Using an animated PNG file for "loading"

[Dudemeister]

I made an animated PNG version of the "Pinball X" loading GIF.  But the system doesn't recognize it.  Is there a way to make Pinball X recognize it?

The PNG would look A LOT better than the GIF, which looks blocky when it's scaled up.  I attached the file below just in case anyone wants to try to make it work.

 

[Tom Speirs]

Converting it to a video would work.

[Dudemeister]

Yes, but then you would loose the transparency, unless the program is chromakey aware. 

Is this the case here?  Can I create a video with chromakey (let's say # 00ff00 green) and will it drop the green backgound when played

[Tom Speirs]

No, unfortunately not.

[Mike_da_Spike]

Maybe a stupid question, but why do you want the loading image/video transparant ?

 

[Tom Speirs]

Its a good point. There is no benefit to having transparency for a loading image/video.

[scutters]

3 hours ago, Mike_da_Spike said:

Maybe a stupid question, but why do you want the loading image/video transparant ?

 

I think he just wants to replace the default loading.gif image with a 'smoother round the edges' loading.apng version. 

(so not using loading folders but playfields images option under Table Loading media mode where the image is overlayed on a snapshot table image)

If he attaches the apng frames or the apng as a zip could they maybe be added to the loading video builder as an alternative? 

[Dudemeister]

Well, I tried it and it's not working.  Also, the video is stretched to fit the screen, it doesn't maintain the size and location of the original loading.GIF

[Dudemeister]

Yes, Scutters is correct.   What I'm trying to achieve is the overlay that currently works with the Loading.GIF file.

Take a look at the difference between the GIF and the PNG versions

 

[Dudemeister]

Ultimately, since I can't use an animated PNG, the trick was to just make a larger (200%) version of the smoother PNG, then convert it to GIF.  The image is a little soft, but I think it's an improvement over the original.

I guess I can redo the animation from scratch at a higher resolution, then convert it to GIF, and that will look sharper on higher res monitors.

In the meantime, here is the larger/smoother GIF, if anyone wants to try it.  Place in the PinballX/media/images folder

[Dudemeister]

And here is the "reconstructed" animated GIF, albeit at 4K resolution.