This tutorial explains how to create an animated avatar.

This tutorial explains how to create an animated avatar.




For this tutorial you'll be needing the following tools and some knowledge about working with layers in paintshop, if you want to make a transparent avatar.

VirtualDub - Freeware: http://www.virtualdub.org/download
Ulead Gif Animator 5 - 15 day trial: http://www.ulead.com/ga/trial.htm
Rad Video tools - Freeware: http://www.radgametools.com/bnkdown.htm
PaintShop pro X - 30 day trial: http://www.corel.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=Corel3/Downloads/Trials

Contents [hide]
1 Background information.
2 1 Selecting your source
3 2 Get into the Dub
4 3 Firing up Gif Animator
5 4 To Paintshop Pro and Back
6 5 Getting ready for conversion
7 6 Convert

Background information.

TrackMania Sunrise supports animated avatars in the bink (*.bik) video format. Size restrictions are 128x128 pixels and 16Kb filesize. Custom avatars can be stored in [TrackMania Base Directory]\GameData\Skins\Avatars

If you already have a *.gif file you'd like to use, proceed to step [6] unless your gif needs some tuning, read on from step [5].
1 Selecting your source

This tutorial will show you how to make this avatar.



The source is a Divx rip of "garfield the movie".
2 Get into the Dub

Start VirtualDub and open the *.avi file. Configure the settings: In Menu/Video/Compression, Select (uncompressed RGB/YCbCr). In Menu/video, Select Full Processing Mode. In Menu/Audio, Select No Audio. In Menu/Video/Frame Rate, select [frame rate conversion] process every third frame (decimate by 3). This will reduce the number of frames by a third, but will be smooth enough for our purposes.

Delete everything except the frames you'd like to use. Keep in mind that to get the best quality, an image with fewer frames is better, and remember the size limit is 16Kb. Luckily you can start with virtual dub doing some decimating for you. As you see in the screenshot, I've selected 83 frames. After saving with the suggested options, You'll be left with 27 frames.



Save the .avi file (Menu/File->save as avi)
3 Firing up Gif Animator

Start Gif Animator and open the .avi file (menu/file->open video). Check the time delay between the frames and take notes, we're going to need this value later on. We're going to make a square selection wich contains all the action. From the tooldock on the left click selection tool (rectangle). In the upper toolbar, make sure that equal width and height is selected. Make your selection and by selecting the individual frames, check that all the actions stays within the selected boundaries.



When you're happy with the selection, use crop to selection (menu/edit-> crop canvas). Now for the hard part, as I've mentioned earlier, fewer frames result in better quality. We'll have to lose some frames to get better quality after conversion. This is where your own judgement has to decide what you can afford to leave out and still have something to show for.



While this 28 frame version was the author's personal preference, conversion to .bik format lowered the quality significantly.



After removing some frames, I've ended up with this 9 frame image. While the quality is not as good, it is a necessary compromise. If you are satisfied with the image and deem it ready for conversion go to step [5]. However, there are several optimizations we can make to this image.
4 To Paintshop Pro and Back

From Gif Animator, save your work as a *.psd file (menu/file/save as->psd file). Start paintshop and open the psd file.



For every frame/layer unlock the transparancy (padlock symbol) and with background eraser tool, erase everything but the image you want. With the right edge detect settings, you don't have to be precise, paintshop will help you keeping the edge intact. After editing remember to lock the transparency settings. Failure to lock the transparancy again will result in this:



Save the *.psd file and reopen it in Gif Animator. There, choose open each layer as an object in the open dialog.



As you'll notice, you'll have to add frames manually and assign a layer/object to each frame by hand. After adding the frames, select all the frames and change the timing (menu/frame->frame properties/delay) back to what it was in step 3.


5 Getting ready for conversion

Now we're going to resize and resample the gif.

Choose (Menu/edit->resize image/128x128) quality best. Next, start the optimization wizard. (Press F11.) In the welcome screen, DO NOT select Optimize using a preset. Select Yes to create optimized palet, then click next. Set number of colors to 128 and Dither value to 75% feel free to experiment with these values. When you are ready, click next. Click yes or next through the remaining dialogues, then click finish. View the optimization result, aim for <70Kb. Save the *.gif file.


6 Convert

Open RAD Video Tools Select your *.gif file and click Bink It! (Visit http://www.radgametools.com/binkhcwb.htm#START for a full explanation of all the options.)



The important settings: Compress to a % of the original Calculate your own percentage to reach max 16Kb. Include input video's alpha plane. Select this if you have made a transparent gif file. Hit bink and wait till the conversion is done. Check the filesize and retry with altered values if necessary.

Copy your bik to the Trackmania Sunrise avatar folder, (GameData\Skins\Avatar) start the game and select the avatar under Profile.de:Hauptseite