TWIGZ
Costume Files (".cos"):
All
animated characters in TWIGZ, from the Ego & Non-Playable
Characters (NPCs) to animated animals and insects, are animated
using a system of virtual "costumes" for that character.
Below is a tree representing the TIWGZ Costume File Format.
Click on a node to learn more about it.
| COHD
- Marks the beginning of the Costume Header. |
| |
| Total
Costumes
- INTEGER representing the total number of costume for the
level |
| |
| Total
Sets in Costume #
- INTEGER representing the total number of sets in costume
number # |
| |
| Images
in #th Set -
INTEGER representing the total number of images in set number
# |
| |
| Start
Offset, Number of Bytes
- INTEGER pair representing the starting offset in XMS memory
where that image is stored & size of the image (in bytes).
Note: this is repeated for all images in a set. |
| |
| ...
... ... ...
- Follows the same pattern as the previous, similar node. |
| |
| COST
- Marks the beginning of the Costume data |
| |
| Pixel
Map - a
listing of all the pixel color index numbers for all the
costume images. |
What
exactly is a costume file?:
A costume file is a series of images divided up into "costumes",
"sets" and "images" and include all data
for all "Actors" in a level. An actor can be anything
from the Ego & Non-Playable Characters (NPCs) to animated
animals and insects. Each actor is assigned a costume and within
that costume is several sets and each set has multiple images.
Below is a brief explanation of how these sets and images are
divided in memory:
| Set
1: Walking |
| Number
of Images |
Description |
| 4 |
Walking Right |
| 4 |
Walking Left |
| 4 |
Walking Front |
| 4 |
Walking Back |
| |
| Set
2: Standing (Headless) |
| Number
of Images |
Description |
| 1 |
Standing Right |
| 1 |
Standing Left |
| 1 |
Standing Front |
| 1 |
Standing Back |
| |
| Set
3: Head Talking |
| Number
of Images |
Description |
| 4 |
Talking Right |
| 4 |
Talking Left |
| 4 |
Talking Front |
| 4 |
Talking Back |
| |
| Set
4: Head (Standing & Blinking) |
| Number
of Images |
Description |
| 2 |
Regular Right
/ Blink Right |
| 2 |
Regular Left
/ Blink Left |
| 2 |
Regular Front
/ Blink Front |
| 2 |
Regular Down
/ Blink Down |
| |
| Set
5: Full Animations |
| Number
of Images |
Description |
| # |
Special Event
1 |
| # |
Special Event
2 |
| # |
Special Event
3 |
| # |
Special Event
4 |
| |
| Set
6: Full Animations without Arms |
| Number
of Images |
Description |
| # |
Armless Special
Event 1 |
| # |
Armless Special
Event 2 |
| # |
Armless Special
Event 3 |
| # |
Armless Special
Event 4 |
| |
| Set
7: Full Animations without Legs |
| Number
of Images |
Description |
| # |
Legless Special
Event 1 |
| # |
Legless Special
Event 2 |
| # |
Legless Special
Event 3 |
| # |
Legless Special
Event 4 |
| |
| Set
8: Arms |
| Number
of Images |
Description |
| # |
Arms 1 |
| # |
Arms 2 |
| # |
Arms 3 |
| # |
Arms 4 |
| |
| Set
9: Legs |
| Number
of Images |
Description |
| # |
Legs 1 |
| # |
Legs 2 |
| # |
Legs 3 |
| # |
Legs 4 |
When
a character is drawn on the screen several things are considered:
-
If
a script is running and executing
a special animation, that animation is loaded, frame by frame,
from the costume file
- If a character is
talking then a headless "standing" body is placed
on the screen followed by the appropriate head frame. Special
arm animations and even leg animations can be added to add extra
realism and flexibility.
- If an actor is standing
for X amount of time a blinking head is placed atop a headless
body to add that extra realism of blinking characters
What is the
purpose of a costume?:
Costumes allow for on-the-fly actor animation. It enables the
programmer to get a lot more animations without having to draw
too many pictures. For example, instead of drawing the whole actor
looking left, looking right, and blinking all separately, the
programmer can just change the Actor().HeadDirection variable
via a script and change the way the actor looks, on-the-fly.
How do I create
my own costumes?:
Costumes can be created with the "Costume.exe" tool,
part of the TWIGZ SDK. Below is a simple step
by step guide to creating your own costumes.
STEP 1:
Create a sprite sheet or sheets in ".gif" format (MAX
resolution 320 x 200). Keep in mind this file must adhere to
the same GLOBAL PALETTE or you risk serious
color complications and a whole lot of extra work. Below is
a sample, note that the background color is color index 255,
the transparent color. Each actor must have a minimum of 4 sets
all with the appropriate number of images from the above table
STEP 2:
Run "Costume.exe". When asked which file
to load, enter the name (8 characters or less) of a sprite sheet
".gif" file (NOTE: These must be stored in your "TWIGZ
SDK\Gif" folder).
STEP
3:
Outline all the images, in the EXACT order they will
appear in the costume file (see the above Table),
for all of costume 1's sets. Then do the same for costume 2's,
and so on until you have finished for all of your costumes.
STEP 4:
Save the costume file by pressing the "s" key and
following the on-screen instructions. The (".cos")
file will be saved to your "TWIGZ SDK\Costumes" folder.
Top |