New Unit....Graphics!

[heardie]

Yes I might be getting 3d Studion Max which I think can edit *.cvr files.

I already have big, big plans.....!

[ProvostB]

what's a cvr file?

[heardie]

A cvr file is a caviar files that holds the animated unit pics.,

[AlexanderIII]

Is there a demo or shareware of this we/I could download off the web?

[Sanjuro]

Tried it, but it doesn't seem to import it. Maybe I'm missing a filter or something.
What version are you using?

[Greg Foertsch FIRAXIS]

Heardie,
Sorry, but unfortunately caviar is a plug-in for Max and unless you have it, I don't think that you will be able to edit the unit files.

Greg Foertsch
Artist/Animator
FIRAXIS GAMES

[Sanjuro]

And I suppose there isn't a trial version downloadable somewhere?

[heardie]

Dont worry I'm not getting it anymore anyway. Ahh, I ccould have made new faction graphics nway bun im sure ill live

[ProvostB]

Max? What's that?

[AlexanderIII]

Some months ago, while I was trolling the net for cool SMAC sites, I stumbled upon this great french site which to this day has two downloads I have not seen anywhere else: a caviar file player and a cheat utility.

just go to http://home.nordnet.fr/~rpirez/smac/...es_goodies.htm
and click on 'caviar player' you can use this to view all the .cvr files.

(click on 'Razor 1911 game trainer' and use this cool cheat utility, allowing you to set things like energy amd nutrients without having to ruin your game with ctrl-k)

Though, now that I've taken a close-up look at all those .cvr files (the graphics are REALLY detailed!), I want to hack them! Someone, anyone, please find a way to diddle with these graphics!

[heardie]

I'm working on in it.
I already had a stonehenge Mod plannes. bit of a differencee to smac eh!

[AlexanderIII]

You mean you found a way to modify caviar files? Please, do tell!

[Krusty]

This is the start of a new era in scenario making!

[AlexanderIII]

I was doing some research into this, and I checked out the AnimaTek website @ http://www.animatek.com/products_caviar.htm

It is the originator of the caviar viewer mentioned earlier. I also learned a few interesting things: Greg, you are correct, it seems; caviar is a proprietary plug-in you cannot get a demo for, because it is not a program, to be adapted for several different types of 3-D animation programs, 3D Studio Max being one of them. If you want to buy it, it only comes bundled with 3D Studio Max, at a cost of $999 (can you say OUCH!). Oh well, so much for that idea.

And, thinking about why Firaxis made the decision to go with this format, it makes sound business sense: a)it compresses animation files down to almost nothing, and b)they obviously don't want half-assed hacks like us messing with it, the positioning of various units/components and how they fit together is Very exact, and most likely very easy to screw up. So although it is a shame we can't hack it, I fully understand their decision. On with the sprite graphics, I suppose!