Animated Load Screens and/or music? Is it possible?

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Thu Dec 12, 2002 2:13 pm

Just wondering if anyone had thoughts on making an animated loading screen....will/can it work? And/or can you have music play while the screen loads up? OR do you need to create an animation and somehow script it to run before or after the load screen?

Thanks!

mohaa_rox · Post by **mohaa_rox** » Thu Dec 12, 2002 2:42 pm

I don't think that's possible.

=Sgt. Daniel R. O*Neil= · Thu Dec 12, 2002 8:48 pm

Kind of a cool idea though. I wouldnt care about the music much, but the idea of having about 3 load screens would be cool to show more depth of the map.

Post by **jv_map** » Thu Dec 12, 2002 9:26 pm

I think it's possible but I don't know how.

I'm thinking about the flashing 'loading' text when loading a map that doesn't have a .min file. That's animating right?

Slyk · Post by **Slyk** » Thu Dec 12, 2002 9:52 pm

Yeah, the 'loading' graphic is animated, it's three or four 'gif' files probably. I could slap that together with 'animation shop' IF that is how it is done.

My next curious idea is if you can play seperate music for the Axis and Allies???? From the tuts I have seen it appears NOT as background music, but I'm gonna fiddle with the other options....probably screw up my .scr file, but what the heck.

With the animation I wanted to do a four or five picture fade thingy using real black and white images..... OR conjure up a mini SP/demo thing with tanks and guys blowing up etc...but that feels like WAY too much work for one guy right now.

Post by **jv_map** » Thu Dec 12, 2002 9:57 pm

I don't think MoHAA can load .gif files.

It is possible to use a different music for allied and axis players but it's really complicated. I'm working on a script that will ease it but it'll still be difficult.

Innkeeper · Post by **Innkeeper** » Thu Dec 12, 2002 10:49 pm

The loading bar graphic is tga.

Jv_map, I am intrested in what you are doing about music, as I am working on that as well.

Slyk · Post by **Slyk** » Fri Dec 13, 2002 3:23 am

If you guys can figure out the music thing, I'd love to know about it. I'm working on a map for the Tractor Works at Stalingrad and I've got a lot of specialized Russian stuff ready, including the music. I think it would be cool to either play Russian patriot stuff over the entire level for only Russian/Allied players or at least as an ambient maybe at their spawns... until that spawn is eliminated and then eliminate the music there...??? don't know, but anyway same idea from the German side. I'm sure it would work, just 'how'.! ! !

Thanks for the responses!

Post by **jv_map** » Fri Dec 13, 2002 1:19 pm

I made a script to work with my AIs for multiplayer. This script enables you to run threads for every player who joines. Thus, you can create a thread that starts a specific music.

I'll release this script together with the AI stuff, unless you need it very quickly.

Slyk · Post by **Slyk** » Fri Dec 13, 2002 2:16 pm

JV that sounds so cool. Now, I don't remember specifics, but does each player get a certain number like 'odd' for Allied and 'even' for Axis or any system like that??? or the first 'x' number are always Allied??? Anyway to tell that? Ideally I would like to use some dramatic music, anthems/patriotic tunes for each side... only two music files though and one background battle sound.

I'm gonna take a look at the MP ending from SH to see about tagging a certain mus file for end scoreboard stuff...if possible. NO cinematic stuff, just thought it would be cool if the Russians win my map, the game plays everyone the Soviet anthem, vv for the German victory while the scoreboard is up.

Thanks for the update! Please email me your script. I'm looking at no less than one more week before beta release with all the script stuff coming up now. ugh.

Post by **jv_map** » Fri Dec 13, 2002 2:25 pm

I made my script so that the player is accessible as parm.player in the thread.

Best is to set this player to a local variable first and then access the team by using e.g. local.player.dmteam.

That'll return 'allies', 'axis', 'spectator' or 'freeforall'.

The script I made requires some extensive testing and some explanation before I feel confident enough to release it.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Sun Dec 15, 2002 11:02 pm

OK Got my .mus file working and playing my background ambient battle sounds and actually got my main .scr playing the player oriented music..... pretty cool. Now I'm trying to figure out just how to get the other ambients to 'force play' like in the SH TOW maps. THAT will satisfy me.....for now. But it seems that somewhere there is a master .scr or kind of file that could be changed. If you check the console it shows that sounds are turned off during the load screen..... maybe that can be hacked??? located first...then hacked!??? maybe not. Thanks for the input along the way, getting closer to finished!