StendhalRefactoringGraphics: Difference between revisions

===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 image format for creatures is [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portable_Network_Graphics png]. ( If you have used [http://www.gimp.org/ GIMP] to create the image, it is interesting that the original [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/XCF_(file_format) XCF] file is submitted as well)

* 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.

* The size of each frame is:

** 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]:

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