Wireframes and build buttons

posted on August 6th, 2011, 6:17 pm

Does anyone know what programs the fleetops team uses to make their buildbuttons, wireframes and background images? I've been adding ships to my mod and they need build buttons and wireframes, but I can't get mine to look as good as the ones the fleetops team did. I've tried storm 3d and milkshape 3d to do the captures, but they look all pixlated and blocky with little to no detail. The fleetops captures look clean and smooth, even the smaller buildbutton images. Which program can I use to get images as good as theirs?

posted on August 6th, 2011, 6:25 pm

Like most 2d graphics in Fleet Operations, they were created with Corel Photopaint, but Adobe Photoshop should give you similar results

posted on August 6th, 2011, 6:39 pm

you should take a screenshot of your ship model in either milshape or ingame in fleet operations at high resolution (add some interesting lighting) and then scale it down to the required size of the build button with a resizing filter. not sure what you use now, but paint.net for example is a good free graphic editing tool has an array of resizing filters build in. additionally after resize you could add a sharpening filter so the details of your vessel stay visible.

for such simple tasks programs like photoshop are overkill. especially since the license is not that cheap... i have luck to have access to a license through my job. for beginners paint .net should do, i still use it myself from time to time for simpler tasks. there are also more powerful free photo editing programs like the gimp, but it has the downside to be not very beginner friendly.

posted on August 6th, 2011, 7:13 pm

there are also more powerful free photo editing programs like the gimp, but it has the downside to be not very beginner friendly.

that's an understatement 

and on weaker computers you can grab a fast lunch while gimp loads.

posted on August 7th, 2011, 1:38 am

I use gimp and storm 3d to make buttons and backgrounds.  Once complete (and with proper lighting), they match almost seamlessly to the ones the FO team does.