Animation resources

Identify the resource family

Example: lang/ANIMAT/rocket names a_raket. The catalogue lists candidate files for this variant. A UNITS sheet with file tiger selects a different graphics family.

The inventory records these five extensions at archive roots. It does not cover absent files, unextracted APS archives or unlisted graphics subdirectories. Paths keep their original case. Different archives can provide the same basename.

ANI header and palette

Ani::LoadGraphics, in src/game/desc/animat.cpp, reads two 32-bit integers. The first has a high signature byte of 0xCA. Its low byte selects the format. The second gives the total frame count. The following table contains file offsets for the frames. Frame data follows the eight-byte header.

The inventory checks the signature, frame count, table bounds and frame offsets. header_checked does not prove pixel decoding, palette validity or correct rendering. A candidate .col file does not prove that the installation loads it.

The animation guide explains direction groups and shared resources. The map uses screen_x = x - y and screen_y = (x + y) / 2 - z. These expressions do not establish unit anchors or compass ordering.

Tools and compatibility

The historical tool catalogue lists Ani-Maker and Anied for animations, Pck Explorer for PCK resources, and SuSt Graph for several formats. Anchor and effect tools also exist. Their availability does not prove compatibility with each Fusion format or operation on Linux.

Do not use the building decoder as an ANI decoder. This documentation does not provide a pixel decoder, animation editor or APS compiler. The catalogue does not redistribute original binary resources.

Start with the existing-animation change procedure. Full resource creation still needs validation with the applicable tools and installation.

Resource inventory

The list keeps all candidate paths, sizes and SHA-256 hashes. Header checks do not decode pixels or prove correct rendering. Companion files and archive loading remain installation-dependent.