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Modding, Mission Design, and Coding => The Modding Workshop => Topic started by: Rico on January 04, 2007, 01:31:39 pm

Title: Command Breifings
Post by: Rico on January 04, 2007, 01:31:39 pm
G'day,
I want to convert my avi or wmv or mpeg (i can convert my video to any of these formats) into a usable .ani command breifing format. However anibuild is no use since i need to convert it to .pcx pictures and the program i used uses a different pcx format or some crap, how do i accomplish this? help!  :shaking: :nervous:
Title: Re: Command Breifings
Post by: Shade on January 04, 2007, 01:45:17 pm
If you used [V]'s ACANI, the problem is likely that the pallettes of the different pcx files don't match. If that's the case, you can try Anibuilder (http://www.descent-network.com/cgi-bin/descman.cgi?module=anibuilder) instead as it compensates for it. If you already use that though, I don't know what the problem might be.
Title: Re: Command Breifings
Post by: Rico on January 04, 2007, 01:52:01 pm
Do you have a link to ACANI?
I was using ANIBUILDER.

Is there any program that can directly convert video to ani instead of via pics?
Title: Re: Command Breifings
Post by: karajorma on January 04, 2007, 01:53:20 pm
Hmmm. This is more of a modding question really.
Title: Re: Command Breifings
Post by: Rico on January 04, 2007, 01:56:23 pm
Sorry  :drevil:.

I thought being that command breifings are a FRED thing it would fit there, my bad  :D
Title: Re: Command Breifings
Post by: Shade on January 04, 2007, 02:04:56 pm
http://www.sectorfiles.net/f2s/tools/acani.exe

It's a command line program though, so may take some getting used to. And as mentioned, for it to work all your pcx files have to be using the same pallette.
Title: Re: Command Breifings
Post by: Kieve on January 04, 2007, 05:29:50 pm
So you have a full video already and need it in .ANI form?

1) Download RAD Video Tools (http://www.radgametools.com/bnkdown.htm) if you haven't already. It's invaluable for working with almost any media - .bik, .smk, and standard extensions alike.
*A few things of note: Be sure your video is in a folder all its own, as the following output PCXs will all pile into the same directory.
Depending on the number of frames in your animation, you may want to add a "0" to the end of the output filename (say, "anim0.pcx") - RAD will automatically number them starting with frame 1 and adding zeros as needed (a 100-frame anim will run from 001 to 100). Since ANIBUILDER (recommended) needs a four-digit frame-number, adding the 0 will save you from having to renumber them all.
2) Open RAD and browse till you find your video - I recommend .AVI format, since that's what I tested with. Select it, then hit "Convert a file"
3) The Conversion menu will have a button up at the top labeled "Output Type" - choose PCX. There's also a checkbox for "Output as 256 colors," which you'lll want to check. Use palatte from the input file.
4) Look over the other options if you like;when you're ready, hit "Convert" over on the left - it'll take a while to run through all the frames.
5) Since ANIBUILDER requires [anim]0000.pcx as the first filename/frame it runs, I suggest just copying the first frame exported and renaming its frame number to 0000. If it's a looping anim, renaming the last frame to 0000 will also work (probably- that's up to you). Both of these options are simpler than renaming 0001 to 0000, 0002 to 0001, and so on... X.x;
6) You've got your .PCX's ready- just use ANIBUILDER to convert (you can try ACANI too if you want, but I couldn't get it to work :-p).
Title: Re: Command Breifings
Post by: Rico on January 04, 2007, 11:53:08 pm
OFCOUSE! Why didnt i think of using good old RAD *Loads up RAD Tools*

EDIT: It didnt fully work, ANIBUILDER converted but when i test it ingame all i get is black, no animation  :nervous:
Maybe its coz of the resolution of the video  :wtf:, any recommendations.
Title: Re: Command Breifings
Post by: Rico on January 05, 2007, 12:43:08 am
Got it!
The video i was using was wmv, which wasnt converting correctly, using Avi works :D

Now just to figure out the right resolution, the animation took up 1/4 of the screen  :drevil:
Title: Re: Command Breifings
Post by: Shade on January 05, 2007, 12:53:06 am
440x200 :)
Title: Re: Command Breifings
Post by: Rico on January 05, 2007, 12:57:52 am
I figured that out using the VPViewer. Thanks for the help tho  ;)
Title: Re: Command Breifings
Post by: freespacegundam on January 05, 2007, 02:00:01 pm
How do you convert the resolution once you've made the ani file?  I can't seem to get the screen size down no matter what I try.
Title: Re: Command Breifings
Post by: Kieve on January 05, 2007, 06:03:52 pm
Don't know if you can - if you want to fix resolution, my suggestion is to alter it at the AVI creation, or if you have the patience, at the .PCX level...
Title: Re: Command Breifings
Post by: freespacegundam on January 05, 2007, 07:31:26 pm
I figured out how to do it at the conversion, thanks for the help.