[WIP] - Historical British 7th Armoured Division (EL Alamein)

Choccy_Starfish

I'm going to be attempting to complete a British skin pack, based upon the desert camo-scheme employed by the 7th Armoured Division (Desert Rats), in the North Africa Campaign.

The skin is based upon this reconstruction found at the the Bovington Tank Museum:



I'll be updating this post as I go. All previews are not finished, as I want to preserve that for the final download, so what you'll be seeing is an incomplete work.


AEC:

somenbjorn

Looks awesome!

georider

although that this is a very good way of aproach a theme there is a small issue regarding historical skins , it's the same when someone asking for grey king tiger , some tanks was not used in desert like firefly , comet etc , though it will be a nice atachment but make research for historical facts regarding that cammo. M3 lee in bovington is a good sample but you must make more research.

Starbuck

Very nice!

georider

yes there are nice need only some propper weathering

Choccy_Starfish

Thanks guys!

A couple of renders of the finished AEC:

georider

The divisonal decals in the turet is wrong , no regiment numbers i.e 51 and the divisional markings (rat) must place there , Leave only the triangle (squadron insignia) that one is correct a, also Air reicon , they use the RAF but the one with the white central circle, that one is Wing marking of a plane use the one used in the main hull . also the RAF air reicon markings is most common in Italy , in Normandy all the Allies used the US round star as reicon.
So divisional and regiment insignias in the sides skirts are corect , the one in turret wrong. The skin is very nice keep on .

Choccy_Starfish

Base paint done for the Centaur:

Choccy_Starfish

Completed Centaur:

puppeteer

Nevermind historical accuracy, this is a winner if I ever saw one.

Beautiful!

Choccy_Starfish

puppeteer said:

Nevermind historical accuracy, this is a winner if I ever saw one.

Beautiful!

As much as I'd like that to be true, I don't think it is.

But  I'm glad you like my skin!

Starbuck

Looks great!  What program are you using to view your skin like this?

Choccy_Starfish

Starbuck said:

Looks great!  What program are you using to view your skin like this?

I'm using the free trial of substance designer, as this is the first skin I've done. There are a wide variety of programs that you can use, though they are pricey for the amateur layman (like myself).

Choccy_Starfish

Cromwell:

Starbuck

Very cool! Weathering looks spot on.  Love to see some pics these in game too.

Choccy_Starfish

Starbuck said:

Very cool! Weathering looks spot on.  Love to see some pics these in game too.

Me too! Shame I can't even get the tools to work on my PC... This might be a huge spanner in the works.

georider

that is the second issue regarding the tools , did you read wiki? have you seen eliwood tutorial ? are you name your mod the same name with atrib.xml and mod file? what errors did you get?

Choccy_Starfish

georider said:

that is the second issue regarding the tools , did you read wiki? have you seen eliwood tutorial ? are you name your mod the same name with atrib.xml and mod file? what errors did you get?

Yes, yes and yes. The tools won't even make the base mod folders. I get this error:  "failed with exit code -1073741819"

reallymadmaveric

Really nice portrays a nice sense of field use

Choccy_Starfish

reallymadmaveric said:

Really nice portrays a nice sense of field use

Thanks for the nice words!

georider

choccy have you edit atrib.xml? make a skinpack the way the wiki saying, after click save button and let it constructed, don't forget for the british the US halftrack, they use it , when you build a default skinpack load your tga's , and build, then you must enter the atrib.xml and correct the icon path , preview path etc etc .

Choccy_Starfish

georider said:

choccy have you edit atrib.xml? make a skinpack the way the wiki saying, after click save button and let it constructed, don't forget for the british the US halftrack, they use it , when you build a default skinpack load your tga's , and build, then you must enter the atrib.xml and correct the icon path , preview path etc etc .

It does not work. I have followed the wiki, I have installed all the java updates required, and made sure it's all pointing to the correct paths. I have installed the latest .net framework. I have installed SDK 4.6, and made sure it is installed correctly.

Every time I go to set up my mod, I enter everything as described in the wiki, and every time it returns this error: C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\Company of Heroes 2 Tools\Burn.exe failed with exit code -1073741819

If I try to build a mod from the files it creates, it returns this error every time I try to build: C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\Company of Heroes 2 Tools\Burn.exe failed with exit code -1073741819

I have verified the tools data via steam, it all comes back good. I have uninstalled them, then reinstalled them, and I still get the same error, every time.


I am stuck.

georider

http://filehippo.com/download_jre_64/download/edcdca9a6a706b2a76b85caf2014d582/
That is a working version of Java I manage to install the tools to my second accound , since I have not space in my original , this is for win8.1 btw what version of win you are using?

Choccy_Starfish

Win 7

georider

ok so there must the problem you are the second that menchioned win7 so maybe that is a windows runtime conlict since I'm working win8.1 64 bits . I can't figured out something else, so contact relic and describe them the problem.

f_x

Choccy_Starfish said:

georider said:

choccy have you edit atrib.xml? make a skinpack the way the wiki saying, after click save button and let it constructed, don't forget for the british the US halftrack, they use it , when you build a default skinpack load your tga's , and build, then you must enter the atrib.xml and correct the icon path , preview path etc etc .

It does not work. I have followed the wiki, I have installed all the java updates required, and made sure it's all pointing to the correct paths. I have installed the latest .net framework. I have installed SDK 4.6, and made sure it is installed correctly.

Every time I go to set up my mod, I enter everything as described in the wiki, and every time it returns this error: C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\Company of Heroes 2 Tools\Burn.exe failed with exit code -1073741819

If I try to build a mod from the files it creates, it returns this error every time I try to build: C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\Company of Heroes 2 Tools\Burn.exe failed with exit code -1073741819

I have verified the tools data via steam, it all comes back good. I have uninstalled them, then reinstalled them, and I still get the same error, every time.


I am stuck.

What is the full path to your mod?  Is it nested deep in a bunch of subdirectories?  For some reason, the mod tool pukes when trying to build a mod with a long path like:

C:\Users\Me\My Documents\COH2 Mods\Polycount competition\test\long\path\whatever\alamein\alamein.mod

But will successfully build the same mod if it's on a shorter path like this:

C:\Users\Me\alamein\alamein.mod

As a test, do this:

- create a new directory, let's call it "debugcoh2", on your desktop so it's not a long path
- create a "skin" and "icon" subdirectory under "debugcoh2"
- use the mod tool wizard to create a new skin pack, as debugcoh2/debugcoh2.mod
    - have it create the entries and extract default skins for 1-2 vehicles, so there is something to bake
- build the mod without adding any of your own content

If that works, then we at least know the tools were installed properly and then it's a problem specific to your mod files.

Choccy_Starfish

F_X: funnily enough, the mod I tried to setup was on the desktop. When I try the wizard it fails every time at exporting the default skins (burn.exe).

f_x

Hmmm... then it might be the install of the mod tools, or something in your system.  Ugh.  What version of Windows are you running?  And does Company of Heroes 2 (the game) work fine for you?

Are you running the tool directly from the file manager, or via the Steam interface?  I have only run it from the Steam interface so I'm not sure if that makes a difference.

From the Steam library pane, if you right-click on the "Company of Heroes 2 Tools" entry, select "Properties".  From there, under the "Local files" tab, select "Verify integrity of game cache".  That should check the install.

Also, you mentioned your mod is on your desktop... can you confirm what the directory structure looks like?  For example:

Desktop\alamein
    alamein.mod
    alamein.xml
    skin\
    icon\

You should have created three directories manually:  the main mod directory, the "skin" subdir, and the "icon" subdir.  Everything else should be created by the mod tool.

I don't have much else to offer... hopefully someone from Relic can chime in if this doesn't start working for you  

Choccy_Starfish

Yeah, all that is the way I have done things F_X. I tried the verify cache, I even did a complete reinstall, and nothing has worked. Same damn error every time.

Guessing it is a win7 issue. Getting my friend who has a better version to test them in-game for me.


EDIT: I appreciate all the help too fella's.

Starbuck

I don't think it's win7 as that's what I use with no issue.  Have you followed eliwood's youtube tutorials?

Choccy_Starfish

Starbuck said:

I don't think it's win7 as that's what I use with no issue.  Have you followed eliwood's youtube tutorials?

Yep, as soon as it gets to burn stage, the same thing happens.

Anyway, a friend of mine was kind enough to package them up for me:



 For those interested, you can view the album here: http://imgur.com/a/LzZz3

Choccy_Starfish

Sexton:

reallymadmaveric

Looking very good. It may benifit to try doing the interior a light brown instead of the dark base green

Choccy_Starfish

Firefly:

Choccy_Starfish

Today has been a mixed bag. I successfully made the M5 skin, only to learn that it's actually an M3 located in the USF files. Well, if Brits ever get an M5, my body is ready...

I have also started work on my render scene. Still needs some refinement, but it is getting there. Hopefully I'll have a full set of nice skins to display in it, come 31st Jan. I wonder if you can guess where I came up with the inspiration for the colouring?

Valentine:

Choccy_Starfish

Today, I completed the correct model... It's the M3 HT: (ignore the tracks, I haven't put the correct material on them, and the wheels look weird due to the FBX models someone kindly uploaded)

georider

the skins are excellent but there are many faults in decals, just make a research to luck how the british insignia post in armor properly. I say that with all respect the long decals looking akward.

Choccy_Starfish

georider said:

the skins are excellent but there are many faults in decals, just make a research to luck how the british insignia post in armor properly. I say that with all respect the long decals looking akward.

I have no idea what you're talking about. If you knew about British tanks, you'd know that insignia was hap-hazard among British Tankers. Often tanks would have no insignia at all, sometimes it would all be present and correct, sometimes it would be full of graffiti.

Check spoiler down below:

georider

britisg insignia = decals and signals , i.e 7th armored division in normand consist of the 22 Armoured Brigade with:
1.Unit Marging was at the following color and numbers and placed in front and back  of the tank /vehicles  as a color square with number as:
brigade HQ used 50 as marking in red square
1st Royal Tank Regiment used 51 as marking in a red square
5th Royal Tank Regiment used 52 as  marking  in a red square
4th Country of London Yeomanry used 53  as marking in a red square
1st Battalion, The Rifle Brigade (Motor Battalion) used 54 as  marking in a red suare
Its Armoured Recce Regiment was the 8th Royal Irish Hussars used the 45 as marking in a  green/blue square
Infantry brigades used the green square with 60,61,62,63 and mashine-gun battalion used the black square with 64
Field squadrons royal engineers used 41,46 green/blue square, 44 green/blue was the armored car regiment no 77in a red/bleu square was the antitank regiment royal artilery ,73 anti aircraft regiment and 74.76 the royal artillery regiments.
2. The squadron insignia , each of the above units/battalions divited in squadrons for example the
1st Royal Tank Regiment used the geometrical shapes the rombus as HQ the triangle as first squadron , the square as secont and circle as third in the turets and all are in red color
5th Royal Tank Regiment used the geometrical shapes the rombus as HQ the triangle as first squadron , the square as secont and circle as third in the turets and all are in yellow  color
4th Country of London Yeomanry  used the geometrical shapes the rombus as HQ the triangle as first squadron , the square as secont and circle as third in the turets and all are in blue color
of couyrse if you make a reasearch inside they must be the using margings etc in North Africa .
Hopped now I may be more clear.

Choccy_Starfish

Ok, I see your list. Now tell me which insignia or decal is incorrect.

georider

all are in  wrong places and some are too big , make a research in the net you will find the propper possitions

Choccy_Starfish

georider said:

all are in  wrong places and some are too big , make a research in the net you will find the propper possitions

I guess you didn't bother to even look at any of those photo's I posted.

georider

You are wrong I look every picture , you want an example , in firefly you add regiment 53 in the side that is wrong , in many references that is the spot for squadron also in halftrack you add a white 53 , they never paint so big the regimentals as i said regimentals is much smaller that those you add.
It's up to you I just make an observation.

Choccy_Starfish

*sigh* More images^

I already told you the commonwealth tanks had no uniformity. There was no guideline to mark your tank with insignia. The tankers themselves painted their own tanks.

Gilgamesh

So I thought I'd clear this up as my Grandad is over today, he used to repair vehicles out in Africa in ww2 and he said the majority of the time they didn't bother.  Those who did it wasn't in a specific place as it tended to vary depending on where and which unit you were in as to where and how big the markings were.

Choccy_Starfish

Gilgamesh said:

So I thought I'd clear this up as my Grandad is over today, he used to repair vehicles out in Africa in ww2 and he said the majority of the time they didn't bother.  Those who did it wasn't in a specific place as it tended to vary depending on where and which unit you were in as to where and how big the markings were.

Thanks for chipping in Gilgamesh.

georider

your skinpack , your desition .

Choccy_Starfish

Final versions:

Choccy_Starfish

Finally got the skin to publish properly on steam: http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=614123359

Thanks to everyone who left positive comments, I hope those of you who use them in game (should they make it) will enjoy playing with them, as much as I enjoyed making them.