I need a coder who can tell me how I can get perfect non-screenshot card images

[Scaredgirl]

If I understand correctly, Elements cards are "built" from smaller pieces as the game goes along. Correct me if I'm wrong about that one.

So my question is: is there a way of capturing those images without doing a screenshot? Like getting the "original" image?

I'm asking because I'm planning on redoing all the cards on this forum and in wiki. We need to make them perfect without all that extra stuff like shadows and ugly borders.

Ultimate goal would be to have PNG images with rounded transparent corners so that they would look great against any background.

[Essence]

Back in my 'I wanna be haxxor' days, I found a program that can extract images, sounds, animation frames, etc. from an SWF file.  I found it by Googling "SWF Decompiler", I think.  That would get you the individual elements you need.

[FrozenFlame]

I'm no expert of any type and even less when it comes to flash applications, i'm quite sure though, that the .pngs, .jpgs, whatever be, already exist, and flash loads them.

Maybe decompiling a .swf allows to get some of the images but catching the .swf at any time probably gets the login part, not the animations you're actually seeing it when you save it in your computer, which brings us to the problem "images not loaded".

So i guess you would have to ask zanzarino to send you the image files.

Note: Again i could be wrong. Don't put your hands on fire for what i said ;x I "iz" a learner

[redjag]

Yes you can get them by decompiling the SWF.  Since you have communication with Zanz and Chris why not just get the source images from one of them, which are even higher quality than those compiled in the SWF?

[Scaredgirl]

Yes you can get them by decompiling the SWF.  Since you have communication with Zanz and Chris why not just get the source images from one of them, which are even higher quality than those compiled in the SWF?

If I'm not mistaken, the full card images do not exists in the flash file. My understanding is that flash builds the cards in layers, like background + texts + icons. So if I decompile it, all I get is pieces of the cards. This is why I'm asking if there is a way to get the full images somehow.

I could be wrong about that though.

I'll try to get the images but if it fails I guess I'll ask Zanz. I just try to bother him as little as possible so that he can concentrate on coding the game. If there is a way for us to do it without him, I would prefer that.

[Essence]

So I went and got an SWF decompiler, and opened up the SWF -- and you're right, SG, the game doesn't have complete images for any cards.  It builds them in layers on-the-fly just like you think it does.

So, yeah, probably the best you're gonna get is to ask chriskang (when does he get back, anyway?) or Zanz to build you the images you need.

[Glitch]

If I understand correctly, Elements cards are "built" from smaller pieces as the game goes along. Correct me if I'm wrong about that one.

So my question is: is there a way of capturing those images without doing a screenshot? Like getting the "original" image?

I'm asking because I'm planning on redoing all the cards on this forum and in wiki. We need to make them perfect without all that extra stuff like shadows and ugly borders.

Ultimate goal would be to have PNG images with rounded transparent corners so that they would look great against any background.

Hmm, thinking about how I would do it, there are several ways you could solve your problem.  Comment out all code unrelated to playing the cards.  I'd have to look at the programming, but there's probably a function in the code where it builds a certain card.  All cards probably have some sort of calling number and identifier.  If you knew what you were doing, and had the .swf, you could have it play 1 card on a blank background at a time.

Solution 2:  All images should be stored in the library somewhere.  Just go through that and take them out image by image.


Course, I'm just a newb programmer right now, I have no idea how elegant the game is...

[Essence]

Just look at ChrisKang's "FG.xls" (search for it), and you can get the numeric identifiers for each of the cards that was out in 1.14.  We won't know the new ones until CK gets back and starts working again.  Speaking of which, does anyone have a clue when that might be?