Ambrosia Garden Archive
    • I know how to do night+rain: Questions


      I know how to do a night effect, but I just don't know how to do masks etc. I am trying to create a transparent night effect (a purple mask to put over the screen) that doesn't obscure the players view. First, I did a pct. file animation that worked great but covered the screen (foreground stamp control + background stamp control!). I then thought that maybe pic files cannot do transperancies so I did it with .psd files. They didn't even show up!

      Anyway, here's how to do it. Make an animation consisting of purple frames getting darker, then lighter (looping) with a delay of 1400 or something. Then, use stamp control to add it to (this is the part I don't know how to do) CameraX and CameraY. Link this event to Main. The same can be done with rain.

      Can someone please explain???

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    • Ok, well, have you tried .png yet? That's my only suggestion, except to check the tags as well.

      Thanks for the info on night, hope I helped,
      PinkFluffyBunny

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      Be carefree like the
      bunny; nibble on grass,
      prance through fields.

    • Yes, Coldstone doesn't read .psd files. Make a partially transparent purple graphic via the Layer Opacity control and save it as a PNG.

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      (url="http://"http://homepage.mac.com/cafall/projects/tfm.html")The Four Mages(/url), an unfinished quest-oriented plug-in for Pillars of Garendall.
      If passion rules reason, how can you allow only reason to rule you?
      Ā— Cafall

    • psd is short for photoshop document so it wont work at all... for anyhing.

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      I'm not laughing at you,
      I'm laughing with you in
      mind

    • Originally posted by Cafalll:
      Yes, Coldstone doesn't read .psd files. Make a partially transparent purple graphic via the Layer Opacity control and save it as a PNG.

      Oh, I wish it was that simple. :frown: Coldstone doesn't do transparency, no matter what extension you save it in. As I said before white is not transparent it's invisible. If you can do a transparent purple screen inside of Coldstone email me a screen shot and then tell me how you did it. It's a good theory, but not a reality in Coldstone. Now I don't mean a start up screen, I mean a map within the game itself. I have tried Photoshop, Canvas, SnapzPro, graphic converter, to name a few, and have yet to succeed.

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    • posted by -LethaLGraphiX-: (url="http://"http://www.AmbrosiaSW.com/webboard/Forum48/HTML/001366.html")http://www.AmbrosiaS...TML/001366.html(/url)

      I want more than a how to URL. I want proof that it works! I know how to make a graphic transparent inside Photoshop, Canvas and other graphic programs but try putting them into Coldstone and they are no longer transpaent. They are a bunch of broken lines of colors and some parts of the original graphic but not a gradient see through TRANSPARENT graphic. Sorry, didn't mean to yell. šŸ™‚ Show me the screen shot and make me a believer. Remember, I'm talking about inside the game map, not start up screens. And no dithering white dot work arounds either. Been there, done that. 8bit, 16bit, 32bit it doesn't matter, still won't work. Make me a believer!

      Send me the transparent graphic to put into Coldstone. Then I'll believe.

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      (This message has been edited by Toast (edited 08-11-2002).)

    • Just use the instrucitons given in that link. I use it and it works. It should work when you use it, too.
      (url="http://"http://users.skynet.be/fa250604/sites/gamesite/crescent.html")Here(/url) you can see a screenshot with sprites and stamps using transparency.

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    • I just realized something when I reread your description of the 'broken lines of colors'.

      transparency does not work in the editor!!!
      all you have to do is start a game to see it work.

      I repeat:

      all you have to do is start a game to see transparency work.

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    • wow, thanks alot guys!!!!
      very helpful!
      Lethal, I signed up to be a beta tesster for Crescent, but you haven't even emailed me yet (i would like to also be a heavy duter for later on, i.e. huge spoiler value etc.) !!!

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    • Quote

      Originally posted by smodis:
      Then, use stamp control to add it to (this is the part I don't know how to do) CameraX and CameraY.

      One way to work around this is to make the animation frames the same size as the map. However, it may slow down the game. I do think that version 1.0.1 does let you use tags for stamp control, though.

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    • Toast, (url="http://"http://homepage.mac.com/cafall/images/tfm03.jpg")here(/url) is a screenshot of a PNG-based animation with both white and transparent areas. I don't wish to be rude, but it is my opinion that you are doing something incorrectly.

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      (url="http://"http://homepage.mac.com/cafall/projects/tfm.html")The Four Mages(/url), an unfinished quest-oriented plug-in for Pillars of Garendall.
      If passion rules reason, how can you allow only reason to rule you?
      Ā— Cafall

    • Originally posted by Cafalll:
      Toast,http://homepage.mac.com/cafall/images/tfm03.jpg)here is a screenshot of a PNG-based animation with both white and transparent areas. I don't wish to be rude, but it is my opinion that you are doing something incorrectly.

      No, Cafall, I don't take that as rude but, look at this site and see what I mean by transparent. (url="http://"http://www.vvm.com/~rplate/")http://www.vvm.com/~rplate/(/url) I really don't see anything in your graphic that looks transparent. By the way how do you put the word HERE as a URL to your site?
      Thanks for staying with me on this. My Mac hard drive crashed again and I just got back from taking it to CompUSA for repairs. I'm on my PC right now. :frown:

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    • Quote

      Originally posted by Toast:
      **
      No, Cafall, I don't take that as rude but, look at this site and see what I mean by transparent.http://www.vvm.com/~rplate/ I really don't see anything in your graphic that looks transparent. By the way how do you put the word HERE as a URL to your site?
      Thanks for staying with me on this. My Mac hard drive crashed again and I just got back from taking it to CompUSA for repairs. I'm on my PC right now. :frown:

      **

      The outer glow on Cafall's lightning ball thing was transparent. Just barely, but it is.
      (url="http://"http://www.AmbrosiaSW.com/webboard/ubbcode.html") This(/url) shows how to use the url tags.
      That picture is pretty weird if not downright disturbing. šŸ™‚ You might want to try another program to make the mask, such as Graphic Converter. (edit)I tried to link to a download, but VersionTracker.com won't let me link to it. You can still download it.(/edit)

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      Nothing is foolproof to a sufficiently talented fool.
      "Logic is futile"-Scott Adams

      (This message has been edited by spitfire (edited 08-13-2002).)

    • Quote

      Originally posted by spitfire:
      **The outer glow on Cafall's lightning ball thing was transparent. Just barely, but it is.
      That picture is pretty weird if not downright disturbing. šŸ™‚ You might want to try another program to make the mask, such as Graphic Converter.
      **

      Maybe my graphic looks weird, but remember this topic started with the question about making a night scene with a purple overlay. A n overlay covers the whole screen with tranparency. Cafalls, example doesn't really prove much when you have to squint to see the transparency. I'd like to see a whole screen with a transparent overlay. And, without the lines cutting through various parts of it. I'd still like someone to email me one that works so that I can insert it into my Coldstone game and be a believer. I'll make a screenshot and post it for all to see that it can be done. Until then I am very sceptical. Look at the above post and see what I am looking for. The one that bothers spitfire so much. šŸ™‚

      rplate@vvm.com

    • again, thanks, and I am trying to get it to work right now
      instead of CameraXandCameraY I tried to make an overlay for the whole map, but since my maps are 200x200 mostly, just the blank document took up over 100 megs!

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    • of course there is always the simple option of creating a tile using the pattern feature of a paint app(like apple works)

      just create a pattern fill a given square area, save as pic, and depending on how tight the hatching of the pattern is that's how it will appear. it's definitely not a png, but it still get's the job done.

      ~iLL_a_nois/eLL'
      Posted Image

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      (url="http://"http://www.geocities.com/ellrx/index.html")"I'm gonna totally gnaw on your soul, and like floss with your spirit"(/url) visit my site (url="http://"http://www.geocities.com/ellrx/index.html")eLL' Software theNest(/url) (url="http://"http://www.geocities.com/ellrx/index.html")Kane your brother's blood cries out to me..." ~God, didn't think God was iLL like that didja?ż(/url)

    • Quote

      Originally posted by Toast without my password:
      **Maybe my graphic looks weird, but remember this topic started with the question about making a night scene with a purple overlay. A n overlay covers the whole screen with tranparency. Cafalls, example doesn't really prove much when you have to squint to see the transparency. I'd like to see a whole screen with a transparent overlay. And, without the lines cutting through various parts of it. I'd still like someone to email me one that works so that I can insert it into my Coldstone game and be a believer. I'll make a screenshot and post it for all to see that it can be done. Until then I am very sceptical. Look at the above post and see what I am looking for. The one that bothers spitfire so much.:)

      rplate@vvm.com **

      (url="http://"http://homepage.mac.com/spitfire4/transparency.gif")http://homepage.mac....ransparency.gif(/url)
      I have done a test. and it works. A part of a screenshot taken from within the game. The stamp itself is 400 x 400. and is just a partially blue transparent png file. The png file is available here: (url="http://"http://homepage.mac.com/spitfire4/Transparent.png")http://homepage.mac....Transparent.png(/url)

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      Nothing is foolproof to a sufficiently talented fool.
      "Logic is futile"-Scott Adams

    • (quote)Originally posted by spitfire:
      **(QUOTE)Originally posted by Toast without my password:
      QUOTE) (url="http://")http://homepage.mac.com/spitfire4/transparency.gif(/url)
      I have done a test. and it works. A part of a screenshot taken from within the game. The stamp itself is 400 x 400. and is just a partially blue transparent png file. The png file is available here: (url="http://")http://homepage.mac.com/spitfire4/Transparent.png(/url)
      **(/quote)
      I LOVE YA MAN!! You are the first person on this forum to actually prove that it could be done. I saved the png graphic off your site and put it into my Coldstone game, started the game and there it was. No lines no distortions. Just a clear light blue transparency. WOW! I am a believer! How'd you do that? What program? Does the size have anything to do with it. Does the amount of opaque mean anything? I am just beside myself with excitement. YEAH! I mean, you don't know how many hours I have worked to try and do that. Please! Please! tell me how you do that.

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    • Quote

      Originally posted by Toast:
      **I LOVE YA MAN!! You are the first person on this forum to actually prove that it could be done. I saved the png graphic off your site and put it into my Coldstone game, started the game and there it was. No lines no distortions. Just a clear light blue transparency. WOW! I am a believer! How'd you do that? What program? Does the size have anything to do with it. Does the amount of opaque mean anything? I am just beside myself with excitement. YEAH! I mean, you don't know how many hours I have worked to try and do that. Please! Please! tell me how you do that.

      **

      Thanks, but don't worry, I'll extract it from you in Poser questions later. šŸ™‚
      But, I'm still not sure how to solve your problems. It might be Canvas. Why don't you send me your file and I'll tinker with it.
      Try (url="http://"http://lemkEsoft.com/us_gcabout.html")GraphicConverter(/url). I don't use it, but it should work with pngs.
      BTW: I used photoshop and made a semi-transparent layer.

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      Nothing is foolproof to a sufficiently talented fool.
      "Logic is futile"-Scott Adams

      (This message has been edited by spitfire (edited 08-13-2002).)

      (This message has been edited by spitfire (edited 08-13-2002).)