Alternative flags

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Deggial
Posts: 21
Joined: Mon Jan 02, 2012 2:24 pm

Alternative flags

Post by Deggial »

Hi all,

as mentioned in my other thread, I was fooling around with some new flag designs. What I tried to achieve is:
- Flags should be less divided into small sections
- Flags should be a little bit more alien and suited for star empires.
- If possible, there should be a relation to the respective race, e.g. Hexagonal structures for the insectioide races, waterrelation for the Wekkarus,... (still to be done)

Some flags are just my own interpretation of the original ones (05, 27, 29, 32), many are totally new.
The "Manticore" is inpired by David Weber's great "Honor Harrington" stories.

There are still some flags I want to change and there is *no* race specific sorting right now. (Flag 19, for example, should be the Wekkarus' flag but isn't yet.).
Nevertheless (and because I promised in mentioned other thread) I want to share the current state of work with you.

That's how the flags look right now:

Image

If you like them and don't care about the missing sorting and uncompleteness, here is a link to download:

http://www.megaupload.com/?d=I316IN0R

If you want to use the flags, just copy them to your ...\Distant Worlds\images\ui\flagshapes directory.
Please remember to make a backup first, as the flags will replace the original ones.

Hope you like one or the other design.

Cheers,
Deggial

--

PS: I'm pretty sure, I'm not the only one who created some new flags. I know it is done for several specialized mods.
I would love to see other flags posted in this thread, too!
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Ogaburan
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RE: Alternative flags

Post by Ogaburan »

Yey!
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the1sean
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RE: Alternative flags

Post by the1sean »

awesome!
Deggial
Posts: 21
Joined: Mon Jan 02, 2012 2:24 pm

RE: Alternative flags

Post by Deggial »

Hi again.

As mentioned in my first post, I wanted to assign the flags to certain races.
This work is done now and some new flags are added, too.
Again, some flags are just variations of the original ones, some are completely unchanged, some are completely new:

Image

I still hope you like them. My favorite is the Securan's flag (25).

By the way: I've discovered that it is possible to have "multicolored" flags, too (simply by varying the picture's alpha channel). Looks quite cool...

--

Here is the download link:

http://www.mediafire.com/file/a0q75q024 ... gs_v02.zip (thanks, adecoy95!)

*All* flags are included in this ZIP.file. So, if you are interested, just duplicate (and rename) the original "flagshapes" folder and extract the ZIP into the old one.

Please, be aware that Megaupload will store the data for 21 days only and - to be honest - I don't want to pay the fee just to keep the alternative flags on-line.
So, *IF* it would be possible to make the data available for a longer time, please tell me.

-------

Edit: Removed Megaupload link due actual incidences.
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tjhkkr
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RE: Alternative flags

Post by tjhkkr »

You have some really nice ones in here. Good work!
Remember that the evil which is now in the world will become yet more powerful, and that it is not evil which conquers evil, but only love -- Olga Romanov.
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adecoy95
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RE: Alternative flags

Post by adecoy95 »

mediafire should hold the data for longer, barring that, you might try some dedicated modding hosting provider like moddb or the like.

also, the race specific flags, are will they be chosen automatically by the proper race?
Deggial
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Joined: Mon Jan 02, 2012 2:24 pm

RE: Alternative flags

Post by Deggial »

@ adecoy95: Yes, race specific flags are numbered as the original ones, so they will be loaded by the proper race.

Thanks for the tip! I added the new download possibility.

@ tjhkkr: Thanks! [:)]

I know, not all of them are equally inspirational. Therefore I added two additional flags to change the least wanted (Flag "B" looks way better, if the background color is brighter than the foreground).
Additionally, I would love to see some other creative artworks presented here. As mentioned before, I'm pretty sure I'm not the only one creating new flag sets.
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tjhkkr
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RE: Alternative flags

Post by tjhkkr »

Do not put your work down.
How many flags in this world truly ARE inspiring? Some have meaning that makes them a little more interesting... but a great many are just colors...
Remember that the evil which is now in the world will become yet more powerful, and that it is not evil which conquers evil, but only love -- Olga Romanov.
onomastikon
Posts: 193
Joined: Tue Nov 29, 2011 5:28 am

RE: Alternative flags

Post by onomastikon »

Excuse me, this is AMAZING, thank you!
This is basically my first look in the modding sub-forum because I am new to DW and am still trying to wrap my mind around vanilla 1.706. Also, I am computer illiterate and am afraid of "modding" because I am sure to break something and my game will crash.
So can I ask: Do I go to your DL-link and DL your files, and then put them into ..."flagshapes", and then I will get to choose these in-game during game setup? And the AI will too (that is, use your great flags)? Will your flags be there in addition to the vanilla ones that came with the game? Will I also still get to choose my colors, or do I have to have red and yellow?

To be honest, I opened up this thread because I am looking for a quasi-Israeli flag for my next game. (I'd like to make a silly space-opera Exodus kind of thing with Moses, David, and the whole anachronistic meschpuchah). It wouldn't have to be very authentic, any six-pointed star on a neutral background would do, I'd choose blue and white. Would that be hard to do? Kind of surprised it doesnt come with the vanilla setup.
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J HG T
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RE: Alternative flags

Post by J HG T »

Those are great! Will definetly be using them!
The human star is bit a cliche; I personally prefer the Earth as a symbol for the humanity on SciFi, but it's just personal preference in the end. 

BTW, is The Ancient Guardian flag a sneaky reference to Metroid Prime 2? Luminoths had quite similar 3D font in it.
Nothing is impossible, not if you can imagine it!
"And they hurled themselves into the void of space with no fear."
Deggial
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RE: Alternative flags

Post by Deggial »

I'm glad to come to know that my flags are well accepted and actually *used*! Thank you for your kind words! [:)]

@ onomastikon:
Yes, all the flags will be used by the AI as marked in the picture. There is no programming involved - I simply replaced the original flags by my own ones and it is not possible to use both flag-sets together. Hence, it is very important to duplicate and rename your original "flagshape"-directory or you will lose the original flags until you re-install the game.
Colors can be chosen as usual.

Creating flags is not to complicated, as long as you use a vector based graphic program.
Maybe you'll like this one:

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/57824474/flag_Solomons_seal.wmf

Just replace the name by a number.
Take care on your people during their space-diaspora and have fun!

@ J HG T:
Yes, shame on me - it is! But there is nothing better than a nice cliché... [:D]
To be honest, this is not one of the flags I created with a special race in mind. When looking through my designs, this one seemed quite appropriate.
Metroid Prime 2? Interesting! No, I never heard about this game. Surfing the net I didn't find a respective picture with the font. It would be nice to see the parallels. My intention was to create a technical flag like a plate or something similar.
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J HG T
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RE: Alternative flags

Post by J HG T »

@Deggial
Here's a translation key for for Luminoths language from Metroidwiki. See what I was meaning? [:)]
Linkity link to Wikitroid
And I have to agree that it's extremely fun to just look for cliches and references in games and movies sometimes.

Nothing is impossible, not if you can imagine it!
"And they hurled themselves into the void of space with no fear."
Deggial
Posts: 21
Joined: Mon Jan 02, 2012 2:24 pm

RE: Alternative flags

Post by Deggial »

LOL! You are right! Sometimes I think that it is not possible to create something totally new anymore, nowadays...
Rosseau
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RE: Alternative flags

Post by Rosseau »

My fav is #24. Thanks.
onomastikon
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RE: Alternative flags

Post by onomastikon »

Hey thanks so much. I think I understand. I'm going to try it. Sadly, I am having problems finding my distant worlds folder. It is not under Programs and not under Programsx86, which is where I usually find things. I am running Windows 7 Home Premium, sadly in German, so things might be called differently. I've been looking for "Matrix Games" or "Distant Worlds", but can find neither. Does anyone have a tip for a computer idiot? Thank you
Jon Micheelsen
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RE: Alternative flags

Post by Jon Micheelsen »

onomastikon, it's default directory is C:\Matrix Games That's right, it's not in the programs or programsx86 folder, but right on the main drive. I didn't notice where it was installed at first and was surprised when I found it - and indeed missed it too. It is very old school of the game to do that btw, like Master of Orion 1[:D]

Deggial, that is one awesome pack you've made!! Most of them are replacing flags in my folder RIGHT NOW[&o]
Berlioz
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RE: Alternative flags

Post by Berlioz »

First of all, all of the mods in this wonderful site are awesome. :)

Second of all, none of the links to this also awesome mod are working. Any chance a working one might be provided?

Thanks. :)
Image
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Pocus
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RE: Alternative flags

Post by Pocus »

+1, can someone with the flags provides a valid link please? [:)]
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the1sean
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RE: Alternative flags

Post by the1sean »

Oh man, wish I could download the newer version! Please relink on Gamefront, they maintain files for quite some time!
Deggial
Posts: 21
Joined: Mon Jan 02, 2012 2:24 pm

RE: Alternative flags

Post by Deggial »

Wow! I'm happy that there is still interest in may flags! Sorry for not being at this forum for quite a while. There are so many games to play and so many things to do...

Anyway, I've placed the flags in my personal dropbox, now. There shouldn't be download problems in the foreseeable future any more. Here is the link:

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/57824474/altern ... gs_v02.zip

Cheers and have fun,
Deggial
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