NATO Symbols

[Scully]

Does anyone have a file of all NATO Symbols as images? Ideally, I'd like .gif of all the different NATO symbols, but I'll take any image symbols at this point. I downloaded a couple of files off the internet that I can create them from, but I'm trying to save myself some time.

Thanks,
Brian

 

[Hub]

I have a bunch I've modified for the ATF games, as .bmp files. Will they do you any good?

 

[XRAY]

It’s funny, I was just thinking about the same thing over the weekend.

Hub, can you upload them to the DOWNLOADS section so we can all have a crack at them?

Cheers

 

[CPangracs]

Here's the issue with NATO symbols - the possible symbology combinations are almost endless, so you need to be specific on what you want! Seriously, NATO symbols are built from a specific group of symbols and are built using the symbols you need. The "APP-6a" standard is the best guide for symbology used right now, go here:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/APP-6a There are also links here to the UK and US symbology standards, so you should be able to find everything you need right here.

No need to reinvent the wheel. I understand you not wanting to make them yourself, because it's tedious. The one thing you can do is open the NATO symbols graphic in any ATF game and cut/paste/Save as needed, but you will not, by any means, get every possible symbol.

Funny, because I'm getting ready to begin an entirely new NATO symbol set for my next game. It just takes time and patience, but there is a sense of accomplishment when you finish!

 

[Hub]

I can put them in the downloads section if you want. They are the ATF sheets, plus kbluck's icon sheet (credit to him for his hard work, plus ProSim for their's of course, and Curt Pangracs for his too),and they are borderless, with white over colour. In other words, they look like the TSATC and the AATF icons. I did this because I'm partially sighted and they're easier for me to see this way. I just started modifying Curt's RT sheet, but will include it anyway. Don't know if they will benefit anyone or not...probably not if you own all the games already.

 

[CPangracs]

I can put them in the downloads section if you want. They are the ATF sheets, plus kbluck's icon sheet (credit to him for his hard work, plus ProSim for their's of course, and Curt Pangracs for his too),and they are borderless, with white over colour. In other words, they look like the TSATC and the AATF icons. I did this because I'm partially sighted and they're easier for me to see this way. I just started modifying Curt's RT sheet, but will include it anyway. Don't know if they will benefit anyone or not...probably not if you own all the games already.

Pat Proctor just came by my office and approved the use of the NATO symbols from his games legally for non-profit use by MOCAT.

I am giving the icons to John Osborne.

Something to keep in mind, though, is that many of these icons are VERY different from each other.

Hub, I would ask you not to post any of the original icons in the downloads section unless they are your own creation. This is just a good practice, because I know in my contract with ProSIM, any graphics I made for those games belong to ProSIM. If I'm just someone in the gaming community not under contract, I can modify them and claim them as my own work, but I can't sell the originals or use them in any way for personal gain.

Pat definitely doesn't mind the MOCAT folks using them, though. I think it would be best that any requests to use the original graphics from Pat's games go through him in the future.

Regards,

Curt Pangracs

 

[Hub]

OK - they're removed.

 

[CPangracs]

OK - they're removed.

Thanks - I'll talk to him again soon, maybe he'll approve posting them!

Curt

 

[XRAY]

I too have a sight problem, out of all the ProSim simulations yet released I found the NATO icons in TSATC by far the best.

 

[Scully]

Thanks Gents. The icons are for MOCAT, so that's great news.

Brian

 

[Scully]

Curt,

What's the best way to make the icons? I'm sure I'll be making some and was curious as to the best way to make them.

Thanks,
Brian

 

[SoopSandwich]

sorry for being ignorant, but what is MOCAT???

 

[JamesBailey]

sorry for being ignorant, but what is MOCAT???

MOdern CAmpaign Tool.

essentially a wargame map plus counters for your computer It comes from a shareware product called COCAT (COmbat mission CAmpaign Tool). COCAT was developed by a guy in Norway named Paal (whose best friend was a SGT in the Norwegian Army when I was stationed there w/ 10th Mtn. Div. REFORGER - if that isn't a small world). COCAT served as a essential tool for allowing CMMC1 (CMMC 2- Operations in the East) to take a tactical 3D wargame - the tank on tank stuff of the game called Combat Mission - and turn it into a massive corps vs. corps operation involving over 100 players in various chain of command positions.

Since the COCAT is free and pretty good (and Paal continues to support it with anyone who is interested in using it), other wargame campaigns have hitched on to it. John "Ozzie"-borne is currently using it to run/plan/think about a modern campaign and in the process has added his own touches to it, updating COCAT with the necessary nuts and bolts to run a modern fight.

I don't have a link to the old COCAT site nor the latest info on MOCAT. Perhaps Ozzie can fill us in on its recent history. Pretty cool stuff, IMO

 

[CPangracs]

Curt,

What's the best way to make the icons? I'm sure I'll be making some and was curious as to the best way to make them.

Thanks,
Brian

It's really quite easy for ATF/AATF - just begin by creating a 60x60 pixel blank pic in paintshop/photoshop/paint program of your choice.

Draw your icon - I start by making blanks for each piece-type (friend, enemy, neutral), then I make "bases" for armor, infantry, etc., as these are the base icons many others are based on.

Then, using layers, I quickly add what I need to the icon, do a "copy merged", add it to the main graphic, and then delete the layer I created and move on to the next icon.

Since you aren't going to use all of the 60x60 square, make sure the area you want to be transparent is "Red=255 Green=0 Blue=255", aka "Hot Pink"! Remember, there are size identifiers that must go at the top of the icon, so 60 pix wide by 40 to 50 pix high is best - just make sure you leave a minimum of about 5-6 pixels for the identifiers.

As you can see from the pic, the TSATC icons are layed out in no particular order (you create a new piece list in the toolkit and identify each piece there) and they are arranged 12 accross (720 pixels).

The delineating dark lines are a grid in the program used for alignment, not drawn as part of the graphic,

If you are creating a piece for another program, there may be other limitations and "transparency" colors. I can't remember the limit on the number of icons you can create for ATF/AATF, but that's easy to get around by creating a SECOND graphic with other symbols and adding it to the game with the ediotor - it will be available in that database.

Just to give you guys a hint, the symbols for my upcoming game should be very clear and more like battle command systems than ever before!

Hope this helps, Brian.

Curt

 

[Scully]

Thanks Curt. Very helpful. Which is your program of choice?

Brian

 

[SoopSandwich]

Curt,

Can you tell us the title of your new game or is that too much of a "HINT"

 

[CPangracs]

Thanks Curt. Very helpful. Which is your program of choice?

Brian

I own and use poth JASC Paintshop Pro 9 and Adobe Photoshop 7 - I prefer Paitshop for doing icons and the graphics pieces and Photoshop for my maps.

 

[CPangracs]

Curt,

Can you tell us the title of your new game or is that too much of a "HINT"

I'd have to defer to Pat - the title would give way too much away as it stands, and pat has hinted that he doesn't like the title as it is, so...

 

[Pat Proctor]

Curt is working on a modern historical sim from post 9-11. That's all you are getting outta me

 

[dhuffjr]

Hmmmmmmm Iraq anyone.

I think I've found my first Prosim title
When is it coming out?