How to make big units

[Solarius Scorch]

I've made plenty of standard units, but now I would like to try making a 2x2 unit. I already have graphics with good enough resolution. Unfortunately, I have no idea how to start.

What tools can I use to cut/arrange the spritesheet? How to get from a set of pics to a finished spritesheet?

Help would be very much appreciated.

[bulletdesigner]

Start by going to Falkooxc tools , choose HWP unit builder , choose the drawing routine unit that fits the most (mind the turret), download the ez to build sprite sheet, change it , after changes upload it on unit builder again , generate sprite sheet (the one openxcom reads), see the code.
Now to the coding part , just need to change the armor sheet and drawing routine , use the unit armor you copy (in the HWP unit builder) as reference because of lofttemp and other things i might be missing
The Rest you should now better then me , like  items and units for  more customization .
It would be great if we can make soldier wear 2x2 armor but dunno if that´s possible , so i think it was to be a item or a living weapon unit
Btw i use photoshop for image !

[Dioxine]

It would be great if we can make soldier wear 2x2 armor but dunno if that´s possible , so i think it was to be a item or a living weapon unit

Technically Possible. Wth OXCE, you can give it weapons (basic OXC allows only for unarmed, which is pointless as you won't be able to pick up anything), but makes the game crash if runs out of space to spawn the 2x2 soldier, since it counts him/her as 1, not 4. If you wanted to use this, you'd have to have all your dropships compatible, meaning with 4x as much space as maximum allowed crew, and no nooks and crannies, just a rectangle which is divisble by 2 on each side.

[Solarius Scorch]

Thanks guys, I didn't know Falko made a tool for this. I'll give it a try.

[davide]

Probably , you have already seen that, but on mod portal
there are some Miguel's mods that I suppose them contains big unit:

https://www.openxcom.com/mod/syp-333-warden-combat-robot
https://www.openxcom.com/mod/walker-combat-robot
https://www.openxcom.com/mod/pick-up-resistance
https://www.openxcom.com/mod/archos-b-1-mobile-rocket-launcher
https://www.openxcom.com/mod/outsider-mod

[robin]

Thanks guys, I didn't know Falko made a tool for this. I'll give it a try.

yeah it's literally vital for 2x2 units.
from the tool you download the sheet with the "whole" unit (see attachment).
then, once you have done your thing with it, you pass it to falko's tool again, to "split" it back into the game-ready sheet.

Beware:
do not draw too near the edges of the drawing area (the drawing area is the transparent hexagonal area), leave a margin of at least 2 (or maybe even 4, don't remember exactly, just don't go near it) pixels. because otherwise, when the unit animates in-game, the pixels within this margin will "overflow" the drawing area and pop out on the other side of it (sort of confusing explanation, sorry).

[bulletdesigner]

Technically Possible. Wth OXCE, you can give it weapons (basic OXC allows only for unarmed, which is pointless as you won't be able to pick up anything), but makes the game crash if runs out of space to spawn the 2x2 soldier, since it counts him/her as 1, not 4. If you wanted to use this, you'd have to have all your dropships compatible, meaning with 4x as much space as maximum allowed crew, and no nooks and crannies, just a rectangle which is divisble by 2 on each side.

i was thinking about that for making the assault bikes be mountables and dismountables (bike armor)
Anyway this floor sprites should help and i think we asked me for the bike sprites long time ago

[davide]

Technically Possible. Wth OXCE, you can give it weapons (basic OXC allows only for unarmed, which is pointless as you won't be able to pick up anything), but makes the game crash if runs out of space to spawn the 2x2 soldier, since it counts him/her as 1, not 4. If you wanted to use this, you'd have to have all your dropships compatible, meaning with 4x as much space as maximum allowed crew, and no nooks and crannies, just a rectangle which is divisble by 2 on each side.

Probably, we could ask  Warboy  to evaluate this feature for standard OX

[SupSuper]

Probably, we could ask  Warboy  to evaluate this feature for standard OX

Why would we want a feature that's just as likely to crash the game.

[davide]

Why would we want a feature that's just as likely to crash the game.

 

... such as "Soldiers Diaries", new mod format, new battlescape generation algorithm, expert soldiers, ....

... a lot of issues after them ...

but now OX in much better then 1.0 !!!
 

Thank you very much for any improvement and any new features for modders !!!

PS:
Do you read my suggestion about dynamic add crafts on base defense missions from a B.B. tool
https://openxcom.org/forum/index.php/topic,4247.0.html

[Solarius Scorch]

I just wanted to say thanks people, everything's working like a charm. I'm now rapidly increasing the worldwide population of 2x2 sprites.