*.flc editor Question

[Ekmek]

Anyone think of a good program to edit the *.flc files for units? I heard 3D Studio, but is there some other programs out there?

[MarkG]

even if you do get a player, we have to know the exact variation of the flc format the firaxis is using(which is not the same as the default one)

[Dan Magaha FIRAXIS]

This *MAY* work for you

Before you get any further, note that this program may or may not work for you, and it's entirely possible that any FLC's you create with it may crash someone else's game, so if you use it, distribute your mods at your own risk!

Check out Pro Motion:

http://www.cosmigo.com/promotion/

It's commercial but you can get a 30-day demo to try out, and it may help you get a head start on getting FLC graphics into the game.

I've successfully imported an AVI file into it and saved it out as a FLC which worked in the game as a replacement leader head. (If you're wondering, I took the Budweiser "Super Friends" ad and had the Super Friends talking to me in diplomacy sessions) Others have used it and said it crashed when they tried to use it to do custom leader heads. Use at your own risk.

I have never been able to get this to work for units, however. In my experience, trying to play with custom units created with this program will hang the game.

In any case, you might want to give it a shot. I do know it will LOAD our FLC files and you can save them out as a series of static images for whatever devious purposes you may have. I use this function quite often to make animations for the website.

Dan

[Mercator]

I know Animation Shop 3 (comes with Paint Shop Pro 7) can open .flc files. Also available as a 30 day demo.
But I´m also sure that it can´t save them in the required format.

It would be very helpfull indeed if the next civ3 patch would either add support for all .flc formats or add a conversion utility which could convert other .flc´s (and perhaps animated gifs) to the correct format.

[Mercator]

What subformat of FLC is actually used? I don´t think you know, Dan, but still, would anyone else over there care to tell us?
I have found a couple of free conversion utilities, but I have no idea whether they support the civ3 format (probably not I´d say), since I haven´t tested them yet.

Some links I found:

http://woodshole.er.usgs.gov/operations/modeling/flc.html

http://www.devinfo.com/archives/x2ftp/convert

[Buck Birdseed]

Supposedly (according to Mike B, IIRC) there is a bug in this version of Civ3 which results in the .flc in the game complying with standard specifications. Apparently any .flc file will work, as long as it's saved in any specification except the default one. This will, however, be fixed for the first patch.

[Poelzi]

cauz 3ds max was mentioned
there is a free version of it ->gmax
it was specially developed for making mod´s
but i fear it needs also some support from Firaxis to be of any use

[BeBMan]

Re: This *MAY* work for you

Originally posted by Dan Magaha FIRAXIS
I've successfully imported an AVI file into it and saved it out as a FLC which worked in the game as a replacement leader head. (If you're wondering, I took the Budweiser "Super Friends" ad and had the Super Friends talking to me in diplomacy sessions) Others have used it and said it crashed when they tried to use it to do custom leader heads. Use at your own risk.

I have never been able to get this to work for units, however. In my experience, trying to play with custom units created with this program will hang the game.

In any case, you might want to give it a shot. I do know it will LOAD our FLC files and you can save them out as a series of static images for whatever devious purposes you may have. I use this function quite often to make animations for the website.

Dan

Dan, is there any chance that a patch could modify the game in a way that also simple AVIs can be used? I remember Civ2 used only GIFs (images - not anims) in the beginning, but supports also BMPs since the Expansion "Fantastic Worlds". A similar solution for Civ3, especially for the unit anims would be great.

[BlueO]

Hi, anyone know where to get a flc editor that will create a flic in formats other than default? I've tried Smacer, Animshop3, and various other flic converters I found, none of them would work with units. I have success in making the leaderheads though.

I would love to convert the amazon units I made for ctp2 into civ3 units. But so far, any unit flc I make, just hangs the game. And I rather not wait for a patch to come out since I'm pretty excited about the game right now.