Unit Animations: the cut-and-paste way! (Kryten???)
- Thread starter Exsanguination
- Start date
you must use the square selector though, it doesnt work with the "magic lasso". So basically,
1. cut out with magic lasso head of warrior facing SW.
2. ctrl+c
3. ctrl+shift+e in some empty space of the animation frame.
4. use the rectangle selector to select the head and the magenta background around it.
5. ctrl+c again.
6. ctrl+shift+E and paste over the marine heads facing SW.
7. viola, after all eight directions and 25 mins, new unit, Vietnam Protester.
1. cut out with magic lasso head of warrior facing SW.
2. ctrl+c
3. ctrl+shift+e in some empty space of the animation frame.
4. use the rectangle selector to select the head and the magenta background around it.
5. ctrl+c again.
6. ctrl+shift+E and paste over the marine heads facing SW.
7. viola, after all eight directions and 25 mins, new unit, Vietnam Protester.
Kryten
Smeee heeeeed
Good post NeOmega 
There are lots of things about PainShop 7 that I don't know.
I only got it about 5 or 6 months ago, and I'm still not sure what half the buttons are for! Such as the 'magic wand'....and 'layering'....and many more.....
(BTW, are you working on anything at the moment?)
There are lots of things about PainShop 7 that I don't know.
I only got it about 5 or 6 months ago, and I'm still not sure what half the buttons are for! Such as the 'magic wand'....and 'layering'....and many more.....
(BTW, are you working on anything at the moment?)
my current project
I have drop, fortify, fidget/victory, attack A, default and run done, all I have left to do is attack B which will be eay and death, which always takes some time.
I have drop, fortify, fidget/victory, attack A, default and run done, all I have left to do is attack B which will be eay and death, which always takes some time.
Exsanguination
No longer here
Well, here is my first c&p unit (in progress). I just mounted the scout onto a horse. Very hard 
. Aas you can see, it has no shadow. Kryten, can you give a more-detailed description of how to go about making shadows? I know you have to go the alpha-blend palette, but for some reason that palette ain't working - the background is blue now... So I put back on the normal palette and just left it as is until your spiritual guidance comes along...
Preview:
. Aas you can see, it has no shadow. Kryten, can you give a more-detailed description of how to go about making shadows? I know you have to go the alpha-blend palette, but for some reason that palette ain't working - the background is blue now... So I put back on the normal palette and just left it as is until your spiritual guidance comes along...Preview:
Kryten
Smeee heeeeed
Actually it looks very, very good!
I know it's only a scout, but do you intend removing the water bottle and giving him a weapon, say a sword or even better, a spear? In fact, he looks too good to be just a scout. With a spear and a small round wooden shield he'd be perfect for a barbarian horseman or one of the many horseman of the east Persian satrapies!
(Adding a spear is easy; just use the 'Paintbrush' tool to place a pixel where you want the spear to start, then hold down the 'shift' key and put a pixel where you want the spear to end. If you don't like the result, Ctrl+Z to remove it .
Note: spears in Civ3 are usually two pixels thick, with the lower pixels being darker).
Shadows: select <Colours> <Load Palette> and look in the "Apply palette using..." box at the bottom of the popup window. It sounds like the default "Nearest Colour Matching" is still selected. Change this to "Maintain Indexes", or your background colours will bounce all over the place.
Just one small teeny-weeny totally unimportant thing....he may be showing a little too much of the left leg. I know it's a pain to try and move him, so how about this:-
use the 'selection' tool to draw aound the horses mane (you dont have to be too accurate; just make sure you only include the dark brown bits), Ctrl+C to save it, then Ctrl+E to paste it back say two pixels to the left.
This will give the horse a slightly larger 'bristley' mane and will also cover some of the leg. But it's not really that important.
I know it's only a scout, but do you intend removing the water bottle and giving him a weapon, say a sword or even better, a spear? In fact, he looks too good to be just a scout. With a spear and a small round wooden shield he'd be perfect for a barbarian horseman or one of the many horseman of the east Persian satrapies!
(Adding a spear is easy; just use the 'Paintbrush' tool to place a pixel where you want the spear to start, then hold down the 'shift' key and put a pixel where you want the spear to end. If you don't like the result, Ctrl+Z to remove it .
Note: spears in Civ3 are usually two pixels thick, with the lower pixels being darker).Shadows: select <Colours> <Load Palette> and look in the "Apply palette using..." box at the bottom of the popup window. It sounds like the default "Nearest Colour Matching" is still selected. Change this to "Maintain Indexes", or your background colours will bounce all over the place.
Just one small teeny-weeny totally unimportant thing....he may be showing a little too much of the left leg. I know it's a pain to try and move him, so how about this:-
use the 'selection' tool to draw aound the horses mane (you dont have to be too accurate; just make sure you only include the dark brown bits), Ctrl+C to save it, then Ctrl+E to paste it back say two pixels to the left.
This will give the horse a slightly larger 'bristley' mane and will also cover some of the leg. But it's not really that important.
Exsanguination
No longer here
Kryen - I remember that now . That's the problem. but now I've got another: it won't let me select 'maintain indexes'. I also think I know why. WhenI edited yonder scout, I pasted the two parts (torso + legs) into two new files so I could refer back to them. Of course I forgot to save them as a .pcx and instead did the .psp. If I convert them to .pcx, it makes no differrence, but if I open the scout storyboard .pcx, the alpha blend works perfectly. Am I right in my assumption? Or is there more I need to know?
EDIT: I got it working. Now here's my next problem: When I draw inthe shadows (using the alpha.pal of course) what color do I use? Also, since I'm doing mostly horseman, what should I use as my "base" storyboard? I tried using the scout since that was the civ3 unit I based this one off of, but uh... it was a bit narrow...
. That's the problem. but now I've got another: it won't let me select 'maintain indexes'. I also think I know why. WhenI edited yonder scout, I pasted the two parts (torso + legs) into two new files so I could refer back to them. Of course I forgot to save them as a .pcx and instead did the .psp. If I convert them to .pcx, it makes no differrence, but if I open the scout storyboard .pcx, the alpha blend works perfectly. Am I right in my assumption? Or is there more I need to know?EDIT: I got it working. Now here's my next problem: When I draw inthe shadows (using the alpha.pal of course) what color do I use? Also, since I'm doing mostly horseman, what should I use as my "base" storyboard? I tried using the scout since that was the civ3 unit I based this one off of, but uh... it was a bit narrow...
Kryten
Smeee heeeeed
In the bottom row of the 'colour palette', which you can see in the upper right hand corner of your Paint Shop window, are the shadow colours.
However, I prefer to just use the 'Dropper' tool to click on an existing Civ3 shadow (there are usually 4 shades), then change to the 'Paint Brush' tool to draw them.
OR, while you're in the nice grey 'Alpha.pal' palette, you could use the 'selection/freehand' tools to simply select an exsisting shadow, copy it (Ctrl+C), then paste it (Ctrl+E) where you want it.
Which Base?: You are lucky because both the Scout and the Cavalryman use almost identical palettes (there are some differences, but you have to look hard to find them). This gives you 2 choices (I assume you've already got a copy of both the Scout & Cavalry FLCs available that you are using for 'bodyparts')....
A) use FLICster to open the Scout.flc, press 'Export', change the frame size (it's the 2nd option down), press 'Export again to create the new FXM file.
When you look in the 'view animation' window of FLICster, it looks like nothing has changed. BUT, have a look at the new Paint Shop file and you will see thar FLICster has enlarged the animation frames for you. Good ain't it! (Warning---you can made the frames larger with FLICster, but you can't decrease them).
Change this new picture to the Alpha.pal, then simply copy the WHOLE of your mounted figure (shadows and all) and slap it into this new frameset.
---OR---
B) the Cavalry frames are already larger, so FLICster a new Cavalry frameset, change it to alpha.pal, and slap the WHOLE of your mounted figure (shadows and all) into there.
Remember, when you move an already copied part into another units frameset, it will adopt and use that frameset's palette. Because both the Scout & Cavalry use very similar palettes you got away with it this time.
However, I prefer to just use the 'Dropper' tool to click on an existing Civ3 shadow (there are usually 4 shades), then change to the 'Paint Brush' tool to draw them.
OR, while you're in the nice grey 'Alpha.pal' palette, you could use the 'selection/freehand' tools to simply select an exsisting shadow, copy it (Ctrl+C), then paste it (Ctrl+E) where you want it.
Which Base?: You are lucky because both the Scout and the Cavalryman use almost identical palettes (there are some differences, but you have to look hard to find them). This gives you 2 choices (I assume you've already got a copy of both the Scout & Cavalry FLCs available that you are using for 'bodyparts')....
A) use FLICster to open the Scout.flc, press 'Export', change the frame size (it's the 2nd option down), press 'Export again to create the new FXM file.
When you look in the 'view animation' window of FLICster, it looks like nothing has changed. BUT, have a look at the new Paint Shop file and you will see thar FLICster has enlarged the animation frames for you. Good ain't it! (Warning---you can made the frames larger with FLICster, but you can't decrease them).
Change this new picture to the Alpha.pal, then simply copy the WHOLE of your mounted figure (shadows and all) and slap it into this new frameset.
---OR---
B) the Cavalry frames are already larger, so FLICster a new Cavalry frameset, change it to alpha.pal, and slap the WHOLE of your mounted figure (shadows and all) into there.
Remember, when you move an already copied part into another units frameset, it will adopt and use that frameset's palette. Because both the Scout & Cavalry use very similar palettes you got away with it this time.
Exsanguination
No longer here
Thanks Kryten! Hows this?
EDIT: Mmmm... why is all speckly like that? The actual non-alpha blended pcx storyboard is all nice and such, but the second I change the palette is goes all awry.
Hopefully this is my last question... how do I import my storyboard pcx file (I used an enlarged ScoutDefault storyboard and saved it as PaeonianDefault.pcx) back into Flicster as a flic?
EDIT: Mmmm... why is all speckly like that? The actual non-alpha blended pcx storyboard is all nice and such, but the second I change the palette is goes all awry.
Hopefully this is my last question... how do I import my storyboard pcx file (I used an enlarged ScoutDefault storyboard and saved it as PaeonianDefault.pcx) back into Flicster as a flic?
Kryten
Smeee heeeeed
An attack of the speckles can be very embarrassing! 
All it means is that the palettes don't quite match when using the Alpha.pal palette. Remember, the Alpha.pal only uses approximate colours; the pink/magenta background has the true Civ3 colours. And as the Scout and the Horse come from different FLCs, with their own different palettes, what's approximately right for the Scout when using the Scout's Alpha.pal is no longer approximately right for the Horse (hope this makes sense ).
Basically, ignor it. Providing the figure looks ok with the pink/magenta background, and there are no strange bright green spots all over the place, then that's how it will look in the game.
Importing it: the Cavalry FLC is aready the right size, so let's use that.
1) FLICster the Cavalry FLC, but this time change the "Frame Count" (it's the 3rd one down) to 1, then "Export", and say yes to all the popup warning messages. If you use the directional 'clock-face' in FLICster you will see that you now have only one frame in each direction.
2) Pull FLICster aside for the moment (but keep it open) and look at the new frameset that it created. Only one frame in each direction, good. Change it's palette to the grey Apha.pal
3) Copy your figure, shadows an all, and slap it in the top two and bottom two frames, but NOT the middle four (I want to show you something ).
4) Now paste your figure into the 3rd frame down BUT this time press Ctrl+M. It's made a mirror image!. Do the same in the rest of the frames and save it the frameset.
If you now pull FLICster back into view and go round the clock-face you will see that it changes direction! (I know that you wanted Civ2 type 'static' images, but you've got to admit, this does look better. And it's soooo easy to do....just Ctrl+M to mirror the 4 middle frames! ).
Last of all, select "Export" and then "Export" again in FLICster to save it (it will still be called Cavalry of course, so after the first "Export" click the "base file name" ---it's the 6th on down--- to change the name before you press "Export" for the secound time).
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It's a nice figure by the way, and does look like a Paeonian Light Horseman.
Just one thing; the spear would look better if it was at a slight angle instead of vertical (I known it's easier....but come on, you've got this far, so you may as well do it properly. ).
All it means is that the palettes don't quite match when using the Alpha.pal palette. Remember, the Alpha.pal only uses approximate colours; the pink/magenta background has the true Civ3 colours. And as the Scout and the Horse come from different FLCs, with their own different palettes, what's approximately right for the Scout when using the Scout's Alpha.pal is no longer approximately right for the Horse (hope this makes sense
).Basically, ignor it. Providing the figure looks ok with the pink/magenta background, and there are no strange bright green spots all over the place, then that's how it will look in the game.
Importing it: the Cavalry FLC is aready the right size, so let's use that.
1) FLICster the Cavalry FLC, but this time change the "Frame Count" (it's the 3rd one down) to 1, then "Export", and say yes to all the popup warning messages. If you use the directional 'clock-face' in FLICster you will see that you now have only one frame in each direction.
2) Pull FLICster aside for the moment (but keep it open) and look at the new frameset that it created. Only one frame in each direction, good. Change it's palette to the grey Apha.pal
3) Copy your figure, shadows an all, and slap it in the top two and bottom two frames, but NOT the middle four (I want to show you something
).4) Now paste your figure into the 3rd frame down BUT this time press Ctrl+M. It's made a mirror image!. Do the same in the rest of the frames and save it the frameset.
If you now pull FLICster back into view and go round the clock-face you will see that it changes direction! (I know that you wanted Civ2 type 'static' images, but you've got to admit, this does look better. And it's soooo easy to do....just Ctrl+M to mirror the 4 middle frames!
).Last of all, select "Export" and then "Export" again in FLICster to save it (it will still be called Cavalry of course, so after the first "Export" click the "base file name" ---it's the 6th on down--- to change the name before you press "Export" for the secound time).
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
It's a nice figure by the way, and does look like a Paeonian Light Horseman.
Just one thing; the spear would look better if it was at a slight angle instead of vertical (I known it's easier....but come on, you've got this far, so you may as well do it properly.
).
Exsanguination
No longer here
EDIT: I'm learning as I go... figured it out. And yay! it works in-game! Sort of... the bloody shadow is green! No! what did I do this time? I dare not touch the thing until I hear from you.
PS - I think you got the mirror images backwards - I need the SE in the top/bottom 2, and the SW in the middle 4. Otherwise he faces west when moving east and vice versa.
PS - I think you got the mirror images backwards - I need the SE in the top/bottom 2, and the SW in the middle 4. Otherwise he faces west when moving east and vice versa.
Kryten
Smeee heeeeed
Now I'm not one to say "I told you so, but....."
Exsanguination
No longer here
Sorry Kryten... I re-read the Flicster readme and sorted it all out myself...
But the shadow is still green.
Exsanguination
No longer here
??? I did exactly what you said.
Kryten
Smeee heeeeed
Oops! my fault. Your right (I got confused....I need reprograming)
So.... green shadows.
Somewhere along the line we must have copied a pink/magenta background picture instead of the nice grey one.
Don't worry....we can fix it ("we ARE the smart party"---quote from Red Dwarf).
Here's what we do:-
use FLICster to open your unit and have a look at the Paint Shop image it has created. Everything looks normal, but when you change palette to the nice grey background the first thing you notice is that the shadows are bright green.
We can use the 'Colour Replacer' tool to fix most of this.
Hold down the Ctrl key and RIGHT-CLICK on the offending green area, then KEEPING the Ctrl key depressed, move the mouse pointer up to the colour palette and LEFT-CLICKING on one of the 'shadow' colours (i.e the bottom row, choose something fairly dark)....you can now release the Ctrl key.
Now move the mouse ponter back onto your picture and DOUBLE-LEFT-CLICK, and all the bright green has turned to (shadow) grey. If it's too dark, use Ctrl+Z and use another shade.
I'm afraid the shadow shades around the edges you'll have to do by hand.
I'm still online, so let me know how it turns out.
So.... green shadows.
Somewhere along the line we must have copied a pink/magenta background picture instead of the nice grey one.
Don't worry....we can fix it ("we ARE the smart party"---quote from Red Dwarf).
Here's what we do:-
use FLICster to open your unit and have a look at the Paint Shop image it has created. Everything looks normal, but when you change palette to the nice grey background the first thing you notice is that the shadows are bright green.
We can use the 'Colour Replacer' tool to fix most of this.
Hold down the Ctrl key and RIGHT-CLICK on the offending green area, then KEEPING the Ctrl key depressed, move the mouse pointer up to the colour palette and LEFT-CLICKING on one of the 'shadow' colours (i.e the bottom row, choose something fairly dark)....you can now release the Ctrl key.
Now move the mouse ponter back onto your picture and DOUBLE-LEFT-CLICK, and all the bright green has turned to (shadow) grey. If it's too dark, use Ctrl+Z and use another shade.
I'm afraid the shadow shades around the edges you'll have to do by hand.
I'm still online, so let me know how it turns out.
Kryten
Smeee heeeeed
*bumpf*
