Ben, If you are using <= 256 colors, then yes, you should be converting your files to PNG. You will get a huge reduction in physical size. The Image-magick info I posted will auto change the image to indexed when <= 256 colors specified.
Maps depend a lot on what sort of processing you have done in the past. Once you have saved the image once as a JPG, you get dithering that makes it very expensive to then save as a PNG. PNG's do best with large areas of single colors. JPG will usually give you a smaller image, at the expense of some clarity. Have a look in the FAQ here: http://www.vassalengine.org/wiki/doku.php?id=smaller_modules http://www.vassalengine.org/wiki/doku.php?id=image_formats Regards, Brent, *********** REPLY SEPARATOR *********** On 22/10/2007 at 5:51 AM benw_h wrote: Addendum to this: most of the pieces are RGB. Should this be changed to indexed? --- In [email protected], "benw_h" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > We could probably do with some guidance on this, as we defintely made > some bad design choices early on. Most of the maps are down to > between 12 and 32 colours (indexed). We still however have two huge > ones in there (in terms of pixels: in size they're 2Mb and 4Mb > respectively) - though we're not actually testing the memory issues > with these two giants (ironically though, previos playtests on one of > them had no problems). > > All the counters are also png files. I have no idea what colour depth > they have - didn't really think to look at it while making them (they > were mostly made years ago as BMPs in Paint and ADC, then converted). > Obviously the thought of going back and adjusting them is pretty > depressing, but if it's necessary then I'll do it. Presumably the way > to do this (using Gimp) is to switch the mode to Index and reduce the > number of colours, then save once more as a PNG? > > And Joel, I can get the mod to you (in sections). Drop me a line at > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > Cheers for all the great responses. It's given me hope that we can > get this cracked.... > > --- In [email protected], Rich Johnston <DrNostromo@> > wrote: > > > > At 01:20 PM 10/21/2007, you wrote: > > >Thus spake "benw_h": > > > > > > > > ...and do any of the changes you make effect saved games > already in > > > > progress? So far I've reduced the colours of all the maps. All > of my > > > > pieces are already only 1kb (does it matter how many colours > they are > > > > if they are already this small?). I'm still getting out of > memory > > > > errors. Does the sheer number of images in the module (even if > not > > > > displayed) effect this? The mod is about 25Mb (5+5 per > extension), with > > > > probably around 5-600 piece images, 8 maps (with multiple > boards in > > > > most cases), and another 200 cards. Any advice? AT present I've > truned > > > > my attention to increasing the memory allocation... > > > > > >What module is this? I'd like to have a look at it next week once > I'm > > >home again. I'm in the midst of a project aimed at eliminating > > >unnecessary out of memory exceptions, and I'd like to be able to > test > > >my new image caching code on modules which are likely to stress it. > > > > > >(BTW, there is no direct connection between file size and in- > memory size > > >for images. It's the image dimensions and depth which matter for > in-memory > > >size. It's possible to create tiny files which store huge images > once > > >they're loaded.) > > > > This is what I've discovered as well. What graphics format > are > > you saving your files in? From the size of your mod compared to > what > > you have in it, you may just be using a high resolution intense > > graphics format that can probably be converted way down. > > > > My mod currently has at least 2 dozen map windows and between 1500 > > and 2000 pieces, chits, cards, etc. and the overall size of the > file > > is just under 15Mb. My biggest map is 5426 x 4260 pixels and it's > > only 540k in size. All the graphics I have in the mod use the PNG- 8 > > graphics format and I'm allocating 512 megs to Vassal. Things are > > running good here. > > > ____________________________________________________________ Brent Easton Analyst/Programmer University of Western Sydney Email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
