Splasher
v1.30
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Basic Questions
What does Splasher do?
It takes an image and does some technical mumbo-jumbo, which results in that image becoming your City of Heroes (or City of Villains) Login screen, or Character Selection screen. The image can be in BMP, JPEG, GIF or TGA format.
It can also take a sound file and set it as the background music for the login screen, the Pocket D dance floor, or any of the BoomBox tunes. The sound file can be in MP1, MP2, MP3, MP4, M4A, AAC, OGG, WAV or WMA format.
The "Splash Randomizer" feature allows you to have random screens each time you start City of Heroes.
What does it not do?
It can't convert WMA or MP4 files if they're copy protected with DRM.
Does this break the EULA or Terms of Service?
No. You are not modifying, replacing or even looking at the game files. The thread about this program is even a sticky in the official US forums!
Can I see an example?
How do I use it?
Open Splasher and click the "Browse..." button. Locate your image, and click Open. If the file was opened correctly, a preview image will appear.
The program will have automatically detected the path to your City of Heroes client; if it didn't, or if you want to apply the login screen to another client (such as the Training Room), go to the "Settings" tab to configure it.
At this point, the four buttons to save your screen will become available. Click any of them, and start the City of Heroes client to see the results!
What are "Image Frames"?
By default, Splasher will add black bars at the top and bottom to your Login image, letterboxing it and displaying the game's logo in them. Similarly, the Character Selection screen will add a round border to your image. If you don't want Splasher to modify your images in any way, uncheck "Overlay image frames" in the "Screens" tab.
Note that removing the frame from the Character Selection image is not recommended, as that image is shared in many places (such as your Enhancements screen) and it might not look very good without it.
What's this "Randomizer" thingy?
The Randomizer allows you to change your screens randomly every time you start the game. In order to use it, you need to first load images into it from the Randomizer tab, as if you were adding them normally. The images you add will NOT be set as your current login screen; they will just be added to the random pool.
Once you've added a few images to the randomizer, quit Splasher. Then, click the "Splash Randomizer" icon in the Splasher start menu. It will pick a random file from the ones you've loaded, and then start the City of Heroes updater so you can play the game.
Can I view the screens I have placed in the Randomizer and remove them if I want to?
Sure! You'll need to install a small viewer for their file format, however. Click here for details.
Can I drag the "Splash Randomizer" icon to my desktop and rename it "City of Heroes"?
Sure! Then you'll never know the Randomizer is there... except for the changing screens!
I love Splasher and I want to throw money at you!
Be my guest! I'll use it to keep my City of Heroes subscription running, and it'll certainly motivate me to add more stuff to Splasher!
Click here to send me a tip with PayPal!
I have another question or request.
You can either email me at leandrotlz@gmail.com, contact me in-game with the global handle @Leandro (US servers only) or send me a private message from this page.

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Comments: 19
Anonymous Anonymous said...
Thanks man! You RöK!


Regards,
TwiggyTwink
Anonymous Anonymous said...
This is awesome. I haven't installed it yet but I certainly will. If I had some money you'd get it for sure!
Anonymous Anonymous said...
SOoooo awesome! I would love love love love to do more than 5 textures. When will it be expanded? I realize you just released it. . . but it's TOO good for me to stop at 5!
Anonymous Anonymous said...
leandrotlz,
My base will never be the same. I'm also putting our SF schedule on the billboards. The 5 image max is offset by all the random screens. Huzzah!

@Snoogins
Blogger @ProfessorBlues said...
Now all we need is for the CoX developers to allow for an Internet radio url instead of a local sound file.

Link the Cape to the D Center Stage!
Blogger Andrea said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Anonymous Anonymous said...
As one videographer to another, I will throw money your way when I get paid on Friday. With as much as you do for the game, you deserve it. :)

Michelle
aka
Samuraiko/Dark_Respite
Blogger Unknown said...
cool video you made ! what programs did you use to make it by the way? a friend of mine is tryin to make a video too but she wants like all her alts in one shot fighting and have no idea where to start. : (
Blogger Leandro said...
Hector, take a look at the Multimedia forums in the COH boards, that's where us video creators gather up. I used VirtualDub and an old version of Adobe Premiere for video, Cool Edit Pro (1999 version) for audio. I haven't upgraded my software in a long time, but it's still all functional so it doesn't really matter.
Anonymous Anonymous said...
Leandro,
Thank you so much.
Although I am computer illiterate I hope to try this for our SG base.Sending some cash to help support your site.You rock.
General Hospital
Anonymous Anonymous said...
Hey, so I am running this in Vista as an administrator and so far everything is working fine. I can change the screens no problem. But for some reason I can't make the music change to the Pocket D Dance Floor music. Why is that?
Blogger Leandro said...
On the music issue: try different songs, make sure you're not using a copy-protected file. Check inside your City of Heroes folder to make sure the sound file IS being written to data/sound/Ogg/Rave; it will write two files, ExtendedRave_loop and NewRave5_loop. If the directories are not being created (probably because of a permissions issue) try to create them manually. Let me know if this helps.
Anonymous Anonymous said...
Thanks!
Anonymous Anonymous said...
I was thinking of doing some original stuff; but i'm not sure of the size limits for things like billboards and Grafetti. Is that info online somewhere?
Blogger Leandro said...
@Anonymous: the image size for every billboard/graffiti/any other texture is in the Textures tab itself. When you drop down the list of textures, you see the image size after its description (example: "Texture Name (256x512)" means the image size is 256 pixels wide and 512 pixels tall)
Blogger Chris said...
How can I remove or change that very repetitive loading screen that shows Statesman and his superfriends? The blue background one that always pops up for a moment before loading the actual mission or zone map.
Anonymous Anonymous said...
Finally got it to work (forgot to tell the program where to send the files hahaha <-- noob)

Had this way bk many issues ago and happy to have found it again. finally using the abondard workshop in st mat as my villain charc screen:D
Anonymous Dave said...
Fantastic program! Can we get an update for Going Rogue?
Anonymous Anonymous said...
Hey, Leandro. I've encountered some problems. For City of Villains, I cannot change the menu music nor the music for Pocket D. The files are written normally. No problems, but the music doesn't come up. It works for the Hero login, though. Same for Character select screens, but I can't change any of those. Login screens work normally.