Hard Light Productions Forums

Modding, Mission Design, and Coding => The Modding Workshop => Topic started by: Infamus on October 28, 2010, 03:35:55 pm

Title: GIMP ZSoft PCX Plugin issues
Post by: Infamus on October 28, 2010, 03:35:55 pm
The PCX plugin that GIMP comes with does NOT have transparency 'color' nor can it make one, and whenever I try to make a ANI with what I can get, ANIBLD32 rejects the image.

I am using GIMP 2.6.8 and the 32 Bit version of ANIBUILD that you get when using the FSOpen auto-installer from scp.indiegames.us.

And YES, I am naming the file "something0000.pcx"
Title: Re: GIMP ZSoft PCX Plugin issues
Post by: The E on October 28, 2010, 04:04:20 pm
The pcx format has no provision for transparency in any shape or form. Transparency for anis and pcx files alike is handled in FS2 by using the the colour 00FF00 as a 1-bit alpha.
Title: Re: GIMP ZSoft PCX Plugin issues
Post by: Nuke on October 28, 2010, 09:36:35 pm
pcx :lol:
Title: Re: GIMP ZSoft PCX Plugin issues
Post by: Herra Tohtori on October 29, 2010, 02:30:32 am
Like The E said, PCX doesn't support transparency. FreeSpace only reads pure green as transparent (thus converting the 256 colour image into 255 colours and one transparent colour). It's all a game engine hack rather than true transparency in the PCX file itself.

ANIBUILD probably rejects your PCX files because they don't have the same palette. That's the most likely reason, anyway.

You need a way to convert all the frames to same indexed palette, then save as PCX, and then you can convert them to ANI. Bright Texture Converter (http://freespacemods.net/download.php?view.520) is probably the easiest way to batch convert a group of frames to make a CBAni or tech ani.

HUD animations require a specific palette that is easiest to copy from another HUD ani, then apply that palette to each of the frames.

And by the way I don't remember ever installing a PCX plugin for GIMP... I thought it has native support for the format.
Title: Re: GIMP ZSoft PCX Plugin issues
Post by: Infamus on October 30, 2010, 12:22:27 pm
no GIMP comes with it.

EDIT: I need to read moar
Title: Re: GIMP ZSoft PCX Plugin issues
Post by: Infamus on October 31, 2010, 09:00:14 pm
I would use DDS but I don't know how to make that silly file that makes a animation out of them.

@Herra Tohtori: Thanks for the prog. I can do stuff now.
Title: Re: GIMP ZSoft PCX Plugin issues
Post by: The E on October 31, 2010, 10:50:39 pm
You use a text editor. Open an eff in the text editor of your choice, and see how it's done.

Or read the wiki (http://www.hard-light.net/wiki/index.php/EFF#EFF).
Title: Re: GIMP ZSoft PCX Plugin issues
Post by: Nuke on November 01, 2010, 05:14:49 am
most of the time you can just copy an existing eff and rename it. but you do have to specify the number of frames if its different.
Title: Re: GIMP ZSoft PCX Plugin issues
Post by: Infamus on November 01, 2010, 04:52:23 pm
sorry, nuke, i have no idea what a eff is or how to manipulate one.
Title: Re: GIMP ZSoft PCX Plugin issues
Post by: Angelus on November 01, 2010, 05:24:48 pm
sorry, nuke, i have no idea what a eff is or how to manipulate one.

it's a simple textfile, saved with an .eff extension ( e.g. effectname.eff).

http://www.hard-light.net/wiki/index.php/EFF#ANI
Title: Re: GIMP ZSoft PCX Plugin issues
Post by: The E on November 01, 2010, 05:40:51 pm
sorry, nuke, i have no idea what a eff is or how to manipulate one.

Seriously dude. Learn how to use the FS wiki.
Title: Re: GIMP ZSoft PCX Plugin issues
Post by: Infamus on November 06, 2010, 10:51:58 pm
sorry, nuke, i have no idea what a eff is or how to manipulate one.

Seriously dude. Learn how to use the FS wiki.

The help is appreciated, but Angelus has already given the info I need and your delivery makes it look like you are blatantly calling me stupid.
Title: Re: GIMP ZSoft PCX Plugin issues
Post by: The E on November 06, 2010, 10:56:37 pm
Except, that info was posted by me earlier as well.

You use a text editor. Open an eff in the text editor of your choice, and see how it's done.

Or read the wiki (http://www.hard-light.net/wiki/index.php/EFF#EFF).

Which you didn't read.

I find this sort of thing highly irritating.