Why 24-bit? Do you really need 16 million different heights? :)
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Why 24-bit? Do you really need 16 million different heights? :)
It would allow him to use a graphics program to do some kind of manual editing of the map =).
Its all in the interests of expandability, Sas =).
Z.
No, really, I don't see why. Use whatever bits you guys need, and then have a convert-to-BMP function. I wouldn't think the heightmap would be directly editable Zaei (I hope not anyway!).
Alright Sas, however you want it done =). Its just not worth arguing over.
Z.
Sas, i dont wanna seem a ***** here but i think how Zaei and i are thinking thngs should be done is best, from a coding point of view.
The editor creates an index for the tilemap and a 24-bit bitmap file.
This then allows me to make it (which i have done) so you can import tilemaps and heightmaps into new maps. once your are happy you click the compile button and it removes all the extra data from the bitmap and saves the needed heightmap values along with all the other data. Thus the finished levels are not easily edited (you would have to code a loader seperator etc) unless u have the original data.
It is loads of extra work to convert it out of the standard image box's bitmap format to a single height value and back when it wants to be edited again.
this also allows us to just call upon a dll with the compile code in which does it.
I just think its a whole load better. i mean, hey we could put all the texture data into the map but then it wud be no good to use them in other maps unless u had the original.
Your saying about high compilation times but when u look at such things as creating a UT map you have to do loads of generating of lighting etc which is that quick. to cnonvert some data, stick it all together in a file isnt going to take that long.
Just my view but i think its backed by Zaei too.
Psy, do it both ways. You know, a Save option, and an Export option. That would give the greatest flexibility, as well as allowing ease of use.
Z.
heh, save and compile in this case.
Compile - Final single file 'the map'
Save - Individual bits for editing.
I have a import feature already built in.
Okay, fine. But how about this:
1. Compile - Saves to TOW Map format.
2. Save - Saves to working map format.
3. Export - Exports the little individual pieces for editing.
4. Import - Compiles little pieces so that you can Save or Compile.
I do like the idea of non-editability though, its just that if someone wants to distribute the source of the map, its going to be huge (file-size wise). So, we make an alternate save option that compresses the output (ex. PNG compression on the heightmap, zLib on the others, and yes I know PNG uses zLib for the most part ;)).
Sounds good =).
Im working on billboarded lines at the moment. Also have some ideas on collision detection =)
Z.
Sas i changed the views up to how they should be. theyre all working off the same variables at the moment though im working on giving them their own ones so they move independent. Then it will be going nice.
I have got the opening/saving of files sorted more although im gonna have to re-write some code to get that going properly.
http://caunt.8bit.co.uk/work2.JPG
Psy, looking good. Those views didn't look true 2D to me - but you said those were coming, so thats OK. The map looks good to me at this time, but how does it run on your computer?
Looking very good, Psy =)
Z.
So, tell me what you guys think =)
http://www.vbforums.com/attachment.p...postid=1268948
Z.
Luke, I am your tree... :D
Is that collision detection? Well, it looks good. And the terrain around it looks extra-spiffy too.
Can we get a zoomed-out shot?
Good, Zaei!
No, thats just a pretty line =PQuote:
Originally posted by Sastraxi
Luke, I am your tree... :D
Is that collision detection? Well, it looks good. And the terrain around it looks extra-spiffy too.
Can we get a zoomed-out shot?
Good, Zaei!
Zoomed out shot? Sure.
Z.
Here ya go... Zoomed out. Lot slower this way =).
http://www.vbforums.com/attachment.p...postid=1269051
The line is not completly finished yet... Still have to figure out the width thing... but I shall get it =)
Z.
Oops, forgot the picture.
Z.
The line is looking really nice =). Lightning, anyone? =)
Z.
Sas true 2D is on its way!!
Zaei, looking pretty sweet. may i ask what the black lines that are vaguely in the top left area is coz ita kinda weird.
Terrain is looking sweet!!
Changed it to ortho, not the desired effect tho. the views for ortho get stuck where they are and wont zoom.
http://caunt.8bit.co.uk/work3.JPG
Psy, thats just the log... I need to change the colors =)
Z.
Zaei, lol, that post made no sense.
The black lines in the upper left... its just the log =PQuote:
Originally posted by PsyVision
Zaei, lol, that post made no sense.
Z.
with you now. thought u were on about my pic. i thought it may have been that but it went like down the page and across but werent square.
hmmm,
Got tile indexing working. This saves on memory of the editor at run time!!
A saved 128 by 128 tilemap is 48kb. Thats just the indexing, the list that goes into also has to be saved tho thats only 10kb so we got no prbos there!
Got to put it into the editor then we have a sweet saving / loading system working.
okay,
u can now:
Import A heightmap
Export A heightmap
Import A Tilemap And Tileset
Export A Tilemap And Tileset
Import A Map (Includes Heightmap, Tilemap, Tileset and Map
Details)
Export A Map (Includes Heightmap, Tilemap, Tileset and Map Details)
No save/open/compile as of yet but hey. 3,800 lines :D
okay, change that heh.
im gonna have it so u can Import the seperate heightmap and Tilemap parts (and export).
Then the Save/Open part is the bit that works with the .map and then theres compile ontop of that.
There, sorted :D
Alright, Psy =).
Looks to me like im going to have to re-write that nice line code from scratch. Its just not good enough as it is, and I want to get it right =).
Z.
Thats what i call a perfectionist!
Not quite, it is just plain wrong =). Ive also got a plan for object shadows in the works =)
Z.
heh, ah well :)
Shadows thing, hmmm, nice !!
Im gonna post up the latest build of the map editor onto the web soon.
It will be here.
Zaei, give me an outline of how you're proposing to do the shadows :)
Pretty simple, given the dimensions of each object, and the position of the light source(the sun), project a ray through the center top point of the object, finding a projected point on the terrain. From this value, plus the original dimensions, generated a quad that conforms to the terrain, and texture it with a gradient circle =). Pretty simple.
Also, im thinking about path finding and collision detection, as well... been reading a bit on graph theory in the last few days =)
Z.
okay, got a mate to dl that demo.
you guys shud know what to do about regsvr32-ing the .ocx files.
you also need comct332.ocx which he didnt have, i will upload it now to http://caunt.8bit.co.uk/comct332.ocx
The interface is absolutly stunning, Psy. Couple of bugs (When selecting a height in the pallete, click and drag off the pallete... crashes on my computer), but nothing that cant be ironed out.
Also, nasty crash when trying to view the projection. I imagine its because my card doesnt support 32 bit index buffers.
Z.
Alrighty... Finished the object Select Indicator.
http://www.vbforums.com/attachment.p...postid=1274294
Z.
That's pretty much what I had in mind too. Mind putting a health bar over top that? And change the illumination to the player's colour- but more on THAT later ;)
But of course... along with decorators to show various spells or effects that are enabled on a particular unit =). The color is of course changable =).
Z.
Yes, sort of like when you select a Unit Stack in Heroes (I, II, or III). Though I hope your GUI is just temporary, because I'd like to have a more traditional GUI implemented (of course I will do all of the graphics and show you where everything goes, but that will come in due time, no?)
Yup, its just temporary... actually, that is just the console... you can hide that with ~. The other is just some info, that I need to remove =)
Z.
Hi guys, I'm back.
You got a copy I can mess play around with? Looks pretty good from what I've seen.... :)
Cheers Zaei, im still working on some of the main parts and i know how to fix the bug you mentioned. Ill add better (or even just some) error handling for the Direct X parts a bit later.
As for the GUI, i thought it was lookin pretty good :) Im working on a making some new controls for buttons etc to make the app look well stylish.
I have been showing my friends the piccies of the game at the lastest stages and they think its really really good!
I like the selector thing.
As for the health thing, i think it shud be like Diablo where it apears in the top middle of the screen as opposed to over each unit (coz that wud induce a crowded screen)
Is it just me or in the last screenie does it look like the ground is sloping down to the right really weirdly ?
We are working on it =).Quote:
Originally posted by Arbiter
Hi guys, I'm back.
You got a copy I can mess play around with? Looks pretty good from what I've seen.... :)
Psy, the ground does look odd, but it looks correct when you actually see it in motion.
The only problem with that style of health is that you only can see one units health at a time, which is usless when you need to asses a group's fitness. Maybe we should only give the selected units a health bar, though?
Z.
Sas, we need our forums...
http://www.vbforums.com/showthread.p...hreadid=215368
Z.
Yea that could be better.
heh, we will eventually Zaei.
okies, please download and run this app.
I want to change the UI in the editor.
votes so far are for Style 1 and Style 2.
works like Form1 = Style1, Form2 = Style2 etc.
Click Cancel to exit and OK to goto the next.
Please tell me which is best
Colors ent too important, im talking style here.
heh, heres the app.
I would go with style1.. I like the flat.
Z.
okies, i think style 1 it will be.
ill put a config tab in so u can change the colors.
Style1 gets my vote as well.
Z: Yipes. I'll ask PlenderJ if he'll give us some kind of partial database dumb of this thread, and I'll create a temporary Snitz forum on the site (forum.crystal-rain.com). We'll run off my modded Snitz for a while, but after I examine the database enough I believe I can create a nice, new, original-code frontend (so I don't get sued ;)). I really hope that doesn't apply to us, as that privacy statement was changed recently and this thread was created before that post.
Here's what we'll have. Unit icons representing the troops (each different troop type to its own icon), and a number representing how many. The health will be an average (and by mouseover we get the min, max, and avg. health of that certain group). A click pops down and shows all of the units, and a click on the unit deselects the group and selects only that unit. Do you have all that? :)
And Psy, we only have a small healthbar on top of each unit. It won't take up too much space (and is extremely useful).
I think we can snoop the database ourselves, but im not sure.Quote:
Originally posted by Sastraxi
Style1 gets my vote as well.
Z: Yipes. I'll ask PlenderJ if he'll give us some kind of partial database dumb of this thread, and I'll create a temporary Snitz forum on the site (forum.crystal-rain.com). We'll run off my modded Snitz for a while, but after I examine the database enough I believe I can create a nice, new, original-code frontend (so I don't get sued ;)). I really hope that doesn't apply to us, as that privacy statement was changed recently and this thread was created before that post.
Also, might want to delete any PMs about that nifty idea for the multiplayer stuff.
And join the Black Avatar Society ;).
And yeah, I got all of that =).
Z.
Great. I'll figure out how I'm going to sort this forum thing - I may be able to do some work on it right now.
Nice, Sas =).
Ive got a plan for the pathing map in my head, now its just a matter of implementing it now... The first step is to generate a regular grid of pathing nodes, and generate the adjacency for each node. I can do this. The next step is to traverse the graph, visiting each node, and testing that node's height against its neighbor's heights. If it is greater then some threshold n, remove the violating adjacency. If the node is no longer connected to the graph, remove it. I then have a pathing map, with a node on each tile, which can be used to find collisions(nodes that contain units are marked, and not considered for path finding). Sounds good?
Z.
Sounds pretty good. Then, it would be simple recursion to find the actual path find the shortest path from start to dest, for each collision in it find the shortest path from collision - 1 to collision + 1... etc. Then you have your nice ol' map. Of course, the hardest part will be the error handling.
In other news, got the fora up locally. Snitz really is a pleasure to work with... Anyway, tomorrow I will be adding the (believe me, necessary) avatar, access, icon, and usergroup modifications that I've done before. Without them, Snitz really is one ugly beast... but it's quite nice, and light...
Eventually I'll create my own frontend for all of the pages, but keep the same database.
Errors? What Errors? =)Quote:
Originally posted by Sastraxi
Sounds pretty good. Then, it would be simple recursion to find the actual path find the shortest path from start to dest, for each collision in it find the shortest path from collision - 1 to collision + 1... etc. Then you have your nice ol' map. Of course, the hardest part will be the error handling.
Z.
I mean, finding out if the location is unreachable.
Sounds good Sas!
Are any of you guys still concerned about the ownership of code issue?