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Icon Face States Guide - Printable Version

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Icon Face States Guide - Mivereous - 03-24-2015

So you want to have more than one emotion, or maybe a cleaner version of the one you do have? Here's a something I threw together!

Step One - Pick Face(s)

So you've found a profile picture. Neat!

[Image: q6bEk23.png]

Kinda too big to use as a face state though, isn't it? How about we size it down using a zoom feature, either in our browser or image viewer of choice.

[Image: LrogA53.png]
[Image: 04KTm1H.png]

Better. Now to make sure it fits to size aspect of 16x16, 32x32, 96x96, or 128x128. As long as it is perfectly square, it should look good.

[Image: bilvWuL.png]
96x96

If you are going to be using more than one face state, you would make more in this same manner.


Step Two - Creating a .DMI file

Did you know that downloading BYOND gave you the Dreammaker tool as well? This tool is what can be used to make icons and in our case, face states!
The default location for this software is: CTonguerogram Files (x86)BYONDin

[Image: FP5HKUQ.png]
Default location for BYOND and related software.

Open that up, click File, New Environment, and choose a name. Then, click the dropdown arrow and choose to make a .dmi file.

[Image: 5VX6Mm9.png]
Making a .dmi file.

From there, you should see something like this:

[Image: xGZFNBA.png]

If you have your square face image saved, you can right click in the large white area on the right side, and click Import to insert the image. If you plan on making your own face icon, you can click the paint palette next to the camcorder icon to begin drawing. If you Import, you can double click on your image to make further edits. Check Step Three for info on how to add transparency in Dreammaker.

[Image: L4GiKYz.png]
Image added to .dmi file. Double click slightly below the image to rename the face state, for easy change access.

Simply add as many face states as the game allows in this manner, and it will be the most efficient way to use your upload space and allow quick face state change if you add more to the file!


Step Three - Adding Transparency

I guess that white space behind our head is kinda unsightly in the chat, huh? There's an easy fix for this! Simply double click as if to edit your image, slide the Alpha bar (all the way on the right) to the bottom (zero), and choose the Flood tool, then click the background colour you wish to remove. Once done, click the arrow in the bottom right, and it will save your changes and take you back to the overall view of the .dmi file.

[Image: 8WnK8by.png]
Preview 96x96 without white background.


Conclusion and Advanced Tools

So that's the quick and easy way to do this, but there are also other kind of editors you can use if you wish to edit images or remove/change backgrounds. My personal favourite is the Pixlr Photo Editor, because I have no money, and it's an online tool, so no download required. I hear GIMP is pretty good, too. Also free I believe, but requires download. And if you're lucky enough to have Photoshop, good on you! However, remember only .png files (to my knowledge) can keep transparency when saved.

If you have any questions, leave 'em below, and I'm sure myself or someone else better than me can answer!