Question for the Master Skinners: (Increasing Transparancy of Gray Background)

I actually like the default skin, but like many, would rather it's transparency was increased.

I've seen some people say it can't be done, but with the quality of the talent here designing new skins, surely there must be a way to replicate the original, but just increase the transparency?

If I knew how, I'd gladly do it myself, if someone could guide me?

Thanks in advance for any help and advice.

You'd just need to edit a couple of graphics, assuming its the gray background whos transparency you want increasing.

You cannot edit the actual default skin itself but you can make a copy of it and edit that.

You can read this post on how to setup your own skin - or you can just follow the bit about extracting the fmf files and use my base skins from here

(you'll need to extract skins.fmf file and the skins.fmf file in the patch folder if there is one)

When you have extracted the files you'll need to copy the contents of the below folder to the same folder of the new skin you have setup/downloaded:

[EXTRACTED FILES]\skins\fm2008-widgets\graphics\boxes\titled

copy to:

\skins\SKIN_NAME\graphics\boxes\titled

You'll notice there are several files called paper - these make up the gray background panel, and is in nine parts - top, middle, bottom and a left, middle and right piece for each one.

Now you just need to edit these files in an image editing program until they are how you want.

Also the news screen uses a different set of files that are located in the news item folder.

When you have edited the files, load the game up go into the preferences menu and select your new skin (if it doesn't appear in the menu, turn off the skin cache and select a different skin, then go back into the preferences menu).

Awesome, thank you for your help Michael.

I have read through your excellent guides yesterday, to see if my question had been covered already. I will try out what you have suggested. I knew there would be files needing editing in photoshop, but I had no idea which ones, I am grateful to you for sharing your knowledge with me. I'll let you know how it goes.

Hello again Michael.

I am pleased to say that having followed your advice, I now have a finished skin that I am very happy with. I may go back and tweak a few areas in the near future, as I maybe increased the transparency everso slightly too much in a couple of places, but having already edited to improve it twice, I just really want to get on with playing the game now.

Overall, I am really pleased with the new look, so thanks once again for your help.

I was going to post some screenshots, but my image editing software for some reason will not let me take a screen capture in FM2009. I tried the 'print screen' button, but without luck, is there anything else I have to press at the same time, and where will the image be 'printed' to?

Lastly, I would like to make the new skin available to others who may wish to use it, do I just use the FM Resource Archiver to 'create new archive', and if so, what folders/files will I need to include in the new archive please?

Thanking you again for your time and effort.

Kind regards,

Benn.

No worries on the screen caps, I figured it out:

So if anyone likes it and would like to use it, now I just need to know how to pack it all up to share?

Hello again Michael.

I am pleased to say that having followed your advice, I now have a finished skin that I am very happy with. I may go back and tweak a few areas in the near future, as I maybe increased the transparency everso slightly too much in a couple of places, but having already edited to improve it twice, I just really want to get on with playing the game now.

Overall, I am really pleased with the new look, so thanks once again for your help.

I was going to post some screenshots, but my image editing software for some reason will not let me take a screen capture in FM2009. I tried the 'print screen' button, but without luck, is there anything else I have to press at the same time, and where will the image be 'printed' to?

Lastly, I would like to make the new skin available to others who may wish to use it, do I just use the FM Resource Archiver to 'create new archive', and if so, what folders/files will I need to include in the new archive please?

Thanking you again for your time and effort.

Kind regards,

Benn.

If you want to release the skin you can either archive up the contents of that skins folder using the resource tool (just select the folder for your skin), or you can just zip/rar up the folder for you skin.

The only files that need to be included are the ones inside your skins/SKIN_NAME folder (where SKIN_NAME is the name of the skin)

Thanks Michael, I will make a few alterations over the next couple of days and then pack it up.

Where should I post the finished article please?

You can post a link to the skin in a new thread when you have uploaded it somewhere - you can either upload it to one of the fm fansites that are around or a free file hosting website (such as sendspace), and just post a couple of screenshots, a description of the skin and a link to the download (you can have a look at a few of the other threads adversting skins to see how other people set out their threads).

Thanks again Michael for your assistance, you provide a great service here for many people.

I'm going to work on my skin some more tonight, and will return to post it when done.

I really like the look of this skin.

Any news on a possible release?

I really like the look of this skin.

Any news on a possible release?

I am still tweaking a few things, as not entirely happy with the finished product yet.

Mostly I am pleased with the results, but on a couple of screens in the game it is a bit hard to read the writing due to the background pictures I'm using, so the transparency for the 'plain' boxes needs to be decreased slightly. Just haven't had time to do it yet.

Will hopefully finish it tomorrow or the day after, and then will release it.

have been waiting for a skin like this for ages. just completely inept myself.

eagerly awaiting the download and good work mate

Hi Michael, I need your help again please (or anyone who can help)?

Something has gone badly wrong it seems.

Everything was fine, and I've been enjoying playing the game with my new skin.

I was conscious though that at least 3 people here are waiting for me to release it, so tonight I decided to drag myself away from playing, to complete my tweaking of the skin.

I packed a copy of the original which I screen-capped here already (called "default transparent") up into a rar file ready to release. I then went about making my amendments to the skin as planned, and saved it as a new skin, titled "default transparent v2.0", following the exact same proceedure, as guided by yourself first time around.

I then loaded the game, to try it out, went to preferences, unticked 'use skin cache' ticked to reload on confirm, but the skin did not show. I soon realized this was because I'd forgotten to change the name of the config file to match the new skin title, so I changed this, and reloaded.

The skin appeared on my menu. Excellent.

Or not excellent, because when I then changed the new skin on the menu to set as my new default skin, and clicked reload again, it started to load the skin as usual, and then froze. I waited for ages, but the programme (FM2009) failed to respond, and I had to end the programme.

I tried starting the game again, and it loaded as far as the end of the credits, but then wouldn't go any further, meaning that instead of progressing to the game/preferences selection screen, there was just a blank screen that was frozen.

I took the new skin out of the skins folder, and reloaded, and the game loaded fine again, showing my original skin, but not the new one (as I'd taken it out). Excellent.

I tried again with the new skin, but same effect. Won't even load the preferences page, stops at the end of the credits.

Major problem though now, because the game won't load at all!

I tried taking out the new skin again. Even then, with just my original skin in the folder, the game won't load the main menu. I took out even my original skin, nothing, and then even the entire skins folder, but still it won't work.

The game will not load anymore, even without any of my skins.

What may have caused this, and what can I do please?

I was so enjoying this game.

Try taking the dot and space out of the folder and config file names, the game only likes lower case alphanumeric characters it doesn't mind - or _ aswell.

You'll need to reset the preferences once you have renamed it:

If you have a shortcut on your desktop you can do the following:

• Right-click on the FM shortcut.
  
• Choose "Properties" from the pop-up menu.
  
• In the "Target" field, add the --reset_preferences command line option after "fm.exe", so it should look like this:
  "C:\Program Files\Sports Interactive\Football Manager 2009\fm.exe" --reset_preferences
  
• Press OK and then try to run the game as normal, using the shortcut.
  

You'll want to remove the command after you run the game, as otherwise it will continue to reset your preferences every time you launch.

If you don't have a shortcut you can make one and then perform the instructions on the shortcut you've made.

• If you purchased and installed the game through Steam you should be able to find the fm.exe in the following directory:
  C:/Program Files/Steam/SteamApps/Common/Football Manager 2009/
  
• If you purchased and installed the game from a boxed DVD copy you should be able to find the fm.exe in the following directory:
  C:/Program Files/Sports Interactive/Football Manager 2009/
  

Thanks Michael for your timely response. You have at least set my mind at ease that I can repair this. I will try your suggestions now.

Just as an aside, it worked fine with a space in the title first time around, I must admit to having missed your advice on that, but must've somehow got away with it.

I'll go do what you said now, and let you know what happens.

Thanks.

Awesome, you're a legend. It worked. I have my game back.

I will now go and try again, without spaces.

Thank you!

Ok, update, great news, everything is now as it should be. I am just about to start packing up the skins for release.

Once again Michael, your help has been invaluable, and is greatly appreciated.

One last question if I may, is it permissible for me to post a link to your and Radestocks guides on how to install skins etc, in the post I will make releasing the new skins, to help those who may not know?

yeah no problem

Ok, thanks.

I have just finished uploading the zip file.

Just need to take a few screen shots of the new look, and I will release it in a new topic shortly.

Thanks again for your help. I could not have done this without you. *bows*

Just downloaded Paint.net - Anyone help me? Want to change the transparency.. and also, is it possible to remove the 'lines' on the squad screen?

Thanks!

Just downloaded Paint.net - Anyone help me? Want to change the transparency.. and also, is it possible to remove the 'lines' on the squad screen?

Thanks!

Here is a skin I made with increased transparency:

http://community.sigames.com/showthread.php?t=101260

You could see if that is to your liking.

If you still want to edit it further, the 'lines' are in the "Boxes" folder, in a sub-folder called "Titled".

(default-transparent-v2.0\graphics\boxes\titled)

You could try editing the files in there to completely transparent.

Michaelmurrayuk is the resident expert though, I'm sure he'll be able to advise you much better than I.

Well I understand where the files are, I'm just new to editing etc, so I don't know how to do it in Paint.net

Thanks for any help.

I don't know much about Paint.net I'm afraid. I use Macromedia Fireworks.

All I know is that in Paint.net, they refer to the transparency as "Opacity" instead, and that is the slider you'll need to play with to test your results, until you find the level of transparency you are happy with.

worked it out, thanks. Don't see any 'lines' folder/files there, though.

Appreciate any help.

Thanks

There is not a 'lines' folder. It is the 'titled' box that you need.

default-transparent-v2.0\graphics\boxes\titled

You will need to edit all the files in that 'titled' box, and set them to the level of transparency you desire.

The files in the other folders in the "boxes" folder can all be further customised too of course, if you need/want to do so.

Just downloaded Paint.net - Anyone help me? Want to change the transparency.. and also, is it possible to remove the 'lines' on the squad screen?

Thanks!

I take it by lines you mean the alternative rows that appear in a slightly different shade/colour those should be controlled by the graphics in this folder:

\skins\fm2008-widgets\graphics\table\custom\stripe

You'll need to extract the skins.fmf file from the Football Manager/data folder.

Sorry to bring up an old thread, but I guess it's better than creating a new one. Basically I want the same thing as 'Force', to remove those lines and by that I do mean 'the alternative rows that appear in a slightly different shade/colour'. I also want to make the title bar more transparent by this I mean the bar at the top of the screen saying what club you manage and your progress in the league, the bar below that with 'continue', 'manager', 'world', 'bookmarks' and 'options' on and also the bar below that with the quicklinks on it ('home' 'inbox' etc). I have found the 'stripe' folder in the file directory that you gave but now I'm here, I have no idea what to do. Please could someone help me? Sorry and thanks in advance.

After reading this post: http://community.sigames.com/showthread.php?p=3101903#post3101903

I am getting more of an idea on the title bar, menubar and black menubar more transparent. I have located the files and I can see what each one corresponds to, I just don't know how to make it transparent.

You need to use a graphics program to make the graphics more transparent alternatively you can use the transparency="0.15" command in the widget line that calls the graphic to adjust the transparency without editing the graphics (not sure whether the transparency command will affect just certain graphics or any graphic aslong as it's added to the line that calls the graphic, changing the value should affect the level of transparency, where 1 is solid and 0.0 would be see-thru)

Thanks a lot for your quick response michael. Where do I enter the transparency="0.15" command?

You need to enter it into the widget line that calls the graphic you want to make transparent e.g:

<widget class="picture" id="pict" file="interface/titlebar/bar" transparency="0.15" auto_size="vertical" cached="true" rthr="68">

Thanks for that michael, I've managed to make the titlebar transparent and the blackmenu bar. However, I cant seem to make the searchbox transparent. The code:

<widget id="find" class="edit_box" appearance="interface/searchbox/box" transparency="0.15" spec="text,small" colour="black"> 

doesn't work for it. I'm also having trouble making the white menubar transparent, nothing seems to work. Another question, do you know where the .xml files to edit the tree and 'stripe' bars to make transparent are? Again, all your work is appreciated and I'm sorry I cant skin myself.

Ignore the titlebar requests. I just want to know how to remove the 'stripe' effects on the squad screen and 'tree' and make the 'tree' menu as transparent as the 'non-striped' squad screen areas.

There are seperate files located within the table, menu, actions and/or tree folders within the graphics folders, from memory they are called item or item_alt something like that, I'm sure I've posted the exact locations in the past, so you can look through my previous posts, but I've got a match to watch now...

Haven't we all . Cheers michael, I'll take a look.

I've finished making this skin now, thanks a lot for everything michael. I know it's not good as far as skins go but I've made it how I want it so I guess I'm happy with that. Here it is:

EDIT: You will see I'm using your lower league logos pack - thanks for that too .

Hi michael, as you appear to be the resident super-power on skinning, I hought I would humbley beg for your guidance *on bended knee complete with a pitiful look on my face*.:o

I'm trying, for the first time, to create my own skin from scratch and have followed your skinning bible through parts I and II fully and succesfully. Although I have only changed the font and attribute colours I feel I have a basic grasp on this now.

I have followed step III as far as adding Radestocks skinning panel, so i have added this and all folders and files upto this point, but haven't gone any further as I'm not concerned with the title bar, header,etc at this point (although I may have a crack at it in the near future).

What I'am interested in is the background. I'm having the same problems as those above, i.e cannot figure out which of the extracted files/folders I need to copy to my "testskins" folder next and what to do with them when they are there, to allow me to increase the transparency and add my own background pics,etc.

If you could find the time to help me through this, I would be very gratefull.

Most of the graphics you should need should be located in the skins/fm2008-widgets folder (and the skins/fm2009-widgets folder if you are basing it off the FM09(blue) skin) after you have extracted the skins.fmf file.

The quickest way to find out what each graphic does is to copy one folder of graphics into your testskins folder and change the colour of the graphics to something bright (red, green, pink etc) so you can quickly spot where they appear.

The easiest way to make the graphics more transparent is to edit them in an image editing program (such as photoshop or The GIMP and paint.net are free alternatives) adjusting the transparency/opacity to something you are happy with (once you have located what files need editing)

You can also have a look at the skin Bennico posted further up, if he's only copied in the files he edited it may give you a quicker idea of the files that need editing.

Ok, I believe I've copied the relevant files now (FM2008-widgets) and downloaded paint.net, but I still cant figure out how to make the image transparent once I paste it into paint. Am i supposed to be just taking each file (paper_bottom_left, paper_bottom_middle, etc) into paint individually? Because this is where I get stuck. Sorry If I'm making you repeat yourself, but I'am grateful.

Yes you'll need to load each image into paint.net, to adjust the transparency in paint.net double click the layer name in the layers panel and adjust the Opacity value - 255 is a solid image, 0 is a transparent image.

Hey thanks dude, you been a massive help! I've now created my very first skin (popped my chery) and although it's pretty basic I'm happy with it and feel I have a basic grasp of the essentials. I'm pretty confident now, knowing the basics, that I can trial and error to take this further, so much thanks.

!!!!ALL HAIL KING MICHAEL!!!!