SOW Antietam

[McHugh]

I purchased Antietam today and couldn't believe how inferior the terrain graphics were compared to Gettysburg. Should Antietam look the same as my install of Gettysburg? The terrain graphics look like Google Earth when you have moved too close with large rectangular pixels.
I also noticed at the Matrix site that there was a 1.61 update of Chancellorsville but not Antietam. Maybe that is the problem.
I have version 1.61 of Gettysburg and the resolution set at 1920 X 1080. I have attached two screenshots while really show the difference between the two games.

[Davinci]

I purchased Antietam today and couldn't believe how inferior the terrain graphics were compared to Gettysburg.

If I remember this correctly, the default Gettysburg Game had the same quality graphics.

I think that that Map was redone later with better looking graphics.

Basically, Map Makers have a better understanding of how to make the Maps look better, than they did when the game was first released!

davinci

[McHugh]

I bought SOW Gettysburg from Norbsoft years ago but I updated it to Matrix version 1.61. I think that SOW Antietam has a resolution of 1024 X 768 which was the old maximum for monitors when SOW Gettysburg was released at Norbsoft. As I mentioned, there is a 1.61 Matrix update for Chancellorsville so I am thinking that it's graphics are comparable to the 1.61 version of Gettysburg. If that is the case then Matrix should release an update for Antietam to bring it up to what Gettysburg and Chancellorsville (I think) are currently.

The other battles such as Pipe Creek were released after both Antietam and Chancellorsville so maybe the outdated graphics resolution is not an issue with those ones.

[Davinci]

I don't have the Antietam or the other downloaded Maps that came after the first release.

But, if you are willing to download the Map Making Tools - changing the Ground-Textures is fairly simple to do.

Basically, the Ground-Textures are (JPG) files that can be renamed from one Map to the next, re-saved, and applied to the other maps.

davinci

[McHugh]

Thanks for letting me know about the ground textures. Is there a link to the instructions as to how to do that?

[McHugh]

Here is what I don't understand. The base game is Gettysburg and Antietam and it's scenarios are accessed through clicking "Additional Battles" so to me it would be like someone designing and adding a scenario. If that is correct shouldn't Antietam be merely using the graphics of the base game?

When I look at the folders for Gettysburg at Base/Graphics/Effects there are four files Gnd_Mark1 to Gnd_Mark4 with the description of "Direct Draw Surface". Are these the ground textures?

There are no separate folders for Antietam only a file named "Antietam.sow" which cannot be opened.

If Antietam is using the graphics from Gettysburg I am puzzled why the ground texture is so inferior?

[McHugh]

After looking at the Gettysburg folders I noticed there was one named SOW_Lynchburg. I started up Gettysburg and under User Scenarios there were 5 battles for Lynchburg. Strangely enough they all had the same ground graphics as Gettysburg so the DLC Antietam is the only one with the crappy ground textures.

[Davinci]

Thanks for letting me know about the ground textures. Is there a link to the instructions as to how to do that?

Not Really!
But, once you have the Map Tools Installed, I will try to help you out with it.

If that is correct shouldn't Antietam be merely using the graphics of the base game?

I 'm not sure that the Maps were designed by the same person, its been years ago, getting old, memory is not what it used to be.

When I look at the folders for Gettysburg at Base/Graphics/Effects there are four files Gnd_Mark1 to Gnd_Mark4 with the description of "Direct Draw Surface". Are these the ground textures?

Negative, those are the ground textures for the artillery spots that appear on the ground during battle.

There are no separate folders for Antietam only a file named "Antietam.sow" which cannot be opened.

That is a SOW file that has nothing to do with the Map-Making-Tools.

If Antietam is using the graphics from Gettysburg I am puzzled why the ground texture is so inferior?

Both Maps are probably not using the same Ground-Textures!

After looking at the Gettysburg folders I noticed there was one named SOW_Lynchburg. I started up Gettysburg and under User Scenarios there were 5 battles for Lynchburg. Strangely enough they all had the same ground graphics as Gettysburg so the DLC Antietam is the only one with the crappy ground textures.

The "Lynchburg Map" Map was Not designed by the same person that designed the Gettysburg Map!

Download the Map-Tools - which is the only way to change the Ground-Textures!
Once that is done, it is quite simple to locate the name of the main ground texture and to switch it to one that you like.

davinci

[McHugh]

I did a search of "map tools" on this site and the only thing that came up was your last post. Could you tell me where I can download map tools? Thanks.

[RebBugler]

I did a search of "map tools" on this site and the only thing that came up was your last post. Could you tell me where I can download map tools? Thanks.

http://www.norbsoftdev.net/forum/waterl ... loo-sdk-v2

I think this is the latest version...Map tools are included.

Other Team Members...Why is this thread not stickied/pinned?