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Forum » Cossacks II » Modding » AC to C2 Conversion
AC to C2 Conversion
Flame_MasterDate: Wednesday, 02/September/2009, 5:09 AM | Message # 1
Baron
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Well, I dunno if this is the right thread or the right place to pop this question...but anyway...
I am having trouble with converting 40 frames to a looping G17 file. The Problem is that, well, I have 40 bmp files and they are all screenshots taken so that I can make an icon which loops indefinitely in HoAE (Which uses C2 engine and tools, hence came to this forum). Now when I use the "bmp to tga", I have no Idea what kind of .bmp files I should use for its "alpha channel" and I am too lazy to use Photoshop or whatever to convert all to 32 bit tga files with Alpha channel inserted....Any help would be good.... cry
 
EbelAngelDate: Thursday, 03/September/2009, 5:42 PM | Message # 2
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Hey Flame,

Well I must admit you got me a bit confused here. Forum: American Conquest. Title of thread: C 1 to C2 conversion.

So, are you trying to convert units from American Conquest, or from Cossacks 1? And to C2 ( Cossacks II)? Not to Hoae?

Now, you say you have .bmp's ready. Are those extracted from CI/AC? ( with gpviewer?) You do say 'screenshots' right. If it are screenshots indeed then there is indeed no alpha channel present. The BmpToTga tool is specifically custom created for extracted bmp's and their corresponding alphachannel from gpviewer to bind them into a single .tga file with the alpha channel inside in order to save time doing this in photoshop. I have only requested this. It was never created with the intend of making alphachannels for bmp 'screenshots'.

Pls give more information about what unit you are trying to do, or anything additional information you want to do.

If however you do have the alphachannels for the bmp's then both the bmp & alphachannels ( 00001.bmp & a00001.bmp ) should be in the same folder with no other file's in there and then direct the paths in the tool towards that folder and a new output folder. The rest the tool does for you.

Also, is it an unit or icon file you are trying to make, cause you do mention icons. If its a problem that the icons do not loop, you should set directions in options to 1 instead of the default 8 or 9.

Also, if indeed its an icon file, just use an existing icon file ( example the background: upgrade.g17) and paste the bmp's over it. Before I went on vacation i made over 600 icons for all units and buildings in game cause they were not present in the editor. I also couldnt be bothered to make an alphachannel for each icon. I still have to implement them all in the md file's but it works just fine that way.

Kind Regards

E.A

 
Flame_MasterDate: Friday, 04/September/2009, 10:47 AM | Message # 3
Baron
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Well, here is how it all happened...
I tried AC to HoAE (C2 engine As we already know) which worked however. But I thought of making an animated Icon in HoAE...but I cannot draw 40 frames. Since the building is animated, I took screenshots of it so that I managed 40 frames and an easy looping animation. I re-sized the 1024*768 screenshots and cropped them and finally got 40 frames ready to be converted to .tga and then packed. But I cannot sit and convert each bmp files to tga files with alpha channels, so I put the tool to the work, but it failed...I was wondering if there was another way around, I think I have an Idea, but don't know whether it works or not...Anyway, enjoy the vacation
 
EbelAngelDate: Friday, 04/September/2009, 10:54 AM | Message # 4
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Well the BmpToTga tool only works IF you already have the alpha channels. We use it for extracted gp files ( which do have the alpha channels already). As i said earlier, screenshots evidently dont have these.

I noticed Hoae had animated icons, though the string is present in C2 engine aswell, i have not tried it, there a few animated buildings in the game. Perhaps I could give it a try with the mill which has an animation, but that still doesnt solve your problem of easily creating alpha channels for the bmp screenshots you have.

Maybe try googling photoshop scripts for batch/mass creation of alphachannels or use a macro (mouse recorder, which will take over control of your mouse for you and do the job for you).

It's raining here now, so not really enjoying my vacation.

Best Regards

E.A

 
Forum » Cossacks II » Modding » AC to C2 Conversion
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