Spinning Ball Animated Wheel Images

[Mike_da_Spike]

Really, really, really nice works @scutters !
Now I can make some animated underlays like these:

 

Or curved for cabinet mode :

Thanks you, thank you, thank you !

 

[scutters]

For anyone having issues building larger apng files with the image to spinball app, replace the apngasm.exe file in the apps Resources folder with this version;

apngasm64.zipFetching info...

(Note - this is probably only needed if you are using a 4k underlay image and with a lot of animation frames, which in turn uses a lot of memory)

Thanks @Mike_da_Spike

I'll update the copy in the main download in the next app update

[Draco1962]

FEATURE REQUEST: Allow for a still image on the background instead of a background color for source image to spin around.

[scutters]

  On 3/20/2025 at 5:39 PM, Draco1962 said:

FEATURE REQUEST: Allow for a still image on the background instead of a background color for source image to spin around.

Expand  

Can you give more info...  you might be able to do something like that now, select an image to spin that has transparency, don't select a background colour, and then select 'Overlay apng in image' (set at pos 0,0 and use an image sized at 1000x1000) - is that what you mean, or did you want the background image sphere'ised as well but just not rotating?

[Draco1962]

Using my logo as an example, it would serve as the static background.

 

It could be framed by the Tarcisio overlay - 

The text I would like to have it rotate across the logo image -

So the only image that would be spinning is the text image (or whatever image anyone wants to use).

[scutters]

Yeah, it's a bit tricky to get the sizing right for the background.. but the 'Overlay apng in image' can just about do it! 

I resized and changed the centring of the logo image to;

And then used these settings;

(Note - the background / logo image would need resizing again if using the Tarcisio overlay - but you can try with different sizes [add more transparent border / shrink the logo down] and then use the frame images in the app Temp folder to dial in the exact size & location you want, it's maybe not ideal but it will work)

[Draco1962]

Awesome! Thanks for sharing the results and settings! 

I can see some new images without the Tarcisio framing, such as for a console image with the text logo spinning around it... hmmm!

[scutters]

  On 3/21/2025 at 8:49 PM, Draco1962 said:

Awesome! Thanks for sharing the results and settings! 

I can see some new images without the Tarcisio framing, such as for a console image with the text logo spinning around it... hmmm!

Expand  

No problem. The one thing it won't do is show the reverse of the spinning logo if you use a background image where the non transparent area is smaller than the spinning logos diameter. That would be tricky to do and involve adding a new layer to the processing, or checking pixel argb values before drawing the spinning logo on top of them (or not for the logo 'reverse')..  or something like that, and i'd guess the image processing would be a lot slower as a result too.

[Draco1962]

  On 3/21/2025 at 10:07 PM, scutters said:

No problem. The one thing it won't do is show the reverse of the spinning logo if you use a background image where the non transparent area is smaller than the spinning logos diameter. That would be tricky to do and involve adding a new layer to the processing, or checking pixel argb values before drawing the spinning logo on top of them (or not for the logo 'reverse')..  or something like that, and i'd guess the image processing would be a lot slower as a result too.

Expand  

Expected and understood.

[scutters]

  On 3/21/2025 at 10:29 PM, Draco1962 said:

Expected and understood.

Expand  

Actually, i can do it without too much overhead on the processing 

What colour would you expect/want the reverse side of the spinning graphic to be..   black, semi transparent or a darker version of whatever the RGB values are?

Examples to consider with a red Test logo spinning around a green square. Note that there is a difference with transparency, it just doesn't show well on the forum background.

[Draco1962]

A darker version of the RGB value if using a monochrome logo looks best to me.

If multicolored, would a darker RGB of the majority color of the logo be used?

 

[scutters]

  On 4/1/2025 at 11:03 PM, Draco1962 said:

A darker version of the RGB value if using a monochrome logo looks best to me.

If multicolored, would a darker RGB of the majority color of the logo be used?

 

Expand  

Agree, darker  solid is better than semi trans. For a multicoloured logo darker shades of the colours.

Here's a test version (exe only, just copy over the top of your existing exe);

ImageToSpinBall.zipFetching info...

There's two new options. 'Draw Full Spin' and 'Darken Factor (%)'. Use these to control if the 'rear' of the spinning is shown and what colour level is used (anywhere from black to no darkening).

Here's my test settings;

And my test images;

Changing the 'Darken Factor'

100%

75%

50%

25%

Think the animations will preview ok if you click on them (they're actual apng's, not converted to gifs)

Hope that gives an idea of how it can work. Let me know if you get any issues, otherwise i'll post an official update in a day or two.

[Draco1962]

Thanks! It may take me a few days to test as I am a bit foggy from a cold.

[scutters]

  On 4/2/2025 at 6:04 PM, Draco1962 said:

Thanks! It may take me a few days to test as I am a bit foggy from a cold.

Expand  

No problem, my day or two wasn't really meant literally. I know you have other stuff on as well (as the cold!).

Take your time, no rush.

[Draco1962]

Created one with Tarc frame - 

DLDC2_Tarc.apngFetching info...

And another with just the text at 75% dark - 

DracLabsDC_Text.apngFetching info...

I noticed some "artifacting" to the lower right - 

Suspecting it might be the Add Light Overlay setting, I disabled it, but then Spinball would not generate an image. 

 

[scutters]

  On 4/3/2025 at 12:11 AM, Draco1962 said:

I noticed some "artifacting" to the lower right - 

Expand  

Yes, it's probably a combination of the light overlay and the image compression. Try with image compression turned off.

  On 4/3/2025 at 12:11 AM, Draco1962 said:

I disabled it, but then Spinball would not generate an image. 

Expand  

That i can't reproduce. Can you post your settings and the Log_ImageToSpinBall.txt file.

[Draco1962]

Log_ImageToSpinBall.txtFetching info... ImageToSpinBall.exe.configFetching info...

I assumed that you meant the config file  

[scutters]

Thanks. The clue's in the log file;

unable to open image 'D:\Spinball\Resources\TarcisioOverNoGlass.png': No such file or directory

did you delete that file at some stage? Anyway, here's a copy, just extract and drop it in the resources folder.

TarcisioOverNoGlass.zipFetching info...

[Draco1962]

I was showing the file as TarcisioOver_NoGlass. Renamed it and now it is working. No artifacting from the overlay now:DracLabsDC_Text.apng

[Draco1962]

My first attempt - had to take the console image and center it on a 1000x1000 transparent background:

 

[Console] Atari 2600-1000px_Atari 2600.apngFetching info...

[scutters]

  On 4/3/2025 at 9:49 PM, Draco1962 said:

y first attempt - had to take the console image and center it on a 1000x1000 transparent background:

Expand  

Cool!

I might see if i can come up with an optional 3D depth effect on the spinning logo - but i have no idea at the moment how i'd do that!

[Draco1962]

  On 4/4/2025 at 9:42 AM, scutters said:

Cool!

I might see if i can come up with an optional 3D depth effect on the spinning logo - but i have no idea at the moment how i'd do that!

Expand  

I think it looks fine to me. Here's another - I will likely source a new console image for this and a few others that are not cleanly extracted from their source image to transparency. Otherwise, I think it looks pretty cool!

[Draco1962]

Here is a better alternative IMO - will require a little less additional cleanup. But, I am pleased with your work and this takes APNG logo creations up yet another notch! Thanks, @scutters!

[Draco1962]

I started a new thread so as to not further dilute this one with project details. I know where to come if I run into any issues or find a way to break something nobody has thought of yet! 😁

 

[Draco1962]

How difficult would it be to add an option to allow for a cylindrical wrapping of the text/graphic elements vs. spherical?