Does anyone have BAM editing suggestions? [Item Icons Included]

WithinAmnesia

My BAMworkshop I + II and DLTCEP are acting up very strangely and I cannot 'currently' figure it out. The palette seems to act up and then the colour goes black, white and grey instead of actual colours.

I am 'currently' wondering if my programs got compromised or if I need a new set of programs or if I need new strategies to operated my existing programs.
I created this New Scimitar +1 with no hassles.


Then when I created this longsword +1 in BAMworkshop II; I think that I have success finally!


Then 'Bam!' I reopen it up and it is black and discoloured in BAMworkshop I.


Anyone have suggestions?

Also I have a similar thread if anyone feels particularly 'Tech. Generous'..
http://forum.baldursgate.com/discussion/38655/i-need-help-bams-are-colourless#latest

Grammarsalad

I create bams using paint and only use bam workshop to convert back and forth...I generally only create simple bams though

WithinAmnesia

Grammarsalad said:

I create bams using paint and only use bam workshop to convert back and forth...I generally only create simple bams though

So.. [I do the same thing:-P!] you have no issues with sudden program failure when doing the same thing?

Also check out what @Pecca had to say on the subject; you might find it interesting? Yes, No?
http://forum.baldursgate.com/discussion/comment/598822#Comment_598822

Anyway Take Care and I Thank You for the Insight! It is much appreciated @Grammarsalad‌ .

P.S. Do you know a 'fellow' and or other communit(ies) of people(s) whom 'are on this stuff': BAMs and 'Item Dialog Drawings'? [For I have no 'connections' with the people whom I think I could learn and improve greatly from:-S]

Sam_

A couple of general notes: BAMWorkshop II is not an updated version of BAMWorkshop. It is a completely separate program. While BAMWorkshop II has some powerful features, it is riddled with bugs and WILL corrupt your BAMs. Secondly, the newest version of BAMWorkshop can be found here.

Next, it is important to keep in mind that the BAM file format limits you to 256 colors for the entire file. In general, you will get the best results if you make sure your large and small item icons use the same 256 colors (and preferably in the same order) BEFORE importing them into BAMWorkshop.

Lastly, the BAM file format has changed slightly in the Enhanced Editions. Specifically, a handful of BAMs in the EEs use alpha transparency values in the palette. As a result, the only utility that can properly handle these special BAMs is the BAM editor in NearInfinity.

Hope this helps
-Sam.

WithinAmnesia

Sam_ said:

A couple of general notes: BAMWorkshop II is not an updated version of BAMWorkshop. It is a completely separate program. While BAMWorkshop II has some powerful features, it is riddled with bugs and WILL corrupt your BAMs. Secondly, the newest version of BAMWorkshop can be found here.

Next, it is important to keep in mind that the BAM file format limits you to 256 colors for the entire file. In general, you will get the best results if you make sure your large and small item icons use the same 256 colors (and preferably in the same order) BEFORE importing them into BAMWorkshop.

Lastly, the BAM file format has changed slightly in the Enhanced Editions. Specifically, a handful of BAMs in the EEs use alpha transparency values in the palette. As a result, the only utility that can properly handle these special BAMs is the BAM editor in NearInfinity.

Hope this helps
-Sam.

"Next, it is important to keep in mind that the BAM file format limits you to 256 colors for the entire file. In general, you will get the best results if you make sure your large and small item icons use the same 256 colors (and preferably in the same order) BEFORE importing them into BAMWorkshop."

Yes but that does not explain why a blue blade from a successful PNG to BAM conversion turns grey and colourless when it is reloaded into BAMworkshop 1.1.0.7.; It was most likely corrupted or 'something funky'. Although I will use BAMworkshop 1.1.1.0 [Thank you for the reference:-)] with NearInfinity next time to see if I have better results.

Also yes, I figured that BAMworkshop II was for Baldur's Gate II and not some much for The Original Baldur's Gate. Yes, I have seen those bugs and I'm not super happy about them .

Thank you for the replay @Sam and and take care. Please feel free to 'ring me up' on anything else that you think may help me and or others out with their Baldur's Gate / Infinity Engine 'Unofficial' Content Creation ['needs'!

WithinAmnesia

@Sam I get an error message saying that I cannot open the rar file with 7zip. It says "Can not open file 'File X' as archive". What is going on and how can I fix it? Does anyone know:-S?

Sam_

@WithinAmnesia

WithinAmnesia said:

@Sam I get an error message saying that I cannot open the rar file with 7zip. It says "Can not open file 'File X' as archive". What is going on and how can I fix it? Does anyone know:-S?

In big, bold letters at the bottom of the original post I linked to it says:

Note that you will need a recent version of WinRAR (at least Version 5.00) in order to extract the files from the download archive.

Also, if you can send me (or upload somewhere where I can get it) your original PNG and the BAM from the "successful PNG to BAM conversion", I may can figure out what is going on.

CrevsDaak

@Sam_ any chance you could upload a zip version for OSX users whom are unable to run WinRAR (I can use BAM Workshop through Wine but WinRAR doesn't want to run).

WithinAmnesia

@Sam
"Also, if you can send me (or upload somewhere where I can get it) your original PNG and the BAM from the "successful PNG to BAM conversion", I may can figure out what is going on."

WithinAmnesia

I have a lot of work ahead of me.. I feel like the one villager building a world wonder in over 1000 years in Civilization.

I have got to create and polish, polish, polish items, after I plan the encounter item progression pathings, after I develope and create engaging and creative encounters, after I place settlements and interactive realms inhabitants and their programming, after I design quests and areas flows, after I rough and fine plan area politics, after I edit and polish, polish, polish areas, after I intricately 3D model the areas, after I design the area map layouts and connections, after I vigorously and unrelentingly research for accurate in depth area details, after I flesh out and polish my world expansion master views, after I nail out the planned areas of new content and improvement, after I 'rough together' more thoroughly my current state of affairs and my 'MASSIVE' 100~ days of content information building stockpile of everything Baldur's Gate: Path of the Lost Odyssey.

90% Text Files..

It will take an eternity but It will work out one way.

Sam_

@CrevsDaak

CrevsDaak said:

@Sam_ any chance you could upload a zip version for OSX users whom are unable to run WinRAR (I can use BAM Workshop through Wine but WinRAR doesn't want to run).

I was sure WinRAR had been compiled for Mac OS X, and it is but only for the command line (no GUI). I'll upload a ZIP version in a couple of minutes. It will be in the "spoiler" box at the bottom of the OP along with the "old versions" one.

@WithinAmnesia
How about the BAM you created from those PNGs that doesn't open correctly in BAMWorkshop?

CrevsDaak

Sam_ said:

I was sure WinRAR had been compiled for Mac OS X, and it is but only for the command line (no GUI). I'll upload a ZIP version in a couple of minutes. It will be in the "spoiler" box at the bottom of the OP along with the "old versions" one.

Thanks! Seems like there are command line tools for OSX actually (downloaded and installed (sorry, I'm a bit bad googling besides I had skipped searching on rarlab's site...), command line > GUI any day of the week). Still, I think some people will appreciate the .zip.

WithinAmnesia

@‌ Sam
The website gets 'angry' when I try to upload it saying: 'get that sh!t out of my house' etc.
[file type not supported]
So I uploaded the next best thing.. the PNGs before they were turned into a BAM file! :-P
Any More Questions?