AnimXXXX.mdl

[SP4WN]

Ok, so Im trying to animate the launch pane for slipstream.

I have the artwork in place(animlaunchbmp.mdl) but it still wont animate???

I assume its something to do with animlaunch.mdl, but I cant open the file, It wont open in a code editer, wordpad, I even tried to open it as a model in MS3D at the suggestion of someone...

Anyone have any idea how to open these files correctly??

Thanks in advance,

Sp4wneh

[madpeople]

I never had any problems making it work.

I just made my own version of animlaunchbmp.mdl (just edit animlaunch.bmp from the source, there are 16 frames layed out in a 4x4 grid who's total size is 520*856), and converted it to a bmp.mdl with the standard mdl tools.

I never had to change anything else.

Can we see your animlaunch.bmp please?

[SP4WN]

If anyone says "uuh its supposed to be .bmp" il slap them, PNG for upload is all.

Its pretty much the exact same one from the original slipstream, I assumed it was the .mdl that was fried since all the other animxxxbmp.mdl's are working fine in the same way.

[Imago]

[SP4WN]

I dont get whether that SS is telling me you have the animation working, or you are just showing me the launch button on a normal alleg

[madpeople]

I haven't tested tried yet (due to a lack of allegiance install), but I would assume it was working if it showed up and he posted it, but will have to wait for him to comment again.

Just a slight cosmetic issue, the frame above the last one is missing it's background.

[SP4WN]

Ya that frame is #000000 background, it shoulnt be a problem, if it is I can build that in no time.

It does appear animlaunch.mdl is what is causing the issue, swapping out animlaunchbmp.mdl had no good effect.

Although, when I did swap out the animlaunch.mdl the image reverted to the standard alleg GUI animation.

That leads me to believe I need to open the current animlaunch.mdl or write one from scratch, the problem with writing one from scratch is my coding knowledge in any aspect is low, not to mention MSC++. I can edit well enough, just not build from scratch, hence wanting a way to edit animlaunch.mdl.

[Imago]

Sorry, i posted hastily and didn't explain. I just got back and I have time to explain what I did. It seems you think I'm full of @#(! for some reason, here is proof in the form of a moving picture: http://freeallegiance.sourceforge.net/4spawn.wmv

Because I want to see you improve allegiance, the game I love , i will make retard steps for you:

1) Build yourself mdlc.exe - For some reason my retail build in orig_artwork.zip http://sourceforge.net/projects/freeallegi...rk.zip/download is $#@!ed up, you have to use a debug version. I want you to check this out anyways because I'm sure it will help you in one way or another. (see the artbuild.bat files). Because I know you probably can't build your own debug mdlc.exe, here is a link to one YP made quite some time ago, he was even dangerous enough to include the MSVC++ debug runtime DLL. http://austin.bluedepot.com/mdlc.zip

2) Ok, now that you cheated out of having to do any real work to get a good mdlc.exe, put your MSVCRTD.dll and mdlc.exe into a new folder.

3) save your animlaunchspawn.bmp as a 24bit, 72dpi bitmap. Not a 32bit, 96dpi bitmap. a 24bit, 72dpi bitmap a 24bit, 72dpi bitmap a 24bit, 72dpi bitmap into the folder you just made. (repeated so you don't $#@! that part up)

4) run the following commands:
mdlc -convert animlaunchspawn.bmp animlaunchspawnbmp.mdl
mdlc -compressanim 4 4 animlaunchspawnbmp animlaunch.mdl

5) Done.

[Imago]

oh and FWIW, if anyone is full of @#(! it's madpeople. the guy dosent even have allegiance installed WTF

[Adaven]

Spawn, I'm not sure how much you are in love with newtype's in-base layout, but in the Art Source there is an alternate version of the MS design that sorta fits the Slipstream aesthetic. I'll see if I can't dig something up for you.