| Joe |
Is there any easy way to edit .pic files? I can extract them, and edit the older .pic files, such as lsl3 in SCI Studio, but it is a rather difficult way of editing the pic. Does anyone know of an easier way? Also is there anyway of editing .pic files from newer SCI games such as Lsl5? The SCI Studio does not support the newer SCI .pic files at this time. Any help would be great thanks. :) |
| AGI1122 |
Right now SCI Studio is the only way you can edit .pic files. Also there is no editor for the newer .pic files from SCI1 games. Right now development is for SCI0 once SCI0 is fully decoded and we have everything we need to make SCI0 games then SCI1 decodeing might begin. |
| Brian_Provinciano |
SCI pictures use a special "vector"ed format. The way SCI Studio edits them is the same way Sierra created/edited their pictures way back when, and the same way the intepreter reads/displays them. As a matter of fact, SCI Studio's picture editor is easier than the original one Sierra used. However, because of the file format of SCI pictures, you have no choice on how they are edited. If it was up to me, I would have done a nice picture editor like Paint Shop Pro, but then the SCI games wouldn't be able to use them. The interpreter doesn't really load a "picture", it just draws the lines, blocks, and other stuff you drew when making the picture. For example, let's say you draw a blue line from 10,20 to 40,50 and then draw a green line from 35,22 to 86,170 in SCI Studio, then save your picture. If you use the picture in a game, the intepreter loads the picture, draws a blue line from 10,20 to 40,50 and then draws a green line from 35,22 to 86,170, then displays what it's drawn. The pictures aren't stored pixel by pixel, but rather drawing step to drawing step. Even though VGA pics have pixel by pixel visual images, their priority and control screens still use the vectored format. There is currently no way of editing SCI VGA pictures, but they are pretty much just SCI VGA Views for the visual screen and SCI EGA Pics for the priority/control screens. Since I've written both a SCI VGA view editor and SCI EGA picture editor, it wouldn't be hard to build one. However, I'm focusing 100% of my efforts on the SCI0 template game. SCI1 games aren't too different from SCI0. I've already whipped up an SCI1 view editor, font editor and cursor editor, as well as a compiler/disassembler. Like I said though, I want to get SCI0 done 100% first. |
| Robert Eric | Would an SCI Noptec Vector-like program be possible? Do you know how that program works by the way (the AGI one I mean)? |
| AGI1122 |
Well I don't think there is a program like that at the moment... but if you have a look at the AGI2SCIpic source code you might be able to come up with something like Vector. I think a vector type thing in SCI Studio might be really usefull for the artist, what do you think Brian? But of couse I would say finish the template first that is the most important thing of all. |
| Brian_Provinciano |
Since AGI pictures use a vectored format as well, that source wouldn't be very useful. Since Noptec Vector was possible for AGI, it would be possible for SCI, however, using converters like that would only be good for making title screens and such. It would not only be inefficient to use a convertor for your rooms, but the output would not be very good either. You would have a lot of trouble properly placing the control/priority lines. Many people dislike the vectored format when they first find it and try to look for an easy way out. The fact is, the SCI vectored format is very easy to use. You draw a picture by hand, scan it, load it into SCI Studio, trace it, and you'll have a very nice. Take a look at Juha Terho's excellent AGI picture tutorial. You can see just how incredible the pictures can look when traced. SCI pictures will look better too, since they have a 320x190 resolution rather than the 160x168. Juha's tutorial is at: http://www.pp.htv.fi/jterho1/agi/picture-creation/ |