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Community => Simutrans Help Center => Topic started by: Václav on August 18, 2026, 03:50:55 PM

Title: Cityhouses with FrontImage
Post by: Václav on August 18, 2026, 03:50:55 PM
When I was preparing latest cityhouses, I got idea - to have balconies closed by (reflexive) glass. But when I prepared it as I originally wanted, nothing lit at night. So, I separated (reflexive) glass closing balconies to they would be used as FrontImage.

But I did not find how to correctly use FrontImage. I used it like BackImage is used - but I found that it does not run correctly (front part does not covers all windows as it should).


Minor problem is with transparency of those reflexive glasses. I thought that it could be interesting to do them transparent and let windows be visible (through them). But something goes wrong and transparency is lost. So, I will have to make some glasses missing instead transparent.
Title: Re: Cityhouses with FrontImage
Post by: Sylph (Leartin) on August 18, 2026, 04:50:30 PM
IIRC, citybuildings only support frontimages at ground level. In P192C, we used frontimages to add animated chimney smoke and do other animation tricks (moving crane or window cleaner, the animations in most monuments)

But I distinctly remember that I also used what you describe in a gas station. I set part of the backimage to black or white and used semitransparent light color on top. Thus, during the day, it was light green or dark green depending on the sunlight, but at night only the light color is visible.

Also, I'm just on the phone and can't check, but don't you lose transparency because of the blueish background? You don't need that, just have it transparent.
Title: Re: Cityhouses with FrontImage
Post by: Václav on August 18, 2026, 05:29:52 PM
Quote from: Sylph (Leartin) on August 18, 2026, 04:50:30 PMIIRC, citybuildings only support frontimages at ground level.
Oh, no. It would explain why those glasses appear only on few bottom floors.

What about coords? Are they the same like in case of BackImage or different?

Quote from: Sylph (Leartin) on August 18, 2026, 04:50:30 PMAlso, I'm just on the phone and can't check, but don't you lose transparency because of the blueish background? You don't need that, just have it transparent.
Yes, I used blue background - and after its removing it became transparent. But however, I will have to play with transparency, itself, because even if glasses became transparent, they don't light at night.
Title: Re: Cityhouses with FrontImage
Post by: prissi on August 18, 2026, 07:44:37 PM
You could use a larger pak size. I think one radio tower in pak96.comic or pak192.comic used this.
Title: Re: Cityhouses with FrontImage
Post by: Sylph (Leartin) on August 18, 2026, 08:50:02 PM
The coords are the same.

I used a lot of offsets in P192C - this means you can have frontimages higher up. I don't think that's enough for these buildings, but often you might have windows that fit in a single squaee if you move them
Title: Re: Cityhouses with FrontImage
Post by: Václav on August 18, 2026, 08:56:00 PM
Thanks. So, it seems I like rather prepare two versions. One will be with non-transparent glasses. And one without them. So, there will be four houses.

And plays with transparent FrontImage is postponed, for now.