Animated GIFs

[Selknam]

Again, i dont speak english, so be pattient.

I really like the style of soldat, the way that looks because is very simple. So this idea does not mean change that, it just mean add somethings at the game that could make it more intresting to see.
For example: The flag could be an animated gif, it could have a little move made by the wind (I dont know the word that in spanish is "Flamear", wich is the tipical move that make a flag in the wind)
Or a tree could be afeccted by an explotion near.
What if the soldiers were made on gif format. Imagine them doing the /pwn XD

May could be intresting.... the idea is not change a lot of things, most of all is add some simple things into the maps, things wich does not make any interference with the game, but that can mean a simple evolution in his graphics.

[Eagles_Arrows]

This would bring more realism to the game, but we're alright with what we've got.  Although, I do want to see .gif support.

[GNU]

Would it cause lag?
I don't know anything about that sort of stuff but I know I hate lag.

[Selknam]

This would bring more realism to the game, but we're alright with what we've got. Although, I do want to see .gif support.

it could bring even less realism... an more fun
Do you remember ctf_dragonwar? What if instead of statics dragons in each base they have mouth that could open and close, or even less, just have eyes that look at you, or teeths bleedings. Gif support could be make a lot more intresting the maps, withoth altered (change) the stile of soldat or the way that it is been played.

and about the lag, it should not be a problem, becuase they are archives that are located in ours pcs, and souldnt modificated the packages between us and the server.

[zyxstand]

Would it cause lag?
I don't know anything about that sort of stuff but I know I hate lag.

it wouldn't cause internet lag - the only lag can come only from your computer.  The server doesn't send the animation graphics live to the player - every player's computer does that itself...

[GNU]

Awesome, I'm all for the idea then.

[Selknam]

what if interfaces were animated... how it looks if, when you take damage, the icon in the side of your health bar make a response of it... someone could make a face of a soldier that shows pain when you take damage...

things like those could be intresting, and wouldnt change the game at the way it is play now.

[Mistercharles]

A gif for the flag would make it simpler. I believe you're asking for more physics. The game's objects, such as flags, players, guns, and crates, all have skeletons, which twist and turn the objects they belong to. If that skeleton system was replaced by gifs, the game would look horrible. Plus, Michal (the creator of Soldat) said that he can't get GIFs into the game, due to legal issues.

Sorry to rain on your parade dude 

[EnEsCe]

Its too hard to implement GIF into DirectX afaik, thats why its not there.

[Mancer]

he can't get GIFs into the game, due to legal issues.

What? Like someones going to threaten to sue MM for putting in .gifs.

[edak]

use animated bitmap-maps.

[Eagles_Arrows]

use animated bitmap-maps.

You can't.

Unless you were being sarcastic?

[T-Bone]

on a kind of similar not, wouldnt this make interactive scenery possible? like exploding barrels, or the trees get mutilated by bullets? maybe not...im not sure about all this

[Stalky]

it wouldn't cause internet lag - the only lag can come only from your computer.  The server doesn't send the animation graphics live to the player - every player's computer does that itself...

Correct, the .gifs could cause your FPS to drop if you have a piss poor computer. However, if the .gif animations were based on the server (so the animations are synchronised) they could potentially cause internet lag. I'm pretty sure they wouldn't be synchronised though, so it's no worry.

Plus, Michal (the creator of Soldat) said that he can't get GIFs into the game, due to legal issues.

This used to be true, because .gif had some sort of copyright thing. But, last I heard, it expired and the .gif format is free to use by everyone now, so Michal wouldn't have any problem legally implementing support. I may be mistaken though.

[PapaSurf]

This has been brought up before, and I support it.  Mostly.  I think animated sceneries are a good idea, and seeing as how animated explosions work in game, it does seem to be in the realm of possibility.  Flags waving in the wind and stuff would be cool, especially if it reacted to elements in game, such as gun fire and explosions.

However, I don't like the idea of making soldiers into aniamted gifs.  I think the current ragdoll system is mouch more advanced, allowing for severed limbs and realistic (yeah...) physics-based deaths.  Making the animations into gifs would make the game look stiff.  It's like if CS:Source went back to the set death animations of 1.6 instead of modern ragdoll techniques.

[Fraggy]

this is one of the best idea's i've seen in a while!

moving tree's, OMG how cool!
breathing soldat figures!
birdies flying around!
twinkling stars!
OMG OMG OMG ^^

[m00`]

I would much rather .gif support for interfaces

[zaraza]

I fear that mapmakers would overuse this but it is very good idea (old though)

I'd love to see fire

[jrgp]

I think it would be absolutely awesome if it were possible to use animated gifs as sceneries.

So maybe a pool of lava could be animated so it would look as if the lava were flowing.

[JBL]

Well.... It sounds cool, but will ruin the gameplay I think.