@thedvd about Alpha images Options

[Bittah Commander]

Quote: SMIFFGIG

thedvd i dont get it

how did u make brand new Alpha images ???

I mean firstly the thing is hardcoded and secondly the rules.ini mention is different to the actual filename of the alpha image??

did u mean u just replaced the exsisting one ???

Quote: The DvD

No i meant the rules.ini name is different just because the file in conquer.mix with the odd filename is in an old format orso, XCC can't properly read the name. I ran a newer XCC that doesn't work on my comp at somebody else, then it did display the name and it said ALPHATST so that's the name.

Then i tried the F*ck thing and it worked as far as i can remember. (use CAPS for the name btw)

Quote: SMIFFGIG

i have the newest version of XCC Mixer and it still doesnt read is as ALPHATST

Im sure its hardcoded, ALPHATST appears in the .exeas far as i can remember, and i cant see why XCC wouldnt be able to understand the format cause its simply SHP(TS)

I tried giving the CNST and AlphaImage=Buildingz
and it simply did nothing

Quote: The DvD

Final conclusion is that adding new alpha images IS possible. That file is actually named ALPHATST, but XCC doesn´t read it right. it´s a bug in XCC... i also have that with some of the files i put in a mix myself. the game reads it fine..

Quote: SMIFFGIG

so you saying i could add this

AlphaImage=GACNST

and it would work ?

or are you simply saying that you can replace the current Alpha Image ?

cause i tried adding
AlphaImage=BUILDINGZ to the GACNST with no effect

however i didnt specify any lighting parameters whatsoever so that could be where i went wrong ?

Quote: The DvD

You need to apply pallette.pal, only then it´ll work. So don´t try GACNST or any other building graph, it has multiple frames..

Quote: The DvD

I mean this should work with new files as well, i even tried applying palette.pal to a random image from my hard drive and setting it as alpha image. ofc it looked crappy as the game doesn´t look at the color of the pixels, but rather it´s position in the palette to determine the tranlucency level.

Quote: SMIFFGIG

You need to apply pallette.pal, only then it´ll work. So don´t try GACNST or any other building graph, it has multiple frames..

No you cant add NEW alphaImages (which ive suspected for a long while) you can replace the exsisting one, but not as you say add tottaly new ones in addition

Also it wouldnt ONLY work in pallette.pal, it would simply read the image as if it where pallete.pal and display it in bad pallete
Also structures should work, as the game would read only the first frame

:|

Quote: The DvD

hmm no really, what i´ve done is this:
1) extracted alphatst.shp (or the weird filename thing)
2) copied it as pcx while using palette.pal
3) resized it by 120% orso in PsP
4) copied it as shp again
5) renamed the shp to ALPHATEST (not ALPHATST)
6) it displayed fine.

Quote: The DvD

Well i decided to do some research myself.

I went to conquer.mix, and oddly enough the file didn't seem to be there? i found it, and it had a weird name.. ridmls orso. XCC is WEEEEIIIIRRRDD.

Anyway, i copied it as pcx, resized it, applied palette.pal (only to make it 256 colours quickly) then converted to sph and named it ALLAH.shp (random name)

Secondly i picked a Nod Logo, applied the palette, converted it to shp and named it NODLOGO.shp.

both shp's were added to an ecache.

to GALITE i added AlphaImage=ALLAH
for TSTLAMP i changed the entry to AlphaImage=NODLOGO

The result:

Quote: Awrethien

Ok thats interesting but what use would it be?

Quote: The DvD

This means u can add new alpha images... in any shape u want..

Quote: SMIFFGIG

well done dvd, this is great
i wasnt placing the ew .shp in a .mix (stupidly, which we just established on MSN)
i cant wait to get working on this

Quote SMIFFGIG

dvd have u tried tinting the alpha image light ?

Quote: The DvD

Not exactly sure what u mean here, but if you mean giving the alpha image different gradients by using other colours from the palette, yes that's possible the original alpha image also does that. if you look at the palette colours in Psp you'll see that the more you get to the outer circle of the image, the faster the colours will darken (lower number in palette). In fact it can be noticed in-game, it quickly fades out..

Quote: Awrethien

I think he means give it a color

Quote: The DvD

Yes he told me on MSN... but it's impossible i think, because the game doesn't look at the color of an alpha pixel, but rather it's position in palette.pal... and determines the brightness/translucency based on that number.

Quote: SMIFFGIG

i was thinking more of combining the image with the tint

Quote: DCoder

http://www.modenc.renegadeprojects.com/index.php?title=AlphaImage

That article includes download links for the alphatst.shp should you need it. Oh, and I always saw it named as sibmlr.shp before Olaf fixed this.

[Bittah Commander]

I know, but it doesn't make a difference. It's a bug which causes the quotes not to be displayed right, so I'll just type the quotes manually...