Sprite Numbers

[BlueO]

quote: Originally posted by Morgoth on 01-27-2001 03:43 AM Wes What numbers should I use for any of my units? Blue O - have you tried compressing your sprites? The files I downloaded were massive so I guess you're using uncompressed files to create the Sprite.

Yup, I am using uncompressed files, however, that's not the reason the sprites are so huge. When I was making those sprites, I kept getting no pixel associated with the alpha error. Browsing through the ctp1 creation forums, someone mentioned that pure black pixels are evil, so wanting to fight evil, I made all pure black pixels in the alpha image to 1,1,1. That worked, but the end result is the huge spirte you see.

But recently, after much trial and error and sheer luck, I discovered how to make a spirte using pure black evil pixels! Alas, its too late for the poor sprites I've already uploaded, but I'm using the new technique to make three new sprites for version 1.03 of my mod. I even remade one of the old sprites and was overjoy to find that its size has being reduced from 3meg to 300k.


By the way, I renumbered my sprites to the 201->225 block and changed the newsprite.txt to reflect that. I keep getting gu00.spr not found on asset tree error.

[Paul]

I believe that CTP1 had the same error message when using sprite numbers over 200. It looks like CTP2 has the same problem.

[skorpion59]

Dang, that is going to blow the whole concept. Possibly, first come, first served then????

Anybody have an alternate idea?

[WesW]

I did a test, and got the error, too. Damn. Well, I think that there will still be enough numbers to go around unless you want to add all the WWII stuff from Harlan and Gemini. We might just have to play it by ear.

Right now, I think I will take away some of the spots reserved for the WW2 units, many of whom were the same sprite with only a color change. I can switch the number of reserved spots for Ctp1 units down to fill in the gap, and the same with Tom's units. This should still leave plenty for Blue and anyone else who wants to join in. The 94-100 spots can be left for odd units that people might want to put in sometime in the future.

Once I get this new setup in place, I will turn things over to Omni, since this would seem to fit into his jurisdiction, so to speak.

One good thing came out of all this; the test I used was on the Archer, and the Ctp1 unit came up the first time I tried, and I noticed that there is quite a bit of difference in the two. Therefore, I am going to use the Ctp2 Archer in place of the Slinger as the Ancient age ranged unit, and put the Ctp1 unit as the Classical age unit. I will leave the Slinger in as a ranged companion to the Warrior.

[WesW]

Ok, here is the new newsprite.txt. Below is a copy of the letter I sent to Rich regarding it.

Hi, Rich.
Here is the text. I will let you handle this from now on, unless I have forgotten something.
BlueO has numbers 126-150, so you can tell him to number his units however he wants to using that block.
I don't know how many more units Tom will end up making, though I doubt it would be more than the 25 allotted to him. Anyway, I decided to start at 199 and work down for miscellaneous units that people send it, or if Blue runs out of spaces in his block. Tom can just keep going up, and hopefully we will not meet the misc. units coming down.

Wes

# CATTLE 1
SPRITE_SETTLER 2
SPRITE_SWORDSMAN 3 # CTP2 EXTERNAL NAME WARRIOR
SPRITE_SLAVER 4
SPRITE_MOUNTED_ARCHER 5
SPRITE_SAMURAI 6 # CTP2 EXTERNAL NAME SWORDSMAN
SPRITE_CATAMARAN 7 # CORACLE
SPRITE_HOPLITE 8
# CATTLE 9
SPRITE_DIPLOMAT 10
SPRITE_CATAPULT 11
SPRITE_CLERIC 12
SPRITE_ARCHER 13
SPRITE_FIRE_TRIREME 14
SPRITE_KNIGHT 15
SPRITE_LONGSHIP 16
SPRITE_PIKEMEN 17
SPRITE_WEREWOLF 18 # MORARU_KYONSHI (PREVIOUSLY UNUSED)
SPRITE_CULVERIN 19 # CTP2 CANNON
SPRITE_CAVALRY 20
SPRITE_SHIP_OF_THE_LINE 21
SPRITE_INFANTRYMAN 22
SPRITE_LAWYER 23
SPRITE_FASCIST 24
SPRITE_ABOLITIONIST 25
SPRITE_CARRACK 26
SPRITE_MACHINE_GUNNER 27
SPRITE_ANTIAIR 28 # CTP2 (PREVIOUSLY UNUSED)
SPRITE_IRONCLAD 29
SPRITE_TROOP_SHIP 30
SPRITE_SUBMARINE 31
SPRITE_STEALTH_FIGHTER 32
SPRITE_BATTLESHIP 33
SPRITE_SECRET_AGENT 34 # CTP2 SPY
SPRITE_FIGHTER 35
SPRITE_AIRCRAFT_CARRIER 36
SPRITE_URBAN_PLANNER 37
SPRITE_TANK 38
SPRITE_MARINE 39
SPRITE_NUKE 40
SPRITE_DESTROYER 41
SPRITE_TELEVANGELIST 42
SPRITE_CARGO_HELICOPTER 43
SPRITE_CRUISE_MISSILE 44
SPRITE_EMPATHIC_DIPLOMAT 45
SPRITE_INTERCEPTOR 46
SPRITE_JET_BOMBER 47
SPRITE_CYBER_NINJA 48
SPRITE_MOBILE_SAM 49
SPRITE_CORPORATE_BRANCH 50
SPRITE_STEALTH_BOMBER 51
SPRITE_SCOUT_SUB 52
SPRITE_PARATROOPER 53
SPRITE_CYBERATTORNEY 54
SPRITE_SPACE_PLANE 55
SPRITE_MOBILE_SUBNEURAL_AD 56
SPRITE_SPY_PLANE 57
SPRITE_AT_ARTILLERY 58 # CTP2 WAR_WALKER
SPRITE_SEA_ENGINEER 59
SPRITE_MOREY_STRIKER 60
SPRITE_KRAKEN 61
SPRITE_PLASMA_DESTROYER 62
SPRITE_DREADNAUGHT 63
SPRITE_ECO_TERRORIST 64
SPRITE_HOVER_INFANTRY 65
#SPRITE_SPACE_ENGINEER 66
SPRITE_JAVELINEER 67 # EB UNIT (PREVIOUSLY UNUSED)
SPRITE_INFECTOR 68
SPRITE_CRAWLER 69
SPRITE_PLASMATICA 70 # CTP2 UNUSED
#SPRITE_STAR_CRUISER 71
SPRITE_ZULU_WARRIOR 72 # EB UNIT (PREVIOUSLY UNUSED)
SPRITE_HOVER_MARINE 73 # CTP2 UNUSED
#SPRITE_SPACE_BOMBER 74
SPRITE_ECO_RANGER 75
#SPRITE_WORMHOLE_PROBE 76
SPRITE_LEVIATHON 77
SPRITE_FUSION_TANK 78
SPRITE_NUCLEAR_SUBMARINE 79
SPRITE_PT_BOAT 80 # CTP2 FRIGATE
SPRITE_ELEPHANT 81 # ALEX ELEPHANT_WARRIOR
SPRITE_SELF_PROP_GUN 82 # CTP2 ARTILLERY
#SPRITE_ALEXANDER 83
#SPRITE_DARIUS 84
#SPRITE_GENERAL 85
SPRITE_BANDIT_HORSEMAN 86
#SPRITE_CATAMARAN 87 # ALEX TRIREME
SPRITE_HEAVY_SWORDSMAN 88 # ALEX PHALANX
SPRITE_LONGBOWMAN 89 # ALEX ARCHER2
SPRITE_CITY 90
SPRITE_SPACE_CITY 90
SPRITE_OCEAN_CITY 90
#SPRITE_SAMURAI 91
#SPRITE_SAMURAI2 92
#SPRITE_SAMURAI3 93

# 94-100 Apolyton Pack units
SPRITE_HORSE_ARCHER 94
SPRITE_PRIVATEER 95
SPRITE_MISSILE_CRUISER 96
SPRITE_ATTACK_HELICOPTER 97


## sprite nos. 101-125 reserved
## for Ctp1 and WW2 scenario units.

#GU101.SPR - atank
SPRITE_BOMBER 101 # battle
#GU103.SPR - bf109
SPRITE_GERMAN_TANK 104 # panzer2
SPRITE_GERMAN_TANK2 105 # panzer3
#GU106.SPR - r35
#GU107.SPR - somau
SPRITE_BRITISH_FIGHTER 108 # spitfire
SPRITE_DIVE_BOMBER 109 # stuka
SPRITE_RIFLEMAN 110 # brown marine

#SPRITE_KNIGHT 114
SPRITE_HOWITZER 115
SPRITE_LEGION 116
SPRITE_CANNON 117
SPRITE_WAR_WALKER 118
SPRITE_MUSKETEER 119
SPRITE_BOWMAN 120 # CTP1 ARCHER
SPRITE_HOVERTANK 121
SPRITE_SWARM 122
SPRITE_PHALANX 123
SPRITE_WARRIOR 124
SPRITE_TRIREME 125

## sprite nos. 126-150 reserved
## for BlueO's units

## sprite nos. 151-175 reserved
## for Tom Davies' units

SPRITE_SPY 151
SPRITE_NOBLE 152
SPRITE_SLINGER 153 # UNUSED
SPRITE_LIGHT_CAVALRY 154
SPRITE_HEAVY_CAVALRY 155
SPRITE_CHARIOT 156
SPRITE_BRONZE_SWORDSMAN 157 # UNUSED
SPRITE_SPEARMAN 158
SPRITE_FYRDMAN 159
SPRITE_BERSERKER 160
SPRITE_ARQUEBUSIER 161
SPRITE_BOMBARD 162
SPRITE_COG 163
#reserved for WWI Tank
SPRITE_MONITOR 165
SPRITE_STORM_MARINE 166 # MONGOL
SPRITE_AIRBORNE 167 # PARTISAN
#reserved for Seige Engine

## sprite nos. 199 and down reserved
## for Miscellaneous units
SPRITE_FRIGATE 198 # HARLAN'S WWII UNIT
SPRITE_CARRIER 199 # HARLAN'S WWII UNIT

[This message has been edited by WesW (edited February 02, 2001).]
[This message has been edited by WesW (edited February 02, 2001).]

[OmniGod]

New addition

SPRITE_CHARIOT 169

[WesW]

The Chariot is already plugged in at 156.

[OmniGod]

dope.. I'll change the file to 156... I didn't even see it... my faux pas.

[Harlan]

I've got a problem. I started renaming sprites today, in the hopes of using the new sprite numbering system, and getting rid of the save game problem from my scenario. However, I ran into a snag. I renamed the Catamaran sprite from 99 to 87 in the newsprite.txt file, and then deleted the 99 sprite in my scenario folder, since there should be a 087 sprite in the default folders of the same thing (when I started out, I didn't realize all the CTP1 sprites were there). However, when I start the game up, it claims the 99.spr is missing. I can't see why it would even be looking for the 99 sprite, since no file refers to it anymore.

I can only guess that the info about the 99 sprite is hardcoded into the scenario file now somehow. This could wreak havoc with people who want to use my scenario and other scenarios, unless I can get over this problem somehow. Any ideas?

[skorpion59]

Aren't problems fun?????

This goes back to CtP1 and I had forgotten about it.
When you save map-related scenarios, it saves information pertaining to all the files which were used. In CtP1, the only way to undo this was to start over from scratch with the correct files in place. I looked through the .c2g file but didn't see any easy way to fix this, so far.

[Harlan]

Double plus damn. I was afraid of that! Scenario makers, beware.

[Harlan]

Yea! I think I may have found a workaround to my bug. Turns out the scenario file only checks to make sure the sprites put into the scenario sprite folder is being used at all, you can still change which unit is using it. So I fobbed off the sprite numbers to units that aren't in the game, and then replaced their sprite with the smallest sized ones possible. Then I used the numbering system posted earlier in this thread. Seems to work. Not pretty, since I'll now have all these useless tiny sprites in the sprite folder, but works.

[Harlan]

A problem with this numbering system is it cuts out all of the CTP1 sprites, except a few Wes is using. Some of those have some significant differences. Personally, I need to use two for the Alex scenario, so I'm staking out 194 for the CTP1 Knight, and 195 for the CTP1 Phalanx.

[OmniGod]

The phalanx from CTP is #123 the knight isn't included so it can be added but make it 114 since 101 to 125 is reserved for WWII and CTP sprites.

[WesW]

Situations like Harlan's are why I left room to add a few more units.
Also, I went ahead and changed the name of the Ctp2 Trireme to Catamaran, to avoid conflicts if people want to have both units.
If you add more Ctp1 units which share the name of a Ctp2 unit, you will have to change the Ctp1 unit to something else, and note its original name with a comment. I will go back and do this for all the other units I have re-named as well.
[This message has been edited by WesW (edited February 02, 2001).]