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Author Topic:   SMACX: Faction Editor

carlos posted 08-03-99 06:02 AM ET
In order to make this faction editor idea work it's important that you can give your new faction an own "face".
That's why I think it would be nice if some extra "heads" and faction symbols were included on the SMACX cdrom. That way it's a lot easier to create a faction significantly different then the standard factions. Otherwise you're playing with/against a faction which is just a Mirian or Morgan with some different attributes. That simply lacks atmosphere.
Resource Consumer posted 08-03-99 09:34 AM ET
nice idea.
However, the question should be "is SMACX/AC anything other than a glorified faction editor?"
MechaDestroyer posted 08-03-99 12:15 PM ET
Also, SMAX should have a male/female version of each faction.
Darkstar posted 08-03-99 02:13 PM ET
I found ACEdit to be a very good tool to make new SMAC Factions. And it includes template graphic giles. You just replace the template created file with what you want, and voila! New Faction with new graphic.
The *real* question is SMACAX going to distribute ACEdit as the Faction Editor? ACEdit is freeware, after all...
-Darkstar
akathisia posted 08-03-99 02:36 PM ET
Darkstar, the default files is well and good but some of us (read me) suck horribly at drawing, especially faces. Maybe a simple design tool (pick sex, hair color, skin color, background, etc)
Yes, I know it will never happen. I don't think Firaxis reads the forums anymore. It would be nice if they did, but I don't think they do.
Is the only way to create PCX files with PaintShopPro? Any freeware way of doing it?
akathisia
Darkstar posted 08-03-99 04:41 PM ET
I thought PCX files were native to MS Windows Paint program. Bitmaps and PCX are the only formats that it does, if I recall correctly...
So, look for MS Paint under your accessory menu.
-Darkstar
akathisia posted 08-03-99 05:03 PM ET
Ah, my wise Dark friend. Paint does not work correctly. I took a shot and scanned a bunch of images into Paint and saved it as a PCX file. First off, the file was 3 times larger than any of the other PCX faction files. Second, even though I DELETED the original file, SMAC still used the underlying parts of the PCX file that I covered over.
Needless to say after 3 hours of fine tuning a scanned image (very complicated drawing a goatee on an image) SMAC still used the Diedre pictures.
However, I downloaded PaintShopPro Beta which is FREE on zdnet. (though the older edition costs 80 or 90 bucks...odd system these computers have) So I will try again.
Thanks for the suggestion though.
akathisia-still waiting for Firaxis to notice my Invisibility Bug Thread, just a notice and comment would be fine, anything, just to know that they're still watching over us, and BTW Firaxis, I have a really good idea for a faction, maybe you'd like to look over it in the Faction section, just look for my name, its akathisia, other people seem to like the idea, I think its balanced, well, just a suggestion
Darkstar posted 08-03-99 05:32 PM ET
There is a trick to get paint to work correctly, but darned if I can remember it. Its a crappy program anyways.
The only bad thing to say about Paint Shop Pro is that they REALLY mean you only have 30 days to register it. You'll have to roll back the computer date next month when you want to do a conversion again. But aside from that... what do want for free? A rubber biscuit?
-Darkstar
The Doc posted 08-04-99 11:01 PM ET
I've been using ACEdit 2.0 for awhile, but I haven't been able to use it for the Patch 4.0 faction files. They seem to make the editor program crash, so now I just edit the txt files the old fashioned way (using notepad).
I have nearly completed my faction art for the Dark Side faction (leader Darth Maul). It's pretty hard to make the faction2.pcx and faction3.pcx graphics to look nice (I had to hand-draw the Empire symbol).
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Author	Topic: SMACX: Faction Editor
carlos	posted 08-03-99 06:02 AM ET In order to make this faction editor idea work it's important that you can give your new faction an own "face". That's why I think it would be nice if some extra "heads" and faction symbols were included on the SMACX cdrom. That way it's a lot easier to create a faction significantly different then the standard factions. Otherwise you're playing with/against a faction which is just a Mirian or Morgan with some different attributes. That simply lacks atmosphere.
Resource Consumer	posted 08-03-99 09:34 AM ET nice idea. However, the question should be "is SMACX/AC anything other than a glorified faction editor?"
MechaDestroyer	posted 08-03-99 12:15 PM ET Also, SMAX should have a male/female version of each faction.
Darkstar	posted 08-03-99 02:13 PM ET I found ACEdit to be a very good tool to make new SMAC Factions. And it includes template graphic giles. You just replace the template created file with what you want, and voila! New Faction with new graphic. The real question is SMACAX going to distribute ACEdit as the Faction Editor? ACEdit is freeware, after all... -Darkstar
akathisia	posted 08-03-99 02:36 PM ET Darkstar, the default files is well and good but some of us (read me) suck horribly at drawing, especially faces. Maybe a simple design tool (pick sex, hair color, skin color, background, etc) Yes, I know it will never happen. I don't think Firaxis reads the forums anymore. It would be nice if they did, but I don't think they do. Is the only way to create PCX files with PaintShopPro? Any freeware way of doing it? akathisia
Darkstar	posted 08-03-99 04:41 PM ET I thought PCX files were native to MS Windows Paint program. Bitmaps and PCX are the only formats that it does, if I recall correctly... So, look for MS Paint under your accessory menu. -Darkstar
akathisia	posted 08-03-99 05:03 PM ET Ah, my wise Dark friend. Paint does not work correctly. I took a shot and scanned a bunch of images into Paint and saved it as a PCX file. First off, the file was 3 times larger than any of the other PCX faction files. Second, even though I DELETED the original file, SMAC still used the underlying parts of the PCX file that I covered over. Needless to say after 3 hours of fine tuning a scanned image (very complicated drawing a goatee on an image) SMAC still used the Diedre pictures. However, I downloaded PaintShopPro Beta which is FREE on zdnet. (though the older edition costs 80 or 90 bucks...odd system these computers have) So I will try again. Thanks for the suggestion though. akathisia-still waiting for Firaxis to notice my Invisibility Bug Thread, just a notice and comment would be fine, anything, just to know that they're still watching over us, and BTW Firaxis, I have a really good idea for a faction, maybe you'd like to look over it in the Faction section, just look for my name, its akathisia, other people seem to like the idea, I think its balanced, well, just a suggestion
Darkstar	posted 08-03-99 05:32 PM ET There is a trick to get paint to work correctly, but darned if I can remember it. Its a crappy program anyways. The only bad thing to say about Paint Shop Pro is that they REALLY mean you only have 30 days to register it. You'll have to roll back the computer date next month when you want to do a conversion again. But aside from that... what do want for free? A rubber biscuit? -Darkstar
The Doc	posted 08-04-99 11:01 PM ET I've been using ACEdit 2.0 for awhile, but I haven't been able to use it for the Patch 4.0 faction files. They seem to make the editor program crash, so now I just edit the txt files the old fashioned way (using notepad). I have nearly completed my faction art for the Dark Side faction (leader Darth Maul). It's pretty hard to make the faction2.pcx and faction3.pcx graphics to look nice (I had to hand-draw the Empire symbol).