I've searched around the forum but i cannot get a definate answer...

I'm putting in a picture that is 2500x2500 pixels for the galaxy as a nebula... now when i save it as a jpeg its file size is 383Kb but importing it into my Nova plug appears to convert it to PICT becuase the file size shoots up.

When i Save it as a PICT directly the files size is 4.54Mb.

My question is two fold...

Can i make the file size smaller without sacraficing the image size... i've tried reducing pixels per inch and color range to no effect?

Does EVNEW or Mission Computer always convert the image file to PICT to be added to the Nova Plugin. (ie does nova only handle PICT format)?

PICT is the only way to get an image into a plug-in file - you simply cannot shove a jpeg straight into a plug-in, whether Nova would recognise it or not. However, PICT is more of a container format. The format of the image contained therein can vary and could in fact be jpeg but unfortunately win Nova can only handle uncompressed PICTs so programs like MC will always import as uncompressed.

PPI is irrelevant to file size. You could reduce size by making it only 8-bit or something but I don't think MC will preserve that when importing. Grab Rezilla (see Important Links) and try copy/pasting the image straight into your plug-in from your image editing program (I can only verify this works properly from GraphicConverter).

To be as clear as I can: Since EVN doesn't deal with compressed PICTs, the dimensions of a picture in pixels (and the color depth) determines how much the PICT will add to your file size. But pixels per inch DOES matter: it should always be set to 72, since, at least in some contexts, EVN deals incorrectly with images with different resolutions. Using any other resolution is thus wasteful in terms of file size. See here, and further on in the same thread. ATMOSian David Williams told us that they had related problems with the nebula images in Nova.

Edit: Oh, and ATMOS got their file sizes down by running all their graphics through w00tware's "BlitZen" to create 16-bit uncompressed resources. As Guy said, get Rezilla for your importing -- cut & paste with MC changes color depth. (MC's "Resource Copier" in its "Utilities" menu does work properly, though).

I hope I'm remembering all that correctly....

This post has been edited by Dr. Trowel : 15 May 2007 - 10:26 AM

Thanks guys, i was trying to figure out a way to do it as i'm running both windows xp and mac os x 10.3.9 and was having such fun with compatibility on windows it works fine and mac it don't or other way around.

Also is it me or does mac EVN just not like editing files over 16mb?

Er, that's a limitation of the format plug-ins use (resource forks). Do not create files 16MB or over, even in EVNEW.

'Lostpinky' said in EV Nova Image Format:

Can i make the file size smaller without sacraficing the image size...

Remember, your plug-in will presumably be compressed when you distribute it over the Internet, so you don’t need to worry too much about the file size (though a 2500x2500 image is certainly ambitious).

@dr--trowel, on May 15 2007, 11:07 AM, said:

As Guy said, get Rezilla for your importing -- cut & paste with MC changes color depth. (MC's "Resource Copier" in its "Utilities" menu does work properly, though).

Copying and pasting the actual resource (from the main document window) works fine — it’s only when you copy and paste the picture within it (from the PICT editor) that the data is altered.

'Guy' said:

Er, that's a limitation of the format plug-ins use (resource forks). Do not create files 16MB or over, even in EVNEW.

In fact, it’s best to be overcautious, both in terms of the file size and the number of resources in a file. During the creation of both EV Override and EV Nova , the developers had trouble with resources being lost from over-filled files; that’s why the games split their data among so many different files.

@david-arthur, on May 16 2007, 03:35 PM, said in EV Nova Image Format:

In fact, it’s best to be overcautious, both in terms of the file size and the number of resources in a file. During the creation of both EV Override and EV Nova , the developers had trouble with resources being lost from over-filled files; that’s why the games split their data among so many different files.

Well, no resources were ever lost as such - at least in the course of Override. They just didn't get loaded.

In fact, Override had no problems with file size, just number of resources. Even then, that was only on 68K machines - PPCs never had a problem.

But, as you say, if in doubt - split.

@lostpinky, on May 16 2007, 01:17 AM, said in EV Nova Image Format:

Also is it me or does mac EVN just not like editing files over 16mb?

AAAH! NOOOO! AAARGH! DON'T DO THAT! I should know... The same way, there is a limit for number of resources in a single file (though from what you seem to be doing right now, that is PICTs of 4.5 MB each, this is not the one you're likely to run into right now ;)), usually 2727 but can be less if there are many resource types (strange that PPC vs 68k would even enter into the equation, probably strange side effects from the different implementations of the resource manager).