I wanted to save this for after I make a release, but whatever.

Take a full color bitmap apply a black(0,0,0) background to it. If you are reconverting your old pcx files, make sure there is a two pixel mask color border. Change the mask color to black and increase the pcx to 16 million colors.

Use the smooth tool (don't use a single spot tool, but one that applies to the whole screen). A one pixel thick border will remain after you use the fill tool with the desired background color on the outside. Copy and paste over to a 32(or whatever definition you can fit in) color reduced pcx that has the original 8 colors plus inbetweens.

Note that the example hasn't been reduced in the described fashion.

Hmm, I do it another way (but also use soften too for single characters), I don't know if this still counts as a CVS graphic, but I blur the whole image, then chop out the BG so it's transparent then decrease it to 256 colors. For me, this makes graphics, again, look visually pleasant.

All of the above methods were done is PSP.

I tend to blur it, doing it now as I am typing, when I am making "full mugen games" [no, not from other characters, my own], and put it in the fightfx.sff [no pallete] ;D

I want to ask, is there anything wrong with my method? It still makes the graphics look REALLY good, and soften/blur doesn't really make too much difference, except soften doesn't "blur" it as much ...

that looks great in stages too, but i noticed this:
with a BGpalfx (most of KoF characters that have the "invert BG" effect for SDM)....well the retouched GFX look really bad (because the black is reversed to white, and the "CVS" effect where the edge of the GFX blends with the BG is screwed >_<)
Usually, i give them outer glow and blur ^_~

Thanks for the tip LadyKiki. I tried using your "blur" method, and I like how it works. I really appreciate your suggestion.

Thanks again!

[quote author=OrochiWeapon2000 link=board=4;threadid=1039;start=0#msg11649 date=1048279539]
Thanks for the tip LadyKiki. I tried using your "blur" method, and I like how it works. I really appreciate your suggestion.

Thanks again!
[/quote]

No problem, but I don't think many people use it. It also takes up way too much color on the pallete, only good for fightfx.sff stuff >:(

Well, I always did like the effect but this is certainly not new. I actually did this exact think with the projectiles for my characters Neon, Grendok, and Shorashah. They were individual characters so I had to make the sprites into 16 bit images so mugen can show them the way they are supposed to be shown (I had to use 8 bit decoy sprites when I made them). And L.Kiki, this is the main reason why I decided I'll just make a full game, especially since sprites higher than 8 bit are no longer supported at all. My plan now is to use the doubleres trick mentioned in the other thread to get better overall graphics, and put ALL non-paletted sprites (projectiles, helpers, etc.) in the main fight.sff (or whatever file it is) file. I hope it all turns out the way I want it. I wish I had some good motion captures at my disposal. I can only do so much with a mouse.

Nothing new, but I wanted to share my findings.

I think 32 colors looks good enough:
[img]http://members.aol.com/messatsu13/GuyPreview[/img]
I saw little difference between what that is and 256.

There really isn't much difference, especially if the entire sprite is mostly shades of the same color. It's really a matter of how well the colors blend together.

Any ideas/suggestions for KOF Style -> CVS Style (characters I mean)

Anybody gonna make some CVS style hitsparks? That would own!

Hotdawg: That sounded like a request.... if so kiss your time on dev good bye. If not..... be a bit more careful in the future.

I think that i will put this guide to use!

May I ask a question?

On average, how many colors does this effect add? I'm thinking of perhaps modifying my KOF'96 sparkpack, making it have CvsS-style graphics and colors.

The example I used originally has 647 unique colors, but like I said, 32 is good enough. The closer the colors are to each other in value, the less new colors would be formed I guess you could say.

But, if you're only making your own spark effects pack, using 256 is cool, although the difference is slightly hard to tell, the more colors the better ;D

I would use 256 for fightfx.SFF packs only, and 16/32 colors to add to my pallete on my own characters. 8) [16 colors through the soften method, it works kinda well] ;D