Editing the artwork

[empemitheos]

I have seen how to do this before by opening OP2art.bmp with some program and editing it but I lost the link to the page thet tells how. Does anyone know how to make OP2art.bmp editable by a normal paint program?

[Leviathan]

we are currently working on this, it can b done but its not as simple as u may think. also that page ur talkin about is no longer up, it was on the nhcs page.

pleas join us on te forum chat room, goto http://www.insurrectionlan.co.uk/op2/irc.htm

[empemitheos]

K, thanks. So you mean its never been done? The OP2art.bmp file was never edited by anyone?

[Leviathan]

yes its been done by Cynex i beleive

[CK9]

I haven't seen that screen name in a couple years now...

[Betaray]

I would like to have some information on this subject, because once the decompressor of the sheets.vol is out, and I get a computer, I want to try to edit the sheets.vol and alot else to try and make that robo coloney ive been preaching about, I know I dont know much about hacking or programming, but if it is not much different structure than the demo I could probly do it, I can learn lol

[Hooman]

Hmm Beta, that may be harder than you think. From what I've seen of the files, there isn't enough to edit to make something like that. You can upgrade existing attributes, but I don't think you can add abilities that a vehicle/building didn't already have.

As for the decompression, I've got most of the work done on the actual decompressor. I just need to write a user interface, if I can ever find the time.

And yes, Cynex does seem to know something about how the bitmaps are stored. I talked to Cynex on IRC today and learned quite a bit about the bitmaps. It sounded like most of the details have been worked out.
 

[empemitheos]

ok, i have heard that you can edit it by opening up the op2art.bmp with some program. whats this about the .vol files??

[Hooman]

I don't know of any existing program to edit the op2_art.bmp but I think one is being worked on. As for the .vol files, that will probably take another week or so if I can find the time (and decide to release it). You can read the "VOL compression of .txt files" thread in the Outpost Programming section for some of the details.

[Cynex]

I'm currently working on an art viewer, which means it can load all the arts, but cannot modify them.
It might take another few weeks to add editing capability; however, I suppose I can at least release the view-only version in a few days.

[Betaray]

what I was thinking about would not be making new abilitys, but more of copying an ability from one building/unit, and tranfering it to another building/unit with a little modafacation

like the unaversity being able to train scientists, I would copy that ability, and place it with the attrabutes of the seed coloney, although instead of training 10 at a time, it would only be able to train like 2 at a time, same thing with the agradome, or the tokamok, or the structure factory exc exc

I know it would be more complex than just copy and paste, but do you think that is possible?

I just want to do this because ive not nothing booked for summer and im going to be bord as heck lol

[BlackBox]

Hooman: the vol's are all worked out, afaik. Get revolver from the File Forum.

I don't think you can edit the functionality of a structure easily, because that too is stored in the EXE. (Like making the university be able to store metals, or make food, etc)

[zeritou]

if we could make all the buildings make food that would reduce the metals wasted on agridomes and would be very nice, along with all the buildings having the same storage as a smelter......

*enters nirvana*