@Vern and everybody who knows about custon graphics:

Currently I'm trying to create a few additional custom "characters", well actually they're not moving, just standing around, much like those angels and knights in the original graphics.

But I'm having a few problems with it.

I understand that it is not absolutely necessary to stick to the original shape if I want to replace an old graphic with a new one - (>>see Wingy's new levers as an example).... so I tried to change the knight into a dancer for my Discotheque.

What is needed for it to be drawn properly in the game?  I understand, it must have an "outer shape"  (lining) that is black, but are there other limitations, like max. size etc. (= How different can the new graphic be from the one it nreplaces ??).

Any tips ??

(e.g. I had problems with the bell-bottom pants of my dancer.... they were not drawn properly.... even if the pict looked good!)

That'd be hard for me to answer without looking at the game's source and experimenting, but I think for images where you have a single static frame stored in a single picture, you should be able to replace it with a new image of any size you want.

For other things, like levers or monsters, where there are multiple frames in a single picture, I think you may need to stick to the original size for it to work right.

-Vern

Yes, you can make static graphics pretty much any size but if you want them to line up correctly with one another you may have to include a white space in front of them and do some careful width planning. For instance, I have electronic gates (non functioning, just for looks) that have attached walls. To get the walls to connect properly I had to move the wall graphic 10 pixels to the right to get it to line up correctly on the left. To get it to line up correctly on the right you have to play with the graphic width. When I post Dominator you can take a look at the resources to see what I mean.

If you're going to play with animation graphics there's a whole other issue. Some of the animations don't seem to run left to right. You'll have 2 frames that are for left and right static views and then you'll have a certain number of frames run left to right top to bottom for the left facing animation but the right facing animation needs the same number of frames but goes right to left. I think the rising skeleton is setup like that. I know I had to play around to get it right.

HTH,

Joe B

Thanks for that info, Joe.

I've only seen this AFTER I replied to your "Hello-Thread", where I welcomed you (back) and have asked a similar question like the one above.  


BTW: It was your wonderful Mummy's Revenge and TOTOMBS that inspired me to try my hand at custom graphics...even though my attempts will always remain pale in comparison, as I am not talented in drawing or painting, so I mainly modifiy a few things to suit my mansion's theme...  Of course I'd really love to make a mansion like Mummy's, which feels like a complete different game (!!), but considering how long I need even for my small bits of custom graphics, I'm sure I won't have the time (and talent) to manage a complete "new world".

I can't really claim that that artwork was mine only. Just about everything in MR and TOTOMBS was modified artwork from the web. When I came up with the ideas for those 2 mansions I went out on the internet and looked up Egypt, South American jungles, plants,etc.  and used Photoshop to do post work to craft the graphics to fit my needs. Basically the same thing you talk about doing. And Matt and I started exactly the same way. Tweak the graphics that came with MM until you get a good feel for how you need to make things work and build on that. I still haven't found my tutorial on custom graphics but would ask that anyone who happened to pick it up repost it here on the forums. I spent a lot of time on the geometries and I know they'd give you a higher comfort level.

It's become a lot easier to get exactly what I want now with DS (Daz Studio). I go to one of the companion sites, Renderosity or Content Paradise as a starting place. There are links that go from those sites to find just about anything you'd want. If you invest some time and effort in learning DS it's a great tool for getting the core graphics. I found a terrific site with all kinds of Star Wars objects, all free. I would have used some of them but didn't want to run into any copyright issues with Lucas Arts. I've got just about every ship including the superstar destroyer (EP5) and the Death Star. Lightsabres from every character and a complete Darth Vader suit that fits perfectly on one of the free DAZ models.

Since I've been so into it I've compiled ten's of thousands of objects so let me know if you're looking for anything in particular and I'll see if I have a model of it. Right now I'm playing around with a plug-in called Particles which I'm going to use to re-do the lava and acid animations. Someone (brell, Wingy) made an accurate observation about the color of the acid in MR being confused with water so I'll probably do a neon pink or purple new version of it. I've also used it to generate smoke and broken parts flying off JAC when he dies. There are also some cool dying graphics on the probe droids which look like the Dark Side of The Force electricity that the emperor shots out of his hands.

Wow, I CAN get long winded. But feel free to drop me a line about any graphics you might be thinking of and I'll see if I can get you (or anyone else for that matter) pointed in the right direction.

Later,

Joe B

Hey,

How would it be in the version 1.0.8 with new music? ;)


Greet Mikee  ;) :D

You know mikee, it is possible to add your own tunes in MM. That's what I'm doing for my mansion, Church.

1. Get music file
2. name it Background Music 5 or 6 or whatever number you're on.
3.open up game data folder
4.Drop your music file(s) into there.
5. Add your new music number in the custom mansion (ex.- if you made Background Music 7, you'd put in the number 7 to play that music)

8-)

I cannot stress it often enough .... so I'm doing it one last time:

Please keep the copyright issue in mind when you're planning to include music files with your custom mansions.

rigght...

But when you write your own music the copyright issue goes away. I worry a little more about sounds and graphics. A couple of my new critters (sprites) are  VERY close to Star Wars content. But I really think LucasArts has MUCH bigger fish to fry than me.
I'm finishing up the dilithium processing plant in Dominator and although I think it would be a pretty good entry for the contest I've decided not to participate with it. BUT, Jack's sister?????? Hmmmmmm, the wheels are turning......

Joe

Hey Nice Idea samskeleton! Great Music now  ;)

thus it lives itself better!  :D

If you do some strange theme music (like the twilight zone) I dont think that counts as being copyrighted because the guy who did the original version is dead.(If there is an original version... ;))

Sam,

I'm afraid it isn't that easy.  First of all, a composer has to be dead for more than 70 years (European law; in the US it could be 50 years) and then his works might become public domain.
In other cases the works (original recordings) have to be made 50 years or more ago.... so any recordings from 1957 onward do not apply at all.

Also, often copyrights are renewed, and go over to the estate of a deceased composer etc. .... so it's definitely not as straightforward as you might imagine (I'm sorry to say).

It is even more complicated than that. The composer's death is one thing. But although e.g. Bach is dead for a very long time, the performers have rights as well.

There is only one safe solution for MM: making music yourself. Sorry, Sam.

aquaMat wrote on 12.02.2007 at 05:28:42:

Sam, I'm afraid it isn't that easy.  First of all, a composer has to be dead for more than 70 years (European law; in the US it could be 50 years) and then his works might become public domain. In other cases the works (original recordings) have to be made 50 years or more ago.... so any recordings from 1957 onward do not apply at all. Also, often copyrights are renewed, and go over to the estate of a deceased composer etc. .... so it's definitely not as straightforward as you might imagine (I'm sorry to say).

What are you, a copyright man?  ;D

Anthony wrote on 13.02.2007 at 06:51:32:

What are you, a copyright man?  ;D

No, not at all.......   but I am a composer, and I know how I would feel if my copyrights were violated !!

BTW: I'm not writing this, to put you off, or cause trouble.... but to PREVENT trouble !!  I know that -especially in America- copyright lawsuits can get very expensive.....  and I'm sure we don't want that to happen.