I don't know if this has been asked before, a search turned up nothing obvious.

I'm wondering if there's an app out there that works pretty much exactly like WootWare's m2s app for converting movies into EVN tiled sprite layouts, but which can output to full color; m2s only allows for 16 bit or 8 bit output - at least my version does.

While EVN only runs in 16 bit color, being able to convert sprites to 16 bit as the last step would give the best image quality, especially for any sprite that has smooth gradations of color (eg. a lens flare). Also, when working with the LASIK technique (where you render 2x the size, sharpen, then downsize) by sharpening an image that has already been dithered down to 16 bit color, you're going to be sharpening the dithering pattern as well, ruining any smoothness.

Recently I had to hand-piece together a 56-frame sprite, which wasn't too bad, but in the future I may be dealing with sprites having far more frames, and I'd really like an automated tool that gives me a full-quality output, leaving the editing decisions up to me.

Does anyone know of such a program? Do I have an outdated version of m2s? Any input would be appreciated. I'm running OS X 10.2.8, and thanks in advance.

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(url="http://"http://evula.org/aftermath/")Aftermath(/url). You know you want it.

Yea... 24bit (or even 32 bit - if a renderer supports 32 bit renders, then masks could be made easily using the alpha channel instead of m2s (or p2s) trying to figure it out for itself) would be nice... And having sprites tools native to OSX would be nice... One thing that I noticed when I was working with m2s is that they don't support a lot of frames. I made a ship that made extensive use of folding frames (it was impressive, IMHO) and m2s choked. I had to do it in two parts.

Matrix

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"Interestingly, according to modern astronomers, space is finite. This is a very comforting thought -- particularly for people who can never remember where they have left things." - Woody Allen

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Quote

Originally posted by what_is_the_matrix:
And having sprites tools native to OSX would be nice...

Que?

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Sorry... Weepul's idea was so great that I just dropped into wishful thinking mode.

Matrix

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"Interestingly, according to modern astronomers, space is finite. This is a very comforting thought -- particularly for people who can never remember where they have left things." - Woody Allen

(url="http://"http://htf.mondominishows.com/valentine/main.asp?seed=7375&serial;=214877")The funniest valentine I've ever gotten.(/url)

I'll have to echo orcaloverbri9: huh?

Last I checked, all the sprite tools (m2s, EnRLE) worked in OS X without running in Classic mode.

Still waiting for any input on a full-color-capable movie-to-grid program...

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(url="http://"http://evula.org/aftermath/")Aftermath(/url). You know you want it.

Weepul, do what I did: save each frame and it's alpha to a separate image file, and then use Photoshop to munge them together (I made some custom "actions" to do this for all sprite sizes. Took me a while). Then LASIK, then BlitZen back to 16 bit, with the "dither" options on.

Dave @ ATMOS

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That's basically what I did, copying the frames from the movie and hand-assembling ("munging", I assume) them together in Photoshop. Snap to Grid was a great time-saver. Then LASIK, resize, save as PICT resource, BlitZen, EnRLE. It's certainly possible to do that, and for the time being I will continue to do so.

Once again, I'm asking if there exists an OS X app that will automatically assemble any number of frames of any size into a customizable X by Y grid arrangement, like m2s, except being able to output to 24 or 32 bit. I don't suppose Ralph and Roger are still around and would be able to update the Sprites apps?

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(url="http://"http://evula.org/aftermath/")Aftermath(/url). You know you want it.

Forgive my ignorance, but what is BlitZen?

Matrix

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"Interestingly, according to modern astronomers, space is finite. This is a very comforting thought -- particularly for people who can never remember where they have left things." - Woody Allen

(url="http://"http://htf.mondominishows.com/valentine/main.asp?seed=7375&serial;=214877")The funniest valentine I've ever gotten.(/url)

Quote

Originally posted by what_is_the_matrix:
**Forgive my ignorance, but what is BlitZen?

Matrix
**

I swear I posted an answer to this last night...

It's a (url="http://"http://w00tware.ev-nova.net/")WOOtWare app(/url) that compresses PICT resources, such as conversion to 16-bit with dithering.

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(url="http://"http://evula.org/aftermath/")Aftermath(/url). You know you want it.

(This message has been edited by Weepul 884 (edited 08-30-2004).)