How do you do things? (time changes + Good graphics)

[Dogmatrix]

Just wanted to ask what program does WesW use to make his Sprites.
Also how can I change the time in which my mod is set. I know how to change the starting date, through DiffDB.txt but how do I change the Ending time, somewhere in Const.txt I think but I don't know where. Also what Mods are there out there, there are some Partial mods that add a few units and some more techs but I'm looking for a full Modification of CTP.
Must admit my own mod isn't going too bad, though I'm in desperate need of a picture editor with an alpha channel.

[Nordicus]

Hello, Dogmatrix...

Actually, Wes doesn't make any of the sprites for his mods; mostly it's Morgoth (Tom Davies), as well as Gemini (Darryl)-- and Harlan had made some a while back, maybe a few others--who are the 'sprite-makers' around here. And I do a lot of graphics as well, but I'm unable to make units out of them because my programs don't allow me to attach an alpha channel....

Changing time:

Correct: Const.txt --> In my file

quote: END_OF_GAME_YEAR_EARLY_WARNING 3900 END_OF_GAME_YEAR 4000

it's a third of the way down--or line 134.


Tom.

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"There can be no maximum of creation without a concomitant maximum of destruction, no supreme good without supreme evil"--Heller, paraphrasing Nietzsche.

"YOU MAY NOT BE INTERESTED IN WAR, BUT WAR IS INTERESTED IN YOU."--Leon Trotsky.

"The more passion for the argument, the less evidence for it"--Russel.

[Dogmatrix]

Thanks for the correction.
But I'd still like to know what was used to make the sprites cause I been told that they looked really good, professional was the word used. Also how can you make avi's, I don't at present have any software to do this and I'd like to know what people use.

[gemini]

Hey Dogmatrix, Well you might wanna ask Morgoth what he uses but I think he said somewhere before that he uses Raydream(I think). There are other 3d modeling programs out there but they are very expensive. A couple grand at least. So unless you have the money you'll have to settle for less. But you can use Adobe Photoshop, or Paintshop pro, or other kinds of graphics programs. But you won't be able to make animations(well not to easily) with the above two grapics programs and you can't use 3d models in these programs so you have to find pictures of the units you want in five facings, or settle for a one facing unit, with a 3d modeling program you can just rotate the model for the different angles. I personally use Adobe Photoshop in combination with some other graphics programs for making sprites. But again, these programs you can't usually pick up for 50 dollars, they are a bit costly. You may be able to get free versions of these programs though.

Yes you can make avi's. I have quicktime, and I know it is possible to make avi's with that program, but you have to pay for the full version of quicktime for that feature. I'm sure there must be something free you can download somewhere for making avi's.

P.S.
Of course there may be other 3d modeling programs out there that may be cheaper, if anyone else knows of something cheaper I would be very interested to know as well.
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Gemini
[This message has been edited by gemini (edited May 05, 2000).]
[This message has been edited by gemini (edited May 05, 2000).]

[Morgoth]

Hi
As for making sprites As gemini said I use Raydream. Basicallt When CTP started out there were a few forum notes talking about which products to use and Raydream was mentioned so (as much for a challenge) I thought I'd try it and bought Raydream 3D (it costs about twice twice the prie of a game - over here a game comes in at 30-35 GBP and Raydream 3D cost about 70). mUst admit I also bought Paintshop pro version 5 which cost about the same.

Both these products allow you to create alpha channels.

The advantage on Raydream is that once you create a model - and these are all evolutions from earlier models - is that you can quickly produce the 5 facings and the alpha channels and name them correctly. Also the produce allows you to produce AVI's.

To produce shadows is also relatively easy although I still have to edit within paintshop pro - although this is a rather tedious select/change process rather than really fidling around.

For ships I haven't found an easy way of doing the little waves bit but its fairly straight forward in paintshop pro so I don't mind.

As I said at the start of this I only really got Raydream 3D because I was curious as to whether I could actually produce a 3D model -believe me I'm no artist (but my other half - Katy is!) but it isn't a bad product and as for the results, judge for yourself .

[Morgoth]

Note - I haven't mastered typing when I'm tired though

[Dogmatrix]

Morgoth,

Thanks for the Info I might go and check out the price of Raydream, maybe buy it with a few others, only one of us would be using it at a time though (of course ). Sounds like it would be really useful for making sprites, among other things, and also it might help with my other game developments.

gemini,
I've found a free version of photoshop, an equivalent anyway, you get it when you install Corell Linux. It's called Gimp, I think it's spelled that way too. Only thing is that it doesn't came with able to make tiff's, though you should be able to get an extention off the net for free seeing as it's a free piece of GNU software. As for the full version of quicktime and making avi's with it, I don't know, really depends on how much money I can dig up for this sort of stuff or wether my cousin has access to a copy .
Thanks all who replied to my posting, the info might end up being very useful.
See ya's later.

Update: gemini,
There also might be a windows version available for download at gnu.org but I'm not sure because I haven't been there in a while.
Update: gemini, I noticed that you said you already use photoshop for you stuff so the info I just gave was pretty much useless to you, maybe not for others. I'll have a look around for a free 3d modeller, maybe there's one at GNU.org I'm not sure. See ya, again
[This message has been edited by Dogmatrix (edited May 07, 2000).]