Flic Video

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This is the original format used by Autodesk Animator. You can find a complete description of the fli/flc format (both container and video codec) here http://www.compuphase.com/flic.htm.

The codec uses RGB colorspace: paletted RGB8, RGB15, RGB16, RGB24. RGB8 is tightly coupled with the VGA mode 0x13.

Compression methods are RLE-based.

Container

There are many variations of flic container, the most common are the original FLI from Autodesk Animator and the extended FLC from Autodesk Animator Pro.

Standard FLIC files are video-only. However, various deviations also include audio.

The file format is chunk-based.

In AVI

FLIC video frames can be stored inside of an AVI file. In this case, a 256-entry 32-bit RGB palette is stored in the AVI header per the usual method for doing so.

In MOV

FLIC video frames can be stored inside of an Apple QuickTime file. In this case, a 256-entry 32-bit RGB palette is stored in the video atom's stsd atom per the usual method for doing so.

Magic Carpet

The game Magic Carpet contains FLIC files with a few deviations from the standard:

  • the files bear the extension .dat
  • The header is only 12 bytes instead of 128
  • The header is too short to carry speed info; all MC FLIC files appear to play fine at 15 fps
  • Even though they report themselves to be 0xAF12-type FLIC files and have 256_COLOR palette chunks, the files are actually 320x200 pixels and have 6-bit palettes like 0xAF11-type FLIC files

Variations of the FLIC format are also found in Bullfrog's Syndicate and Hi-Octane.