I am interested in information regarding the formats for Pregame, Postgame, Plugin Icon, and Overhead map graphics.
I finally got my colormap to work and the next step is adding these graphics. I use OSX, so I think I might need Oak to get all this working.
Do these all require you use PICT files on Mac like the colormap or am I free to use bitmaps for these? Resolutions and other restraints?
I searched for some tutorials on mything.org but couldn't really find anything relevant.
Pregames/Postgames, Oak, etc.
Re: Pregames/Postgames, Oak, etc.
All collection files (anything that holds a graphic for myth) store 8-bit indexed BMPs. Mac Loathing is the only application that reads .pict, and it's solely for colourmaps.... why Bungie did it this way, and not straight BMPs across the board is a mystery.
I'd suggest taking a look at some existing pregame collection tags in Oak to see how it works. Basically you need a minimum of 3 bitmaps, but can have lots more. You need the "largemap" (the worldmap in full colour), the "background" (the worldmap faded so text can be read on top), and 'colours' (a 3x1 pixel doc, specifying 3 colours that will be used in the pregame for 1) Level Title, 2) Journal Text, and 3) Detail Map Captions in that order.
As mentioned above you can have more small "detail map" images, or artwork to accompany the journal as it plays along (I haven't run into a limit on how many of these you can have....lots). Setting these up is a bit of a trick though, so I'll set up an example: Say your sequence that holds detail art has 3 images. You want the first image to show up from the start of the journal til' 30 seconds in, you want the 2nd image to show up for 15 seconds after the first, and the 3rd image to last the remainder of the journal entry. You'd have to set up the sequence to have 3 frames, and each frame holds one of the pieces of art, then you name the sequence. It's the naming that specifies the time intervals, so for the above example you'd name your sequence "30,15,X" where X can be any value since it's the last image, nothing can succeed it so it can be set as 1 or 500, it wouldn't matter. Basically you need a value for each frame seperated by a comma, where the value corresponding to that frame is the length of time you want that frame visible for, excluding the last frame since it'll stay on screen until the journal ends.
An additional trick you may want to employ is to have art, then blank for a while, then art. You'd set this up the same way as the above, but incorporate blank frames into the sequence... so you ahve 3 images but 5 frames. You'd still specify the value for the blank frame, to designate how long there's no image on screen.
There's a number of other basic things you need to know about indexing and such, but there's plenty of tutorials on basic collection making. If you can't find any I'll look into a good one when I get off work.
I'd suggest taking a look at some existing pregame collection tags in Oak to see how it works. Basically you need a minimum of 3 bitmaps, but can have lots more. You need the "largemap" (the worldmap in full colour), the "background" (the worldmap faded so text can be read on top), and 'colours' (a 3x1 pixel doc, specifying 3 colours that will be used in the pregame for 1) Level Title, 2) Journal Text, and 3) Detail Map Captions in that order.
As mentioned above you can have more small "detail map" images, or artwork to accompany the journal as it plays along (I haven't run into a limit on how many of these you can have....lots). Setting these up is a bit of a trick though, so I'll set up an example: Say your sequence that holds detail art has 3 images. You want the first image to show up from the start of the journal til' 30 seconds in, you want the 2nd image to show up for 15 seconds after the first, and the 3rd image to last the remainder of the journal entry. You'd have to set up the sequence to have 3 frames, and each frame holds one of the pieces of art, then you name the sequence. It's the naming that specifies the time intervals, so for the above example you'd name your sequence "30,15,X" where X can be any value since it's the last image, nothing can succeed it so it can be set as 1 or 500, it wouldn't matter. Basically you need a value for each frame seperated by a comma, where the value corresponding to that frame is the length of time you want that frame visible for, excluding the last frame since it'll stay on screen until the journal ends.
An additional trick you may want to employ is to have art, then blank for a while, then art. You'd set this up the same way as the above, but incorporate blank frames into the sequence... so you ahve 3 images but 5 frames. You'd still specify the value for the blank frame, to designate how long there's no image on screen.
There's a number of other basic things you need to know about indexing and such, but there's plenty of tutorials on basic collection making. If you can't find any I'll look into a good one when I get off work.
Re: Pregames/Postgames, Oak, etc.
Thanks for the detailed information, but at the moment this is merely for a multiplayer map.
i.e the image shown before and after a game ends in the lobby, the image shown when the host is in the plugin list, and the image used for the in-game navigational minimap.
Also, how would one obtain Oak? I heard there is a pretty rigorous screening process.
i.e the image shown before and after a game ends in the lobby, the image shown when the host is in the plugin list, and the image used for the in-game navigational minimap.
Also, how would one obtain Oak? I heard there is a pretty rigorous screening process.
Re: Pregames/Postgames, Oak, etc.
Ah, you speak of the netgame pic, the plugin pic, and the overhead map. Usually when someone mentions the pregame and postgame images, they are talking about single player stuff.
The 8-bit images used in Myth require that the first 2 colors in their color tables be colors used for transparency and organization. Once you are able to get your hands on a collection editor, you will notice images like say of a unit will have a blue background. It does not have to be blue, but in that collection the first color is blue and is made transparent by the game. Keep that in mind, so you don't use the first two colors for the parts you want to show of the images. Even if the image does not need any transparency like netgame and plugin pics. You still need to reserve those first two colors. Only color maps have to be 240 colors (you can get away with 245 as well), all other images can use all 256 as long as the first 2 are reserved for transparency and organization of the collection tag.
Netgame images have a 377x190 resolution. Plugin images have a 415x120 resolution. Overhead maps can vary and would depend on how small or large you want it. For example you could grab a color map that is 1536x1536 and make its overhead map about 10% that size which would round up to 154x154. However if you take a look at some default maps they are sometimes less than 10% of the color map size. So you will have to play around with it and see what size seems best for your map.
Once you have the images you want to use, one of the easiest methods for creating a netgame preview collection would be to duplicate an existing one and replace its image with your new image. Let the editor replace the color table if it asks for any of these new images you are using. If you look at the collections the default overhead map collections start with "z" to end up at the bottom of the list. For the overhead map collection you can duplicate an existing one and replace its image with your new one. For the plugin pic collection, locate the "internal default plugin pic" and replace its image with your new one. Do not duplicate this collection, for it to work it needs to be this collection tag.
The 8-bit images used in Myth require that the first 2 colors in their color tables be colors used for transparency and organization. Once you are able to get your hands on a collection editor, you will notice images like say of a unit will have a blue background. It does not have to be blue, but in that collection the first color is blue and is made transparent by the game. Keep that in mind, so you don't use the first two colors for the parts you want to show of the images. Even if the image does not need any transparency like netgame and plugin pics. You still need to reserve those first two colors. Only color maps have to be 240 colors (you can get away with 245 as well), all other images can use all 256 as long as the first 2 are reserved for transparency and organization of the collection tag.
Netgame images have a 377x190 resolution. Plugin images have a 415x120 resolution. Overhead maps can vary and would depend on how small or large you want it. For example you could grab a color map that is 1536x1536 and make its overhead map about 10% that size which would round up to 154x154. However if you take a look at some default maps they are sometimes less than 10% of the color map size. So you will have to play around with it and see what size seems best for your map.
Once you have the images you want to use, one of the easiest methods for creating a netgame preview collection would be to duplicate an existing one and replace its image with your new image. Let the editor replace the color table if it asks for any of these new images you are using. If you look at the collections the default overhead map collections start with "z" to end up at the bottom of the list. For the overhead map collection you can duplicate an existing one and replace its image with your new one. For the plugin pic collection, locate the "internal default plugin pic" and replace its image with your new one. Do not duplicate this collection, for it to work it needs to be this collection tag.
Re: Pregames/Postgames, Oak, etc.
determining 'best' size based on historical precedent might not be the best way to go. in the past (i assume this isn't still the case, but haven't checked) Fear didn't like to import overhead maps that were larger than 128x128 pxls so since it was the default size, a lot of older maps have the standard 128x128 size. (I know Amber and other apps allowed import of larger images)
maybe how big the overhead should be depends on how much detail you want players to see on your overhead map in-game?
maybe how big the overhead should be depends on how much detail you want players to see on your overhead map in-game?
Re: Pregames/Postgames, Oak, etc.
Added you to the private testers group. Sorry for the delay.
Re: Pregames/Postgames, Oak, etc.
vinylrake wrote:determining 'best' size based on historical precedent might not be the best way to go. in the past (i assume this isn't still the case, but haven't checked) Fear didn't like to import overhead maps that were larger than 128x128 pxls so since it was the default size, a lot of older maps have the standard 128x128 size. (I know Amber and other apps allowed import of larger images)
maybe how big the overhead should be depends on how much detail you want players to see on your overhead map in-game?
Now that you can zoom in and out overhead maps ... do the overhead map at least 256x256 pixels (proportional to what ever map size your working on) I like 300x300 for mine.
if one does not learn from the failings of the past they are likely to suffer its return.
Re: Pregames/Postgames, Oak, etc.
will 256 by 256 load in fear ?
Re: Pregames/Postgames, Oak, etc.
no 256x256 will be cropped hacked or otherwise jacked by fear upon import ... at least older fear not sure on the latest version...cremisiii wrote:will 256 by 256 load in fear ?
it seems best to use oak if not that amber or i think the program macjade...
if one does not learn from the failings of the past they are likely to suffer its return.