SOW Antietam

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.

McHugh wrote: 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

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The other battles such as Pipe Creek were released after both Antietam and Chancellorsville so maybe the outdated graphics resolution is not an issue with those ones.

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

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

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?

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.

McHugh wrote: 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.

McHugh wrote: 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.

McHugh wrote: 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.

McHugh wrote: 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.

McHugh wrote: 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!

McHugh wrote: 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

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

Reb, I have been wondering that for quite a while, the SDK listing really should be labeled "SDK \ Map Making Tools"!

davinci

I purchased it from Matrix Games. Isn't that the only place it can be purchased? I earlier indicated that I saw a 1.61 update for Chancellorsville over at Matrix Games and wondered if that included a graphics update. If it can be fixed with an update and if Norbsoft or someone here has contact with Matrix Games they should be informed about this issue. In the meantime, I will download the map tool and see if I can figure out how to get my Antietam graphics up to the standard of Gettysburg. Thanks for all the feedback, especially you, Davinci.

I downloaded the SDK file and it said this will install Waterloo. Huh?

I then had a look at the 1.61 Chancellorsville patch at Matrix and noticed this:

* New grass, dirt, woods, rocks, and water textures for all Gettysburg and Antietam maps have been added.
* Antietam and Chancellorsville roads have been corrected.

So even though I don't have Chancellorsville maybe this patch will update the Antietam graphics? Wow, I can't believe how convoluted this has been! I am hesitant to install the patch until this is clarified.

McHugh wrote: So even though I don't have Chancellorsville maybe this patch will update the Antietam graphics? Wow, I can't believe how convoluted this has been! I am hesitant to install the patch until this is clarified.

Not sure what "convoluted" means without looking it up, but.....

Install the Patch!

The latest version of the Game is 1.61

davinci

RebBugler if you look at the screenshot of my current Antietam graphics running at 1920 X 1080 that I posted earlier in this thread you will see that it is even worse then your screenshot of your graphics running at 1024 X 768.

DaVinci, I took your advice and tried to install the patch. I tried twice entering my license numbers for SOW Gettysburg and Antietam. Both times it said invalid license numbers. Since I don't own Chancellorsville it makes sense that I can't apply a patch for Chancellorsville.

So that leaves me with the Waterloo SDK file.

McHugh - "Little Powell" - posted above that the Ground-Textures have been improved, so he would know considering that he is on the Team.

The picture that "Reb" - posted doesn't like like a SOW default Map - the Ground-Textures does, but not the trees.

The Map-Tools - can be used to enhance the terrain around the camera with different settings, but I am really not that good in figuring out which settings work best. Everyone uses different resolutions.

Either way, if you decide to Install the Map-Tools - it will give you years of enjoyment considering that you can "Make" or "Alter" any Map of your choice.

The Game is very Solid, meaning that it almost never crashes unless the Player does something wrong!

I usually play on the same Map for approximately a year before moving on to another one, so the Map-Tools come in quite handy.

"MarkT" - has a "Seven-Days-Map" coming out soon, but I always prefer to alter his ground-textures to the ones that I like better. Now, thats nothing against his Maps, he makes some of the best Map available.

I just like My terrain textures better.

This is why I strongly suggest that you Install the Program to change anything that you don't like!

davinci

Here is what I think. Antietam is version 1.50. Matrix Games has a patch bringing SOW Gettysburg to 1.61 and a 1.61 patch for Chancellorsville. I think that is why the graphics look so much better in Gettysburg.
Since I am satisfied with the graphics in 1.61 Gettysburg I have to find a way to improve the graphics for the Antietam DLC only.

When I look at the Gettysburg folder there is a Antietam SOW File of 1,706 KB. I have been unable to open it because I assume the ground texture files are in that folder. It gives you two options to open the folder, one by searching the internet and manually. I tried the internet one first and no answers. I then tried manually, first with Photo viewer and then Internet Explorer. After each attempt the folder showed the icon with whatever I used to try and open it. Look at the screenshot and you can see that the folder now shows Internet Explorer. I think originally the description of the folder was that it was an application file. After trying to open it that is no longer the case.

As I indicated, I downloaded and installed SOWWLSDK which is for Waterloo but I assume I could use the ground textures from it to replace what is being used for Antietam IF I could open the Antietam folder.
I am attaching some screenshots. IF I could open the Antietam folder I assume that it is the Default textures that I would copy and paste in that folder.

I have posted a help ticket at Matrix Games indicating that I think they should be posting a patch 1.61 for Antietam. When you buy the Gettsyburg Anniversary Collection Edition from Matrix you are getting an earlier version of Antietam vs. Gettysburg and Chancellorsville. I would think that is also the case for Pipe Creek and Brandy Station.

If I knew all of this last week, I would have purchased Chancellorsville instead of Antietam.

How to View the Textures that are used in the Antietam and the Gettysburg Maps.

Open the SOWWLSDK\NSDTools folder - the view from the second picture that you posted above.

Create a New-Folder from that directory and name it "1Antietam" without the Quotes.

Create a New-Folder from that directory and name it"2Gettysburg" without the Quotes.

Create a New Folder from that directory and name it"3DefaultMaps" without the Quotes.

Copy the Antietam.lsl file from either the Base\Maps\Folder or the Mods\Folder - to the NSDTools directory.

Copy the Gettysburg.lsl file from either the Base\Maps\Folder or the Mods\Folder - to the NSDTools directory.

Now - these files are still NOT viewable in this form - they "Must" be extracted into a folder to view them.

Open the Program called "LibEdit" - it will Open a type of Window.

Drag the "Antietam.lsl" file from your directory into it. It will show all of the files that are located in the "lsl" file.

Select \ Click - the first file - it will turn blue - scroll down and click the last file while holding the Shift key - All Files should now turn blue.

Click the [ Action ] button on the LibEdit Window - Click the [ Extract File ] and "Navigate" the directory to the NSDTools\ 1Antietam File that you created earlier.

To put that another way - Basically - you are going to have to manually select the C:Drive\ Open the Directories - and locate the location of the SDKTools-Folder- and find the "1Antietam" folder.

Once the LibEdit has located the\ that - folder - You must Click the Save button to Copy each file one at a time - which is approximately twenty to thirty times.

I usually just hover the Mouse above the Save button and Hold the Enter Key down until it beeps, which means that it has copied all of the files.

If done correctly - you should have all of those files if the 1Antietam Folder. You should Now be able to view them.

Follow the same instructions for copying the Gettysburg.lsl files into the 2Gettysburg folder that you created.

After that - Copy the Original "Antietam.lsl" and the "Gettysburg.lsl" into the third folder that you created earlier "3DefaultMaps".

The only point to this is that this will serve as a backup to those two files in-case something goes wrong.

A Modders - Number One Tip - always create a Backup Folder - things always seem to go wrong!

Post back when all of this is Completed!

davinci

Thanks, I've printed out your instructions. I also reinstalled Antietam and sure enough it is version 1.50 so for those people who buy the Gettysburg Collection Edition or Gettysburg stand alone and add Antietam as I did they will have Gettysburg and Chancellorsville versions 1.61 and Antietam 1.50. I don't know what kind of contact there is with Norbsoft and Matrix Games but if there is any, Matrix should be informed and then issue a 1.61 patch for Antietam.

As mentioned in one of my previous postings I cannot open the Antietam file, the one that you see in the attached screenshot (Antietam in Gettysburg) and is described as a SOW file. When I reinstalled Antietam it is referred to as an application. Because I can't open it I can't get to the Antietam.Isl file. I found the Gettysburg Isl file. Oddly enough, Lynchburg is compressed folder and can be opened.

McHugh wrote: As mentioned in one of my previous postings I cannot open the Antietam file, the one that you see in the attached screenshot (Antietam in Gettysburg) and is described as a SOW file. When I reinstalled Antietam it is referred to as an application. Because I can't open it I can't get to the Antietam.Isl file.

No...
You sort of have to "Stop" what you are doing and read what I am typing...

If you have the Antietam Map - you have the "Antietam.lsl" file installed in the Maps folder of that Mod.

There is absolutely no other way to have that map without the Antietam.lsl file.

To put that another way...The Antietam.lsl - is the Antietam Map!

Search the Mods and look for the Maps folder...

***Also - the SOW_Lynchburg zip file should not be in that directory, as in the picture that you posted above.

***All Maps and the files associated with the Maps are either in the Base\Maps\Folder or the Mods\Maps\Folder.....NOT in the Main Directory that you keep posting.

*** The "Antietam.lsl" - might use an abbreviated name like "ANT_1.lsl" or "ANT_2.lsl" but it will end with the "lsl" which is the Map.

davinci

There is also a graphics update I did a few months back for Antietam ...

www.dropbox.com/s/p5pobklv2zqh5ub/Antietam_Graphics_v2.zip?dl=0

You can find the thread for this in the Modifications forum section.
www.norbsoftdev.net/forum/modifications/77101-antietam-graphics-new-v2-by-jolly

David(jolly)

Thanks DaVinci and thanks Jolly. I am hoping that your mod is the easiest option for me as I am a computer neophyte and have never installed a mod. Otherwise I will follow DaVinci's instructions. I just looked at you mod and please correct me if I have the wrong procedure.

I see two folders, Graphics and Maps. In Graphics there is a sub folder, Packed with 5 files. When I opened Maps there was one folder called Packages with one sound file and 12 "ANT" files.

I assume that I do the following:
1. Find all the files in the mod in my current installation and back those files up.
2. Replace those files with the files from the mod.

It's a lot simpler than that!
Just copy the complete 'Antietam_Graphics_v2' folder into the Mods folder and make sure you enable it with a tick showing.

The new graphics should then show the next time you play Antietam.

David(jolly)

I copied the Antietam_Graphics_v2 folder in to my Mods folder. Attaching a screenshot. I then started up SOW Gettysburg Modifications, highlighted the folder and clicked the checkmark as per the attached screenshot. I must be doing something wrong because the ground textures are still the same. Attaching a screenshot of what I get for Antietam. Thanks.

From your modifications screenshot, you haven't activated the Antietam mod. I should have a yellow bar against it as per the Lynchburg mod.

Thanks, I highlighted the mod and clicked the checkmark again and there is now a yellow square beside the mod. Looked at the graphics and they now are the same as SOW Gettysburg! Thank you to everyone that replied to my post!

Ok, I guess I spoke too soon because now I am getting corrupted graphics as per the attached screenshot. Also getting rectangles floating across the screen horizontally but my screenshot did not capture that. Earlier today I saw a post at Matrix where someone said I could optimize the graphics by changing some settings. I was wondering if that was the issue so I changed them back to default. Specifically, AntiA and Anso back to 0 and minimaps back to 0. Attaching a screenshot of what I currently have.

I saw something about an issue with this mod concerning Chancellorsville but I don't have Chancellorsville.

Ooops attached the wrong screenshot of the settings. Here it is.