Here's the workings on creating custom colour correction filters.
Choosing your own colour correctionIn the /fh2/common_client.zip/textures/ folder there is a file called "noise.dds", which contains the information of the filter. This file is read for maps which do not have their own filters and does nothing, except add the darkening of the edges of the screen.
For most official maps, we've used custom texture suffix' included in common_client.zip. Below explains how to change the colour correction on your map without modifying the FH2 archives:
1.) Copy /mods/fh2/levels/bastogne/noise.zip to your map's folder
2.) Replace noise.zip/textures/noise_snow.dds with the colour correction you wish to have. It must be renamed to match your map's texture suffix.
3.) In your map's tmp.con, add "run ClientArchives.con"
4.) Create a ClientArchives.con file that contains "fileManager.mountArchive /Levels/levelname/noise.zip Common"
Check Bastogne's files for reference if you're confused.
There's a couple limitations:
- You cannot use existing FH2 suffix' besides noise_snow.dds.
- For example if using suffix "phl" it will cause the noise_phl.dds to be loaded from common_client.zip/textures/noise_phl.dds.
- In other words, if the file exists in common_client.zip/textures/, it will be loaded from here instead.
You may also use this method for custom trench skirts textures, as seen on Bastogne with suffix snow.
Creating your own custom colour correctionsHow do you change the noise.dds to get the look you want? Quite simple:
- Open a screenshot of your map in photoshop, preferrably one with both light and dark areas so you can see how they will be affected.
- Open noise.dds.
- Remove the alpha channel.
- Copy and paste noise.dds onto your map screenshot and move it somewhere where it's not in the way.
- Now you're ready to apply some adjustment layers. Go to layers, adjustment layers and pick the ones you want to add. Remdul suggested starting with 'curves' to make the darkest areas of the map a little lighter. Then go on to colours, brightness, contrast, saturation, etc...
- Once done with your adjustments, flatten layers.
- Go back to noise.dds and undo deleting the alpha channel.
- Copy your noise picture from the screenshot and paste it back into the noise.dds.
- Save noise.dds as noise_suffix.dds, where "suffix" is your map's texture suffix. Make sure you save as 8888 ARGB with no mipmaps
And that's it. Below the instructions in picture format. Hope it's all clear.