More than a dozen Multi-Media MODS!

from Stardock Forums
Here is a small sample of the multi-media MODS that could extend the fun of this game for a long time. There are THREE seperate BIK videos and triggered MP3 files for all FIVE races. Happy, neutral, and angered. You can get the free video converter, analyzer, player at:

http://www.radgametools.com/

It is a piece of cake to use. Resize, trim, slice, dice, change format, & back to BIK by simply pressing "Bink It!"

The Videos can also be swapped out with PCX still images with the same name or any animations you make your self, from video captures, PC TV cards, digital cameras, DVD drive, etc. At present GalCiv only supports 8 Bit 256 color PCX files. So it is a bit of a chore to get quality images, but it can be done. You can soon check out my Angelina for Governor MOD to see it is possible. BTW click the "ZOOM" link in the library if you not downloading it to see the quality. The Frogboy MOD is also an example. Here are some of the MODs I would love to play as soon as they are made by anyone. Please feel free to use any of these ideas. Gaming is all about fun! A face lift that a quick MOD can provide, will easily add years of life to a game. There is no reason we couldn't use voice or voice with music sound recordings up to a few minutes long in very good quality 160 bit MP3 file format for the diplomacy screens or videos. Let your imagination go wild. That is what it is for.
"What is a sun dial in the shade, for use it was made." Ben Franklin.

Planets of the Pets, Dogs vs Cats, Birds, vs Etc. Poodles vs Pugs Etc
Planets of the Babes, Blonds vs Red Heads vs Bruenets vs Amazonians, Etc
Planets of the Hunks, Football vs Basketball vs Baseball vs Etc.
Planets of the Rings, Elves vs Orcs vs Wizards vs Hobbits vs Etc.
Planets of the Jokers, Lawyers, Doctors, Plummers, vs Tax Collector vs Etc
Planets of the Real TV, Opra, vs Cops, vs Whoever.
Planets of the Mammals, Apes vs Dolphins, vs Moose, vs Mice, Etc.
Planets of the Parties, Democrats vs Repulican vs Greenpeace vs Etc.
Planets of the Sci-Fis, Farscape, Star Trek, Star Wars, Babylon 5, EACHOTHER
Planets of the Monsters, Vampires, vs Frankinstiens, vs Zombies, vs Etc.
Planets of the Aracnoids, vs Slugs, vs Snakes, vs Vultures, vs Etc.
Planets of the Superheros, vs X-men, vs Super Men vs Spidermen vs Hulks, Etc.
Planets of the Humanoids, Grandparents, vs Teenagers, vs Yuppies, vs, Etc.
Planets of the Wrestlers.
Planets of the Evangalist.

RustyBlade
E-Mail: [email protected]

~SDC~
2,333 views 12 replies
Reply #1 from Stardock Forums Top
I did some palying around with the PCXs and I'm fairly certain that the Race "face pics" in the setup screen are part of the interface and not replacable in the GFX folder (:(

Which kinda sucks if you want to do a "total conversion mod"...

(no no the Torians are the Martians... see just look at the names under the pictures... I know the Venusians look just like the Vor... ignore the pictures - once you get into the game it will all be fine... :notsure: )

Any chance this could be changed in the future Cari or is it too hard to seperate these from the interface files???
Reply #2 from Stardock Forums Top
They're not numbered, but you can change the GFX on the alien startup screen by altering these images...

race_drengin.pcx (race 01)
race_altarian.pcx (race 02)
race_acrean.pcx (race 03)
race_torian.pcx (race 04)
race_yor.pcx (race 05)

Ths should help with the "total conversion mod" idea you were talking about! :CONGRAT:
Ashes of the Singularity II
Reply #3 from Stardock Forums Top
Nope doesn't work (at least not with 1.02.4x)

It should... and I wish it did!

Sorry BoogieBac :(

I take it this is a bug?
Reply #4 from Stardock Forums Top
PS - These race PCX are also a different size then the ones in the race setup... the ones in the race screen are something like 200 x 155

PSS - also those race images are flipped the wrong way! They face mirror what the ones in the race setup screen do!?!
Reply #5 from Stardock Forums Top
Thrull and gang I will be experimenting with the stills and the movie files, (new BIKs) and be documenting any successful paths tonight. Should post some results tomorrow.

~SDC~
Reply #6 from Stardock Forums Top
Rusty please post your results here!

For the record I had no problem replacing other images including trade and message images. :)

... didn't start messing with the .bik files yet tho'
Reply #7 from Stardock Forums Top
OOps...sorry Thrull. The images you're looking for are in the "/Galactic Civililizations/Setup" folder...

racesetup_image0.pcx (drengin)
racesetup_image1.pcx (altarian)
racesetup_image2.pcx (arcean)
racesetup_image3.pcx (torian)
racesetup_image4.pcx (yor)

I think this'll do the trick ;)
Reply #8 from Stardock Forums Top
Yikes! That did it! Thanks Scott!!! :D

Brilliant... simply brilliant. I... Love... This... Game!

PSSS (Another interesting / weird thing) - I decided to change the terran logo in that folder also, but alas no joy (:(

What if anything does terranlogo.pcx replace in the game (err... or what is it *supposed* to replace?)

Thanks so much!!!
Reply #9 from Stardock Forums Top
Can anyone copy the multi media update on Dregninon a CD for me? I will send CD and return postage and all you have to do is copy it and mail it back to me. 366Mb is a little too large to download on a dial up connection.

Dave

~SDC~
Reply #10 from Stardock Forums Top
Yes Thrull and gang, I will post my result here in this thread. I'm just now sitting down to do some modding, so it will be tonight before I post much.

Bye the way I see there are three more mods in the library.

~SDC~
Reply #12 from Stardock Forums Top
Ok Thrull and others,

Here is the not so short and oh so very sweet.
So far with all my sifting through several programs I found that the very one I started out with does most everything I was trying to do. Chasing wild geese again. This is also the same program BoogieBac mentioned in his 1st Tutorial. Turns out it is even more useful than some of us thought.

The program: Rad Tools
Where to get it: http://www.radgametools.com/
Cost: Free. No I'm not stutering again. Free I tell you. Read the liscence.

What it will do:

Display various movie files including GalCiv's BIK also known as bink files.
(Hit space to pause.)
Convert movie formats. BIK, AVI, etc.
Convert back to BIK GalCiv format.
Resize (scale) movies to match what the game is expecting to see.
Play a BIK etc, and hit "File Info" in RadTools while its playing and you'll get the low down.
Crop away frames (sections) from where-ever you want from movie.
Extract any or all still images from inside of the movie file.
Re-compile it back into a BIK.
Strip the sound from the file.
Add sound to the file.
Mix sound to the file.
Convert sound formats.
Convert still image formats like pcx, jpg, tga, bmp, etc.
Very important, it can save files in 8 Bit 256 color PCXs for GalCiv use.
Read BoogieBacs tutorial if you want to put your mother inlaw in the game in place of those most pleasent Drengin. Easily done.
Crop precisely sections you want from image files.
Wash the dinner dishes.
Tip the gardner.
And oh so very much else.

Odds are your computer has a ton of BIK video files on it already cluttering up your game directories. A lot of which will be publisher logos, not all but many. Be careful not to rename those logo files to something else or the game will most likely load without the pleasure of seeing them!
Something could be done with all those MP3 you have. Do something beside scratch yourself with that dusty old microphone.

So go get the Rad Tools and load up some BIKs, and do some swapping and scaling (resizing) some deleting, some editing, some recording, get out that digital camera thats gathering dust and do something with it.
In another words go mod something. Theres an evil man living in my house named Stephen that plans on using the BIKs inside Stronghold Crusader for his own evil purposes. We have been trying to get him to take his medicine, but all he does is rant about Angelina Jolie. Go figure?






~SDC~