if I remember rightly and hopefully someone will correct me if I am wrong, it has ben a while...
essentialy Each "frame" for an actor should be the same graphic format as all the frames in a sequence ( easy if it a sheet, but remeber this if using sequential single files)
Each frame should be the same size (height, width) but width does not have to equal height.
Frames can be saved as sequentially numbered files ie: actor01.jpg actor02.jpg etc
or frames can be combined in a sprite sheet.
A sprite sheet is a "GRID" of images all the "same size", note: this is different then older sprites sheet where alll frames where jammed in to save space and had to then be found using coordinates (which was a memory saving device on older computerd game devices, although some game engines still use it today)
the number of sprites should fit into the grid evenly without blank frames, if there is an odd number of frames the "grid" should then be a single row only (vertical or horizontal)
even numbered frames can have multiple rows or columns as long as there is no blank frame
eg: a 12 frame sequnce can be in a grid of 2*6 or 6*2 or 3*4 or 4*3
you cannot have 2 rows of 5 plus one row of 2
GE automatically determines the height and width of frames when you specify the number of rows and columns on loading.
FromThe help files ( plus some comments from me)
http://game-editor.com/Adding_and_editing_animationsIf you like to have your own graphics in your game, you have to create actors. You can use any of these graphic formats:
* jpeg
* gif
* png
* bmp
* pcx
* tga
* xpm
* xcf
* lbm
* tif
Game editor will automatically create transparencies for objects using 24-bit color modes. (only a 32 bit color mode contains transparency). It will use the upper left corner pixel as the transparency color.
In modern color, each color gets one byte (8bits) of data. So a 24 bit bmp contains an r, g, and b channel. A 32 bit image contains r, b, g, and a channels. (a is alpha, or transparency).
You can create a sequence from a sprite sheet using the 'add sequence' button. You can choose the animation, the speed, and then the frames to be included, using the format 0; 1; 2; etc. etc. for each frame to be included.
Notes:
- If the image file has a color depth lower than 32 bits, Game Editor understands that the color of the first pixel (upper left corner) is the color that should become totally transparent in the image. [EDIT] Feral: similar to old fashion sprites sheet where the back color was pink (or green).
- If your image has 32 bits color depth, Game Editor will consider the alpha channel (transparency channel) of the image.[EDIT} png's OK, not sure about 32bit BMPs anyone ??
- If your image is a gif, Game Editor will consider the gif transparent color.
- If all pixels in the image have the same color (solid image) the image will be consider solid.