Showing Animations on a Screen

[Glazed Donuts]

What would be the Screen Language equivalent for showing/hiding an animated image? For example, this works when I'm NOT in a Screen block of code:

Code: Select all

image test = Animation("sozai/anim/1.png", 0.08,
                                "sozai/anim/2.png", 0.08,
                                "sozai/anim/3.png", 0.08,
                                "sozai/anim/4.png", 0.08,
                                "sozai/anim/5.png", 0.08) 

show test with dissolve

However, if I do this under a Screen block, I will get errors. Is there a Screen language equivalent for doing the above? (or at least, for showing the animated image?)

[Alex]

I think it can be a combination of ATL image and screen that shows that image, like

Code: Select all

init:
    image test:
        "sozai/anim/1.png"
        0.08
        "sozai/anim/2.png"
        0.08
        "sozai/anim/3.png"
        0.08
        "sozai/anim/4.png"
        0.08
        "sozai/anim/5.png"
        0.08
        repeat

screen test_scr:
    add "test"

label start:
    scene black
    "..."
    show screen test_scr
    "... ..."
    hide screen test_scr
    "___"

http://www.renpy.org/doc/html/screens.html#add

[Glazed Donuts]

Why is this:

Code: Select all

init:
    image test:
        "sozai/anim/1.png"
        0.08
        "sozai/anim/2.png"
        0.08
        "sozai/anim/3.png"
        0.08
        "sozai/anim/4.png"
        0.08
        "sozai/anim/5.png"
        0.08
        repeat

better to use than this?

Code: Select all

image test = Animation("sozai/anim/1.png", 0.08,
                                "sozai/anim/2.png", 0.08,
                                "sozai/anim/3.png", 0.08,
                                "sozai/anim/4.png", 0.08,
                                "sozai/anim/5.png", 0.08) 

Does the screen language not recognize the 'Animation' keyword when you try to call the image?

[Alex]

It's not "better then", it's just an example of ATL. Animation should work too.

[Rosstin]

I'm having a minor problem with my animation display in my game right now. My battle animations seem to start in the middle rather than at the beginning. Is this due to slowdown? Is there a way to force the game to preload the animation before attempting to loop it, so it starts at the first frame?

I can think of a number of kludge fixes, such as including a number of static starting frames. But it'd be nice to just flip a "preload" flag or somesuch.

[Alex]

Well, it might be your sprites, used in animation, or a big image that will appear in some lines next to animation (check up to 10 lines of code). In any case renpy.cache_pin should help you.

[Rosstin]

Hey, kickass. That function looks like it would be helpful.

My game has extremely heavy animation, though. Like, a typical battle animation has 20 frames. Do I have to preload every single frame?

[Alex]

As far as I know, Ren'py loads images everytime they need to be shown. So, if you don't want it, then preload all frames while init phase.

[PyTom]

Ren'Py will preload images used on screens, as long as there's enough room for them and it's given enough time to do so. Generally, renpy.cache_pin shouldn't be used - consider increasing config.image_cache_size from the default of 8 instead.