MGE Graphics work for ToT?

[mindseye]

I don't have ToT, I'm wondering if there are any differences in the layout or format of the graphics files, a la the changed Barbarian Leader slot for Civ2 versus MGE.

I am curious about all of the graphics files, not just UNITS. Yes, even CITY.GIF!

Thanks!
- mindseye

[WhiteKnight]

Same here. I am also wondering could the ToT graphics be modifyed to be used in a Civ2 scenario?

[William Keenan]

ToT gaphics have deeper color (16-bit) then FW/MGE graphics (8-bit). Thus you can use FW graphics in ToT but the reverse is possible but not easy.

[mindseye]

Thanks, William!

Does that mean my graphics will look BETTER in ToT? I create mine in Photoshop, so they start out 24-bit. Then, of course, I adjust them to the Civ2/MGE palette, boiling them down to 8-bit (actually less than 8-bit, the Civ2 graphic engine won't allow you to use all of the colors).

Does anyone know if there is a specific 16-bit palette that ToT requires?

Thanks!

- mindseye

[William Keenan]

ToT can read and use 24-bit bitmaps. Microprose uses 16-bit for their bitmaps thought. Before ToT came along I had never seen a 16-bit bitmap and no filter exists in Corel Draw 9.

[Pano]

Yes the graphics will be more beautifull but the files will also be much bigger with ToT, and I think it's a bad change because when you make a scenario you try to make it as light as possible for people who have a slow connexion. I you need hours to download a single scenario, you don't do it.

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Pano
http://www.campus.ecp.fr/~pano

[BeBMan]

Mindseye:Your graphics should look better, if You use the 24-bit versions in ToT. If You use the converted 8-bit versions, they will look exactly like the graphics in Civ2.

William: My 3D-rendering software can save 16-bit, it´s not bad, because 16-bit files are smaller than 24-bit pics (but larger than JPEGs). But the programm is not so good for creating units or icons.
Is there any other graphics software that has a good 16-bit filter?

[mindseye]

Thank you all for the great advice!

.. but I'm not through with my dumb questions just yet!

If I want to create a separate version of my graphics for use with ToT, could I simply save them as 24-bit BMPs? Beyond the switch to BMP (I know GIF won't support 24-bit), is it true I need change nothing else? All the units are in the same slots, same "sacred colors" (e.g. 0-255-0 RGB for borders)?

Which slot holds the Barbarian Leader - the same one as Civ2 or MGE?

Thanks again for the speedy wisdom!
- mindseye

[Mark von Wagner]

Does Test of Time support RLE-compressed BMP files?

Mark

[BeBMan]

Mindseye: Yes, save Your 24-bit graphics as BMPs for ToT, this should work fine (it works fine with my graphics, but some people told me that these graphics do not work on their computers). So, try it out...

[William Keenan]

The 'sacred colors' look the same but they are coded with a greater color depth so it is not likely that saving your current GIFs as BMP files will work. Also, the UNIT.BMP format is very different in ToT then in FW/MGE. The units are taller and there are more solts for them.

I recommend downloading the nearly blank units board Microprose released as a promo and pasting your images on that template. It will same you a great deal of time trying to match colors.

Contrary to popular belief,in FW and MGE, the last unit slot in the UNITS.GIF file was NOT used for the barbarian leader image. That image was stored in a DLL file and to change it one would have to edit the DLL. In ToT, however, the barbarian leader IS the last unit slot in the units.bmp file.

[mindseye]

William -

Thanks for the link to the ToT units template, now I understand!

Are you sure about the Barbarian Leader in MGE? I was able to change the graphic by editing units.gif. I have the latest patch for MGE, maybe that explains the difference?


Thanks again for the advice!

- mindseye

[William Keenan]

I hope I'm wrong about the Barbarian leader image. I don't work in FW/MGE format any longer so it may have been changed and I failed to notice.

[Mercator]

You're definitely wrong about the barbarian leader. I have FW (not ToT) and there is absolutely no image of the barbarian leader in any of the DLLs. So it must simply be the last slot.

[Eru Ilúvatar]

I think PSP can handle 16-bit pictures

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May Eru Ilúvatar and the Valar be with you!