The different parts of the multiple figures unit storyboard builder

Sea also the preview area

The formation options

Type of formation

The top left area of the windows presents 21 preset formations. To select a formation, simply click on the corresponding radio button.

Selecting once of these formation will reset the X and Y position values, and will enable or disable some controls, depending on the number of figures in the formation.

Above the name of the variation, a small pictures show how the figures are laid out in the south orientation. The small red figures are used to identify the figure in the other area.

Formation spreading

The top right area can be used to reset all the X and Y position values at once, with 4 preset values for the Width, and 4 for the Depth.

The preset X and Y positions depends on the spreading and the formation type.

The files

Input files

The user select in this area what files will be combined. 1 to 6 files are available, depending on the selected formation. To select a new files, simply clic on one of the button to open the standard file selection window. The name of the file is displayed beside the button.

The figures to the left of the name are the same are the one in the small pictures in the formation selection area.

The number of frames must be specified by the user. If the number is not correct, SBB cannot find the correct size of each frame.

Output files

This is simply the name of the storyboard that will be generated

The parameters

Position

Gives for each figure its position relatively to the center of the picture, when facing South. So a unit which is at X = 10 and Y = -5 when facing South will be at X = -10 and Y = 5 when facing North.

The values for X and Y can varry from -120 to +120 (the maximum size of a frame is 240x240 pixels).

To reset quickly these positions, click again on the formation radio button, or on the formation spreading radio button.

Centering

Sometime a figure is not in the center of the frame in its own animation. This is usually without any real consequence, except when mixing several figure into the munit. In that case, if the centering is different, the figures will not be aligned correctly.

These parameters, which can varry from -120 to +120, can be used to correct this. The value is the same for all the orientations.

 

Timing

These parameters are used to desynchronise the figures, and give a nicer result.

The type of desynchronisation is selected in the list. It can be Loop or Wait.

Looping delay: Only the delay parameter is used (End is ignored). The frames will de offset from the delay parameter (from 0 to 4).

If the Delay is 2, with a 6 frames animation, SBB will copy the frames into the storyboard in the following order : 3,4,5,6,1,2.

Waiting delay: Both parameters are used. The first frame will be copied "Delay" times before going to the second frame, and once SBB reach the "End" frame, it will copy the End frames until the end.

If the Delay is 2, and the End 4 for a 8 frames animation, SBB will copy the frames into the storyboard in the following order : 1,1,1,2,3,4,4,4

 

Orientation and move

The first list is used to determine what will be the final orienation of the figure for the South orientation of the munit. For instance, for an escape animation, the figure orientation should be N, so it runs away.

The second list determines if the unit shall turn to reach the orientation. It can be R (right), L (left) or - (none). SBB will copy the frame progressively until the unit reaches its final destination, if requested.

A unit has a NW final orientation. With "-" for Turn, it starts facing NW in the S orientation. With "R", it starts facing S in frame 1, then SE, E, NE, N and NW frame 6 and more. With "L", it starts facing S in frame 1, then SW, W and NW for frame 4 and more.

The move parameter is used to translate the unit. This is a value, in pixels, from 0 to 10. When the figure has reached its final orientation SBB will copy it and offset it in this direction.

A unit has a NW final orientation, and L Turn, and Move = 4. At frame 4, it faces NW. At frame 5, SBB will offset it 4 pixels toward NW, at frame 6, 4 pixels more for a total of 8, etc.

Size

This parameter, from 0 to 100, is used to change the size of the units. It allows to put more units in the formation, but should be used with caution, as it will lead to a loss of quality of the figures, and may not be appreciated by every user.