For optiPNG, on the settings tab, I use RGB with alpha and this keeps the transparency; other settings seem to make the transparency solid or blow up the image size.  Optimize with 3 or 4 passes is good enough as 7 passes can takes 2-5 minute to complete and saves an addition 1% of size.

Passed that, I don't remember it being difficult to get optiPNG to work with Paint.net, but it was a long time ago.

not entirely sure what posterize is/does played with it but never understood it.

guess i'm going to have to look up optiPNG.

----------EDIT:
downloaded all the files associated with it (i think), but no clue on how to open and use it...double clicking on the 'application' brings up a cmd window that disappears immediately.

optiPNG - add on to any png editor, allows you to save as optiPNG (stands for optimized PNG).

posterize - is an adjustment in paint.NET; this reduces the number of available colors.  This can save a lot of space. 
Think of it as a slider bar for the usual 256 tones of a color (that is 256 for R, B, and G).  This bar reduces this range to a range between 2 and 64 for each color (you select).  This can also be used to make some cool effects on pictures.

Thanks again Nygma for the tips.

Alpha wrote:

optiPNG - add on to any png editor, allows you to save as optiPNG (stands for optimized PNG).

posterize - is an adjustment in paint.NET; this reduces the number of available colors.  This can save a lot of space. 
Think of it as a slider bar for the usual 256 tones of a color (that is 256 for R, B, and G).  This bar reduces this range to a range between 2 and 64 for each color (you select).  This can also be used to make some cool effects on pictures.

Thanks again Nygma for the tips.

how do you add it to a PNG editor (im assuming paint.net, MS office picture manager, MS paint, etc)?

http://forums.getpaint.net/index.php?/topic/6305-optipng-file-type-plugin-november-30-2008/

oops, meant to add that FileTypes is a folder in the PaintNET install directory.  Download addon at above and read documentation (or experiment) to figure it out.  I have only experimented and know very little about how it works.

hehe, i feel so stupid when it comes to this crap. i can download the two files in that forum thread you posted, but no clue how paint.net utilizes it. thought there might be a readme or something.

i closed down p.net and reopened it thinking to find an option in a pulldown menu or another option when saving as...but alas nothing.

sorry I was very unclear, you have to manually place the two files in the folder FileTypes in the main PaintNet folder.

Good luck.

hehe, i got that much...this would be a good place for chat..

*EUREKA!* i AM stupid! found it!

Then go to save as and in the drop down at the bottom select optiPNG, it is the last option.

for other stupid ppl like me:
there is another option in the pulldown menu when you save as...optimized PNG at the bottom of the list.

chat would be great, but now everyone can read it here.  I am glad you figured it out, next time I will give better instructions.

meh, you had everything there for a smarter person, only thing *i* missed what where it was implemented. thx again (or in the first place)!

No problem, happy designing with all the new tools.

Jigler wrote:

i think it'd be great to get some teamwork going between great mapmakers!

Do you guys remember Tanks by Oak from ToS......... I can't remember who it was but someone helped him with the graphics and really made it look amazing... kind of the theory behind spys.... does anyone remember who helped him..... That was really an amazing board when it came out. 

It was The Artist Formally Known as Reich.

Edward Nygma wrote:

It was The Artist Formally Known as Reich.

Cramchackle?

Correct