Whats wrong with BifReader?

Hi guys,

I got BifReader 2.2 and I've been trying to upload a simple review panel bmp but the darn thing refuses to work correctly. I exported the file as a bmp, worked on it in Photoshop and now when I want to use it in the game it ain't working. What gives?

Any help would be greatly appreciated

Thanks,
Lord Clare

Bifreader doesn't seem to work correctly. Others may have found other ways to do this, but I use the DOS-prompt to make BIFs out of BMPs.

BIF-format
First copy bifreader.exe to a root directory, next copy the BMPs to the same rootdirectory. You should have the following input:
- bmpName_f1
- bmpName_f2
- etc.
If you only have one BMP to be converted then you only need bmpName_f1. Then type in the following on the DOS-prompt (accessed via the toolbar):

readbif -in c:\bmpName c:\bifName

where:
- n: is the number of BMPs to be merged into the BIF, for example an unit BIF has 12 BMPs (=frames);
- c: is the rootdirectory
- bmpName: the real BMP name should have the form BMPname_f1 to BMPname_fn, but you only enter BMPname, thus without _fn
- bifName: the name of the to be made BIF.

You will get the following output:
bifName.BIF

BUF-format
If you want a BUF format then just rename the extention .BIF to .BUF. The BUF format is for example used for the strategic castle pieces.

Good luck, Duke John

Thanks Duke John

It worked like you said Though my new problem is how to make the animations smooth instead of jumpy. The thing is, I'm sticking the modded soldier files on top (essentially) of the old Longbowman images and I've no idea how close this is to the previous frame of animation. How do you guys do it?

Thanks,
Lord Clare

When manually placing the models onto the frame, use a grid in your painting program.

Cheers, Duke John

Hi there

Actually I ended up making a layered template on w/c I stuck all the 'nonmoving things' (soldiers at halt, weapons, shields, etc) merged visible layers so that the template would not merge to the background image then stuck it on each of the frames. Worked like a charm except your soldiers are the most disciplined fellows in the world. The Grenadier Guards would be envious

My problem now is adding weapons. I've added the Brown Bess musket but the thing doesn't show up. In fact the soldiers aren't holding anything at all even when fighting I'm at a total loss. I only modded the bowman_h file not the low-res file. Should I do both?

Also I tried doing the review_panel images but the readbif doesn't want to create a bif file in MSDOS prompt. I tried readbif -i1 c:\etc etc c:\etc etc but it doesn't create the new bif. Is there something wrong?

Thanks,
Lord Clare

you have version 22B ?