Chapter Four: Sprites and Graphical Data

Reference: Arsenal III: Sprites Editor

The first 130 entries in sprites.dat (0-129) are used for doodads (whose sprites.dat entries are referenced by the tileset files to be used as overlay graphics) and thus do not have the two selection circle graphic and HP Bar length variables.

Sprite [text box]: Reference or pointer to the images.dat object (entry number, starting from 0) that is encapsulated by this sprites.dat entry. (Pointer to an entry in images.dat)

HP Bar Len [text box]: The length of the object's health/shields/energy bar(s) in pixels.

Unknown 1, 2 [check boxes]: Unknown.

Sel Circle [text box]: Reference or pointer to an images.dat object (entry number) this sprites.dat entry uses as an underlay graphic when it is selected (normally the selection circle). This pointer starts counting from images.dat entry number 561 as 0 (so 0 would refer to 561, 1 refers to 562, 3 refers to 564, etc.). Any images.dat entry after 561 is valid, so long as it has valid initial and death animations (in its iscript.bin reference). (Pointer to an entry in images.dat, starting at 561 as 0)

Sel Circ Gfx* [text box]: Vertical offset of selection circle graphic/health bar (how far down to offset it from the graphic). Somewhere around 127 the selection circle gets so far down that it actually goes above the unit (i.e., it will be above the unit now instead of below it). Values very close to 127 will make the selection circle be (very far) below the sprite but move the health bar up above the unit. 255 will move it all the way back around and centered on the sprite again. In other words, if it goes too far down, it will "loop back" around above the unit and then move down more.

* Note that this variable is obviously mislabeled; may be changed already if you're using a version of Arsenal III newer than the one I used when writing this tutorial.