short here.  Maybe a more indepth description might be worthwhile.

Cheers, Ivan

[Arthanor]

Ooh! That looks nice! I've been watching the commendations in your LP and I find it very interesting. For someone as attached to their soldier as I am, it's a nice reward. I am still unsure about leaving my "safe" 1.0 zone, to go into nightlies and/or different executables..

For the text, longer descriptions which cover the requirements for the awards would probably work. Once you get wordy and start using paragraphs, it is easy to fill the space in the UFOPaedia.

As for categories... Maybe "Weapons and Equipments"? That's where more stuff related to XCom operatives ends up and with a good listOrder, you could stack all the awards at the end, in order of..? how easy they are to get?

[ivandogovich]

OK. Run Number Two.   Worked with Shoes, Xracer, RandomCommander and Arthanor, and wrote up some longer descriptions.

Shoes suggested going with a color coded background.

Black = Somber


Purple = Wounds


Blue = Normal


Green = Support


Red = Awesome



After reviewing these, its obvious that the descriptions can be even longer.  I'm not completely happy with the way the gradients work in the UFOPEDIA pallet.  There is a lot of Purple in the Blue one.  But over all, I think they work pretty well.

Thoughts, comments, complaints...  etc?

I have the medals and their descriptions on a google docs spreadsheet, if someone would like to help word smith the long descriptions.

[ivandogovich]

Just some on camera examples of Erroneous Bolt's cross and Order of the Hammer being issued for Combat knife kills.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6i__OhKhzt8  esp 26:50.

Cheers, Ivan

[Arthanor]

Looking good!

One thing on the background, have you tried making them yourself using the colors in the palette? The colors within a line naturally "fade to black", so it could work and be smoother than trying to convert an image? Or it could look like a bunch of blocky lines since there aren't enough choices.. :/

[Vulgar Monkey]

If you want a little more control over pallette conversion you might try HD Indexing: https://danfessler.com/blog/hd-index-painting-in-photoshop
It's not as complex as it sounds.

Personally though I think your options might be a bit limited due to the nature of the pallette on offer. At a push, though, you might be able to use the above method to force a particular type of dithering pattern. Certain ones might look a bit nicer, if only for the introduction of a pattern over random noise.


Great job on the mod so far though, I love the ribbons in particular. Also, I like the subtlety of the Fallen medal being upside down.....reminds me of the tradition of upside-down flags or missing-man formations.

[ivandogovich]

Looking good!

One thing on the background, have you tried making them yourself using the colors in the palette? The colors within a line naturally "fade to black", so it could work and be smoother than trying to convert an image? Or it could look like a bunch of blocky lines since there aren't enough choices.. :/

Yeah, when I limit it strictly to the colors of the pallette it just becomes bands of colors, so dithering seem like the way to go.

If you want a little more control over pallette conversion you might try HD Indexing: https://danfessler.com/blog/hd-index-painting-in-photoshop
It's not as complex as it sounds.

Personally though I think your options might be a bit limited due to the nature of the pallette on offer. At a push, though, you might be able to use the above method to force a particular type of dithering pattern. Certain ones might look a bit nicer, if only for the introduction of a pattern over random noise.


Great job on the mod so far though, I love the ribbons in particular. Also, I like the subtlety of the Fallen medal being upside down.....reminds me of the tradition of upside-down flags or missing-man formations.

Thanks a bunch for the feedback.  

Yeah, the pallette is definitely limited.  I tried using "diffusion, noise, and pattern" for the renders of the gradients.  It definitely looks better in photo shop than when rendered against this pallette. XD

The majority, I used diffusion, for, with the exception being Purple as patterned.

And thanks for the feedback on the Fallen Medal. That was the effect I was going for.

I am working on more medalions.  I have the spreadsheet I'm working on here.

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1ibFwqFzgI0JNJz0eIBYP_uW5grm7fW4yE_j38skyadg/edit?usp=sharing

If anyone would like to contribute, let me know.

Cheers, Ivan

[Arthanor]

I hadn't noticed, but that's a nice little feature on the Fallen medal indeed! I'd love to help, but I am already spending most of my time trying to bring the XCom Armoury Expanded to 1.0 (finally got graphics! And making good progress but still..) and now it looks like I might be working on Cybersnakes and Cyberlids, for an improved late game show (along with other alien late game tweaks I am thinking of).

Too much to do! But that's what you get with such an awesome platform as OpenXCom

[the_third_curry]

I am working on more medalions.  I have the spreadsheet I'm working on here.

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1ibFwqFzgI0JNJz0eIBYP_uW5grm7fW4yE_j38skyad
Cheers, Ivan

The spreadsheet doesn't display for me.

[ivandogovich]

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1ibFwqFzgI0JNJz0eIBYP_uW5grm7fW4yE_j38skyadg/edit?usp=sharing 

here is another try at the spreadsheet

[Vulgar Monkey]

The quotes are really welcome. Adds an air of authority and realism to the game.
And lets face it, when the graphics are basic and the mechanics abstract, a tangible atmosphere counts double.

[Arthanor]

Yes, the quotes are a really nice addition. Atmosphere and random bits of culture are great.

When reading some description, I found the Star of Valor, which says:

I will never quit. My nation expects me to be physically harder and
mentally stronger than my enemies. If knocked down i will get back up,
every time. I will draw on every remaining ounce of strength to protect
my enemies and to accomplish our mission. I am never out of the fight.”
―  (Marcus Luttrell)'  When the squad wipe is in progress, this soldier
kept their head and managed to salvage the dropship.
The lone survivor of any mission is awarded this medal only once."

After double checking, the original quote indeed talks about protecting his teammates, not his enemies

[ivandogovich]

Heheh!  Nice catch!  Thanks for the extra set of eyeballs!   
Cheers, Ivan

[Arthanor]

No worries

I'll try to read through them all over the next few days, when I take a few minutes away from thinking at work.

[ivandogovich]

Some more ufopedia entries with the longer quotes. :