Civ3FlcEdit - Civilization III animation viewer & editor

[Cyber Dreyk]

Is there a way to change the offset to recenter the unit?

I see we can do it when creating a new storyboard, but can it be done after?

Yes, Steph.
You should open a FLC, then select "Export to Storyboard" and change offset in the "Frame Settings" sheet. Certainly, after you should convert Storyboard back to the FLC.

 

[Dease]

would it be possible to havetwo boxes to insert the offsets?

 

[Steph]

Well, the solution isn't perfect.

When you want to recenter a unit, it means export (take times) and import back (take time also).
Isn't it possible to simply change the offset, see it immediately on screen in the preview (so we can check if the unit is correctly centered) and then save it when it's OK?
Alos, would it be possible to draw a "target" in the preview, as I did for the munit editor of SBB? It would help to check if the unit is centered correctly without testing it in game.

Last think, when you open a FLC, change the delay and save, the delay isn't saved. You need to export to storyboard, reimport, re export to FLC.

 

[Cyber Dreyk]

Well, the solution isn't perfect.

When you want to recenter a unit, it means export (take times) and import back (take time also).
Isn't it possible to simply change the offset, see it immediately on screen in the preview (so we can check if the unit is correctly centered) and then save it when it's OK?
Alos, would it be possible to draw a "target" in the preview, as I did for the munit editor of SBB? It would help to check if the unit is centered correctly without testing it in game.

Last think, when you open a FLC, change the delay and save, the delay isn't saved. You need to export to storyboard, reimport, re export to FLC.

Thank you for the good advices, I'll go to implement them right now.

 

[Cyber Dreyk]

would it be possible to havetwo boxes to insert the offsets?

Sorry, Dease! What did you mean?

 

[Dease]

Isn't it possible to simply change the offset, see it immediately on screen in the preview (so we can check if the unit is correctly centered) and then save it when it's OK?

That's what I meant, with just having a place to type in your x offset and one for your y offset, I was just in a rush so I couldn't explain in detail

 

[Cyber Dreyk]

Hi, all!
I just uploaded a new version - 2,0,5,58.

I have tried to fix some problems and implement new features, which were requested by some guys.

Hope that now the utility a more useful.

In case you have any good ideas how to improve the Civ3FlcEdit - you are welcome!

 

[The Great Apple]

Hi, all!
I just uploaded a new version - 2,0,5,58.

I have tried to fix some problems and implement new features, which were requested by some guys.

Hope that now the utility a more useful.

In case you have any good ideas how to improve the Civ3FlcEdit - you are welcome!

Great! I love patches.

One thing that would speed up the whole process, and I think somebody meantioned earlier, would be to be able to load palletted storyboard files, without having to input the values. It would be amazing if all you had to do was render, use SBB to make a storyboard, pallette the storeyboard, and load the storyboard straight to .flc. At the moment you have to remember the individual settings for each storyboard, and it takes a while to sort them all out every time.

 

[Cyber Dreyk]

One thing that would speed up the whole process, and I think somebody meantioned earlier, would be to be able to load palletted storyboard files, without having to input the values. It would be amazing if all you had to do was render, use SBB to make a storyboard, pallette the storeyboard, and load the storyboard straight to .flc. At the moment you have to remember the individual settings for each storyboard, and it takes a while to sort them all out every time.

I have thought about SBB - Civ3Flc compability, but it seems to me too many problems to make it.
At first, as I know, SBB uses 24bit bitmaps, but Civ3Flc just 8bit. The problem is I don't know, how to convert 24 to 8 and place all colors to the necessary palette indexes. I mean, first 64 colors must be civ-specified and last 32 - for shadows and smokes.
The second problem is I really need 3 files for storyboard.
1st - BMP or PCX file, properly speaking the storyboard;
2d - palette file, I need it to implement original palette for storyboard (which has own RGB values for last 32 colors);
3d - C3F file, the small file with the following structure:
Type Name Size Description
BYTE Name[64]; 64 Image file name
WORD Width; 2 Image width
WORD Height; 2 Image height
BYTE FrmWidth; 1 Frame width
BYTE FrmHeight; 1 Frame height
BYTE FrmCount; 1 Frames per direction
BYTE DirCount; 1 Directions number
WORD Delay; 2 Frame delay (ms)
BYTE XOffset; 1 Left offset
BYTE YOffset; 1 Top offset
BYTE FileType; 1 File type
BYTE PalType; 1 Palette type
BYTE LeaderHead; 1 Animation type (unit or leaderhead)
Total size: 79 bytes.
Without this information I cannot make right loading of storyboard.

P.S. Guys, I have a question! Please, explain me how convert SBB storyboard to FLC? I have got a 24bit bitmap and need to make a FLC file, but don't know, how... Can you help me?

 

[Steph]

I think what "The Great Apple" asks would be to create a storyboard with SBB, change the palette to 256 colors, save as a PCX, and then to be able to use this storyboard directly, you could read the palette from it, you don't need an external file.
Regarding the C3F file Image Width, Image height, Frame width, Frame height, can be deduced directly from the file. You would have an "open storyboard" in two steps : first ask for file name, then ask for nb of frames and nb of direction, ask if we use an external palette, .
Then, use default offset and delays, and let the user change it to his liking on the fly.
In SBB, I only ask for the name and nb of frame, and then it's automatic.

 

[Steph]

I can't find the offset in the tools menu?

 

[Flamegrape]

I'm getting this error when I run the program:

The procedure entry point ?CaptureArea@GRAPHX@@SAHPAUstruct_LEAD_Bitmap@GraphXnamespace@@@Z count not be located in the dynamic link library GraphX.dll

 

[Cyber Dreyk]

I think what "The Great Apple" asks would be to create a storyboard with SBB, change the palette to 256 colors, save as a PCX, and then to be able to use this storyboard directly, you could read the palette from it, you don't need an external file.
Regarding the C3F file Image Width, Image height, Frame width, Frame height, can be deduced directly from the file. You would have an "open storyboard" in two steps : first ask for file name, then ask for nb of frames and nb of direction, ask if we use an external palette, .
Then, use default offset and delays, and let the user change it to his liking on the fly.
In SBB, I only ask for the name and nb of frame, and then it's automatic.

Well, good idea. I can make such options like "Import from SBB".
But I still don't understand, how to convert 24bit storyboard to 8bit and make all colors be placed on the needed index positions. How do you make it?
I can start to make this feature as soon I'll know how to make such color conversion.

I can't find the offset in the tools menu?

You should load a FLC first. Then you'll see the "Change Offset" menu options in the "Tools" menu.
If it's needed, I can implement the same feature for C3F.

 

[Cyber Dreyk]

I'm getting this error when I run the program:

The procedure entry point ?CaptureArea@GRAPHX@@SAHPAUstruct_LEAD_Bitmap@GraphXnamespace@@@Z count not be located in the dynamic link library GraphX.dll

You have an old version of the GraphX.DLL
The DLL from previous installation of the Civ3FlcEdit should works fine (v.2,0,0,5).

 

[Dease]

Well, good idea. I can make such options like "Import from SBB".
But I still don't understand, how to convert 24bit storyboard to 8bit and make all colors be placed on the needed index positions. How do you make it?
I can start to make this feature as soon I'll know how to make such color conversion.

Ok, here's how I do it using FLICster, hope it helps

1. open the SBB generated storyboard in a good paint program (like PSP or PS)
2. apply the palette with "match nearest colour" option selected so it looks good (the palette is made by the unit makers, no need for you to worry about that)
3. generate a new .fxm file with the correct data (#of frames, size etc...)
4. replace the filcster generated storyboard with my storyboard I made
5. open up flicster, adjust the frame delay,
6. export to civ3 flic
7. then I check to see if it's centered
8. if not, then i have to export each flc to 8 seperate flcs shich generates an INI file in which I edit the offsets until it's all centered

instead of replacing the flicster gereated storyboard, it would be good if you could open up the paletted storyboard, the program detecs all the specs (or you could just have us tell the program, like steph said). Then in the program, before exporting to a civ flc, you could adjust the offsets

 

[Steph]

It's not possible to get all the info frm the story board itself. With the storybaord size and the nb of frames / direction, you can get the frame size.
Pb is with the width only, several nb of frames are possible. You can ind the most likely one by analyzing the first line, and stopping when the color is,ot the background (it means you are on the line, and thus have reached the limit of the frame).

I'm currently working on a tool, integrated in SSS animation editor, that will be able to take a true color bimap and turn it into a 256 colr bmp, compatible with civIII. It will not be 100 % automatic, and it will probably not work in all the case.
For instance, the civ color MUST be blue for now.

 

[Cyber Dreyk]

Thank you, guys!
I'll try to follow the Dease's advice.
Steph, when your update will be released?

Meanwhile, I have found bug in my last update.
In case you'll change the frame offsets, it can be saved only if 'Custom' timer delay mode is selected. So, now you should switching from 'Default' to 'Custom' mode to save FLC with offset's changes. Will be fixed in the next update.

 

[Steph]

I'm not sure about the release. I cannot release the SSS version now, as it is right in the middle of a lot of changes, but I could release the animation editor alone. However, it would be better if I had a few features in it (basically, include the functions of SBB single unit editor).

 

[Steph]

Well, theoretically it works. I have a tool that take a true color bitmap, and turn it into a 256 color bitmap with a palette compatible with CivIII.
However:
- The palette change with each bitmap. So if you render 5 animation of the same unit, it's not 100% sure you will end with the same palette. It means there could be some inconsistency when changing animation
- Blue is always civ color. For the moment, there's not way to keep non civ color blue, or to use another color than blue (this part could be change I think).
- You need to manually select the colors that will be used for shadow and smoke.

 

[Cyber Dreyk]

Well, theoretically it works. I have a tool that take a true color bitmap, and turn it into a 256 color bitmap with a palette compatible with CivIII.

Good news!
We are waiting impatiently for results!

I have started with importing feature.
In case success a user will have possibility to convert 24 and 8 bits BMP and PCX files to Civ3FlcEdit's C3F Storyboards and then to FLC.