How To Make A Single Frame Leaderhead

Vuldacon

Vuldacon

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This Tutorial has Many Images to show simply, Step by Step, How to make a Single Frame Leaderhead from any Image. Also explains how to make the Palette and Use Animation Shop.
I used Paint Shop Pro but one can Extrapolate from this Tutorial how to use a different Graphics Program.

Includes an example of a Single Frame Leaderhead that was used to explain the steps in this Tutorial.

Rather than Upload many Images, I am not posting the Tutorial but you can Download the Tutorial here
 
thanks for the tutorial Vuldacon - it's always great to see expertise shared - even if I don't make a LH I have gleaned some tips from your tutorial like putting a pixel of magenta and green on the image before reducting its colours -I take it that works too for techs, buildings and the rest.

So now for the million dollar question: is that grizzled veteran in the pics really you? :)
 
thanks for the tutorial Vuldacon - it's always great to see expertise shared - even if I don't make a LH I have gleaned some tips from your tutorial like putting a pixel of magenta and green on the image before reducting its colours -I take it that works too for techs, buildings and the rest.

So now for the million dollar question: is that grizzled veteran in the pics really you?
Click to expand...
KingArthur... Yes, the Reduction method works for any image and to answer the "million dollar question"... yes :lol:
 
Thanks for the tutorial! I'm going through it now to make some leaderheads. One thing though. I don't think you need to place a dot of green and magenta on the leaderhead. What I usually do to get the last two palette places green and magenta is to reduce the palette to 254 colors, leaving the last two slots of the 256 palette blank. Then I add the green and magenta manually to the palette. Voila!

EDIT: Also a question: IIRC, doesn't the game also tend to have problems if the flc is under 10 frames or something like that? I thought I saw someone say that once.
 
Gary Childress... Yes, you can directly reduce to 254 colors then add the Green and Magenta but better results are obtained by adding the Green and Magenta and reducing to 256 colors then removing those colors, increasing to 16 million colors and then reducing to 256 colors. If you Zoom in 300% you will see more pixelated colors if you just reduce to 254 colors directly. Try one both ways, Zoom in 300% or more and compare them.

I have not seen any Problems with one frame.

Here is an Example for the Color Reductions that will show the difference.
 

Attachments

  • ColorReductionExamples.zip
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Vuldacon said:
Gary Childress... Yes, you can directly reduce to 254 colors then add the Green and Magenta but better results are obtained by adding the Green and Magenta and reducing to 256 colors then removing those colors, increasing to 16 million colors and then reducing to 256 colors. If you Zoom in 300% you will see more pixelated colors if you just reduce to 254 colors directly. Try one both ways, Zoom in 300% or more and compare them.

I have not seen any Problems with one frame.

Here is an Example for the Color Reductions that will show the difference.
Click to expand...

Hmm. Interesting. I wonder why it does it differently between reducing to 256 versus reducing to 254? :confused:
 
Hmm. Interesting. I wonder why it does it differently between reducing to 256 versus reducing to 254?
Click to expand...
"influences" of programing... or the way the program is set up to evaluate :)
...suffice to say, what I stated in the tutorial is the best I have found to work best ...with PSP any way. Experiment to find what works best with any other program.
 
Very helpful. Just did my first 5 leaderheads when I noticed 2 of them had some transparent spots... This little bit here has saved my life!

"Special Note: If you have any Pure White Color = 255, 255, 255, Change it to less Pure White something like 250, 250, 250 for example. Pure White causes Transparency problems in the game for Leaderhead Flcs."
 
Mr Vuldacon, sir, I have a question:
Why there should be magenta & green in the palette? I tried with and without, tested in the game - and there was no difference. So, probably, I don't understand/know something important & specific - and that's why I ask.
Thanks for reply!

And, sure, thanks A LOT for very short, user-friendly and helpful-useful tutorial! :)
 
What matters is the position in the palette - last two colors. Whatever colors are in those spots are invisible - not seen in the game. It's so rare to use the green or magenta that they are easy to spot - both in the colormap & to clearly indicate what is meant to be invisible when laying out a pcx. If the green and magenta are anywhere else in the colormap then whatever is that color in the pcx will show on screen in the game.
 
Blue Monkey said:
Whatever colors are in those spots are invisible - not seen in the game.
Click to expand...
Ah, that's the important thing I didn't know. Thank you for explanation, sir! :)
 
Hello I have gimp 2 will it work I want to make CATS from zero wing
 
You can use any Animation program that allows you to animate a Leaderhead and render in AVI Format.
Leaderheads use AVI renders then use Animation Shop to put them together to make the Flics.
The finished Flcs for Leaderheads are a different format than Flcs for Units...units use .pcx
 
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