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Using basic colors in Photoshop CS3

Started by xanien, March 17, 2008, 08:17:54 pm

xanien

March 17, 2008, 08:17:54 pm Last Edit: December 31, 1969, 07:00:00 pm by xanien
Anyone?  I can't seem to limit myself to the colors necessary to make the sprites work in FFT.

Xifanie

March 17, 2008, 09:54:19 pm #1 Last Edit: December 31, 1969, 07:00:00 pm by Xifanie
I don't recommend photoshop at all. It's really not good for gifs or sprites. You can try finding yourself a good program for sprite editing.

I use GraphicsGale.
The only thing I wish it had is a simple ability to copy/paste colors.

I tried searching for any other decent sprite editor out there but in vain.
  • Modding version: PSX
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Anything is possible as long as it is within the hardware's limits. (ie. disc space, RAM, Video RAM, processor, etc.)
<R999> My target market is not FFT mod players
<Raijinili> remember that? it was awful

Zozma

March 17, 2008, 10:30:21 pm #2 Last Edit: December 31, 1969, 07:00:00 pm by Zozma
i use a freeware program called ultimatefx or something like that ufx...
theres an option on there that says "limit colors" and gives you a box to put the amount (be sure to uncheck "dither image"). you limit it to 16 save that as a 16 color bmp. but actually you have to limit it to 16 colors and save it as a 256 color bmp or imorting it in the srite editor will just crash it :/
  • Modding version: Other/Unknown
Wiegraf: Draw your sword Ramza!
Ramza: But im a monk!!

xanien

March 17, 2008, 11:27:14 pm #3 Last Edit: December 31, 1969, 07:00:00 pm by xanien
hmmm...works for me I suppose.  Does GraphicGale allow for some cut and paste action?  I'm going to create myself a new custom sprite using bits and pieces from sprites around the game...possibly creating my own knight cape or some shit like that.

Anyway, I'll look into it tonight, I'm still trying like hell to get FFT to run smoothly on ePSXe.

Xanien.

Zozma

March 18, 2008, 01:22:14 am #4 Last Edit: December 31, 1969, 07:00:00 pm by Zozma
you know... for me the funny thing is ive used only ms paint the whole time for all my sprites after converting the files into the right kind of bmp with the right color formatting.
  • Modding version: Other/Unknown
Wiegraf: Draw your sword Ramza!
Ramza: But im a monk!!

Sen

March 18, 2008, 05:26:23 am #5 Last Edit: December 31, 1969, 07:00:00 pm by Sen
MS paint's work when saved becomes blurry I think but if you don't wan't it to become blurry coppy the image then paste it into Microsoft Picture Manager that's what I did before.

karsten

March 18, 2008, 05:36:19 am #6 Last Edit: December 31, 1969, 07:00:00 pm by karsten
Quote from: "Sen"MS paint's work when saved becomes blurry I think but if you don't wan't it to become blurry coppy the image then paste it into Microsoft Picture Manager that's what I did before.
if you save as bmp it won't be blurry. it's just the shitty microsoft visualizer that applys a bluf filter when showing small resolution pics.

Xifanie

March 18, 2008, 07:27:19 am #7 Last Edit: December 31, 1969, 07:00:00 pm by Xifanie
Quote from: "xanien"hmmm...works for me I suppose.  Does GraphicGale allow for some cut and paste action?  I'm going to create myself a new custom sprite using bits and pieces from sprites around the game...possibly creating my own knight cape or some shit like that.

Anyway, I'll look into it tonight, I'm still trying like hell to get FFT to run smoothly on ePSXe.

Xanien.

It does allow copy/paste but not for palette colors, which is a shame since you have to start a new palette from scratch.

The only advantage ePSXe has over pSX is the PEC plugin.
pSX is faster (by far), requires no configuration, and you don't have to decompress to edit savestates (that would get on my nerves for testing).
Maybe ePSXe has less graphical glitches... I have only enountered some in Valkyrie Profile though; which I play on my PSX anyway.

http://psxemulator.gazaxian.com/

We have to convert everyone! :O

Anyway most patches on this site cannot be completely gamesharked. That makes ePSXe pretty much worthless.
  • Modding version: PSX
Love what you're seeing? https://supportus.ffhacktics.com/ 💜 it's really appreciated

Anything is possible as long as it is within the hardware's limits. (ie. disc space, RAM, Video RAM, processor, etc.)
<R999> My target market is not FFT mod players
<Raijinili> remember that? it was awful

xanien

March 18, 2008, 04:01:51 pm #8 Last Edit: December 31, 1969, 07:00:00 pm by xanien
so just to clarify, I'm going to need the RGB codes for the 16 color bit palette's in order to use them because of palette issues?  Or is that only necessary when you want to use different colors from the original palette selection on the sprite?

Xifanie

March 18, 2008, 04:28:35 pm #9 Last Edit: December 31, 1969, 07:00:00 pm by Xifanie
Two.

We already have a red mage but the fastest way to duplicate a palette is by hex editing the bitmap file.
  • Modding version: PSX
Love what you're seeing? https://supportus.ffhacktics.com/ 💜 it's really appreciated

Anything is possible as long as it is within the hardware's limits. (ie. disc space, RAM, Video RAM, processor, etc.)
<R999> My target market is not FFT mod players
<Raijinili> remember that? it was awful

xanien

March 18, 2008, 05:21:47 pm #10 Last Edit: December 31, 1969, 07:00:00 pm by xanien
Gotcha, so there's no real way to change a palette except hex editing THROUGH GraphicsGale...but it can be done through another program such as MS Paint?
   (ie Editing the Sprite within GraphicsGale, but changing the palette first within the MS Paint or Vice-Versa)


I know i'm being a huge pain about this one, but this the bread and butter of my entire operation  :P .  These bitmap issues are the only thing standing between me and a new badass sprite (hopefully).  

Only other question would pertain to the graphics editor in special events?  Is that still in process or have the program peeps around here finished that up (I would say names, but I don't know really who is majorly responsible around here for the major programming advances.

Xifanie

March 18, 2008, 06:26:46 pm #11 Last Edit: December 31, 1969, 07:00:00 pm by Xifanie
OK, forget everything.

Let's say you want to make a new palette for enemies (since when you create a new sprite you only do it with 1 palette).

Unless you want to start with a complete black sprite sheet , you'd have to copy your currently existing one then edit the colors. However GraphicsGale suck on that because you have to check the color, remember the RGB values then type then in the other palette's color, which is hell of a work.

The fastest way is just to take an hex editor, copy the existing palette and paste it over any you want. Then you can change the colors with ease.
  • Modding version: PSX
Love what you're seeing? https://supportus.ffhacktics.com/ 💜 it's really appreciated

Anything is possible as long as it is within the hardware's limits. (ie. disc space, RAM, Video RAM, processor, etc.)
<R999> My target market is not FFT mod players
<Raijinili> remember that? it was awful

Zozma

March 18, 2008, 07:20:48 pm #12 Last Edit: December 31, 1969, 07:00:00 pm by Zozma
hmm ufx seems less complicated just go in, limit the colors and save it.....
  • Modding version: Other/Unknown
Wiegraf: Draw your sword Ramza!
Ramza: But im a monk!!

xanien

March 18, 2008, 08:16:57 pm #13 Last Edit: December 31, 1969, 07:00:00 pm by xanien
alright, that adds up pretty nicely.  I figured that the bitmap issues surrounding the color limitations would give me the most trouble.  In case you didn't figure this out yet, this is my first time working with anything like this, and the userfriendly aspects of FFTPatcher and the Sprite Editor have helped me out significantly (obviously)

I figure I'll be able to work with the Sprites very soon using these types of operations, but it will probably be major trial and error for me.

Graphics Gale looks really effective in terms of editing the actual sprites, which i'm really excited for, but I'm still at work, which means I'll have to wait until I get home (and wait until my wife goes to sleep) in order to really be looking at all of this information.  That being said, I'm sure that I'll be able to figure this out pretty effectively by operating on the Ramza Ch. 1 Sprite.  I'm going to assume that the effect will be the same as changing the sprite of Ramza through the Gameshark, since I (finally) have come to the realization that Gameshark is basically a Hex Editor (right?)

Anyway, I figure I'll check it out tonight and most likely everyone will figure out my results tomorrow (due to timezone differences)

Xanien

Zozma

March 18, 2008, 08:27:15 pm #14 Last Edit: December 31, 1969, 07:00:00 pm by Zozma
looking forward to seeing what youll bring to the table.

If you have any questions let me know, ive made a few spries and am also fermiliar with how they are put together, at least the human ones.
  • Modding version: Other/Unknown
Wiegraf: Draw your sword Ramza!
Ramza: But im a monk!!

Xifanie

March 18, 2008, 09:12:25 pm #15 Last Edit: December 31, 1969, 07:00:00 pm by Xifanie
Quote from: "xanien"Since I (finally) have come to the realization that Gameshark is basically a Hex Editor (right?)

No, it's more like a memory editor. A CD can hold up to 700mb but the PSX's RAM (or memory if you prefer) can only hold 2mb. Anything not from the PSX EXE (SCUS for american games & SLPS for japanese games) has to be loaded from the CD when that information is needed.

A memory editor can change a value with the press of a button, freeze a value, which a GS can also. GS codes are acquires by memory editing.
  • Modding version: PSX
Love what you're seeing? https://supportus.ffhacktics.com/ 💜 it's really appreciated

Anything is possible as long as it is within the hardware's limits. (ie. disc space, RAM, Video RAM, processor, etc.)
<R999> My target market is not FFT mod players
<Raijinili> remember that? it was awful

xanien

March 19, 2008, 04:54:05 pm #16 Last Edit: December 31, 1969, 07:00:00 pm by xanien
bleh, due to wife interference, I still haven't gotten to play with it...very annoyed.

Anyway, I'll be messing with it shortly, and hopefully I'll be able to contribute some really nifty sprites!

****EDIT****

Just in case, letting everyone know that I'm just going to grab Paint Shop Pro and go from there.

The way I see it, the difficulties that I'm running into are mostly patience related...thus its not really something that the forums can help me with.
Furthermore, I'm not that artistically inclined...I know what I want to make, but making it is a different story ;-)