Adding New Icons with Turtle Pack (Approved)

Topic Subject:

Adding New Icons with Turtle Pack (Approved)

MrMew
Huskarl

posted 01-19-16 11:16 PM CT (US)

This article has been approved and can also be read at the University. - Leif Ericson

Adding New Icons with Turtle Pack
This guide will go over how to add SLPs to the interfac.drs file to add new icons. Note that most mods do not keep the unit icons in the interfac.drs file but commonly move it to the gamedata_x1_p1.drs to reduce the file size of the mod.

To add more icons to the game you'll be needing Turtle Pack

Firstly open Turtle Pack and you will be presented with the following:

Select DRS editor.

Next open the interfac.drs in Age of Empires II/data by using the icon (as shown at A below) then browsing for the interfac.drs file. After select SLP at B for convenience.

Now find the icon SLP, ID 50730 for unit icons, ID 50705 for buildings, and 50729 for technologies. Right click on the icon slp you wish to add too and select extract. Save to the desired location.

Minimise this window as you'll need it later. Open up another instance of Turtle Pack, but this time select SLP Editor.

Now open up the SLP you just extracted (the icon shown at C) and select the icon shown at E to add your new icon. I will come to what D is for along with the arrow later.

A window will appear as shown below. Click on Add (at F) and browse for the icon you wish to add. Once you have opened it, select OK at G.

Now back to what the use of the arrows at D are for. Click them to move the image so the top left corner of the image is in the centre of the cross as the arrow in the image below displays.

Save the SLP. Go back to the DRS editor and right-click the SLP you extracted earlier. Select Replace.

Save the DRS you just edited and you will now be able to use the new icon for any mods that you wish.

[This message has been edited by Leif Ericson (edited 03-17-2017 @ 12:24 PM).]

Author

Replies:

TriRem
Huskarl

posted 01-20-16 04:11 PM CT (US) 1 / 13

Good article, simple and detailed ! It will certainly be useful to any new modders.

Just a few details :

Now back to what the use of the arrows at D are for. Click them to move the image so the top left corner of the image is in the centre of the cross as the arrow in the image below displays.

Or you can directly set the anchor to (0,0) and do it to multiple frames at the same time.

Another thing you might want to mention is that the icons slp aren't always in the interfac.drs, if you have mods or are playing HD and AOF/AOAK they are in different files.

Fluctuat nec mergitur.

MrMew
Huskarl

posted 01-20-16 07:20 PM CT (US) 2 / 13

Or you can directly set the anchor to (0,0) and do it to multiple frames at the same time.

Wow, that makes things simpler, I'll use that next time I add an icon.

Another thing you might want to mention is that the icons slp aren't always in the interfac.drs, if you have mods or are playing HD and AOF/AOAK they are in different files.

Hmmm, yes that's why I added in the first line it's about the interfac.drs. I might go add that in though somewhere as extra info. On that topic if I move the unit icons to gamedata_x1_p1.drs and rename the ID, what will happen when someone downloads and installs the mod but because the interfac.drs isn't replaced, where will the game read the unit icons from? (I moved unit icons to gamedata for the Dark Age mod and thought of this after uploading, hoping it doesn't cause crashes or bugs.)

Time of Tea
Still in the Dark Age
Don't be a melodramatic clown. ~Mr Wednesday

[This message has been edited by MrMew (edited 01-20-2016 @ 07:39 PM).]

TriRem
Huskarl

posted 01-21-16 07:59 AM CT (US) 3 / 13

I didn't read the first line

my fault.

Hmmm, yes that's why I added in the first line it's about the interfac.drs. I might go add that in though somewhere as extra info. On that topic if I move the unit icons to gamedata_x1_p1.drs and rename the ID, what will happen when someone downloads and installs the mod but because the interfac.drs isn't replaced, where will the game read the unit icons from? (I moved unit icons to gamedata for the Dark Age mod and thought of this after uploading, hoping it doesn't cause crashes or bugs.)

The gamedata drs folders are made for patches. You can add new slp, sound or bin files in them. When a slp in there shares the same id as another slp in a different drs folder, the one in the gamedata will override the original one.

For example in the gamedata_x1_p1 you can see the turtle ship graphics that were introduced in 1.0c patch, while the original graphics are still in the graphics.drs. The game shows the 1.0c graphics because gamedata_x1_p1 has an higher priority over the interfac.drs.

It will work the same way if you add icons slp to the gamedata_x1_p1, the game will load the new icons and there should be no problem.

Fluctuat nec mergitur.

[This message has been edited by TriRem (edited 01-21-2016 @ 08:00 AM).]

SquirePeterson
Squire

posted 06-12-16 11:30 AM CT (US) 4 / 13

Really good, article.

I have one problem. I have normal AoK and the HD version on Steam.

I made a icon for normal AoK. Was no problem.

Then i wanted to make same icon for the HD version. But in 50730.slp... there are only the old icons. Where can i find the new icons?

Sorry for my bad english.

Vardamir
Huskarl

posted 06-12-16 11:56 AM CT (US) 5 / 13

There are two different 50730 slps. You've presumably found the one in resources/_common/drs/interfac, which is used by the Conquerors dataset. DLC uses the one in resources/_common/drs/gamedata_x2

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SquirePeterson
Squire

posted 06-12-16 05:31 PM CT (US) 6 / 13

@Vardamir Big thank you for this quick answer!

The_Mario
Squire

posted 03-03-17 11:05 AM CT (US) 7 / 13

Hi, I'm new to modding graphics (but not new on playing Age of Conquerors mods). I've made this unit:

But when I open SLP editor - Edit - Create new Frame (Import bit map file to slp frame), the colors end up like this:

I've read some articles and posts in The university and the modding section of ths forum but I've not found how to fix this. How to fix this color change problem?

Possidon
Slayer

posted 03-03-17 12:07 PM CT (US) 8 / 13

You need to save it in the AOK Palette. If you have GIMP or Photoshop Use this utility to help

pictus12
Squire

posted 10-12-17 05:08 AM CT (US) 9 / 13

hey guys, i tried first time ever to use turtle pack but when i try to open interfac.drs with drs editor i get an error like this

{Cannot open file "C/Program files (x86) Microsoft Games/ Age of Empires ii/ Data/interfac.drs". Access is denied.}

Does anyone know whats the problem?
I havent been around the community for years so turtle pack is new to me. Thank you anyway

Jineapple
Squire

posted 10-12-17 06:14 AM CT (US) 10 / 13

You probably need Admin rights. If you start Turtle Pack as Administrator, it should work.

pictus12
Squire

posted 10-13-17 07:08 AM CT (US) 11 / 13

yup it worked! thanks a lot mate

Mahazona
Squire

posted 11-08-17 08:02 AM CT (US) 12 / 13

Never mind I got it fixed

[This message has been edited by Mahazona (edited 11-08-2017 @ 10:30 AM).]

Narjana
Squire

posted 04-28-18 06:16 AM CT (US) 13 / 13

Hi, you wrote than ID for building icons is 50705. But I explored that in-game used ID for buildings icons is 50706. Other SLPs with b-icons (50705,50707,50708) you can remove and game run correctly and with all b-icons.
Good Bye

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