StendhalRefactoringGraphics: Difference between revisions

This page is to collect missing or new graphics wanted to be made, also graphics which exist but need improvement.

==General Specifications==

* File format is [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portable_Network_Graphics PNG] and '''must''' be [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rgb RGB] with 8 bits/color.

* If multi-layered, please submit the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/XCF_(file_format) XCF] source for the file also.

* Use only fully opaque, or fully transparent pixels (no [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transparency_(graphic)#Partial_transparency_by_alpha_channels alpha channel]).

===Specification===

The sprites used for creatures are in the [http://arianne.cvs.sourceforge.net/viewvc/arianne/stendhal/data/sprites/monsters/ data/sprites/monsters/] directory in the stendhal source.

* The shape of a creature must have a dark outline of a few pixels (this is to make it stand out from the background)

* A creature should have 12 frames for its [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Walk_cycle walk cycle] which are laid from the top to the bottom in the following rows:

** 3 for when its walk is seen from its back side.

** 3 for when its walk is seen from its right side.

** 3 for when its walk is seen from its front side.

** 3 for when its walk is seen from its left side.

** for small-sized creatures (e.g [http://arianne.cvs.sourceforge.net/viewvc/arianne/stendhal/data/sprites/monsters/small_animal/rat.png rat]): 32 x 32 pixels, so the size of the whole image is 96 x 128 pixels.

** for human-sized creatures (e.g. [http://arianne.cvs.sourceforge.net/viewvc/arianne/stendhal/data/sprites/monsters/undead/skeleton.png skeleton]): 48 x 64 pixels, so the size of the whole image is 144 x 256 pixels.

** for giant-sized creatures (e.g [http://arianne.cvs.sourceforge.net/viewvc/arianne/stendhal/data/sprites/monsters/giant_animal/giantrat.png giant rat]): 64 x 64 pixels, so the size of the whole image is 192 x 256 pixels.

** for huge-sized creatures (e.g. [http://arianne.cvs.sourceforge.net/viewvc/arianne/stendhal/data/sprites/monsters/huge_animal/red_dragon.png red dragon]): 96 x 128 pixels, so the size of the whole image is 288 x 512 pixels.

** for exceptionally huge-sized creatures (e.g [http://arianne.cvs.sourceforge.net/viewvc/arianne/stendhal/data/sprites/monsters/mythical_animal/balrog.png balrog]): 320 x 440 pixels, so the size of the whole image is 960 x 1760 pixels.

===Using sprites not created specifically from scratch===

[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RPGMaker_2000 RPGMaker 2000]-like sprites (like those at http://charas-project.net) are an interesting graphic resource for stendhal.

Unfortunately, the frame size for their animated human-sized characters is usually 24 x 32 pixels (72 x 128 pixels for the whole image) which is half the size of what is needed, so some rescaling has to be done.

So, if you choose to use them, please scale the image and remove the background using our [http://sourceforge.net/projects/arianne/files/stendhal/0.83/CharasConverter.jar/download charas converter program].

====If you prefer not to use our converter...====

You can use [http://scale2x.sourceforge.net/ scale2x]. Once you have it installed, the command to type is:

scalex -k 2 old.png new.png

If the images have a coloured background like those from Charas, it needs to be made transparent. Use this [[VisualHowToRemoveBackgrounds|Visual Guide]] or do the following in [http://www.gimp.org/ GIMP]:

* Select the coloured background (green from Charas) by doing Tools->Selection Tools->Fuzzy Select (or pressing Z), and clicking on the green background. Make sure that the 'threshold' is set to 0 which means it will only select exactly that green colour. Also turn off 'Antialiasing' and 'Feather edges'. These settings should be available on the gimp main window.

===Huge creatures are specially in need of refactoring===

Large creatures, like the black dragon do not look good. At the moment they are just many times scaled as described above. They should be redrawn properly.

At least the following creatures should be redone:

* <del>balrog</del> ''kiheru''

* <del>black dragon</del> ''hamtaro''

* some others

The sprites used for NPCs are in [http://arianne.cvs.sourceforge.net/viewvc/arianne/stendhal/data/sprites/npc/ data/sprites/npc/].

Players can have hair, face, body and dress. These are saved separately so outfits can be mixed and matched.

We use http://charas-project.net:

*The medium charsets

*Selecting just one layer to save.

The clothes (dress) and hair can have new colours but only to one 'hue'. So, the original outfit should look multi coloured, because that means there will be more variation overall.

:Certain outfits and hair are now 'duplicates' since the colouring changes. Please add small details to one of the duplicates to help differentiate them. E.g a bow on the back of a dress, a small flower detail, some pattern, etc. Leave one of the duplicates like the original, and don't make too drastic changes for those who had selected the outfit.

:There is a popular spiky hair which is all one colour and has no depth. Depth is needed. (technically, it must have the same lightness. it's hair 12 and 29)

The sprites used for items are in the [http://arianne.cvs.sourceforge.net/viewvc/arianne/stendhal/data/sprites/items/ data/sprites/items/] directory in the stendhal source.

* An animated item (like [http://arianne.cvs.sourceforge.net/viewvc/arianne/stendhal/data/sprites/items/money/gold.png money]) should have a 32N x 32 sprite. E.g. if it has 4 frames in the animation it will be a 128 x 32 sprite. It will automatically appear animated

* Items go in the folder data/sprites/items/<class>/<subclass>.png

The sprites used for corpses are in the [http://arianne.cvs.sourceforge.net/viewvc/arianne/stendhal/data/sprites/corpse/ data/sprites/corpse] directory.

* Images dimensions should be a multiple of 32, the size should depend on the [http://arianne.cvs.sourceforge.net/viewvc/arianne/stendhal/data/sprites/monsters/ creature].

* ent

* golem (?)

* more tiles for ice ridges (currently they can't cope with concave angles (see [http://arianne.cvs.sourceforge.net/viewvc/arianne/stendhal/tiled/Level%200/ados/rock.tmx level_0\ados\rock.tmx] for example))

* childrens toys