Posted By
MMS
on 2010-08-11
19:19:50
 |  Re: Beginners Question: How to load Graphic fom Pc to Plus4
Hi,
I just doing it right now  I tell you how I work, but there are other approaches, even better toolsets you may find. (some guys here are really smart creating crosstools).
For me the best toolset is:
-Plus4EMU's graphic converter PRG with a good GUI (great program...)
-Multibotticelli
-DirMaster
1) You draw your picture in any nice Windows/Mac paint program. There is a Plus/4 color palette for Photoshop somewhere in the forum, may help you.
(I do not use Photoshop, and the rest of programs I think cannot handle it).
BMP is perfect, but JPG is also good, just do not compress it (let it on 100%)
2) Start the Plus4EMUs p4fliconv_gui.exe (it knows normal hires and multi too, not only FLI)
3) Select the picture and Convert it (FLIs are nice, but you cannot really use them in your game).
You may create one attractive picture as a strart for your game, you may check Iron Maiden slideshow, what you may expect from FLI.
-But normal multicolor is also nice, pls check Toplist, Top Slideshows (at the bottom)
4) You may need to play a lot in the options menu. Especially on dithering (type of dithering, settings, or you need no dithering at all), gamma and color intensity.
Do it till it looks REALLY good (after you press "Preview"). You may set Multicolor to 30 for better results (much slower, but nicer).
5) if you want to quickly test result (first in Emulator), then in Options select Output as "PRG with viewer". save it, run it, emulator will show how it will look like.
6) If you are happy with the preview, and want to edit it (I do recommend to eliminate false dithering pixels) then save it as raw, -m0 (no compression)
7) After it was saved to PC, you need to move it on a D64. Open DirMaster.
8) Create a new D64 disc or open an existing one.
Move the saved RAW PRG file (picture) to the directory wit your mouse. Save the disc.
Now you have the converted picture in normal format (multicolor or hires) on Disc
9) Depending on the format, you need Multibotticelli or Botticelli (they emulate mouse / sprite via joystick, I can well use them on PC with cursor keys + SHIFT as fire).
In an emulator it can handle the D64 file with your picture.
9b) Run the Botticelli. attach the D64 disc which contains the picture(s)
10) Open your file from Botticellis (Disc icon, Directory, Load).
Edit it, save it on a new name
Now you have your final GFX on a D64 you may use. If you want to transfer it to a real floppy disc, you need a datacable, the older your PC and Windows is the better. (as then the parallel x1541 can work, otherwise you need more complex (=expensive) way to handle the 1541 from your PC)
Graphics:
the GFX typical place is from $1800-$4000, irrespective it is mmulti or hires. (on C16 the only place, on Plus/4 the place Graphics command shows it)
You may search for the Multibotticelli in the softwares, and read how it stores the color, and the bitmap.
The "usual" gfx you save from plus/4 memory does not contain the background color and the 3rd color (=second background color) info, BUT Botticellis yes.
So if you have a Botticelli multicolor picture, just load it eg. with "xy",8,1. It will be from $7800 onwards as per info above.
Go to Monitor, move it to $1800.
T 7800 9F40 1800
You may save it from monitor $1800-$4000 to disc S "xy",8,1800,4000
Always remember your 2 background colors. set them (Color), and say Graphic3.
you have your picture on the screen
If you want it to load it in BASIC, then the best to check some discmags with Basic loader, Definitely the Load"xy"8,1 will put it back to $1800, then just a Graphic command... certainly he colors to be recorded somewhere, or you always decode it from Botticelli memory map.
Have fun!
BTW, if you need some info on GFX formats, then read:
C64 is almost the same, except it has 3 independent color per 8x8 in multicolor, while Plus/4 can handle only 2 plus the 3rd color (because with the brightness color does not fit to half byte, only 2 colors fit into color memory):
http://www.studiostyle.sk/dmagic/gallery/gfxmodes.htm
http://www.editorix.org/congo/html/c64_image_formats__part_i.html
Sorry if I missed out something, described something incorrectly, and special sorry for the typo mistakes (I am sure there are some, after 3 vodka and so late ) )
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