VIDEOS, ICONS, CURSORS
FAQ
1.
How can I convert my AVI files into the
animated-GIF format?
2. How can I crop/cut a video?
3. How to know if a given CODEC is installed?
4. What types of icons and cursors are
supported?
5.
Is AVI a particular format or is
it the product of a particular program?
1.
How can I convert my AVI files into the animated-GIF format?
You can use a free program such
as the MS GIF Animator, downloadable from the following location:
http://www.adventuremaker.com/more_downloads.htm
To convert your AVI files to the
animated-GIF format, follow these steps:
1. Run the freeware MS GIF Animator (read above for download links);
2. Choose "Optimal Palette" under "Import Color Palette";
3. Choose "Error diffusion" under "Import Dither Method";
4. Click "Open" and open the AVI file you want to convert;
5. Click the button "Select All" (on the toolbar), then click the
"Image" tab, and then remove the "Transparency" option (that is very
important since transparency is not supported).
6. Click "Save As" and save the animation as an animated-GIF.
2.
How can I crop/cut a video? I
render my images and animations in Cinema4D but I can't say for example: "render
from pixel x1, y1 to pixel x2, y2". Is there a piece of software that cuts a
small rectangle out of a video so that I can use just a small part of the
video as a hotspot?
You must use a
video editing program, such as the freeware Virtual Dub, or the commercial
program Adobe Premiere.
To crop a video with Virtual Dub, follow there steps:
1. Click File > Open video file... and open your video
2. Click File > Filters
3. Click the "Add..." button
4. Choose the filter called "Null Transform"
5. Still under the Filters window, click the "Cropping..." button
6. A window will pop up. Adjust the settings to fit your needs, and then
click ok.
7. When you resave the video in VirtualDub, the newly saved video will be
cropped. Make sure to recompress it again when you save it, otherwise it may
not work.
To crop a video
with Adobe Premiere, follow these steps:
1. Click File->Open
2. Select the video file and click OK
3. Click File->Export->Movie...
4. On the window that pops up, click the Options/Settings button that is at
the bottom
5. A new window should pop up with lots of options. Click the drop-down menu
at the top-left corner and choose the latest section
6. Click the "Modify" button to change the Crop settings
7. Now click OK three times until the operation begins.
3. How to know if a given CODEC
is installed?
To know if a codec
is installed, follow these steps (under Windows XP):
1. Click "Sounds and Audio Devices" from the Control Panel
2. Go to the last tab
3. Select "Video Codecs" from the list
4. Click "Properties..."
5. Click the second tab.
4.
What types of icons and cursors are supported?
- Icons in general: Adventure
Maker supports any color depth (even 16 millions), and any standard size. There are many
Icon Editors available on the Internet that allow you to create icons that are bigger than
32x32 (for example, the 48x48 icons created with the shareware Microangelo work perfectly
with the Adventure Maker inventory).
- Files used for the mouse cursor: their size must be 32x32 (if the size is bigger, it
will be automatically resized to fit 32x32), and their color depth depends on whether you
use files that have the CUR extension (in that case you are limited to black and white) or
the ICO extension (in that case there are no color limitations).
- Icons used for the inventory items: you can use any color depth and any
standard size, but if the size is bigger than 32x32 (like 48x48), the icon
may look slightly differently during the drag-and-drop operation. If you use
icons that are bigger than 32x32, it is recommended that you change the
settings under the "Inventory" tab of the "Project Properties" to prevent
the items from overlapping.
5. Is AVI a particular format or is it the
product of a particular program?
"AVI" is the extension of a popular video format.
You can create AVI files with most software that produce video files.
For example, a famous free
video editor and converted is named
"VirtualDub".
Note: an AVI file can be
compressed in different codecs. You must make sure that the end-user has the
right codec installed on his/her computer in order to play the video. A
bunch of codecs come by default with the Windows installation, but others
(like DivX or XVid) require a separate installation. If the license of the
codec allows you to redistribute the codec, you can include the codec in the
installation package of the software created with Adventure Maker. |
