After years, I finally decided to play through the extended edition of both games...since I never even made it past the Friendly Arm Inn when I last tried! I want to once again use a paladin--an undead hunter--so I tweaked the portrait I use for my avatar to transform him into a paladin of Lathander. The big problem: it doesn't match to the second game at all, so I recreated a new one just for that. This should give some continuity for anyone else who enjoys using paladins, and the symbol is probably one of the easier elements to change if you prefer a different god.
@Isandir , I love that picture, and it's perfect for both my paladins and my clerics of Lathander. So, I downloaded it, but now I've got a strange tech problem. The game reads my converted image for the large portrait on the character sheet, but will not read it for the small image on the game interface. Can anyone help me figure out what is going on here? I've got it converted to .bmp and resized to 206x328. Why would the game read it for the large version but not the small version? (Using Steam version with all the latest updates.)
@BelgarathMTH I don't know if this will solve your problem, but the usual portrait size is 210x330 (see here).
You can also try to rename the file as the Enhanced Edition seems very finicky in how it handles filename. Even if you no longer need the trailing M/L, from my experience it's better to keep it. And the name should have a maximum of 8 characters (including the M/L).
@lefreut , Thanks, but it still doesn't work. All I can figure is that the problem might be because the image was uploaded here as a web link instead of as a .jpeg, and the way I'm converting it to .bmp in paint.net is causing a problem. The dimensions of the file I'm creating are fine, and I'm not having this problem with any other custom portraits.
Interestingly, the game is only reading the large version of the portrait when I end the file name with "L". If I end it in anything else, the game doesn't read it either in large or small versions. When I end the file name with "L", the game reads it as a large portrait, but doesn't convert it to the small version.
Okay, I didn't give up, and I finally figured it out. The devil was in the file naming. You can name the file anything you want, but you cannot use any capital letters. All the letters in the file name must be lower case. So, I'm glad I got it working, because it's a beautiful portrait. Now I need to learn how to make a NWN portrait so I can use it in my NWN game.
Okay, I didn't give up, and I finally figured it out. The devil was in the file naming. You can name the file anything you want, but you cannot use any capital letters. All the letters in the file name must be lower case. So, I'm glad I got it working, because it's a beautiful portrait. Now I need to learn how to make a NWN portrait so I can use it in my NWN game.
I always forget how finicky the file formats can be in the forum. I've also edited the post to include the bitmaps--even though the game still uses the hideous resizing tool that causes pixelation rather than allowing all three actual sizes to be implemented. These ones should work regardless of capitalization.
On the M portrait not showing up if you use a different sized photo for the sidebar photo, I read elsewhere that 7 letters is the max for it to be consistently read, instead of 8 letters. I have changed 8 letters to 7 letters for both the L and M and now the M shows up every time.
Talk about finicky! Worst than my 17 year old cat...
Okay, I didn't give up, and I finally figured it out. The devil was in the file naming. You can name the file anything you want, but you cannot use any capital letters. All the letters in the file name must be lower case. So, I'm glad I got it working, because it's a beautiful portrait. Now I need to learn how to make a NWN portrait so I can use it in my NWN game.
In the Gog version of the game, that doesn't apply. You just need three versions, one with L, one with M and one with S suffixes. (That is if you want different portraits for the large and small images.) That is what I prefer, though it does limit the number of portraits available.
@Isandir you've done it again! That halfling looks, funnily enough, identical to the mental image I had for a halfling I'm planning on playing in a 5E campaign of D&D soon. hahaha It's almost eerie how accurate it looks.
@Isandir , @Elrandir how do I get the wonderful halfling image to a bmp format? It saves as a webpage and as a former luddite I am struggling (blushes)?
@Elrandir That's even stranger considering I hadn't been working on any other portrait at all for the last year and a half except that one! My holiday is going to end soon, so I don't know if I can keep this up, but you managed to get me into a portrait-making mood again at least for a while. I finally met Baeloth for the first time in my playthrough, and I naturally don't like how he doesn't match the default portraits. Since Mark Meers helpfully already dressed up as him... At some point I'll probably make a BG2 version as well using one of the other photos.
@Aerakar I've uploaded the bitmaps to the halfling's page on my site.
Rather than continue through the Cloakwood Mines, I spent the day on something else instead. Here's Baeloth's portrait for the second game. I stuck to the style of the existing portraits rather than basing it on actual drow skin tones, so feel free to darken him a bit if you prefer that.
@Isandir , @Elrandir how do I get the wonderful halfling image to a bmp format? It saves as a webpage and as a former luddite I am struggling (blushes)?
Just so that you know for the future:
1) Right click on the png file or any other format such as jpeg etc.
2) Open with Paint.
3) SaveAs Bitmap.
Done!!
Note where the file is being saved to so that you can find it later!!
@Aerakar, right click the picture you want and click "copy image". That saves the image to your clipboard. Then, open paint or paint.net. Click "edit>paste". That will bring up the image in your image utility. Then you can "save as" .bmp .
(Note: Be sure to click "copy image" NOT "save image as".
Below are just a few of the very first portraits I made when I joined the forum back in 2012. They were pretty bad...as in really bad! Even though every single one could have been vastly better, I don't ever recall getting a single negative comment. I slowly started to improve, and all of the other posters were encouraging and offered constructive feedback. A few were even kinder, liking almost every one of my little monstrosities and never failing to offer praise.
I'll be ending my holiday after this weekend and will be swamped at work, but I wanted to post one last portrait before I likely go on another hiatus. Along with many others, @Aedan was one of those early supporters, and he had requested that I make the image of him above. I later recreated it as the one he is using for his avatar. But even then, it didn't begin to approach what I can do now. I was looking for a different image that I had planned to remake and came across a familiar photograph, so...
Light colors, just as you prefer, all the ruffles you love, and the armor par excellence. Enjoy your full BGII portrait, Aedan!
@Isandir WOW! Now I have two amazing portraits for both BGEE and BG2EE! And the ruffles... I just love them Thank you! Thank you so much! I am really happy that you used the free time you had giving us new portraits. I definitely love your works and just adore the fact that you add new portraits on your portfolio.
Rather than continue through the Cloakwood Mines, I spent the day on something else instead. Here's Baeloth's portrait for the second game. I stuck to the style of the existing portraits rather than basing it on actual drow skin tones, so feel free to darken him a bit if you prefer that.
One more! I was reading about the BG2 EE characters and saw that Hexxat had both a cloak and amulet. I was not completely happy with my first take on her portrait anyway since it didn't fully capture the look of the originals, so it was time for a remaster. This one blends in a bit better in-game and matches the lore (though I couldn't fully get the amulet design given how complex it is). The only minor point I'm still not happy with is the necklace, but then I look at Anomen's and remind myself that simpler is better with this style.
On a side note, it's an absolute pain trying to get the brightness and contrast right when making these versus seeing them in the game! Using the vanilla images for comparison is great...until I actually load the portrait in and realize it's far too light. I'll probably go back and redo a few to make sure they blend in well when actually being used.
One more! I was reading about the BG2 EE characters and saw that Hexxat had both a cloak and amulet. I was not completely happy with my first take on her portrait anyway since it didn't fully capture the look of the originals, so it was time for a remaster. This one blends in a bit better in-game and matches the lore (though I couldn't fully get the amulet design given how complex it is). The only minor point I'm still not happy with is the necklace, but then I look at Anomen's and remind myself that simpler is better with this style.
On a side note, it's an absolute pain trying to get the brightness and contrast right when making these versus seeing them in the game! Using the vanilla images for comparison is great...until I actually load the portrait in and realize it's far too light. I'll probably go back and redo a few to make sure they blend in well when actually being used.
Old and new, side by side:
I do hope you come back later to do more! I'm really like your Baeloth portait for BG1 and BG2. Just amazing!
EDIT: I've already had to revisit it thanks to inspiration from @bob_veng. I knew something was bothering me when I finished it last night, and he sent me a version he had tweaked for personal use that made the light bulb go on: I used too strong of a filter at the end to align all the elements, and it blended it all together with too little contrast. Though I didn't want to go quite as dark as he did, I've switched it to the tweaked version below. Thanks, Bob! It always helps to have another pair of eyes!
@Vasculio I'll try to be at least a bit more active, but my schedule is unfortunately far busier than it used to be, so my posting will be sporadic. Here's another one right away though! Someone recently contacted me to ask if they could use one of my earlier portraits for a mod. I naturally couldn't let it be used when it could be much more in line with the originals now. (I admittedly do still kind of like how the face turned out when I had done it before...) Though the mod will be for both BG1 and BG2, she preferred the latter.
As usual, I'm not entirely happy with it and have already been thinking of changes I could make...
Original and new version:
I recently stumbled across a reference to only the large and medium portrait sizes now being used, so I left out the small version this time.
Comments
Gorgeous! I am so happy to see another masterpiece drawn by you
Edit: Minor tweaks made, as always!
Here's how my avatar looks for comparison:
You can also try to rename the file as the Enhanced Edition seems very finicky in how it handles filename. Even if you no longer need the trailing M/L, from my experience it's better to keep it. And the name should have a maximum of 8 characters (including the M/L).
Interestingly, the game is only reading the large version of the portrait when I end the file name with "L". If I end it in anything else, the game doesn't read it either in large or small versions. When I end the file name with "L", the game reads it as a large portrait, but doesn't convert it to the small version.
I guess I can't use the portrait. Bummer.
Talk about finicky! Worst than my 17 year old cat...
As per this screenshot:
@Aerakar I've uploaded the bitmaps to the halfling's page on my site.
It's once again based it on one of Mark Meer's fabulous cosplay photos.
EDIT: I suddenly had a thought...is Baeloth even available in BG2? If not, enjoy a fabulous new drow mage/rogue for your PC!
1) Right click on the png file or any other format such as jpeg etc.
2) Open with Paint.
3) SaveAs Bitmap.
Done!!
Note where the file is being saved to so that you can find it later!!
(Note: Be sure to click "copy image" NOT "save image as".
I'll be ending my holiday after this weekend and will be swamped at work, but I wanted to post one last portrait before I likely go on another hiatus. Along with many others, @Aedan was one of those early supporters, and he had requested that I make the image of him above. I later recreated it as the one he is using for his avatar. But even then, it didn't begin to approach what I can do now. I was looking for a different image that I had planned to remake and came across a familiar photograph, so...
Light colors, just as you prefer, all the ruffles you love, and the armor par excellence. Enjoy your full BGII portrait, Aedan!
WOW! Now I have two amazing portraits for both BGEE and BG2EE!
And the ruffles... I just love them
Thank you! Thank you so much!
I am really happy that you used the free time you had giving us new portraits. I definitely love your works and just adore the fact that you add new portraits on your portfolio.
On a side note, it's an absolute pain trying to get the brightness and contrast right when making these versus seeing them in the game! Using the vanilla images for comparison is great...until I actually load the portrait in and realize it's far too light. I'll probably go back and redo a few to make sure they blend in well when actually being used.
Old and new, side by side:
@Vasculio I'll try to be at least a bit more active, but my schedule is unfortunately far busier than it used to be, so my posting will be sporadic. Here's another one right away though! Someone recently contacted me to ask if they could use one of my earlier portraits for a mod. I naturally couldn't let it be used when it could be much more in line with the originals now. (I admittedly do still kind of like how the face turned out when I had done it before...) Though the mod will be for both BG1 and BG2, she preferred the latter.
As usual, I'm not entirely happy with it and have already been thinking of changes I could make...
Original and new version:
I recently stumbled across a reference to only the large and medium portrait sizes now being used, so I left out the small version this time.