How to do a Witness Testimony/Argument, AA style

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E.D.Revolution
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How to do a Witness Testimony/Argument, AA style

Post by E.D.Revolution »

This is a guide showing how to do a witness testimony/rebuttal sequence. This is NOT a guide on doing cross examinations nor is it a guide for doing rebuttals. I have the files you require here. This is how I do it, and I must say it looks professional. Unfortunately, the "Witness Testimony," "Cross Examination," and "Rebuttal" special texts doesn't seem to start properly after the first time it appears, and I believe this is an issue with JavaScript.

Files required: You can choose to use my files. I have modified the GIFs in order to span exactly 3 seconds. This guide uses my files. Host and hotlink this on your own server or website.
Testimony and Argument Graphics The "Testimony" graphic edit belongs to Danielinhoni
Testimony Sounds


You must know who your witness or speaker is, and what (s)he is going to say.
Witness Testimony Sequence
  1. After you finish the pre-Testimony conversation, make a blank frame. Stop the music, have a black background, and set the timer to 200.
  2. Then, put your witness in the first frame of this whole process. Make sure (s)he's set on "Do not speak." Put the automatic timer as 150
  3. Next make two frames.
  4. The first of the two frames is where you put the "Witness Testimony" graphic that you have imported. Set it to an automatic timer somewhere between 290 and 325. You should tag this frame with the sound you have imported. I suggest "Full Testimony" for most of the testimonies, and "Final Testimony" for the final ones. Put the title of the testimony in orange, on the second line. Since it's not possible to center it (at least until V6), put the "- -" dashes on both sides. Repeat the pattern until even. Set the voice to the same gender as the speaker of the testimony, with the speed of 2.5.
  5. On the next of the two frames, import the "Testimony" graphic. Again do the same thing with the title, but set the voice to "no voice." You will have to highlight the LINE of the testimony. After highlighting, click the color orange and a hexadecimal tag should appear. Leave it alone and then finish editing it.
Cross Examination Sequence
  1. After you finish the pre-Cross Examination conversation, make a blank frame. Stop the music, have a black background, and set the timer to 200.
  2. Then, put your witness in the first frame of this whole process. Make sure (s)he's set on "Do not speak." Put the automatic timer as 150
  3. Next make two frames.
  4. The first of the two frames is where you put the "Witness Testimony" graphic that you have imported. Set it to an automatic timer somewhere between 290 and 325. You should tag this frame with the sound you have imported. I suggest "Full Testimony" for most of the testimonies, and "Final Testimony" for the final ones. Put the title of the testimony in orange, on the second line. Since it's not possible to center it (at least until V6), put the "- -" dashes on both sides. Repeat the pattern until even. Set the voice to the same gender as the speaker of the testimony, with the speed of 2.5.
  5. On the next of the two frames, do NOT import anything. This time, you will have no character. Again do the same thing with the title, but set the voice to "no voice." You will have to highlight the LINE of the testimony. After highlighting, click the color orange and a hexadecimal tag should appear. Leave it alone and then finish editing it.
Spoiler : Here are the pictures in order :
Image
Image

If you did this part correctly, then you shouldn't have a name tag on the title of the Testimony.

For Rebuttal, it's slightly different.

Quick VS. sprite tutorial. More details for VS sprite here.
You can elect to make a VS sprite in PNG or GIF. You have to edit them in a PNG editor (must be able to handle layers.)
  • Make sure your main character vs sprite is 18 pxls from the top and your opponent vs sprite is 92 pixels from the top. You can get them at court-records.
  • One full animation lasts 1.7 seconds, but if you animate it, you need to account for browsers slowing down the animation. The timer for each "slide" should be 0 seconds and 1 full second at the end pause.
Remember my earlier warning: this won't play properly after the first time it's played.
Spoiler : This is how a proper VS. sprite should look like in PNG format. :
Image
Spoiler : This is how a proper VS. sprite should look like in GIF format. :
Image
If you elect to use a VS screen, here's how to do it.

AAI-style Witness Testimony Sequence, VS screen active.
(Using courtroom as a guide)
  1. Import your VS sprite under special graphics.
  2. Your first frame can be can be of a regular courtroom. Tag the automatic timer at 1-100. Also, do not show the character (i.e., hide the character!)
  3. On your next frame, use the VS sprite. You MUST use the flash tag. You should put the "Versus" sound here. The automatic timer is 170.
  4. Create two more frames. You will not merge them later.
  5. On the first of the two frames, put your opponent, set to not speaking. Set the automatic timer at 1. You MUST use the flash tag here, as well.
  6. On the second of the two frames, enter the name of the testimony/argument. You can put the testimony/argument green special text here if you want. You must put the text in orange, on the to line, and center it appropriately. You should not put an automatic timer here.
  7. As with the AA-style Cross Examination/Witness Testimony sequence, make sure your last box has the title of the Rebuttal in orange, the same voice of the witness, and at a speed of 1.5-3. It should be on the 1st row.
Spoiler : Here's what it would look like in the editor :
Image
If you don't have a VS sprite, then you can replace it with the sprite of your opponent scowling at you, silently. :calisto:

AAI-style Rebuttal Sequence
  1. After the pre-Rebuttal sequence, create a blank frame. Hide the character, stop the music, and put it on a black background. Set the timer to 200.
  2. Then, put your witness/opponent in the first frame of this whole process. Make sure (s)he's set on "Do not speak." Put the automatic timer to 150.
  3. Next make two frames.
  4. The first of the two frames is where you put the "Rebuttal" graphic that you have imported. Set it to an automatic timer somewhere between 290 and 315. You should tag this frame with the sound you have imported. You must use the "Witness Rebuttal" sound clip on this frame. Title your Rebuttal on the first row, and make it orange. Again, since it can't be centered normally, use the "- -" pattern on both sides so it looks uniform.
  5. On the next of the two frames, do NOT import anything. This time, you will have no character. Again do the same thing with the title, but set the voice to "no voice." You will have to highlight the LINE of the testimony. After highlighting, click the color orange and a hexadecimal tag should appear. Leave it alone and then finish editing it.
Spoiler : This is the AAI-style Rebuttal sequence in the Editor :
Image
Stylizing the actual Testimony/Argument
Here's how I get Testimony/Argument to synchronize with the speaker. This guide assumes that you have the Testimony or Argument special sprite active (meaning, imported into the trial).
  1. First, make sure your witness knows what (s)he's going to say.
  2. For every statement for the testimony, make two frames. You'll merge them later.
  3. On the very first frame of the whole testimony, put in your Cross Examination/Confrontation music. Follow the instructions below. You must apply the rest of the guidelines in your first statement, as well.
  4. The first frame in the statement should have the first letter of the statement. Set the speaking speed here. It's required that you put your speaker in that frame.
  5. On the second frame in the statement, have your testimony/argument appear under special sprites. Put in the whole statement. Make sure the voice and the speed is the same as your witness on the first frame. Note: Do NOT put your witness in the second statement. Put the testimony/argument sprite appear in the second frame.
  6. Merge the two frames.
  7. Rinse and repeat.
  8. After you have finished with the testimony, stop the music. Hide the character as well, and put it in a black background. Put an automatic timer of 200.
Oh, and please stop the music after the testimony.
Spoiler : Here are the steps in visual form. This is for both Arguments and Witness Testimonies :
ImageImageImageImage
This is a better solution. Once you test it out, it will see that it synchs well. You can put in any effects tags (see this guide written by Phantom and me.) Don't overdo it, though. Otherwise the Testimony/Argument sprite won't synchronize correctly. If you have a start-up sprite going on, there will be a delay in your Testimony/Argument sprite appearing. You should see the name of the witness with this solution.

Here is the AA-style Witness Testimony Sequence demonstration.
Here is the AAI-style Witness Testimony/Argument Sequence.
Last edited by E.D.Revolution on Fri May 29, 2020 8:15 am, edited 12 times in total.
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Phantom

Re: Guide: How to do a Witness Testimony/Argument, AA style

Post by Phantom »

E.D, can you put me as a collaborator for your examples? I need to see a visual (as reference).

OR can you post the screenshots of what it looks like in the editor? I'm kinda stumped with the cross-exam.
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Re: Guide: How to do a Witness Testimony/Argument, AA style

Post by E.D.Revolution »

I'll list you on my next update. But I'm confused. What exactly are you confused about? The sequence? Or how it should be made? Pls. be specific.
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Phantom

Re: Guide: How to do a Witness Testimony/Argument, AA style

Post by Phantom »

No not a list as in giving me credits, but as in literally putting me as a collaborator on the example trials (So i can look at the script).

I want to present facts/evidence for a testimony of a detective, I asked around and people said to do it in testimony mode, while ive been doing it as a CE the whole time.

I kinda wasted time, and this guide helped, but I need more of a visual reference to see if I'm doing things properly (cant use firefox now as only chromes available, so it doesn't play the trial right)
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Re: Guide: How to do a Witness Testimony/Argument, AA style

Post by E.D.Revolution »

I'm sorry Phantom, but I believe that I said that this isn't a guide on doing cross examinations.

EDIT: Again, I read it wrong (it's 2AM. sorry) If you're looking to show evidence, that's easy. Just use the show or reveal evidence actions.
Image
Phantom

Re: Guide: How to do a Witness Testimony/Argument, AA style

Post by Phantom »

*facepalm*

I meant to say that's what i was doing AT FIRST, but I wasted time because I never needed it.

But I DO need to see the script example to see if I'm doing everything right (it's a little delayed on chrome for some reason). I'm doing testimony mode right now to just test it (as in having an investigator chat it up)

-edit: Right, I know how to show the evidence, but I'm doing it so it's done in and referenced to the testimony instead.
But again, I don't know if it's right because I'm using Chrome.
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Re: Guide: How to do a Witness Testimony/Argument, AA style

Post by E.D.Revolution »

Forgive me. It's 2AM. (wtf am i doing this late at night!) :oops:
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Phantom

Re: Guide: How to do a Witness Testimony/Argument, AA style

Post by Phantom »

It's 1:30 AM here, I feel your pain :p
Phantom

Re: Guide: How to do a Witness Testimony/Argument, AA style

Post by Phantom »

Sorry to double post, but I'm just here to let you know that the AA style witness testimony works VERYYY smoothly and flawlessly, thanks again E.D.!
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Re: Guide: How to do a Witness Testimony/Argument, AA style

Post by E.D.Revolution »

No problem. The other solution posted somewhere else would have left the name tag out and the character not speaking (topaz's solution). another solution someone else posted would have removed the stands for both lawyers and the witness (merging the background with the sprite... I forget who.)
Image
Phantom

Re: Guide: How to do a Witness Testimony/Argument, AA style

Post by Phantom »

Yeah, I wouldn't really want to do those anyway.

The explanation looks very hard, but in actuality, it's easy when you do it in the script tab.

Btw, if you have time, (or maybe I can do it), Can we post screenshots of what the examples would actually look like in the editor itself?
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Re: Guide: How to do a Witness Testimony/Argument, AA style

Post by E.D.Revolution »

I have some screenshots done. I'll post it up at a more convenient time. :D
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Phantom

Re: Guide: How to do a Witness Testimony/Argument, AA style

Post by Phantom »

Good deal, and for extra measure, I'll post another example for AA-style testimony, so people can see the resemblance and how they CAN'T mess up?
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Re: Guide: How to do a Witness Testimony/Argument, AA style

Post by E.D.Revolution »

Send me the link and I'll figure out how to fit it into my main posts.
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