GUIDE: Creating Baseball Card Templates for OOTP 11 v1.0

BMW · 07-29-2010, 02:15 AM

The first guide to creating templates is complete.

You can download here: Creating Baseball Card Templates for OOTP 11 v1.0 (1.8MB)

koohead · 07-29-2010, 02:32 AM

this is awesome. Thank you! Didn't know WHIP and OPS were available...I'll have to update my hof.xml to include these.

Goody · 07-29-2010, 03:47 AM

This will be a lifesaver, whenever I get to that point of having time to work with cards.

hawaiiansky · 07-29-2010, 05:06 AM

Impressive. Thanks for all the hard work.

Thundercrack · 07-29-2010, 11:40 AM

Lordy, that is a lot of work you've put into this. Impressive.

Tiesenberg · 07-29-2010, 01:03 PM

Brilliant.

I look forward to going back over some of my cards with this guide.

BMW · 07-29-2010, 03:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tiesenberg

Brilliant.

I look forward to going back over some of my cards with this guide.

You posted that [%SUBLEAGUE] was a token, but I couldn't get it to work. I'm not aware that it ever was a token, but Andreas may have just forgotten to document it.

Was that a mistake on your part, or does it really exist?

Tiesenberg · 07-29-2010, 04:30 PM

When I initially started to work on my cards, prior to the .15 update, I am convinced that [%SUBLEAGUE] was a workable token. However, since the updates, I too have been unable to get this to work.

I'll continue to experiment with it, but will remove it from my original post.

BMW · 07-29-2010, 05:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tiesenberg

When I initially started to work on my cards, prior to the .15 update, I am convinced that [%SUBLEAGUE] was a workable token. However, since the updates, I too have been unable to get this to work.

I'll continue to experiment with it, but will remove it from my original post.

Okay. I almost updated the guide as soon as I released it, but I tested it out and couldn't get it to work.

blueturf · 08-28-2010, 04:02 PM

I figured out you could use the tri-alpha colors to produce multilpe colors while only using one image layer. It works similar to the way the colors work on the default templates and in-game jerseys. I can only get it to work, if I use true black to represent the transparent area.

This is the line of code being used for this image:
<ELEMENT type="image" x="0" y="0" zorder="5" trialpha_red="#FFFFFF" trialpha_green="[%TEAM_TEXT_COLOR]" trialpha_blue="[%TEAM_BG_COLOR]" content="1990_hoops_trim.png" />

I have just started to play with it but it does open up more possibilities. It is hard to see, but I like how the tape on the bat handles in the card number logo change with team colors.
These cards still have a lot of clean-up left but I have been stuck on why the player image on the back is showing transparent area in the photo. It looks as if the backround image for the player picture is askew. If I can figure out why or how, I may try a card with the background intentionally transparent.

gbmoore121 · 08-28-2010, 06:28 PM

Great design step. Absolutely opens up possibilities.

Thundercrack · 09-07-2010, 12:47 PM

Love the cards you've produced, but is there any way to lose the faded look of the player pics?

BMW · 09-07-2010, 02:28 PM

I think you're referring to an overlay I created for older cards to purposely degrade the the photos, since I preferred not to have a 1970s card with a crystal clear photo.

But if you don't want that, there is a single file you can delete that will remove that. It is called "old_cardboard.png" and you would find it in the \templates\images folder.

endgame · 09-07-2010, 03:16 PM

I'm late getting on the bandwagon here - and congrats to all the great contributions and their creators - and wondering about two things: a straightforward explanation, if there is one beyond the readme, about how to change templates before creating a card; also, whether there's any possibility, given the template's framework and organization, for the creation of a GUI menu that could offer the selection on request with any card creation. That is, a third-party utility, or better yet an addition to v12 wherein the card page had a box that simply said Select Template, taking you right to a choice of your stored favs, and in a perfect world (can't see it happening, though) a small thumbnail of that type.

Thundercrack · 09-07-2010, 05:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BMW

I think you're referring to an overlay I created for older cards to purposely degrade the the photos, since I preferred not to have a 1970s card with a crystal clear photo.

But if you don't want that, there is a single file you can delete that will remove that. It is called "old_cardboard.png" and you would find it in the \templates\images folder.

Exactly what I was referring to. Thank you

BMW · 09-07-2010, 06:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by endgame

I'm late getting on the bandwagon here - and congrats to all the great contributions and their creators - and wondering about two things: a straightforward explanation, if there is one beyond the readme, about how to change templates before creating a card; also, whether there's any possibility, given the template's framework and organization, for the creation of a GUI menu that could offer the selection on request with any card creation. That is, a third-party utility, or better yet an addition to v12 wherein the card page had a box that simply said Select Template, taking you right to a choice of your stored favs, and in a perfect world (can't see it happening, though) a small thumbnail of that type.

Thanks for the feedback.

If you want to create different cards manually via that "New" button, the best way to do this would be to have your directories using a similar method that I've used with my releases. Have a directory like:

templates (this has 1987)
templates -1961
templates -1968
templates -1974
templates -1987
templates -1990

Currently using "New" would create 1987 cards. If I wanted to change this to 1990:

Delete "templates"
Make a copy of "templates - 1961"
Rename a "Copy of templates - 1961" to "templates"

Generally, that's how I move around cards when I'm creating them. If it's something you do often, create a shortcut to the bbcards folder.

Curve Ball Dave · 09-07-2010, 07:40 PM

Those cards above look just like the 1990 NBA Hoops design!

Coincidence? Do tell.

Great work, btw.

blueturf · 09-07-2010, 10:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Curve Ball Dave

Those cards above look just like the 1990 NBA Hoops design!

Coincidence? Do tell.

Great work, btw.

Yes, those started out inspired by the 1990 Hoops cards. Still looking to find some time to finish them up.

Curve Ball Dave · 09-07-2010, 11:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by blueturf

Yes, those started out inspired by the 1990 Hoops cards. Still looking to find some time to finish them up.

They're a great piece of work

TribeFanInNC · 11-05-2010, 07:23 PM

bump - someone should sticky this

07-29-2010, 02:15 AM	#1
BMW Hall Of Famer Join Date: May 2003 Location: New Jersey Posts: 2,030	GUIDE: Creating Baseball Card Templates for OOTP 11 v1.0 The first guide to creating templates is complete. You can download here: Creating Baseball Card Templates for OOTP 11 v1.0 (1.8MB)

07-29-2010, 02:32 AM	#2
koohead Hall Of Famer Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Phoenix, AZ Posts: 3,137	this is awesome. Thank you! Didn't know WHIP and OPS were available...I'll have to update my hof.xml to include these. __________________ GM - New Jersey Bears of the NPBL;

08-28-2010, 04:02 PM	#10
blueturf All Star Reserve Join Date: Dec 2001 Posts: 516	alpha colors I figured out you could use the tri-alpha colors to produce multilpe colors while only using one image layer. It works similar to the way the colors work on the default templates and in-game jerseys. I can only get it to work, if I use true black to represent the transparent area. This is the line of code being used for this image: <ELEMENT type="image" x="0" y="0" zorder="5" trialpha_red="#FFFFFF" trialpha_green="[%TEAM_TEXT_COLOR]" trialpha_blue="[%TEAM_BG_COLOR]" content="1990_hoops_trim.png" /> I have just started to play with it but it does open up more possibilities. It is hard to see, but I like how the tape on the bat handles in the card number logo change with team colors. These cards still have a lot of clean-up left but I have been stuck on why the player image on the back is showing transparent area in the photo. It looks as if the backround image for the player picture is askew. If I can figure out why or how, I may try a card with the background intentionally transparent. Attached Images __________________ Kalama - Fictional World Quick Start with jerseys, logos and map - Photobucket of my fictional stadiums - Stadium thread

08-28-2010, 06:28 PM	#11
gbmoore121 All Star Reserve Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: Arizona Posts: 602	Great design step. Absolutely opens up possibilities. __________________ WWPF- via DDS Pro Football

09-07-2010, 02:28 PM	#13
BMW Hall Of Famer Join Date: May 2003 Location: New Jersey Posts: 2,030	I think you're referring to an overlay I created for older cards to purposely degrade the the photos, since I preferred not to have a 1970s card with a crystal clear photo. But if you don't want that, there is a single file you can delete that will remove that. It is called "old_cardboard.png" and you would find it in the \templates\images folder. __________________

07-29-2010, 03:47 AM	#3
Goody Hall Of Famer Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: South Korea Posts: 3,530	This will be a lifesaver, whenever I get to that point of having time to work with cards.

07-29-2010, 05:06 AM	#4
hawaiiansky Major Leagues Join Date: Mar 2005 Posts: 474	Impressive. Thanks for all the hard work.

07-29-2010, 11:40 AM	#5
Thundercrack All Star Reserve Join Date: Jul 2008 Posts: 832	Lordy, that is a lot of work you've put into this. Impressive.

07-29-2010, 01:03 PM	#6
Tiesenberg Major Leagues Join Date: Nov 2002 Posts: 306	Brilliant. I look forward to going back over some of my cards with this guide.

07-29-2010, 04:30 PM	#8
Tiesenberg Major Leagues Join Date: Nov 2002 Posts: 306	When I initially started to work on my cards, prior to the .15 update, I am convinced that [%SUBLEAGUE] was a workable token. However, since the updates, I too have been unable to get this to work. I'll continue to experiment with it, but will remove it from my original post.

09-07-2010, 12:47 PM	#12
Thundercrack All Star Reserve Join Date: Jul 2008 Posts: 832	Love the cards you've produced, but is there any way to lose the faded look of the player pics?

09-07-2010, 03:16 PM	#14
endgame Hall Of Famer Join Date: Aug 2002 Posts: 16,843	I'm late getting on the bandwagon here - and congrats to all the great contributions and their creators - and wondering about two things: a straightforward explanation, if there is one beyond the readme, about how to change templates before creating a card; also, whether there's any possibility, given the template's framework and organization, for the creation of a GUI menu that could offer the selection on request with any card creation. That is, a third-party utility, or better yet an addition to v12 wherein the card page had a box that simply said Select Template, taking you right to a choice of your stored favs, and in a perfect world (can't see it happening, though) a small thumbnail of that type. __________________ "Try again. Fail again. Fail better." -- Samuel Beckett _____________________________________________

09-07-2010, 07:40 PM	#17
Curve Ball Dave Hall Of Famer Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Chicago Posts: 2,271	Those cards above look just like the 1990 NBA Hoops design! Coincidence? Do tell. Great work, btw. __________________ "Hitting is timing. Pitching is upsetting timing"-Warren Spahn.

11-05-2010, 07:23 PM	#20
TribeFanInNC Hall Of Famer Join Date: Oct 2007 Posts: 4,019	bump - someone should sticky this