New Unit Maker with Palette Issues

[CamJH]

I'm getting close to completion with my first unit.
I've completed the animations using Poser 5.
I've rendered the images and made storyboards using SBB.
But here is where I've been having problems.

When I convert the storyboard into a flc file, my once beautiful unit turns into nasty blue/grey phantom type of monstrosity. And since I'm still new to the whole process, I'm not exactly sure how to fix this. If I missed a step earlier on, or need to do something next, I don't know. So if you know how to help me out, pleas do. I'd very much appreciate it.

Thanks,
CamJH

p.s. I'll attach pictures of the storyboard, unit preview and palette in case that'll help better explain my situation.

 

[Dease]

your problem is that your palette has no colours from you actual unit, just a bunch of blue (civcolour) entries.

You should:
-Download Pedit from kinboats sig,
-open the essential colours palette in pedit along with a bmp (24bit) storyboard, of or an assortment of frames, the goal is to get as many colours from your unit as possible on the palette,
-fill up all the black entries in the palette with colours from your unit, don't include ANY shade of magenta or your civcolour (usually blue) in these rows.
-apply to a 24bit storyboard

that should work

OH, BTW, if you're using PS instead of PSP then the order is reversed so I think you'll have to reverse the order of the palette, not sure, some with PS would lnow better

 

[CamJH]

Thanks Dease

I'm guessing you still include colors from the shadow even though it has some magenta colors in it. Correct?

 

[Dease]

Thanks Dease

I'm guessing you still include colors from the shadow even though it has some magenta colors in it. Correct?

No, The last row already has the approximate shadow colours, and the second last one has the approx. smoke colours, unless you have whiteish smoke in your unit, don't worry about this one, recent tests seem to indicate that the smoke row is rather random

if your palette doesn't have these last 2 rows, then, re-DL it.

 

[CamJH]

Well OK

Thanks for the pointers Dease, now I'm getting somewhere.

 

[Dease]

what is this unit anyways?
the JPEG compression makes it look like a lump of poo

 

[Zeekater]

I guess it's the unit in his avatar

 

[CamJH]

Good guess Zeekater.

I've been working on this all afternoon, and I've still been having some difficulties. Do certain rows in the palette relate to specific parts of the unit. I made sure to get every color of my unit into the palette, but they're all mixed up. PLEASE HELP, this is driving me nuts.

Thanks

 

[Dease]

could you post an image of what your palette looks like as of now?
are you using PSP or PS?

for PSP the first 4 rows are civcolour but leave all but the first alone, the bottom two are for smoke(first) and shadow(second) the rest are for you to use

EDIT: an error I made when learning was that I was applying my palette to a 256colour storyboard, make sure you're applying it to a 16 24bit storyboard or you'll just be applying something correct to something incorrect so your product will be incorrect

EDIT2: by "mixed up" do you mean in the unit or in the palette? if it's in the palette that doesn't matter, I think my palettes must be the worst organized of everyones but it still works

EDIT3 : when saving your palette in Pedit when asked if you only want to save the first 16 colours, say NO or else you'll only get one row from your palette

 

[CamJH]

I've changed it so many times today as far as order goes, that I've just scrapped them and am ready to start over with them. So leave the first 4 rows alone, and then the last 2 rows? OK. But What if there isn't civ color in my unit (i.e. check my avatar)? And the rest of the rows, it doesn't matter at all the order that I put the colors in?

I have PSP by the way.
Thanks Dease

 

[CamJH]

EDIT: an error I made when learning was that I was applying my palette to a 256colour storyboard, make sure you're applying it to a 16bit storyboard or you'll just be applying something correct to something incorrect so your product will be incorrect

I've been using a 24bit storyboard, is that a problem?

 

[Dease]

I've changed it so many times today as far as order goes, that I've just scrapped them and am ready to start over with them. So leave the first 4 rows alone, and then the last 2 rows? OK. But What if there isn't civ color in my unit (i.e. check my avatar)? And the rest of the rows, it doesn't matter at all the order that I put the colors in?

I have PSP by the way.
Thanks Dease

No blue on your unit, thats bad.
You can still have civcolour on your unit, but you may go mad in the process
basically, all you have to do is add the colours onthe unit you want to be civcoloured to the first row and have no colours similar to those in the rest of the palette or else there will be strange dots of normal colour in your civ colour (I thought one of my units had fallen ill with smallpox but it was only the palette )
RE: order: no

EDIT: nope 24 bit is what you want, i meant to say 16 million colours

 

[CamJH]

Allright, this has helped.
So keep the first 4 rows and the last 2 of the essential colors.
Then put in whatever other colors there are in my unit.

Do I have to use every box (which I'm sure I'll do), or if I don't, do I have to use a specific color to fill in the rest? I've noticed some units have several rows of red just used to fill in the boxes (I've been looking everywhere for tips ).

 

[Dease]

nope, I just have black there, although a colour that isn't even close to being in your unit would best.

 

[CamJH]

Dease, you're awesome! Thanks bud.

Allright, now time to get back to work.

 

[Dease]

yes it is, if you get stuck anywheres then look at these threads
http://forums.civfanatics.com/showthread.php?t=92755
http://forums.civfanatics.com/showthread.php?t=98491
Oh and if you don't know how to center your unit then check out civarmys diablo unit, I posted some steps there

 

[CamJH]

OK, I'm getting closer (or at least I hope I am).

I pulled up my storyboard in Flicster (and in Civ3FlcEdit), and I was fairly happy because it was the first time the preview had even somewhat closely resembled my unit. Then when I changed the civ-color, all my hopes were once again dashed. So I made up a palette with only the essential colors and loaded it to hopefully gain some insight as to what was wrong. Take a look at the pictures below, and you'll see what I mean.

Suggestions (besides throwing in the towel )?

 

[Dease]

Ok, I'm going to assume that your trying to make the boots and helmet civcoloured, so, I think there are 2 problems.
1. I think there is some civcolour in the shadow because you're adding some fringe colours from the helmet (or boots), the problem with this is that colours near the edge are antialiased(blended) with the magenta background and therefore shouldn't be added to the civcolour row. this is because if you leave them alone, they will just be picked up by the shadow row and then you shouldn't have a civcoloured shadow.
2.The colours seem to be VERY light in some places. this is because the civcolour row goes from light to dark(right to left) irrelevant of the actual colour's RGB value. Looking at your unit it looks as though the places you're making civcolour are very dark so I'd just leave the first ~4 entries as a "non-colour" (one that isn't in the unit anywhere) then arrange your civcolour entries form lightest to darkest and apply it.
I'm not sure why the essential colours picked up the helmet and boots since from your unit preview it should've become black, did you change the colour of those parts?

Also, when you're applying the palette make sure you have "match nearest colour" checked

Both of these problems can be avoided though, just have civcolour in your unit BEFORE you render.

 

[CamJH]

Thanks Dease,
But actually I wasn't trying to make his boots and hair (not a helmet ) civ-colored. I'm not exactly sure how they ended up being so. I think I might have had anti-aliasing turned on during the renders. Is that the main problem?

I changed the sword's scabbard to blue, figuring that'd account for civ-color. But I don't think that even picked up for some reason. Didn't look like it changed with the civ-colors.

 

[Dease]

Thanks Dease,
But actually I wasn't trying to make his boots and hair (not a helmet ) civ-colored. I'm not exactly sure how they ended up being so. I think I might have had anti-aliasing turned on during the renders. Is that the main problem?

I changed the sword's scabbard to blue, figuring that'd account for civ-color. But I don't think that even picked up for some reason. Didn't look like it changed with the civ-colors.

just to get your scenario srtiaght in my head, did you re-render the unit with some blue added?
if so then I'd make civcolour much more than the scabbard, maybe his shirt would work? either way it's your descision what you want civcoloured, just make it easy to see from all angles.

if you didn't re-render the unit (or don't want to again) then maybe you could PM your palettes and a storyboard to me since I'm at a loss as to why nearly black colours would become civcoloured
or post them here, whatever you wish