need a freeware for .gif(animated)

need a freeware for .gif(animated)

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emmanuel
Posts: 952
Joined: 28 May 2005, 22:43

need a freeware for .gif(animated)

Post by emmanuel »

i sugest to use .gif(a) for build pics rotate in menu
so i m not codder but i like make .gif(a)
but i use the screen32.exe prog for do it : it s a minimal tool
if someone can say to me a name of a good freeware more complet for easy buid/edit .gif(a) ?
Gnomre
Imperial Winter Developer
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Post by Gnomre »

Err... neither TA or Spring uses .GIF files at all.

Assuming you mean for TA, you mean .GAF. If you just need to make buildpics, the program "Gaffer" (on FU) will do the job. If you need it for other purposes, you can use "GafBuilder" (also on FU).

Spring does not use GAFs, it references the image in the unitpics folder instead.
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SwiftSpear
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Post by SwiftSpear »

Gnome wrote:Err... neither TA or Spring uses .GIF files at all.

Assuming you mean for TA, you mean .GAF. If you just need to make buildpics, the program "Gaffer" (on FU) will do the job. If you need it for other purposes, you can use "GafBuilder" (also on FU).

Spring does not use GAFs, it references the image in the unitpics folder instead.
I think this is a feature suggestion... He wants gif capable build pics so he can make the unit picture rotate when you hold the mouse over it... I'd personally like to see alot of spring image uses taken over by better compressed images and more functional image types. BMPs kind of suck at everything.
Gnomre
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Post by Gnomre »

BMP is lossless though.
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emmanuel
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Post by emmanuel »

yes i make my gaf for new units
i sugest that menu use .gif
and ask if anyone know a editor(free) for gif anim
Gnomre
Imperial Winter Developer
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Post by Gnomre »

Why though? The engine handles the build menu stuff automatically... and the supported formats (BMP, JPG, and DDS at least) support 24 bit color, whereas GIF is limited to shitty 8-bit...

It'd be taking a step backwards...
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SwiftSpear
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Post by SwiftSpear »

Emmanuel: http://www.gimp.org

Gimp works great for making gif animations.

Gnome: I prefer transparentcy and animation capabilities to losslessness anyday. I also prefer file size compression to losslessness when working with 7168x7168 image sizes that I intend on packaging for online distribution.

Losslessness is largely useless considering most users will neither knowtice or appreciate the difference.
Gnomre
Imperial Winter Developer
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Post by Gnomre »

The maps are stored as .dds though, which has compression. -c, hellllllo :P

8-bit is far too limiting for a game these days. Trust me, I've been working with the TA engine (which is 8 bit) for half a decade, and I can't tell you the number of times I've wanted to kill a small animal because of the constraints imposed by an 8bit system...

There are other ways to do animated textures and transparency. Other modern games don't use GIF for those features, and nor should spring. GIF requires a license to use last time I checked anyway.
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SwiftSpear
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Post by SwiftSpear »

Gnome wrote:The maps are stored as .dds though, which has compression. -c, hellllllo :P

8-bit is far too limiting for a game these days. Trust me, I've been working with the TA engine (which is 8 bit) for half a decade, and I can't tell you the number of times I've wanted to kill a small animal because of the constraints imposed by an 8bit system...

There are other ways to do animated textures and transparency. Other modern games don't use GIF for those features, and nor should spring. GIF requires a license to use last time I checked anyway.
As long as GIMP can compile the format nessicary to do it I'm happy. BMP's are very limited in thier functionality, even though they have high bitrate losslessness. As far as 3D mapping goes I haven't acctually ever seen a good workable animated texture solution yet. Doom3 and HL2 still both replace the total image plate to make the smallest animation change in mapping textures...
IMSabbel
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Post by IMSabbel »

The bmp==large argument is pointless, anyway.

Storing into a sd7 container will have bmps be just as small (if not smaller) than gif files, and the memory requirements when in use are the same anyway.
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emmanuel
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Post by emmanuel »

it seems gimp crash on ...winME
i sugest .gif because it s standart
but a liscence for a public mod is a real problem(are you sure about it ?)

but think about this styl of menu:

Image
heu...bad exempl

Image
hm...

Image
ha!

Image
this ?

Image
or this? (see too zdkfz avatar)

Image
personaly i prefere this styl
IMSabbel
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Joined: 30 Jul 2005, 13:29

Post by IMSabbel »

Im against it.
Buildpictures should be easy to ID and be non-annoying.
Just imagine the flickering mess this would result in (not to mention with the space menue of the new GUI)
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GrOuNd_ZeRo
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Post by GrOuNd_ZeRo »

Not to mention that GIF files suck system resources and are limited to 16bit files IIRC.
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emmanuel
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Joined: 28 May 2005, 22:43

Post by emmanuel »

gif or not it s care !
a menu animated it s great
i know a game with animat menu and 1000 unit in screengame and NOLAG !
you don t know this game ?
Liam
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Joined: 02 Nov 2004, 22:43

Post by Liam »

if you wanted a rotating model like that, it would probably be alot better to make it actually render the unit and rotate it, since you're already asking a developer for something, why not ask for that?
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emmanuel
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Post by emmanuel »

i can make render rotat but in what file format?
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Dragon45
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Post by Dragon45 »

You have to recognize the psychological effect of rotating units/GUI elements here.

The action is happening on-screen, so that's where your eyes naturally are most of the time. You generally dont to block out or ignore the static elements because you know they're there and you know that they wont move on you.

If you had any sort of animated interface (anything beyond the grey->red shift in the buttons we already have) then it would make the screen seem cluttered and would draw eyes away from the battle screen.

In short, static is the way to go for GUI elements. Let change happen on the main battle window and minimap.
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Tim Blokdijk
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Post by Tim Blokdijk »

Well, you can have static buildpics until you trigger a mouse over event and the buildpic of the specific unit rotates?

And then, if someone likes to make a mod with rotating buildpics.
I don't see a reason to prevent that.
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