modding trees - tree painters needed

[Buoidda]

I tried modding trees through flora-*.txt and was quite happy with it. Check out my mod.

Now I'm all about trees! Is there anyone more graphically talented/enthusiastic enough to supply the community with tiles of:

• linden (lime if you like)
• elm
• willow (bush-like)
• juniper (staff-like)
• goat willow (Salix caprea, tree-like)

The list could go on, but linden (for bast) and elm (for bows) would be especially valuable.
Dressed and leafless varieties would be much appreciated.

[Privateer]

Not an artist but I have done one

Here's a Christmas tree, swap with fire and see the lights twinkle

[trowftd]

Ok I send this to the discord at first but I guess this is where it should also be posted. I draw a linden tree and me not knowing how to identify trees and amateur drawing skills. I would like to get your thoughts about this, I am planning to draw other ones in my free time too. We'll see

[Buoidda]

Wow! I didn't expect so quick results but I'm happy I asked! 

It looks just like a linden tree!

Would it help to try to find good pictures of Finnish tree individuals?

[trowftd]

It would be nice to find the finnish native ones. I kinda got lost there for a little bit because I had no idea how lindens looked like in finland
I can try to draw the other trees so sources would be appreciated.

[Buoidda]

(Conversing in discord abt this project)

I'll put here how I've implemented trees in my mod.

The spruce is modded in as a [berry]. What it does, is that you can pick up the big branch and the tree graphic stays, altered. If you look closely, 4th and 5th tile bear an additional twig which is missing in the last tile. The first tile is the twig dropped in the ground.

[Berry] tag is not useful because birds will devour them before you see them. also because it grows on the same spot each year. I don't know if mushrooms are as loyal.

Reaction pine and the deciduous trees are modded as [mushroom]. They will disappear after picking up and their refinement recipes use up the picked-up 'token'.

All the trees are pushovers - they can not block movement and are unlike proper trees in other ways too. See my suggestion abt it:
https://www.unrealworld.fi/forums/index.php?topic=6109.0

Now considering the joint effort:

junipers bear berries - it would be cool to have a set like the spruce for juniper, where the berries are growing. See graphics like blueberry, for instance. The first tile are of the berries in the ground.

Also - not my main focus but someone else might be interested in modding it - linden flowers are a popular herb so flowering trees might be useful too. But I do not want to burden you with too much ideas.

LEGAL: These are modifications based on UnReal World game tiles and may be used with UnReal World game only. Using these tiles in any way for any other game/project is forbidden.

[Erkka]

I kinda got lost there for a little bit because I had no idea how lindens looked like in finland

Every wild linden I've seen in Finland have been bush-like. But that is probably because I've only seen them in places where they grow partially shadowed by taller spruces. Apparently, on open terrain they grow to be properly tree-likes. With a quick search I didn't find any pictures of bush-like wild lindens in Finland. Maybe that is because people only post pictures of the special, the outstanding ones =)

Well, but something like this.

[Buoidda]

Yes most 'noble deciduous trees' in Finland seem to grow relatively small. My experience is mostly of big tended city trees, though.

I'm adding young linden trees, which are more widely distributed.

Now a question:

I read linden like to grow below cliffs, but not on (Finnish) coast-line (unlike most other 'noble' hardwoods). I'm guessing there is no way to implement this (since most cliffs are on the coast)?

[JP_Finn]

Is there a way to include current world tile*1, and exclude by neighboring world tiles*2?

I’m pretty sure *1 exists, while *2 doesn’t. I.e. “tile has cliff, no water in neighboring tiles” that’d reduce the coastal spawned lindens, but not fully.

[Buoidda]

I've been battling with flora modding and now I'm finishing up my next release: linden, elm, juniper and willow! Omg! But I'd still need some help / reassuring with the graphics. You see - I'm color blind and I'm struggling with colors especially.

I used MS paint - but didn't paint: most of my 'works' are frankensteins of copy pasteing bits of vanilla tiles. Well maybe some retouching on top. Anyway...

I'd be happy to get some feedback. And if someone wants to retouch / recolor / redo some of these before my final release, I'd be very grateful.

LEGAL: "This work contains modifications based on UnReal World tiles and may be used with UnReal World game only.
 Using these tiles in any way for any other game/project is forbidden."

(First here's a flora template I made so I don't have to open the readme.txt so often.)


Elder linden (Tilia cordata)
Here's the excellent linden tree by @trowftd. I edited some missing bark: you should see a light-colored patch on the trunk. The winter version is recolored, modified alder if I remember right.

Spoiler: show

Young linden (Tilia cordata)
Another @trowftd's linden tree. I elongated and narrowed the top of the original.

Spoiler: show

Elm (Ulmus glabra)
A true frankenstein of mine. Uglye. I think there's bits of vanilla birch, the linden above, I don't recall anymore...

Spoiler: show

Juniper (Juniperus communis)
This turned ok I guess. A whole conifer forest in this one. On top of one another.

Spoiler: show

Slanted pine (Pinus sylvestris)
A bit too alike the vanilla ones on the top. But ok.

Spoiler: show

Straight birch (Betula pubescens)
I wanted to change the flat topped vanilla birch.

Spoiler: show

Elder spruce (Picea abies)
I found this among vanilla tiles and added the branch to be harvested.

Spoiler: show

Straight rowan (Sorbus aucuparia)
(Taru Sorbusten Herrasta... Nyt mä käsitän.) Vanilla rowan would need some enlarging, imho.

Spoiler: show

Willow (Salix phylicifolia)
This was hard. Still more round than I'd like. And too thick in the bottom. The winter version is too dark, it should be more grey like the alder.

Spoiler: show

Revamping alder (Alnus incana)
The perfect roundness has been bothering me so I tried to edit it narrower at the top. Wasn't so simple: tree graphics in game are overlaid from both dressed and naked versions. So I had to edit the naked versions too.

Spoiler: show

Vanilla alder



Revamped alder

The flat topped birch (Betula pubescens)
The flat topped vanilla birch had been sticking out. I copypasted bits of the other one on top. The new graphic is a bit tall and covers up stuff behind it. But I like it a lot more now - though its sister on the left is beautiful beyond compare. I wish... The winter version had to be darkened so as not to shine through too much.

Spoiler: show

Vanilla birch



Revamped birch

Merry X-mas community!

Here's the tree flora code (modified so that all trees are abundant in heathland for graphics testing):

Code: [Select]

//X#X#X#X#X#X#X#X#X#X#X#X#X#X#X#X##X#X#X#X#X#X#X#X#X#X#X#X#X#X#X#X#
//
// Buoidda's Trees 2.3
//
// Part of Buoidda's crafts 2.3
//
// mod for UnRealWorld version 3.63
// Developed with Windows 10, no testing on other ops
//
// Not released - testing code
//
//X#X#X#X#X#X#X#X#X#X#X#X#X#X#X#X##X#X#X#X#X#X#X#X#X#X#X#X#X#X#X#X#

// Now you really have to look for your bow building material. So exciting!
// Modding constraints seem to force trees to wither in the same year, so I chose
// them to 'sprout' in January and 'wither' in december with one day grow period.
// Ideally setting those variables to '0' would make them sprout only once, never wither and be treated as obstacles.
// Spruce is a "grass" so that the tree graphic stays after collecting a branch (graphic changes).
// Some trees are mushrooms and will disappear on picking.
// All material needs to be 'picked up' and then processed into real lumber items in same terrain.
//
// Currently deciduous trees are leafless by default. Enclosed two simple batch files to swap between graphics.

.Juniper.      (1)    [mushroom]
[NAME:Juniper]
[TILEGFX:bc-juniper]
[SIZE:L]
[SPROUT:1]
[MATURE:1]
[WITHER:12]
[REGION:northern eastern western southern]
[TERRAIN:dry]
[POPULATION:1]
[FREQUENCY:50]
[COMMONNESS:70]
[CARB:0]
[FAT:0]
[PROTEIN:0]
[WATER:0]
[HERB_KNOWN:all]

.Elm.      (1)    [mushroom]
[NAME:Straight elm]
[TILEGFX:bc-elm]
[SIZE:L]
[SPROUT:1]
[MATURE:1]
[WITHER:12]
[REGION:northern eastern western southern]
[TERRAIN:dry]
[POPULATION:1]
[FREQUENCY:50]
[COMMONNESS:70]
[CARB:0]
[FAT:0]
[PROTEIN:0]
[WATER:0]
[HERB_KNOWN:all]

.Willow.      (1)    [grass]
[TILEGFX:bc-willow]
[SIZE:L]
[SPROUT:1]
[MATURE:120]
[WITHER:12]
[REGION:northern eastern western southern]
[TERRAIN:dry]
[POPULATION:1]
[FREQUENCY:50]
[COMMONNESS:70]
[LEAF_VOLUME: bunch]
[LEAF_SIZE: L]
[LEAF_QUANTITY: 5]
[CARB:0]
[FAT:0]
[PROTEIN:0]
[WATER:0]
[HERB_KNOWN:all]

.Linden.      (1)    [grass]
[TILEGFX:bc-linden]
[SIZE:L]
[SPROUT:1]
[MATURE:120]
[WITHER:12]
[REGION:northern eastern western southern]
[TERRAIN:dry]
[POPULATION:1]
[FREQUENCY:50]
[COMMONNESS:70]
[FLOWERING_PERIOD:6]
[FLOWER_VOLUME: fistful]
[FLOWER_SIZE: M]
[FLOWER_QUANTITY: 10]
[CARB:0]
[FAT:0]
[PROTEIN:0]
[WATER:0]
[HERB_KNOWN:all]

.Young linden.      (1)    [grass]
[TILEGFX:bc-ylinden]
[SIZE:L]
[SPROUT:1]
[MATURE:120]
[WITHER:12]
[REGION:eastern western southern]
[TERRAIN:dry]
[POPULATION:1]
[FREQUENCY:50]
[COMMONNESS:70]
[FLOWERING_PERIOD:6]
[FLOWER_VOLUME: fistful]
[FLOWER_SIZE: M]
[FLOWER_QUANTITY: 5]
[CARB:0]
[FAT:0]
[PROTEIN:0]
[WATER:0]
[HERB_KNOWN:all]

.Big spruce.      (1)    [grass]
[TILEGFX:bc-spruce]
[SIZE:L]
[SPROUT:1]
[MATURE:1]
[WITHER:12]
[REGION:eastern western northern southern]
[TERRAIN:dry]
[POPULATION:1]
[FREQUENCY:50]
[COMMONNESS:70]
[LEAF_VOLUME: bunch]
[LEAF_SIZE: L]
[LEAF_QUANTITY: 1]
[CARB:0]
[FAT:0]
[PROTEIN:0]
[WATER:0]
[HERB_KNOWN:all]

.Large spruce.      (1)    [grass]
[TILEGFX:bc-spruce]
[SIZE:L]
[SPROUT:1]
[MATURE:1]
[WITHER:12]
[REGION:eastern western northern southern]
[TERRAIN:dry]
[POPULATION:1]
[FREQUENCY:50]
[COMMONNESS:70]
[LEAF_VOLUME: bunch]
[LEAF_SIZE: L]
[LEAF_QUANTITY: 1]
[CARB:0]
[FAT:0]
[PROTEIN:0]
[WATER:0]
[HERB_KNOWN:all]

.Slanted pine.      (1)    [mushroom]
[NAME:Slanted pine]
[TILEGFX:bc-reactpine]
[SIZE:L]
[SPROUT:1]
[MATURE:1]
[WITHER:12]
[REGION:eastern western northern southern]
[TERRAIN:dry]
[POPULATION:1]
[FREQUENCY:50]
[COMMONNESS:70]
[CARB:0]
[FAT:0]
[PROTEIN:0]
[WATER:0]
[HERB_KNOWN:all]

.Straight birch.      (1)    [mushroom]
[NAME:Straight birch]
[TILEGFX:bc-goodbirch]
[SIZE:L]
[SPROUT:1]
[MATURE:1]
[WITHER:12]
[REGION:eastern western northern southern]
[TERRAIN:dry]
[POPULATION:1]
[FREQUENCY:50]
[COMMONNESS:70]
[CARB:0]
[FAT:0]
[PROTEIN:0]
[WATER:0]
[HERB_KNOWN:all]

.Straight rowan.      (1)    [mushroom]
[NAME:Straight rowan]
[TILEGFX:bc-goodrowan]
[SIZE:L]
[SPROUT:1]
[MATURE:1]
[WITHER:12]
[REGION:eastern western northern southern]
[TERRAIN:dry]
[POPULATION:1]
[FREQUENCY:50]
[COMMONNESS:70]
[CARB:0]
[FAT:0]
[PROTEIN:0]
[WATER:0]
[HERB_KNOWN:all]

-end
 


[trowftd]

Nice drawings @Buoidda especially the juniper it looks fantastic. I think the shape looks way better than my version.

For the Elm tree because you used the linden leaves, I used very bright colors while I was drawing its leaves. So the elm tree's leaves suddenly change colors on the bottom and upper areas. I downloaded the elm tree so I can help you with recoloring of it.

If you need any other stuff or graphics done I'd be happy to help. It was very fun to draw the trees as I'm not really a pixel artist it was a fun challenge to stick faithful to the original drawings and create new trees and while I was doing the elm tree it proved to be a very tough one.

If you would like to see my versions I can post them here. But it looks like you got the shapes quite nicely. We just need to adjust the leaves so that they don't use 2 different colour palettes. My elm looks very different than yours and I don't think I got the shape as good as yours. But it is a cool tree graphics anyways

[Buoidda]

So you drew juniper and elm?  Please post you versions! Yay! I feel like its xmas already. Oh wait... 

There are things I'm still not quite satisfied:
- my new birch looks like a pear: maybe more foliage downwards? I like the style of vanilla on the left.
- winter willow is too dark (looks black against the snow)

Thank you for helping 

[trowftd]

Ok I see your issues about those, here is my mediocre at best trees

Elm

Spoiler: show

I still think that this is an okayish tree drawing, but I was not too sure about the shape of the tree. As I was trying to show that the leaves are scarce and you can see through it a little bit. I drew the branches through the tree. I guess it threw off the shape a little bit. But I am interested in what you think, maybe this is a great one for another tree idk .

Juniper

Spoiler: show

As much as this can be pleasant to look at, I don't think this shape really represents what you are trying to do with your mod. This looks too "gamey" so to say. But the dead version can be used if it is shaped accordingly to your drawing.

Bonus First Elm

Spoiler: show

As you see I did not format this accordingly as this was my first drawing of the elm tree. I used the dead birch tree tiles because I thought the shape looked similar at least. Again I tried to show that the leaves are not blocking everything and you can see through. I tried to draw the branches in this one too, at first it was very messy and I was not comfortable with it and I decided to leave this one after tidying it up.

Sadly, there is no dead elm that I drew because I was just able to start drawing after my final week. But after I saw that you drew the willow, elm and everything I decided there is no need to draw 2 different versions of trees and share my progressions. I hope they are useful to you, I already downloaded your versions and I'll see what I can come up with. I already started recolouring your elm tree.

And one caution, I copied and pasted your images directly into the canvas and they were too blurry after that. If you want to get them at the best quality you should right click and then save as.

[Buoidda]

Elm
<snip>
But I am interested in what you think, maybe this is a great one for another tree idk .

This is great! Only that the two ball-like branches steal the attention from the beautiful top. Kinda feels like it wants to hug me

Would it work as a rowan color-wise? It would become a good rowan, especially if one added couple of trunks on either side of the main trunk.

like this

kotipihlaja (home rowan) google search

Juniper
As much as this can be pleasant to look at, I don't think this shape really represents what you are trying to do with your mod. This looks too "gamey" so to say. But the dead version can be used if it is shaped accordingly to your drawing.

Looks is good to me. I have to see the two junipers side by side in game to decide. I also like that that is not just recognizably ripped spruce mire / conifer forest terrain graphics.

Alas, for the literally dead version I have no use. Juniper is a conifer so it's evergreen. Sorry for not bringing it up.

Bonus First Elm

As you see I did not format this accordingly as this was my first drawing of the elm tree. I used the dead birch tree tiles because I thought the shape looked similar at least. Again I tried to show that the leaves are not blocking everything and you can see through. I tried to draw the branches in this one too, at first it was very messy and I was not comfortable with it and I decided to leave this one after tidying it up.

Also a fine tree. Let's see what use I come up with it. You don't have to worry about duplicating / formatting it for me. Single tree graphic / winter version for decidous ones are more than enough.

The style reminds of my willow shrub. Would the color scheme fit goat willow?

goat willow google search

I hope they are useful to you, I already downloaded your versions and I'll see what I can come up with. I already started recolouring your elm tree.

Certainly. Look forward to see further work!

And one caution, I copied and pasted your images directly into the canvas and they were too blurry after that. If you want to get them at the best quality you should right click and then save as.

I see. I also wondered why trees looked so different in-game until I realized the naked versions are semi-transparently in the dressed ones' background. (Only affects proper tree graphics - not flora.)

I will edit the above code so that all trees are abundant in heathland. Another word of caution for all: flora mods are better to test and use with freshly generated worlds/characters. Quitting the executable is not needed unlike I previously thought.

[trowftd]

This is great! Only that the two ball-like branches steal the attention from the beautiful top. Kinda feels like it wants to hug me

Would it work as a rowan color-wise? It would become a good rowan, especially if one added couple of trunks on either side of the main trunk.

Hehe. The elm pictures I saw had branches going out everywhere and I decided to add some to mine as well. Nature gives back love too I guess

As colour palette goes, I used the original tree tiles and created palettes from it so it shouldn't be too far away from the original drawings anyway. Upon checkings the photos we might wanna use just tiny bit darker colours as in the photos the green looks quite dark in kotipihlaja results. It may as well be the pose and lighting but it wouldn't hurt to darken the colours just a little. We can make the tree very wide or narrow the main trunk and add trunks of similar width. It is a very lovely tree too how I did not see it before the red berries look awesome

Alas, for the literally dead version I have no use. Juniper is a conifer so it's evergreen. Sorry for not bringing it up.

Ah I see, I knew the juniper was an evergreen. I thought that you may need a completely dead version. I forgot that those are supposed to be winter versions.

Also a fine tree. Let's see what use I come up with it. You don't have to worry about duplicating / formatting it for me. Single tree graphic / winter version for decidous ones are more than enough.

The style reminds of my willow shrub. Would the color scheme fit goat willow?

I just looked at the image and the colours seem quite close. This palette is shamelessly ripped from the birch trees so it would be a solid choice to draw most of the trees' leaves I would say, as far as pixel art goes, you need some contrasting colours to emphasize the shape of the trees.

A quick tip about the colour choices, after searching for some time, I stumbled upon a program called "Aseprite". You can get it on steam or you can compile it from its github page. I've read that compiling is a little bit annoying. But the best part is whenever I open up a drawing, photo or whatever it immediately creates the colours that are used in the drawing. This at the start of any drawing is extremely helpful and helps out visualising the overall hue of the drawing. It is a pixel art dedicated program and has some tools that are quite useful. You'll have to learn some shortcuts though to work faster.

Certainly. Look forward to see further work!

That is so good to hear, I'll definitely try to draw some more taking your issues into account.