Changing Background Art?

[pjrake]

how do you change the "wallpaper" background in FGII?

-PJ

[Griogre]

Create a new ruleset. Then look in the Frames Folder for the desktop_background file. Note take a look at how that pic is built there are two sections of the pic.

[kalmarjan]

Just to expand on this:

1) Make a custom ruleset.
2) The graphic you are looking for is desktop.png in the /frames folder.
3) The file is split intp three parts - the main texture, the texture overlaid for the right side icons, and the decal of the background. The main texture is 512 x 512 (A good size for the texture.)
4) If you base your graphic on that, nothing needs to change. Just change the graphic and keep the same dimensions.
5) If you make a bigger graphic, you need to edit the entry in the graphic_frames.xml file to place the coordinates of the graphics. Check in the library for instructions on exactly how to do this.

I hope that helps you out. ;)

Sandeman

[Blue Haven]

Maybe you can help me out...i want to put an image with 1116x830 on the background because i can´t find a good texture and i decide to put a great pic and then the logo on top, but there is a problem...when i insert the pic the final result is a desktop with multiple pics divided :( how can i configure that file (graphic_frames.xml) so that the pic appears normal...?
Thanks

[kalmarjan]

The texture portion of the desktop is tileable. (That is the right, main), so if you want to place the picture as something not tileable, the best way is to use the image as the <decal>

Sandeman

[Blue Haven]

Sorry :( but can you make an example please...i&#180;m a little confused with all this things...
Thanks

[kalmarjan]

PM me your image, and I will try to explain a little better.

Sandeman

[Blue Haven]

I put the image in here because i can´t send pics in a PM sorry...

[Foen]

A desktop background is like any other FG frame, and has a number of features.

There are edges which are anchored (side edges tile vertically, top/bottom edges tile horizonally, and corners don't tile at all), and a centre element which tiles to fill the middle. In addition, an overlay logo can be placed on the frame at a given horizonal/vertical offset.

What this means is that some backgrounds work really well (those that tile neatly) but others don't render so well if the target size is different to the original (there is not stretching, just tiling).

Judging by your image Blue (which is really neat!), I think you wil struggle to make this attractive on anything but the original resolution.

Stuart

[Oberoten]

Absurdly large images works though...
Even if they increase download times for your ruleset... a LOT.

[kalmarjan]

Here is what you need to do:

1) Figure out a texture that works for you... it won't really matter, because you are going to be covering it anyways...
2) Make sure the texture is 512 by 512
3) Open up desktop.png in your favorite editor.
4) Extend the canvas size, anchoring to the left. In your case, you would want a canvas that is pretty large, something like 1700 x 800 px.
5) Paste in your picture, make it out like you want to.
6) Change out your grahic_frames.xml file to look like this (at the bottom)


<framedef name="desktop">
<bitmap file="frames/desktop.png" />
<middle rect="0,0,512,512" />
<right rect="512,0,97,512" />
<decal rect="613,0,1034,800" />
</framedef>

So there you have it. I have something I quickly threw together... using the base default textures with your picture in the BG.

Hope that helps you out.

Sandeman

[Blue Haven]

Yeah the problem is that i have a 22" monitor and when i open the program its just fine but if i expand the desktop the background simple goes freaking out and i see dice everywhere, numbers and all the stuff all mixed up... :(

P.S.-no i&#180;m not on drugs lol ;)

[Blue Haven]

I have done like you said but i get no background like that :( i get a background even more tiled than the others i had...WTF :(

[Blue Haven]

Can you please make me that desktop work and send me?? with the changes i must make to the graphics.xml of course...can you please...?
Thanks anyway :)

[Toadwart]

Yeah the problem is that i have a 22" monitor and when i open the program its just fine but if i expand the desktop the background simple goes freaking out and i see dice everywhere, numbers and all the stuff all mixed up... :(

P.S.-no i´m not on drugs lol ;)

Does it 'freak out' even if you dont expand it? If so double(and triple;)-check that you have the correct path/filename in your ruleset. The only time I have seen behaviour like that is when FG couldn't find the background image file.


Really not sure why it looks ok on first opening (seems to remember the last 'good' image)...

[Blue Haven]

Yeah it only freaks out when i expand the desktop (of the program of course not the windows) very strange...but after the changes from Sandeman it no longer freaks out but its more tiled then ever lol...i&#180;m getting tired of this crap...

[Foen]

Hi Blue

I think what Jason is trying to explain is illustrated in the attached diagram.

The current desktop image needs to be extended to the right and your own background added, starting at pixel location 613,0 (to the right of the existing background, at the top, replacing the existing dragon logo but much bigger).

The frame definition then needs to be changed as he suggested, which places your new image as a floating logo on top of the current tiled image.

Cheers

Stuart

[kalmarjan]

Exactly,

And a further few caveats:

1) The tiling texture gets placed first.... and DOES NOT support transparency. Make sure there are no transparent pixels, or it will not work as expected.
2) The right side texture gets placed second.... and DOES NOT support transparency. Make sure there are no transparent pixels, or it will not work as expected.
3) The decal gets placed last. This does support transparency, and can be as big as you like, and does not tile.

Sandeman