Author Topic: Question on image format for modding  (Read 5417 times)

Offline clownagent

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Question on image format for modding
« on: September 13, 2013, 01:41:44 pm »
I tried to add an image for laser tech to the Ufopaedia. However, it seems that openXcom makes some kind of color transformation on the images.
I saved the image as 24 bit .png and 8 bit .gif, but both show different colors in the game compared to an image viewer (the 8 bit .gif is really ugly  :-\). For saving the images I used gimp and paint.net.

Is there somewhere a guide on how to prepare images for openXcom, so that the correct colors are shown ingame?

Ruleset and images I used are attached.

Offline SupSuper

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Re: Question on image format for modding
« Reply #1 on: September 13, 2013, 04:54:04 pm »
OpenXcom is limited to the original 8bpp palettes, so you need to use those colors, otherwise they will be automatically approximated.

If you need I can get the palettes in a format you can put into Photoshop or something.

Offline clownagent

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Re: Question on image format for modding
« Reply #2 on: September 13, 2013, 06:13:37 pm »
Ah thank you for the answer and the link, that solves the problem hopefully.

Will openXcom stick to these palettes in the near future (probably because of simpler integration of the original graphics???) or do you plan to allow the integration of images with more colors?


Edit:
I have experimented a bit with changing weapn graphics and must say it would be a HUGE simplification, if the limitation to these palettes was removed (at least for a graphics layman like me).
« Last Edit: September 14, 2013, 09:54:36 am by clownagent »

Offline xracer

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Re: Question on image format for modding
« Reply #3 on: September 16, 2013, 10:18:18 pm »
Hello, this argument has been ongoing for a while now. Right now i think that it stands in keeping the 8bit for ease of use and access to the original artwork, but clearly Sup and the other programmers had already allowed for other image formats. I think it is just a matter of time and a little patience for 24bit to be implemented. Or rather maybe "time" being the key factor, since the time spent on implementing this feature can be used to fix the hundreds of bug running free :) maybe if someone out there can work on it, i think Sup wouldn't mind.

Offline SupSuper

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Re: Question on image format for modding
« Reply #4 on: September 17, 2013, 12:32:16 am »
This discussion has come and gone, but the summary of it is: If original X-COM was just 8bit graphics it would be trivial to convert them to 24bit (much like currently you can put any image formats because they get converted to 8bit). The catch comes in all the fancy 8bit effects it also does (lighting, gradients, etc) that can't be easily applied to 24bit graphics. We are aware how frustrating it can be for modders, don't worry. :P