HowTo:Make Splash Screens

Where can the splash screens be found?

In Linux : /usr/share/games/vegastrike/animations/

In Windows : C:\Program Files\Vega Strike\animations

In that directory, 2 subfolders can be found : load_screen.ani and load_splash.ani.

A random picture from load_splash.ani is shown during Vega Strike loading.
Three random pictures from load_screen.ani are shown during new or saved games loading.

Files format

Vega Strike splash screens are named "*.image".

These are DirectDrawSurface (or DDS) files. Most softwares can't directly read this format.

Fortunately, The Gimp has an extension to read and create DDS pictures : gimp-dds.

In Ubuntu, this plugin can be found in official repositories. You can install it with package managers, like synaptic or the software center.

Other linux distros : FIXME

A DDS plugin for MAC OSX may exist (http://gimp.lisanet.de/Website/Photo_editing.html). But I couldn't find it.

In Windows, install files can be downloaded here : http://code.google.com/p/gimp-dds/#Downloads

How are they used in Vega Strike?

A file named "load_screen.ani" is located in the folder with the same name. Ditto for "load_splash.ani".
You can open these animation files with a text editor.
They provide several configuration parameters, ans a list of pictures to be used.

Theses files are referenced in vegastrike.config, in the "splash" section:
<var name="loading_sprite" value="load_screen.ani" /> (ligne 458)

and in the "graphics" section :
<var name="splash-screen" value="load_splash.ani"/> (ligne 527)

Animation files structure :

• The first line is not used any more, but can't be omitted (ex :" .3 .3").
• 2nd line (ex :21 30.0 startRandom,video) :
  • The first parameter shows the number of pictures to display during loading.
  • The second parameter shows display time for each picture. FIXME (in seconds???)
  • The third parameter "startRandom" : if present, the first picture to display is randomly selected.
  • The fourth parameter "video" : ???
• The following lines list images to display. (first parameter of the second line should be adjusted to this list size, in order to view all pictures at one time oor another).

See : HowTo:Make Animated Textures for more informations on "*.ani" files.

Making your splash screens

Create your picture.

• Picture Size - 1024 x 1024 pixels (or larger, but always power of 2)
  

To avoid picture stretching, take a picture at screen dimensions, then shrink it to square dimensions.

• Format - DDS
  

In The gimp, save the resized image in DDS format.
Options : choose BC1/DXT1 compression and check "Generate mipmaps".

• Location :
  

Copy/paste it in the right folder (example : /usr/share/games/vegastrike/animations/load_screen.ani/).
Attention : in Linux, you must act as super user to copy pictures in these folders, or to modify the animation files.

Modify the animation file

Open "load_screen.ani" or "load_splash.ani" (according to the folder where are your pictures).
Add the new picture's name in the list.
Add "1" to the first parameter of the second line.
Save your modifications.

Launch Vega Strike

and load a new or saved game, to admire your work in the game.
(attention : images being randomly selected, you may have to load Vega Strike several times in order to see your new picture).

Create your splash screens folder

• Create a subfolder in the "animation" folder, named "load_xxx.ani" (where xxx represents any string chosen by you).
• Create inside a text file with the same name : "load_xxx.ani"
• Paste your own pictures in the subfolder, and adjust the *.ani" file, as seen above.
• In vegastrike.config, replace the default "*.ani" file name (please see above) by yours.
  • Search for the <graphics> section;
  • Find the line <var name="splash_screen" value="
  • Replace the existing folder name by yours.

See your ..\animations\ subdirectory for examples.

See Also

Forum Link