List of Sprites

ACEofHeart · November 29, 2002, 18:05

Does anyone know of a list that shows what directory "file name" each sprite is .. ???
Would be helpful..

Method · November 30, 2002, 10:44

what?

gwillybj · November 30, 2002, 21:02

Can't be done. The units you see in the game are comprised of multiple 3D components combined to create the unit's correct appearance depending on chassis, weapon or equipment, armor, and reactor, and some special abilities have visual components.
What might you be trying to do?

ACEofHeart · December 4, 2002, 03:33

What do you mean it can't be done ?
I only ask if there was a list comprised of what file name
each unit is... I didn't say I wanted to create anything..

As I have SMAC and the Exp, I wanted to see if I could
for example substitute the the terraforming units when I just play SMAC , I like the red ones,hate seeing the "big ugly lime green ones all the time..

MariOne · December 4, 2002, 06:38

Knock knock?

As gwillybj said, and as far as I can recall too, THERE IS NOT A SINGLE FILE CONTAINING THE IMAGE OF A SINGLE CORRESPONDING UNIT, for instance a former.
Please, READ what gwill posted, and try to understand it: each unit's image is composed taking its different components out from different sources.
Also, I'm just guessing, but I figure that in any case in smax do NOT exist stored images of the same component in different colors - I figure the colors are generated runtime for the different factions, say for instance like the destroyer deck color changing when you play morgan or sparta or hive...

Anyway, I'm writing from work, and I never investigated this deeply, but *IF* I can find some spare time, I'll try to post the names of the graphic files in smac & smax.

BTW, last time I saw the term "sprite" used for an image/picture, it was at Commodore64 times... did I miss something?

Clear Skies · December 4, 2002, 15:19

Sprites are still in use, at least in terms of terminology

Last time I saw it used was about Worms:Armageddon.

ACEofHeart · December 5, 2002, 03:25

okay,, I guess I understand what you're saying..
I did switch some graphic files , like the aliens, and also
some terrain items.. they were in the Unit and Ter files but those were just bmp files..
Now I know why no one ever did invent any new units for the game like in CTP and other CIV games...
I guess the ability to alter units within the game was a blessing and a curse..

johndmuller · December 7, 2002, 05:58

Its probably possible somehow, but you might have to go to greater lengths than would be worth whatever you ended up with.

Do the deck colors of the destroyers really change according to faction? I've been thinking that it was reactor, but I've never really looked too closely at them.

Method · December 7, 2002, 12:03

Quote:

Originally posted by johndmuller
Do the deck colors of the destroyers really change according to faction?

they sure do

gwillybj · December 7, 2002, 12:04

back in August when I made this picture:

Method · December 7, 2002, 12:06

i beat you to it, but my colours seem a bit off

gwillybj · December 7, 2002, 12:07

Should I be scared?

edit: This could go on all day

re-edit: color might just be the difference between gif and jpg

Method · December 7, 2002, 12:09

yes. yes you should.

edit in response to gwilly's edit: nahh, it's my game's fault. look at my picture again

ACEofHeart · December 7, 2002, 21:05

Another dumb question..

Since there is a Units.pcx file with some static units ,and even an Icon file and Terrain file etc.. like in Civ2,.. was Firaxis ever considering using static units for SMAC ???
I realize the terrain could not have been elevated for their proper use..
Seems tho, like it was all in place but the option never materialized..

gwillybj · December 9, 2002, 06:45

Don't know, of course, but I suspect they may have been preparing to use 2D images and then the code for the 3D stuff became available. You'll notice (in SMAC, I don't have X) the Alien Artifacts and Mind Worms are 2D and slide from space to space without turning. All other units, including Isles and Locusts, are 3D and turn to face in the direction of movement or battle, and react to terrain slopes.

BTW - The 3D stuff is in the ".cvr" (caviar) files. You would have to have the necessary software and Firaxis' proprietary "special sauce" to edit them - they aren't just caviar. That's why my first response was "Can't be done".

MariOne · December 9, 2002, 09:23

ACE: sorry, I could not find the time, I presume that in the meanwhile, with our right directions, you might have developed on your own an expertise one the matter superior to mine

TKG and gwill:
OF COURSE, TKG's colours are of the smaX factions, while gwill's colours are of the smaC factions! (although his Santi & Lal *definitely* show an ill shade

)

BTW, Destroyer Deck is the more evident, but I'm sure that units colours show factional differences with some other components too... offhand I'd dare to say for instance, Chopper's "sledges"? Someone care to make this a "Quest" ?

Method · December 9, 2002, 18:26

perhaps later. i think there's something on the needle's too...

gwillybj · December 11, 2002, 04:51

I kinda suspected TKG's colours

were SMAX. Might someone know the palette index numbers? (Look at the Player Colors chart in the upper right corner of palette.pcx. The top row is the flag colors.)

Quote:

MariOne noticed...
... gwill's colours are of the smaC factions! (although his Santi & Lal *definitely* show an ill shade

)

My "Spartan Grey" is, indeed, edited. It is in order to avoid the common problem of playing another faction in that slot and having all the info invisible on the black flags. By making it grey, the text is visible.

My Peacekeepers always had that odd pale purple color (#225) straight out of the box. Recently, though, I changed it to the deep purple (#251) because my eyesight is not great and many times I couldn't tell at a glance if I was seeing Pale Purple Peacekeepers or White University units.

Quote:

MariOne also posted this "challenge":
BTW, Destroyer Deck is the more evident, but I'm sure that units colours show factional differences with some other components too... offhand I'd dare to say for instance, Chopper's "sledges"? Someone care to make this a "Quest" ?

Done:

Infantry: Weapon mount for all except "scout" infantry.
Speeder: Frame. Need to look close; mostly hidden by reactor, cockpit, and weapon mount.
Hovertank: Frame, front intakes, top of cockpit.
Foil: Frame above aerofoil housing. As with Speeder, need to look close.
Cruiser: Deck, and upper decks on infantry transport.
Needlejet: Exhaust baffles, wing tips.
Copter: Frame, skids, tail.
Gravship: Frame, fan-pods.

Many of these will be hidden if the unit is armored, most notably Speeders and Foils.

Method · December 11, 2002, 19:24

Quote:

Originally posted by gwillybj
I kinda suspected TKG's colours

were SMAX.

yah...it was weird. even after starting a new game with just SMAC factions (so the .ini file would get set to that) and making the same scenario, the hive was still light blue (pirates) the spartans pink (cult) etc...i'm still baffled why