Housepets Emoticon Pack 2.0 - 64 emoticons
Posted: Mon Feb 01, 2010 6:45 am
Since many people said, that there's whole range of various and fabulous facial expressions in the Housepets comic, I thought, why not create emoticons/smilies package from it. So I created this tiny project and in version which I call 1.0, I cut 32 faces (btw, that smoking Max was on Alex's request, I wouldn't make it normally) from various strips and modified them for use as emoticons.
Pure packages
Pure packages contain only pictures alone and are suitable for further processing or adding into various applications manually. But before you decide to add them to your favorite application, read further.
You can downloaded them as PNG images with alpha channel using following links, I prepared three dimensions (all emoticons have same size in one package):
64x64 pixels
Largest available version, most suitable if you want to process them further (you can always make smaller picture from larger one, but opposite direction isn't usually possible (except for vector and other images defined by some mathematical/geometrical algorithm, pixel art graphics enlarged by hq4x algorithm for example and I'm currently working on something, involving enlarging bitmap pictures, but about this... later...)). However, these are the biggest ones and they will often look too big in most uses.
48x48 pixels
IMHO the best compromise between size and amount of details. I recommend this one for most uses.
32x32 pixels
The smallest ones I made. I don't recommend these much, because they're usually too small and thus, even smaller ones do not make much sense. They would've to be redrawn directly into small sizes, which is unfortunately out of my abilities.
If you want different size, just use some batch conversion (be sure that it preserves the alpha channel) or ask me.
Microsoft Windows Live Messenger one-click installer
I also created one-click installer for Windows Live Messenger instant messaging application. Because it supports addition of your own emoticons, these new ones are simply added to the library, without affecting existing ones. Also when you use them when communicating with somebody, they don't need to have this package installed. Messenger automatically sends image file to the recipient and shows it, unless you use more than 5 custom emoticons in one message, which won't work, probably because of data transfer limit.
Download installer (~216KB, EXE)
How to install (important!)
1)Download and save the installer somewhere in your computer (desktop for example)
2)Run the Windows Live Messenger and log in. This is important, if you're not logged in, installer will issue an error!
3)Execute the installer. You must have administrator privileges for that, in case UAC (User Account Control) shows a prompt, asking you whether to allow mcoinstaller.exe to make changes, click Yes. (No viruses, promise )
4)When the installer window disappears, new emoticons should be in your emoticon library, ready for use with anybody (again, they don't have to have this package installed)
Alternate installation method
If the main installer doesn't work, which happens usually on Windows Vista (however, on Windows 7 and Windows XP it should work normally), then you should try this installation method. I tried modifying original installer, to work under Windows Vista, where it seems to have trouble to register ActiveX compoment because of aggressive UAC and protected mode (under Windows 7, it should work ok even with UAC enabled) and when I finally forced it to work with Messenger guess what... Messenger simply refuses these emoticons, even when the same version under Windows XP or Windows 7 accepts it with no problem.
However, I found a tool which allows to install it easily and seems to work even under Windows Vista, although it's not that much automatic, but still very easy.
1)Download this archive with alternate installer.
2)Extract both files somewhere, on the desktop for example.
3)Run the PackCreator.exe
4)Click Install A Pack
5)Select file Housepets.cab (the second file that was in the archive)
6)Emoticons should be installed now.
In case of any problems with installation, contact me.
PHPbb forum package
I also created simple PHPbb forum package, with easy install using .PAK file (you don't have to add them manually, one by one).
How to install
1)Download one of the following package (I recommend 48x48 - best compromise between size and details)
2)Extract all its contents into images/smilies on your server, where PHPbb forum is installed.
3)In administration control panel, page Posting, option Smilies, click Install smilies package
4)Select HPEmoticonPack.pak in the menu and click Install Smilies Package
5)Done! They should work now. They're predefined to display only in the View More Smilies page, not on the posting page, due to their larger size.
64x64 pixels PHPbb forum package
48x48 pixels PHPbb forum package (recommended!)
32x32 pixels PHPbb forum package
Icon pack
This allows you to set any of these Housepets emoticons as an icon for a file (usually shortcut) or folder in the Windows (and other systems compatible with the format) operating systems, as you can see on the following screenshot.
How to use
1) Download file HPiconpack.icl and store it somewhere permanently (so it will stay there as long as you're going to use these icons, moving or renaming the file will brake all HP icons).
2) Click on a folder/file with Right Mouse button and select Properties | Customize | Change Icon
3) Click on the Browse button and open the HPiconpack.icl file. All 32 icons should show up now.
4) Select desired icon and confirm everything.
Other applications
You can add these emoticons to various applications manually, using pure packages, or ask me, to create another one click installer/package, assuming there's suitable documentation describing how to add them and it doesn't take much time to create such installer/package (I'm quite busy, so I might make such package, but sometime, it could take even month or more, before I get to it, depending on the priority and type of various work I have to do).
Also, I hope I can create version 2.0 somewhere in the future, with more emoticons. There's surely plenty of glorious faces in the Housepets comic which I omitted in this package. Also, I might named some emotions/expressions wrongly, since I'm not native speaker. I will be grateful if you alert me about wrong names, as well as other mistakes or things I forgot.
Changelog
---- 1.0 ----
[*] Initial release, 32 emoticons created, raw package, MSN package, PHPbb package
---- 1.0.1 ----
[*] Minor update
[+] Icon pack for Windows operating systems added.
---- 2.0 ----
[!] New major version
[+] 32 new emoticons added, 64 in total now
[*] All packages updated, download from original links, you can install over the old version if you have it
EDIT: Just a small game for people who have nothing to do and are obviously boring: Can you find where are all emoticons taken from (particular strip)?
Pure packages
Pure packages contain only pictures alone and are suitable for further processing or adding into various applications manually. But before you decide to add them to your favorite application, read further.
You can downloaded them as PNG images with alpha channel using following links, I prepared three dimensions (all emoticons have same size in one package):
64x64 pixels
Largest available version, most suitable if you want to process them further (you can always make smaller picture from larger one, but opposite direction isn't usually possible (except for vector and other images defined by some mathematical/geometrical algorithm, pixel art graphics enlarged by hq4x algorithm for example and I'm currently working on something, involving enlarging bitmap pictures, but about this... later...)). However, these are the biggest ones and they will often look too big in most uses.
48x48 pixels
IMHO the best compromise between size and amount of details. I recommend this one for most uses.
32x32 pixels
The smallest ones I made. I don't recommend these much, because they're usually too small and thus, even smaller ones do not make much sense. They would've to be redrawn directly into small sizes, which is unfortunately out of my abilities.
If you want different size, just use some batch conversion (be sure that it preserves the alpha channel) or ask me.
Microsoft Windows Live Messenger one-click installer
I also created one-click installer for Windows Live Messenger instant messaging application. Because it supports addition of your own emoticons, these new ones are simply added to the library, without affecting existing ones. Also when you use them when communicating with somebody, they don't need to have this package installed. Messenger automatically sends image file to the recipient and shows it, unless you use more than 5 custom emoticons in one message, which won't work, probably because of data transfer limit.
Download installer (~216KB, EXE)
How to install (important!)
1)Download and save the installer somewhere in your computer (desktop for example)
2)Run the Windows Live Messenger and log in. This is important, if you're not logged in, installer will issue an error!
3)Execute the installer. You must have administrator privileges for that, in case UAC (User Account Control) shows a prompt, asking you whether to allow mcoinstaller.exe to make changes, click Yes. (No viruses, promise )
4)When the installer window disappears, new emoticons should be in your emoticon library, ready for use with anybody (again, they don't have to have this package installed)
Alternate installation method
If the main installer doesn't work, which happens usually on Windows Vista (however, on Windows 7 and Windows XP it should work normally), then you should try this installation method. I tried modifying original installer, to work under Windows Vista, where it seems to have trouble to register ActiveX compoment because of aggressive UAC and protected mode (under Windows 7, it should work ok even with UAC enabled) and when I finally forced it to work with Messenger guess what... Messenger simply refuses these emoticons, even when the same version under Windows XP or Windows 7 accepts it with no problem.
However, I found a tool which allows to install it easily and seems to work even under Windows Vista, although it's not that much automatic, but still very easy.
1)Download this archive with alternate installer.
2)Extract both files somewhere, on the desktop for example.
3)Run the PackCreator.exe
4)Click Install A Pack
5)Select file Housepets.cab (the second file that was in the archive)
6)Emoticons should be installed now.
In case of any problems with installation, contact me.
PHPbb forum package
I also created simple PHPbb forum package, with easy install using .PAK file (you don't have to add them manually, one by one).
How to install
1)Download one of the following package (I recommend 48x48 - best compromise between size and details)
2)Extract all its contents into images/smilies on your server, where PHPbb forum is installed.
3)In administration control panel, page Posting, option Smilies, click Install smilies package
4)Select HPEmoticonPack.pak in the menu and click Install Smilies Package
5)Done! They should work now. They're predefined to display only in the View More Smilies page, not on the posting page, due to their larger size.
64x64 pixels PHPbb forum package
48x48 pixels PHPbb forum package (recommended!)
32x32 pixels PHPbb forum package
Icon pack
This allows you to set any of these Housepets emoticons as an icon for a file (usually shortcut) or folder in the Windows (and other systems compatible with the format) operating systems, as you can see on the following screenshot.
How to use
1) Download file HPiconpack.icl and store it somewhere permanently (so it will stay there as long as you're going to use these icons, moving or renaming the file will brake all HP icons).
2) Click on a folder/file with Right Mouse button and select Properties | Customize | Change Icon
3) Click on the Browse button and open the HPiconpack.icl file. All 32 icons should show up now.
4) Select desired icon and confirm everything.
Other applications
You can add these emoticons to various applications manually, using pure packages, or ask me, to create another one click installer/package, assuming there's suitable documentation describing how to add them and it doesn't take much time to create such installer/package (I'm quite busy, so I might make such package, but sometime, it could take even month or more, before I get to it, depending on the priority and type of various work I have to do).
Also, I hope I can create version 2.0 somewhere in the future, with more emoticons. There's surely plenty of glorious faces in the Housepets comic which I omitted in this package. Also, I might named some emotions/expressions wrongly, since I'm not native speaker. I will be grateful if you alert me about wrong names, as well as other mistakes or things I forgot.
Changelog
---- 1.0 ----
[*] Initial release, 32 emoticons created, raw package, MSN package, PHPbb package
---- 1.0.1 ----
[*] Minor update
[+] Icon pack for Windows operating systems added.
---- 2.0 ----
[!] New major version
[+] 32 new emoticons added, 64 in total now
[*] All packages updated, download from original links, you can install over the old version if you have it
EDIT: Just a small game for people who have nothing to do and are obviously boring: Can you find where are all emoticons taken from (particular strip)?