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Custom Units & Army Cards Fan-created HS army cards for units, glyphs, and equipment


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Old December 10th, 2006, 04:28 PM
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justjohn justjohn is offline
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New, Updated,Step-by-Step Custom Creation Guide. NON-PS.

Step by step how to make cards that look decent, using only Gimp (free), HCC (free), the Blank Card Templates (free) and a word processor (free). This is a nuts and bolts tutorial. If you follow these parts and steps, step by step, you should be able to create a fairly decent looking card. It may seem like a lot, but I’ve broken it down to the nitty-gritty, key stroke by key stroke, to avoid any mistakes you may run into. I pretty much use this same exact format when I make a custom, and from start to finish (if I already know what I’m doing stat/name/ability wise) about 15 minutes.

You can download HCC (something that will make your life easier) here: http://sourceforge.net/projects/hs-card-catalog

You can download the Gimp, a free photoshop type program, here: http://www.gimp.org/

You can get the Word Document that is a template for EVERY piece of text you’ll need here.

And Blank General Card Templates Here

I’m going to walk you through, STEP BY STEP (with pictures) on how to do this.

A note about downloading pictures from the internet: Whether it is the blank card template or a picture for a figure you want to use, right click save them as .BMP. I cannot stress this enough. For figures you want to use, it will reduce the halo effect significantly. For blank card templates, it will allow you to enlarge them without major pixilation.

After you have the above mentioned resources, it’s time to start.

FIRST PART: PREPPING YOUR FIGURE IMAGE FOR THE CARD.

STEP 1: Open the GIMP and open the picture you saved as a BMP.
(here’s the one I’m using: )

STEP 2: Click the VIEW tab and click 200% VIEW

STEP 3: Click the TOOLS tab, and go to PAINT TOOLS, ERASER.

STEP 4: Carefully use the ERASER tool to remove the base.
(you should be left with something like this: )

STEP 5: Once you have the base erased, click TOOLS tab, SELECTION TOOLS, FUZZY SELECT.

STEP 6: Time to remove any “Halo Effect” (the white “halo” that hangs around the edge of some images) Click on the white space around your figure, and slowly drag your mouse downward, until you get a dotted line around your entire figure. Press CTRL+K. This will delete the white around the figure. Repeat this process for any area that should be blank space, such as a space between an arm and a leg that touch eachother. For my figure, I would have to repeat this process for each little area in his tattered robe.
(you can see that, after killing any HALO effect, when then figure is placed on a black background, there’s no extra white)

STEP 7: Save your picture.

SECOND PART: MAKING YOUR TARGETING IMAGE

STEP 1: Leave the GIMP open, and open PAINT

STEP 2: On the GIMP, press CTRL+A, and then go to the TOOLS tab, select COLOR TOOLS, and then THRESHOLD

STEP 3: Slide the THRESHOLD slide to the right, slowly, until you get a fairly solid black, but as un-pixilated as possible picture.
(here’s what mine looks like)

STEP 4: Hit CTRL+A again, and then hit CTRL+C. Switch over to MSPaint, which you should have already opened, and hit CTRL+V.

STEP 5: Once you have the Black and white picture in paint, choose the BUCKET FILL option and select the color YELLOW.

STEP 6: Using the BUCKET FILL tool, fill any space that SHOULD BE WHITE with the YELLOW.


STEP 7: You may notice a few places on your figure that are yellow that need to be black. Select the PAINT BRUSH TOOL and select the color BLACK. Careful draw a single line which “Closes” the area that has been filled in YELLOW. Then select BUCKET FILL TOOL and select the color BLACK. Fill the YELLOW areas that you just isolated.
Before: After

STEP 8: Next, select the BUCKET FILL TOOL and select the color WHITE. Use the BUCKET FILL TOOL over the black area of your figure, turning the entire figure white. Then, still using the BUCKET FILL TOOL select the color BLACK and use it on the white section.


STEP 9: Next, still using the BUCKET FILL TOOL, select the color WHITE. Use the BUCKET FILL TOOL to turn all of the yellow areas white.


STEP 10: While still having the BUCKET FILL TOOL selected, select the color RED. Use the BUCKET FILL TOOL to turn fill the black areas with RED.


STEP 11: Choose the ELIPSE and make sure the last option is selected (this looks like a solid gray box with no outline) and select the color GREEN. Using the ELIPSE tool, you make a small circle on the figure’s face for the line of sight mark.


STEP 12: Click FILE, then select SAVE AS, and save this file something along the lines of MYFIGURETargetImage.bmp. Remember, always save as a .BMP!

OPTIONAL STEP 1: If you have a sword or something else that is needs to be marked as UNHITTABLE, it’s pretty simple to fix. We’ll say that my figure;s hands can’t be targted. Choose the PAINT BRUSH TOOL and select the color GRAY. Draw a straight line at the base of what you need to be gray.


OPTIONAL STEP 2: Using the BUCKET FILL TOOL select the GRAY color. Fill the area that you have isolated with the GRAY line


THIRD PART: GETTING YOUR FIGURE IMAGE ON A CARD WITH A COOL “FOG” EFFECT AND ADDING THE TARGET IMAGE

STEP 1: Open HCC, go to the VIEW tab, and click CARD VIEW.

STEP 2: Click the NEW button.

STEP 3: Click on TOOLS, then MANAGE FACTIONS, and EINAR should be highlighted. Click the EDIT button
(it doesn’t matter which you choose, but it’s easiest to use EINAR since it’s the first one, and is the default template when you make a new card)
STEP 4: Click IMAGES, then click LOAD TEMPLATE IMAGE. Choose the BLANK CARD TEMPLATE you downloaded earlier for the general you want to use for your custom. Don’t worry about all of the overlapping text.

STEP 5: Click TOOLS and make sure that EVERYTHING on this list is UNCHECKED. THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT!

STEP 6: Click SAVE and close out the MANAGE FACTION WINDOWS THAT POPPED WHEN YOU STARTED STEP 3.

STEP 7: Click LOAD PICTURE from the FIGURE IMAGE WINDOW and load the picture that you saved in Part 1 Step 7.

STEP 8: Make sure that BLEND IMAGE has a CHECK MARK. Using the PLUS AND MINUS BUTTONS and the DIRECTIONAL ARROWS, position your figure picture. You’ll notice a cool fog effect at the bottom.

STEP 9: Click FILE, then select SAVE PIC (AS .BMP) and save your file. YOU HAVE TO ACTUALLY TYPE IN “.BMP” at the end of the file name for it to save as a picture. THIS IS IMPORTANT!
It should look something like this:

STEP 10: Open 2 MSPAINTS. In one, open the BLANK CARD TEMPLATE of your figure’s general. In the other MSPAINT, open the card you just saved in HCC.

STEP 11: In the BLANK CARD TEMPLATE, select the POLYGON TOOL, make sure you select the last option under the tools, the one that looks like a GRAY BOX WITH NO OUTLINE. Select the color WHITE. Using the POLYGON TOOL, outline the portion of the card where a figure’s picture would go, making sure that the lines meet to make a closed shape.
You should end up with something like this:

STEP 12: Once you have the portion WHITE, press CTRL+A then press CTRL+C. And switch to the other MSPaint you have open with the CARD.BMP you saved off of HCC.

STEP 13: Press CTRL+V. Make sure that the when you paste, there will be 2 new options that open at the bottom of the TOOLS SELECTION. Choose the bottom one, this makes White Space Empty Space, and this step is VERY important.
It should look like this (see, I told you not to worry about the extra text from HCC}

STEP 14: Select FILE, SAVE AS, and save the file as something like YOURCUSTOMSNAME_BLANK.BMP. IMPORTANT SAVE AS A BMP!

STEP 15: Go back to the MSPAINT with the Cut out CARD TEMPLATE and open the TARGET IMAGE you saved in PART 2 STEP 19. Make sure you DON’T SAVE CHANGES when it asks you. Press CTRL+A and then CTRL+C. Go back to the other MSPAINT you have YOURCUSTOMSNAME.BMP open.

STEP 16: Press CTRL+V. Chances are, your TARGET IMAGE is WAY TOO BIG. Press CTRL+W and set both the top 2 numbers as 25% and 25%. If it is too small, try 30/30. If it’s too big, try 20/20. Just toy around with it and you’ll make it the right size. Move the TARGET IMAGE over to the place on the card where TARGET IMAGES go.
Should look like this:

STEP 17: Hit CTRL+S.

OPTIONAL STEP 1: You may have to use this step if you still have a bit of HALO EFFECT on your figure’s image on the card. Open THE GIMP and open the card you saved in PART 3 STEP 17. Click TOOLS, the PAINT TOOLS, and finally, click CONVOLVE.

OPTIONAL STEP 2: Using the CONVOLVE TOOL, go around the edge of your figure where you can see the HALO. The CONVOLVE TOOL blends the COLOR around your figure into the HALO, deleting the HALO EFFECT. Continue this until the HALO is gone.

OPTIONAL STEP 3: Press CTRL+S and close THE GIMP.

YOU’RE SET! NOW YOU HAVE A GREAT LOOKING BLANK CARD WITH A GOOD LOOKING FIGURE IMAGE AND TARGET IMAGE.

PART 4: ADDING IN TEXT
STEP 1: Open whatever word processing program you use and open the CARD TEXT TEMPLATE file.

STEP 2: Open MSPaint and open the card you saved in PART 3 STEP 17. PRESS CTRL+W and set the first 2 numbers to 200% AND 200%. This makes your card REALLY BIG. It’s easier to start out big and then reduce size rather than start out small and try to make it bigger.

STEP 3: In the CARD TEXT TEMPLATE, All of the FONT SIZES AND COLORS ARE SET FOR YOU! All you have to do is type in YOUR CUSTOM’S Text in place of the text that’s already there. The FONT SIZE has been adjusted for the size you made your blank card in STEP 2. The ability text is the only exception to this, as your SPECIAL ABILITY FONT SIZE will vary based on how wordy your abilities are. Everything has been spaced out and justified the way it should be, it’s just a matter of copying and pasting it into MSPAINT onto your BLANK CARD.BMP. Basically, everything is done for you in this template, you just need to replace the template Text with the Text you want to be on your card. Do each different “part” at a time. Do not try to add all of it in at once.

STEP 4: IT IS SO VERY IMPORTANT, THAT ONCE YOU HAVE PLACED YOUR TEXT ON YOUR CARD YOU SAVE AS, INSTEAD OF JUST SAVING IT. You want to keep your blank card blank so you don’t have to start at square one every time you have to edit something.

STEP 5: Once you have all of your text on your card, press CTRL+W and set the first 2 numbers at 50% and 50%. Now click FILE, SAVE AS, and type in YOURCUSTOMNAME_FINISHED, and save it as a JPEG. This is the ONLY TIME you’ll save as a jpg. You’re ready to upload your card.
Using step by step that I gave you, here’s mine:

I hope you have found this guide helpful. As I said earlier, it is quite lengthy, but that’s in part because EVERYTHING is spelled out step by step. Once you get the hang of this, you can breeze through it.

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  #2  
Old December 10th, 2006, 05:23 PM
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Taelord Taelord is offline
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Woah!!! JJ you are awesome. Now I can make cards for all my customs. Thanks.

Dan's Mom: "Why you persist in acting like a fifteen year old is beyond me."

Dan: "I'm filled with reckless desire."
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  #3  
Old December 11th, 2006, 11:25 AM
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justjohn justjohn is offline
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Thanks, Tae. Hopefully it's pretty clear. Was anything confusing to you?

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  #4  
Old December 11th, 2006, 11:32 AM
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Miniature Geek Miniature Geek is offline
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by justjohn
Thanks, Tae. Hopefully it's pretty clear. Was anything confusing to you?
I don't think it was too confusing but I'm going to print it out so I can flip through it instead of having to scroll through it.

Thanks a lot JJ, now I don't have to keep using HSToolkit.

Your music's bad and you should feel bad.

My Customs

Better Posting and You Revisited.
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  #5  
Old December 11th, 2006, 11:43 AM
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netherspirit netherspirit is offline
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netherspirit is a wielder of the Ban Hammer netherspirit is a wielder of the Ban Hammer netherspirit is a wielder of the Ban Hammer netherspirit is a wielder of the Ban Hammer netherspirit is a wielder of the Ban Hammer netherspirit is a wielder of the Ban Hammer netherspirit is a wielder of the Ban Hammer netherspirit is a wielder of the Ban Hammer netherspirit is a wielder of the Ban Hammer netherspirit is a wielder of the Ban Hammer netherspirit is a wielder of the Ban Hammer netherspirit is a wielder of the Ban Hammer netherspirit is a wielder of the Ban Hammer netherspirit is a wielder of the Ban Hammer netherspirit is a wielder of the Ban Hammer
Quote:
Originally Posted by MiniatureGeek
Thanks a lot JJ, now I don't have to keep using HSToolkit.
And thats a good thing. HSToolkit sucks.
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  #6  
Old December 11th, 2006, 11:52 AM
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Miniature Geek Miniature Geek is offline
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by netherspirit
Quote:
Originally Posted by MiniatureGeek
Thanks a lot JJ, now I don't have to keep using HSToolkit.
And thats a good thing. HSToolkit sucks.
Yes but for me with the lack of PS talent, I didn't have much of a choice.

Your music's bad and you should feel bad.

My Customs

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  #7  
Old December 11th, 2006, 11:56 AM
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netherspirit netherspirit is offline
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netherspirit is a wielder of the Ban Hammer netherspirit is a wielder of the Ban Hammer netherspirit is a wielder of the Ban Hammer netherspirit is a wielder of the Ban Hammer netherspirit is a wielder of the Ban Hammer netherspirit is a wielder of the Ban Hammer netherspirit is a wielder of the Ban Hammer netherspirit is a wielder of the Ban Hammer netherspirit is a wielder of the Ban Hammer netherspirit is a wielder of the Ban Hammer netherspirit is a wielder of the Ban Hammer netherspirit is a wielder of the Ban Hammer netherspirit is a wielder of the Ban Hammer netherspirit is a wielder of the Ban Hammer netherspirit is a wielder of the Ban Hammer
Quote:
Originally Posted by MiniatureGeek
Quote:
Originally Posted by netherspirit
Quote:
Originally Posted by MiniatureGeek
Thanks a lot JJ, now I don't have to keep using HSToolkit.
And thats a good thing. HSToolkit sucks.
Yes but for me with the lack of PS talent, I didn't have much of a choice.
I have no PS talent either.
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  #8  
Old December 11th, 2006, 11:58 AM
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Miniature Geek Miniature Geek is offline
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by netherspirit
Quote:
Originally Posted by MiniatureGeek
Quote:
Originally Posted by netherspirit
Quote:
Originally Posted by MiniatureGeek
Thanks a lot JJ, now I don't have to keep using HSToolkit.
And thats a good thing. HSToolkit sucks.
Yes but for me with the lack of PS talent, I didn't have much of a choice.
I have no PS talent either.
Apparently PS is a abbreviation of some word I don't know or your being sarcastic.

Your music's bad and you should feel bad.

My Customs

Better Posting and You Revisited.
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  #9  
Old December 11th, 2006, 12:02 PM
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netherspirit netherspirit is offline
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netherspirit is a wielder of the Ban Hammer netherspirit is a wielder of the Ban Hammer netherspirit is a wielder of the Ban Hammer netherspirit is a wielder of the Ban Hammer netherspirit is a wielder of the Ban Hammer netherspirit is a wielder of the Ban Hammer netherspirit is a wielder of the Ban Hammer netherspirit is a wielder of the Ban Hammer netherspirit is a wielder of the Ban Hammer netherspirit is a wielder of the Ban Hammer netherspirit is a wielder of the Ban Hammer netherspirit is a wielder of the Ban Hammer netherspirit is a wielder of the Ban Hammer netherspirit is a wielder of the Ban Hammer netherspirit is a wielder of the Ban Hammer
Quote:
Originally Posted by MiniatureGeek
Apparently PS is a abbreviation of some word I don't know or your being sarcastic.
I wasn't being sarcastic, I don't know how to use PhotoShop either.
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  #10  
Old December 11th, 2006, 12:04 PM
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justjohn justjohn is offline
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Really? I thought you used PS, or do you use PSP?

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  #11  
Old December 11th, 2006, 12:05 PM
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THIS IS ONE SWEET @$$ Tuturial, HOLY! JJ, You're my new Hero,

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  #12  
Old December 11th, 2006, 12:06 PM
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netherspirit netherspirit is offline
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netherspirit is a wielder of the Ban Hammer netherspirit is a wielder of the Ban Hammer netherspirit is a wielder of the Ban Hammer netherspirit is a wielder of the Ban Hammer netherspirit is a wielder of the Ban Hammer netherspirit is a wielder of the Ban Hammer netherspirit is a wielder of the Ban Hammer netherspirit is a wielder of the Ban Hammer netherspirit is a wielder of the Ban Hammer netherspirit is a wielder of the Ban Hammer netherspirit is a wielder of the Ban Hammer netherspirit is a wielder of the Ban Hammer netherspirit is a wielder of the Ban Hammer netherspirit is a wielder of the Ban Hammer netherspirit is a wielder of the Ban Hammer
I use Macromedia Fireworks.

I used it in High School and when I started making customs I used it because it was what I am most familiar with.
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