Final Fantasy Hacktics

Quote from: GamerNoobFFT on July 25, 2011, 12:16:15 am
I am completely clueless when it comes to programs like ShishiSpriteEditor. So I have come to ask for help with my situation. Anything anyone has to offer will be greatly appreciated.

I only have a .bin and .cue file of Final Fantasy Tactics that I play on ePSXe. I have tried to import a Ramza custom sprite over all three Ramzas, a Zack Fair over female squire and Sephiroth over male, and the Cloud over male knight and Vincent over female knight. As I said before, I am terrible with this stuff, so I assume that is it and I load the game in ePSXe. But the sprites will not show. Please what am I doing wrong?

I believe you need to run Shishi editor, and go to File>Load ISO, and try running the .bin file that way.  If it is rar'd try taking it out/extracting it out of the rar file.  This might work.

Thanks Cheetah, I've been fiddling around with PS and don't know how to do #1, I'm sure it's in preferences though, #2 I do, #3 Is a yes, #4 I had no idea I can change a whole color, #5 I tried to do, but found out pencil was the only way to go, #6 I have the newest version but don't know how to open another window for my sprite, I use magnifixer.

As for gen. tips
I'm trying to set elements of Gafgarion's fur lining along his shoulder and the Squire's hair incorporated onto Malak, and I want Malaks collar to be gold.  Native resolution, what do you mean?  I saved sprites from http://finalfantasy.wikia.com/wiki/Category:Final_Fantasy_Tactics_Portrait_Images, and I *think* I'm using as much existing resources* as possible.  I used flash because I had no idea how to break down the image with PS, in order to use the magic lasso to remove gafgarions fur along his shoulders.  Then, I copied that and put it onto Malak.  Though I probably could've just used paint for that, or maybe I was on the wrong layer at the time in PS, I got it to work lol.  Thanks for the tips Cheetah!

Quote from: Joseph Strife on July 24, 2011, 10:31:44 pm
Welcome aboard!

Hey, thanks Joseph!

Quote from: MysticKnightFF5 on July 24, 2011, 10:50:14 pm

Lol, hey ya never know MysticKnight. and thanks

I managed to get through a little bit of the story, and I enjoyed it.  Maybe we could do something like that in between busting our @$$es on projects, lol!

Quote from: GeneralStrife on July 24, 2011, 02:38:17 pm
Hello mate.

Hey! it's nice to be onboard

Thoughts anyone?  If anything, I don't think it would be useful specifically for sprite art, and actually slow down productivity. =\  Just my two cents.

Quote from: Twinees on July 24, 2011, 06:17:11 am
hmm... why are you working at a 2x size again? If you work at 1x your pixels will be a lot smoother, and you wouldnt have any problems shrinking it because its at the standard size.
For the photoshop thing, leave it on 8bit. If you want to look at the palette go to Image -> Mode -> Colour Table. There you can edit the colours etc. What Kage was referring to was that portraits can only use 16 colours, i.e they have a 16 colour limit (including the background colour) so if you do go over that limit, you will have to reduce it for it to actually work in fft.

Okay I will try 1x.  Either I'm using photoshop wrong (wrong brushes, photoshop diff scaling)  because 1 pixel in GraphicsGale = 4 subdivided in 1 pixel, maybe I may have a setting wrong. because I have to make 4 pixels in one square to make 1 FFT pixel.  I tried using 4px + pen&other brushes but am having a little trouble with that since the brushes have different shapes and the pen does some kind of weird circular/oval shape.  So I think I will stick with graphicsgale as it is a more pixel oriented program.  Thanks for the tips!

Thank you Dome

GIMP should be fine for spriting...  So you imported the image in GIMP right? then tried to eye drop it, did you make sure to switch the pen so that you could make a spot for your new palette, I'm not sure but I'm guessing you may be accidentally still on the eye drop tool when you replace the brown, so you accidentally may be eyedropping the brown. 

This is a short story heavily inspired by FFT, it randomly came across my head one night and I rushed through, made a rough draft, and submitted it on another forum.  A forum buddy was kind enough to send me a rewrite, and I was impressed.  I'd like to share it with you guys, first the rough draft in the quotes:

QuoteThe clash of swords howled across the plains.

A towering man's silhouette soared between a young man and the sun. The man's shadow scornfully refused sight of his face at the lowly squire.

"Hold your tongue cur! Bastards like you should not even be holding knives let alone swords!," he snarled. The man pointed his sword towards the squire, his muscular tan figure kissed by the sun's glow. The sun was slowly setting to the east, yet the squire still could not catch a glimpse of the merciless shadow's face.

"Now come forth... nameless squire, or are you too occupied kissing the ground?," The man said with a smirk on his face. The squire slowly stood up, his eyes radiated with fire and his demeanor burning, itching to get into battle. He grasped his short sword's handle and tightened his buckler's grip. "Yaaahhhh!," he roared as he sprinted toward's the shadow, seeming to blaze faster with each step. The knight braced his long sword with both hands, pointing the sword readily at the squire. The squire leaped and slashed fiercely overhead. The knight maintained his poise, waiting for the right moment to strike.

The swords howled across the plains once again.

And the rewrite
Credit to PatientZero
The clash of swords howled across the plains.

The silhouette of a towering man soared between a young man and the sun, his face was a void of shadows, which seemed to scornfully refuse his identity to the lowly squire.

"Hold your tongue cur!" he snarled, "Bastards like you should not even be holding knives, let alone swords!"
He raised his blade towards his opponent, his muscular, tanned figure kissed by the suns glow, a sun which was now slowly retreating to the east.
And still the young squire could not catch a glimpse of the merciless shadow's face.

"Now come forth... nameless squire, or are you too occupied kissing the ground?" came the cutting remark through a smirk bathed in darkness.
The squire took to his feet, slowly, teeming with anticipation, his eyes ablaze with fury, itching for the inevitable battle.
With a firm hand he grasped at the handle of his short sword, and steadied his grip on his stalwart buckler.
He screamed fiercely as he sprinted towards the shadow of his adversary, closer and closer, faster and faster with each step he took.
The knight readied his long sword with powerfull hands, pointing the sword defiantly, unshaken by the savage mannerisms presented to him.
With all his might, the squire leapt and slashed fiercely overhead, but his target maintained his poise, waiting for the right opportunity to strike.

The swords howled across the plains once again.

Hey everyone,

  I've been a member of ffhacktics for longer than year, but wasn't all that active.  I def like this community and hope to contribute to the cause, FFT was an amazing game that was a pretty big deal to me as a young teen.  Little things like the graphics, portraits, were things that I had never seen before in RPG games, even the beginning scene, where armored men, not bearing any flags or symbols, are accompanying a young princess, a knight barges through the church doors wounded, then cueing in the music (night attack I think) oh man it was such a badass game.  The storyline was magnificent, first you're playing as not only one of the most respected families in Ivalice, but the son of Balbanes Beoulve (Nothing comes close to Heavenly Knight, seriously) but your elder brothers are well respected and versed in combat too.  This leads Ramza to find out that everything is not as it seems, and you grow with Ramza, seeing how his sense of justice is torn apart, or should I say remains steady, as the game goes on.

Whoo I'm gettin excited now,  yes so I'm Phlash guys, it's nice to meet you all

Quote from: dinosaur on July 24, 2011, 01:20:14 am
hhmmm I played around I am not sure about what Kage is referring too actually.

But to change your image to 16 bit. Go to IMAGE > MODE> 16bit/channel   ... I think that is what Kage is referring too...

Did that, but don't really notice the changes.  What exactly does that do?

Really great insight built upon other members experiences, def a solid read for all members to get some sound advice.

Hey man, sorry but your sentences are kind of fragmented and confusing for me to put together, please,  next time, take your time so we can receive your message right.  Sounds to me like you said you had to change something to rgb and your portrait won't let you put it into rgb?  What program are you using, did you try using the eyedropper tool, that's what I use with all my colors pretty much.

Quote from: Cheetah on July 23, 2011, 06:31:45 pm
Dragon Force is incredible, you should check out the Dragon Force II translation project.

Are you trying to make a normal size portrait to use in game or are you just trying to make an avatar? Photoshop takes a little changing around to work well for pixel art. You never want to use anti aliasing when doing pixel art. Working off a base and using bits and pieces of different sprites to frankinsprite something together is a good starting point for a beginner.

Hey Cheetah!  Well, I'm trying to make it as authentic as possible.  One reason is if I get decent at this I might be able to make a full spritesheet.  And I did frankinsprite too.. I imported all the sprites (Gafgarion, Olan, Squire, and Malak) and broke down the images in Flash CS5.  Then, I imported them into photoshop, copied a section of Gafgarions left shoulder, and tried to give somewhat of a noble look by *attempting* to make a gold collar.  It's not looking too great, lol.  I'm kinda new at this and I honestly don't know the basics.  As for Photoshop,  the scaling of the images takes about 4 pixels for one regular FFT pixel.  Here, take a look guys at what I've got for now.

Quote from: dinosaur on July 23, 2011, 07:52:28 pm
*cling*

I will respond about the Photoshop 16bit later.

Hi dinosaur, please write me back ASAP I am usually on the forums or IRC but i don't hear any sound if anyone IM's me so I might miss messages on irc xD!  Thanks!
http://i56.tinypic.com/33bd8c3.png

EDIT: damnit I forgot to save my gold collar when I was working on it last night >"<  Will keep ya guys posted! Workin on it right now
EDIT#2: Agghh.. I fear I may have passed my pixel bounds with the fur shoulders if it will be made for FFT =\  I may have to fix that later

Thanks Kagebunji!  16 colors, hm.  Not sure how to check photoshop for how many colors I've got.  Which kind of sucks because I added some gold on the collar (stole from Olan)  I really need to get my color foundation done.  Oh well time to google, lol.

Hey mav! thanks, hm... other work?  Well I like to write as well.  Actually have got a short story I want to finish, and I also like to animate too!  Was planning to work on my sprite animation skills by making a small Dragon Force fan series ( one of Sega Saturn's most underrated RPG) but as of right now, I'm occupied doing this hahah.

Btw, I'm having alot of trouble with lighting and shading in the right areas, and when I try to put the gold trimming on the collar, it looks very unnatural.  What is it called, anti-aliasing should do the trick right?

Hey everyone, I've finally decided to muster up the guts for my first ever sprite project of creating a custom portrait, and I'd like to share my concept/idea with you all.  This will also be my sprite project thread for future use

The idea is that I'd like to combine Gafgarion's fur along his shoulder as well as the unique squire's hairstyle to both be set onto Malak's portrait.  The fur will be set to Malak and I would like it to be very eye-catching.  The hairstyle to be similar to the unique squire however, still with malak's hair color.  I would also like to keep Malak's tan/dark skin tone, with a scar on his left cheek and noticeable hazel eyes.  I'm going for a somewhat foreign look akin to the Balkan's from Ogre battle 64.  If anyone doesn't know the Balkan's were fierce warriors that wore sharp, steel claws on each hand.  Although they were lightly armored, they were very agile and certainly muscular.  I don't remember the lore, but their empire was destroyed and people were enslaved.  It would make a nice game addition to the Ogre Battle series if you ask me

My Gameplan:
1st:  Fur
2nd: Hair
3rd: Eyes


Here's just a rough draft (I was in a rush but at least I did something xD)


Please let me know what you think, suggestions, etc. thanks!

Whoops my bad wrong area xD

I see that but there sure are alot more tutorials than that, I'm sure it would remove all doubt when newbies come by and go "wh4t d0 i d0 doo doo doo @_@" and make pointless threads when they see a Tutorial section in their face on the board index.  Just throwin my two cents out there

and by the way, I'm not asking for a handout or anything... I could do the work myself it doesn't seem that hard at all

I know I'm new here and all but I see "alot" of really good tutorials out here, and I was wondering why isn't there just a Tutorial section on the board index?  Does anyone else think this would be a good idea?

There's a deal for Battlefield Bad Company 2 on Steam right now, for the people who don't know it's a bad@$$ first person shooter... used to be about 50$, now it's 29.99  Oh and I'm playing Starcraft 2 right now.  Single player I am loving, you can really see the amount of time they invested in the CGI cutscenes *SPOILER*  Zeratul's scene's with kerrigan are BAD@$$.  Multi-player is even better, but beware all the starcraft vets are playing as well; it get's really competitive.

so SC2, BFBC2 are what i'm playing right now.