# Request: Advanced Idle pointer **URL:** \ **Category:** II - Modding\ **Created:** [December 21, 2019, 5:09pm UTC](https://forums.ageofempires.com/t/request-advanced-idle-pointer/65767 "2019-12-21T17:09:29Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![RegalBrute179](https://forums.ageofempires.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/r/c0e974/32.png) [@RegalBrute179](https://forums.ageofempires.com/u/RegalBrute179)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2019, 5:09pm UTC](https://forums.ageofempires.com/t/request-advanced-idle-pointer/65767/1 "2019-12-21T17:09:29Z")
It would be amazing to have this Aoe HD mod in DE. Even though we can have a shortcut to the next idle villager, it is often not enough. A lot of times i have idle villagers behind buildings without knowing because the contour lines are not prominent enough for me to notice them during fast paced games. Idle villagers would become way more apparent, right now i have to look at the idle villager counter in the top right corner to notice them. I think a lot of people miss this mod !! If you’d like to have this mod comment down below, maybe someone from the community could do it! ---
**Author:** ![GregRising](https://forums.ageofempires.com/user_avatar/forums.ageofempires.com/gregrising/32/43990_2.png) [@GregRising](https://forums.ageofempires.com/u/GregRising)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2019, 7:28pm UTC](https://forums.ageofempires.com/t/request-advanced-idle-pointer/65767/2 "2019-12-27T19:28:16Z")
> [@Advanced Idle Villager is released!](https://forums.ageofempires.com/t/advanced-idle-villager-is-released/66165): > > Hello, The long awaited “Advanced Idle pointer” has been release just a few minutes ago: [https://www.ageofempires.com/mods/details/2589](https://www.ageofempires.com/mods/details/2589) For those who which to install it offline i invite you to visit my blog post: [https://ageofnotes.com/tutorials/advanced-idle-pointer-is-out-for-aoe2-definitive-edition-offline-installer/](https://ageofnotes.com/tutorials/advanced-idle-pointer-is-out-for-aoe2-definitive-edition-offline-installer/) ---
**Author:** ![Juggernaut8704](https://forums.ageofempires.com/user_avatar/forums.ageofempires.com/juggernaut8704/32/203886_2.png) [@Juggernaut8704](https://forums.ageofempires.com/u/Juggernaut8704)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2019, 4:57am UTC](https://forums.ageofempires.com/t/request-advanced-idle-pointer/65767/3 "2019-12-28T04:57:42Z")
how did you extract the DE graphics? (I would like to extract frames from yurt/tent and merge them into 1 smx to use them as houses for some civs, any tips? 🙂 ) do the villagers have shadow and player color, doesn’t look like it in the preview picture… ---
**Author:** ![GregRising](https://forums.ageofempires.com/user_avatar/forums.ageofempires.com/gregrising/32/43990_2.png) [@GregRising](https://forums.ageofempires.com/u/GregRising)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2019, 1:47pm UTC](https://forums.ageofempires.com/t/request-advanced-idle-pointer/65767/4 "2019-12-28T13:47:03Z")
The procedure is a bit exhausting… I compiled openage library to extract the sprite sheet which includes all the 960 frames of an smx file: And yes there are no shadows but you can choose player palette color in your extraction command **Compiling openage using my ubuntu machine** `git clone https://github.com/SFTtech/openage.git` `cd openage` `./configure` `make` `cd bin` `python3 -m openage convert-file --player-palette-file ~/games/aoe2de/Data/playercolor_blue.pal --palette-file ~/games/aoe2de/Data/b_west.pal u_elite_eagle.smx /tmp/rofl.png` In the command above you can choose different color palette and extract the png file (sprite sheet) After you extract all the sprite sheets you’ll have to cd into convert folder and edit ‘texture.py’ `nano openage/openage/convert/texture.py` Then replace these lines: ``` for frame in input_data.main_frames: for subtex in self._smp_to_subtextures(frame, main_palette, player_palette, custom_cutter): frames.append(subtex) ``` With these lines: ```auto frame_ctr = 0 for frame in input_data.main_frames: for subtex in self._smp_to_subtextures(frame, main_palette, player_palette, custom_cutter): self.image_data = subtex frame_name = "frame_%s" % (frame_ctr) frame_ctr += 1 self.save(Directory("/home/user/frames/").root, frame_name) frames.append(subtex) ``` and cd back into openage folder again and rebuild the project `make` Now use the same command as previously: `python3 -m openage convert-file --player-palette-file ~/games/aoe2de/Data/playercolor_blue.pal --palette-file ~/games/aoe2de/Data/b_west.pal u_elite_eagle.smx /tmp/rofl.png` Done your 960 frames are extracted into /home/user/frames as png filetype images ---
**Author:** ![Tevious7621](https://forums.ageofempires.com/user_avatar/forums.ageofempires.com/tevious7621/32/32231_2.png) [@Tevious7621](https://forums.ageofempires.com/u/Tevious7621)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2019, 8:51pm UTC](https://forums.ageofempires.com/t/request-advanced-idle-pointer/65767/5 "2019-12-28T20:51:09Z")
I’ll have a proper Idle Villager mod with x2 support and working player colors soon after I wrap up export support with my mod app, SLX Studio. Version 1.4 will have SMP/SMX support for modding. ---
**Author:** ![GregRising](https://forums.ageofempires.com/user_avatar/forums.ageofempires.com/gregrising/32/43990_2.png) [@GregRising](https://forums.ageofempires.com/u/GregRising)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2019, 9:38pm UTC](https://forums.ageofempires.com/t/request-advanced-idle-pointer/65767/6 "2019-12-28T21:38:32Z")
> [@RyanTVS](#): > > r mod with x2 support and working player colors soon after I wrap up export Thank you brother I can’t f-ucking wait… ---
**Author:** ![Tevious7621](https://forums.ageofempires.com/user_avatar/forums.ageofempires.com/tevious7621/32/32231_2.png) [@Tevious7621](https://forums.ageofempires.com/u/Tevious7621)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2020, 2:50am UTC](https://forums.ageofempires.com/t/request-advanced-idle-pointer/65767/7 "2020-01-01T02:50:52Z")
Published my version of the mod: [https://www.ageofempires.com/mods/details/2686](https://www.ageofempires.com/mods/details/2686) Supports UHD and player colors. ---
**Author:** ![Avarthon](https://forums.ageofempires.com/user_avatar/forums.ageofempires.com/avarthon/32/29244_2.png) [@Avarthon](https://forums.ageofempires.com/u/Avarthon)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2020, 3:15pm UTC](https://forums.ageofempires.com/t/request-advanced-idle-pointer/65767/8 "2020-01-05T15:15:01Z")
Thank you so much for making this ---
**Author:** ![RegalBrute179](https://forums.ageofempires.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/r/c0e974/32.png) [@RegalBrute179](https://forums.ageofempires.com/u/RegalBrute179)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2020, 11:28am UTC](https://forums.ageofempires.com/t/request-advanced-idle-pointer/65767/9 "2020-01-06T11:28:16Z")
> [@Tevious7621](#): > > r mod with x2 support and working player colors soon after I wrap up export support with my mod app, SLX Studio. Version 1.4 will have SMP/SMX support for modding. Thank you very much for this! This mod makes the game way more enjoyable for me, and for others I’m sure!!