Re: Making Graphics!!

[EnderWiggenRules@aol.com]

In a message dated Sat, 15 Jul 2000 11:15:31 PM Eastern Daylight Time, "Yo-Yo Ma" <yoyoma99@hotmail.com> writes:

<< 
So basically, in a nutshell,
1. Which color depth should I use from now on? Which is most efficient and 
will be easiest for me to make
everything in and get it all working together compatibly in the same game?
2. By what means, and using which program, is best for making all the images 
I'll use?

 >>

I think your problem is because each image you load has a different palette - and those palettes aren't compatible with each other. There are a few strategies to this - assuming you wish to use palettes. One common approach is to make a common palette among all the images, import it into your painting program, and use THAT for drawing your sprites. You can optimize this - you no longer need palette definitions in every picture file anymore - because every picture you use has the same palette. Another approach is to span out your palettes - basically, image BACKGROUND will use colors 0-180 as you define them and image FOREGROUND with use colors 181-255 as you define them. That way, you can have separate palettes in each file. Keep in mind however that this way is slower and that you will end up sending ONE palette to the DAC, so the first approach is better. Now to answer your questions.

1. These days, 16-bit color depths are popular. They are much better than 256-color 8-bit, and they are faster than 24-bit. In games, 16-bit is usually adequate. (Careful though, sometimes the extra 8-bits may be worth it to add the professional atmosphere to your game.) It's been a while since I've coded this myself - I now use libraries of my own creation most of the time. The bit schemes go like 0RRRRRGGGGGBBBBB for 15-bit, RRRRRGGGGGGBBBBB for 16-bit, and RRRRRRRR GGGGGGGG BBBBBBBB (each byte is a color attribute) for 24-bit. <Somehow that seems horribly wrong. I think the order is reversed>

2. I made my own. No, you can't have them, but you can make little applications that do little jobs (set a common palette among images, 256-color color reduction to name a few) then build up (Adobe Photoshop effects), then make a very large program out of all of it (I like mine better than Adobe Photoshop.) This program was 5 years in the making, but it helps me immensely. 

Good luck!
-Ender Wiggin
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