Instant Graphics

[JohnPolka]

Does anyone still have any Instant Graphics files? Recall that Instant Graphics, or IG, was a standard for embedding graphics, sounds, and animation into text files. These were mostly used on ST BBSs in the early 90s. Users would add IG to messages that they posted. Some BBSs would also incorporate IG into their welcome screens and menus. When one runs an IG client during their BBS session, they would automatically see the IG on the BBS.

 

I recently installed the IG Editor and I am having trouble using it. The version I have (version 1.5) is either buggy or very counter intuitive. The package came with some documentation on the IG standard, but none for the editor itself. I was wondering if anyone has documentation on the editor and/or a newer version of the editor.

 

Thanks,

 

-JP

 

[+DarkLord]

At one point in time, I had IG on DarkForce, but only as an experiment.

 

I took one of the sample screens and modified it so that the dinosaur

stomped its way across the screen (complete with footsteps), then

ending with a blurb like "DarkForce! - The Monster BBS!", or some

thing cheezy like that.

 

I don't know if I still have any of those files but when I get a chance I

can poke around and see if I do.

 

If I remember correctly (and this has been quite a while, mind you), I

gave up on it because it was limited to 14.4k speeds and the editor

was very, very cumbersome.

 

HTHs.

[JohnPolka]

At one point in time, I had IG on DarkForce, but only as an experiment.

 

I took one of the sample screens and modified it so that the dinosaur

stomped its way across the screen (complete with footsteps), then

ending with a blurb like "DarkForce! - The Monster BBS!", or some

thing cheezy like that.

 

I don't know if I still have any of those files but when I get a chance I

can poke around and see if I do.

 

If I remember correctly (and this has been quite a while, mind you), I

gave up on it because it was limited to 14.4k speeds and the editor

was very, very cumbersome.

 

HTHs.

 

I'm sorry to see you say that the editor was very cumbersome because that's been my observation so far (or it's buggy).

 

-JP

 

[+DarkLord]

Yep, that was pretty much why I gave up on it - and the limit in speed, IIRC.

 

Text files, VT52 are fairly easy to hand edit for my needs, and the ST has a

pretty nice ANSI editor in FANSI, so my needs were met.

 

Don't get me wrong, when IG was first released and I found the ST version,

I was really stoked - animations and sound!, oh my!

 

A few weeks later, reality sank in....and I realized it was just too hard to fool

with.

 

Would love to have seen it catch on and a streamlined, easy to use editor

released.

[Kirkman]

On 5/26/2019 at 12:57 PM, JohnPolka said:

Does anyone still have any Instant Graphics files? Recall that Instant Graphics, or IG, was a standard for embedding graphics, sounds, and animation into text files. These were mostly used on ST BBSs in the early 90s. Users would add IG to messages that they posted. Some BBSs would also incorporate IG into their welcome screens and menus. When one runs an IG client during their BBS session, they would automatically see the IG on the BBS.

 

 

I have a very small archive of IG files I compiled from the various releases (which I posted elsewhere on the forum earlier this year). However, I found a new one today, from your Basement BBS!

 

Check it out: 

 

This animation uses IG / IGS code that I copied from a 1990 message I found in this archive: http://basementbbs.ddns.net:7000/basement-msgs/base26.html

 

I had to make sure I saved the text file with the right encoding and line endings, but after some trial and error, I got it to play properly in Hatari.

 

 

 

[JohnPolka]

2 hours ago, Kirkman said:

 

I have a very small archive of IG files I compiled from the various releases (which I posted elsewhere on the forum earlier this year). However, I found a new one today, from your Basement BBS!

 

Check it out: 

 

This animation uses IG / IGS code that I copied from a 1990 message I found in this archive: http://basementbbs.ddns.net:7000/basement-msgs/base26.html

 

I had to make sure I saved the text file with the right encoding and line endings, but after some trial and error, I got it to play properly in Hatari.

 

 

 

 

Yeah, I posted that message in 1990. The IG code came from an IG tutorial. Around the time I posted that message, I was thinking of adding IG to my Atari 8 bit BBS, but never got around to it.

 

Earlier this year I considered adding it to my resurrected BBS. However, the IG editor is horrible (i.e., buggy and not at all user friendly). I don't know how anyone could have used the editor. It's no wonder why IG didn't catch on more.

 

-JP