animating graphics

[SilentThief]

Here's a question that prolly has been mentioned B4, and maybe even recently; but I was wondering if there would be any support for use of animated gif's or otherwise animating graphics in DC? I know how to use the movie viewer event, but what I'm talking about is the way the fire was animated on the torches on the walls in FRUA (altho they used color cycling). Or the animations that had the mer-elf turning into the dolphin or the winking chick that was the sea-hag. I know how to do movies (and I think I know how to do sound with those movies, we'll see...) but I thought that we could have animations in the regular graphics. Here's another thought, animating combat Icons (as opposed to 2 pics, have like 4: ready, action, and two in between to show the movement from ready to action.)

Just thinking out loud. any ideas about how these animations could or couldn't work, feel free to spout off about 'em.

Silentthief

[SilentThief]

also, after submit of the post above, I thought of another Q, which isn't related but I need to know. I read somewhere that there is a yahoo msg board for this group?? if so, could someone give the msg board address in one of these posts?

Thanx in advance
Silentthief

[manikus]

color-cycling only works with a set palette, and since dc supports graphics w/o palettes, you can see why that one got left out. [img]smile.gif[/img]
as far as other types of animation (not counting the movie viewer), the small pic format supoprts it. when you import a small pic into your design, you may notice it asks you about how many frames, etc. dc reads the small pic from left to right, with each frame being the exact size of the small pic. for an excellent example of what i'm talking about, check out ziroc's teleporter animation here on ironworks.

as to your second question, the yahoogroups forum is actually a mailing list, but they do give us some space to post files and what not. you have to be a member to access any of that stuff, but it's easy- just follow the link below.
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/UAForever/join
(a lot of people are here and there, but there are a few folks that are only on the list.)

-manikus

[SilentThief]

You know, I did see the "number of frames" setting for pictures. Manikus, you are a wellspring of information... A true sage... and thanks for the reminder. Now after seeing you gave the answer to the website for the UA newsletter, maybe you are familiar with some of the hacks that the FRUA community had created to make the game have greater capabilities.
One I'm asking about is this, they hacked a 2 square (tall) by 3 square (wide) combat Icon. Is is possible for DC to do different sized combat Icons than the "standard set"??

Just wondering again...

Silentthief

[manikus]

absolutely possible to have any square by square size icon you want to have, the only thing you need to know is that the square is 48x48 pixels.

i've done quite a bit of expirementing with this, the largest icon being a 10x10 giant robot- just make sure the area you chose for the combat is big enough for the icons to fit.

-manikus
p.s. the hack in ua is doable using autery's toolbox for "huge" icons of which there are several dragons by nol drek- all from gold box games i think.