RTCED 0.1 - Development Diary with screenshots

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andyboy_uk
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Post by andyboy_uk »

Hehe, not quite yet. although I have the following features added

* Rotated Tiles (one tile painted facing South is rotated)
* Fixed the problems with the object loading from teh core vault

Other bits
* Drew some embarresing tiles using bits and bobs from the ones that Cows did for me.

I will be doing more, and with a bit of luck I will get a bit more time on it now.

Cheers dude,[/list]
Regards,

Andy
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Post by andyboy_uk »

I was going to ask Scorch (Matt), the guy who did the awesome object guide (http://www.eyedomain.co.uk/RTC_Object_Guide_v.0.1.doc) if you're still around on these forums I have a couple of questions for you.

1. Is there any way from the information you used to create the object guide you could produce a list of properties in a structured format and what the values should or could be?

something like

<propertyName>,<valueType>,<choice1/choice2>
HEALTH,Integer
TEXT,String
OPBY,Choice,MOUSE/ALL/PARTY/MONSTER/OBJECT/PARTY_OR_OBJECT/PARTY_OR_MONSTER/MONSTER_SKELETON/ON_AND_OVER/ON_ONLY/<OBJECT_NAME>

Or something like that.

2. Is there any chance you could produce a file from your information that has the name of the object and their associated properties.

Like:

<object name>,<Property1/Property2>
FLOORITEM_PAD_LARGE,ACTIONS/OPBY/OPTIONS/TARGET


If not I will work out a way to extract it from teh files of the RTC DM/CSB dungeons, it isnt a problem. You may just have better files to work from that I have.

Cheers,
A
Regards,

Andy
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andyboy_uk
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Post by andyboy_uk »

Or George G if you are around, do you have a file that could be made to look like this easier than the .TXT files for the DM/CSB games.

If not, that is my next task. :)
Regards,

Andy
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Post by cowsmanaut »

andy, if you tell me what you need or show/send me an example of what you are looking for or trying to make I can fix\make new ones for you.

moo
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Post by andyboy_uk »

@Cows: Thanks mate. I have uploaded them but you may need to copy and paste the link for it to work

http://www.freewebs.com/andyboy_uk/tile ... mplate.zip
{Right click and Save Target As ... to get them}

They do need to remain in BMP format Im afraid and the Transparent Color is 255,0,255.

No rush, I can work with these ones for now and they are based on yours anyway :)

Cheers mate, Andy
Last edited by andyboy_uk on Sun Dec 14, 2003 11:04 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Regards,

Andy
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Post by cowsmanaut »

working on them today a bit. I was just thinking.. in my other post about what to put on the main page.. perhaps this place could also house the editor rather than just the maps. ;)
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Post by andyboy_uk »

Some slight progress for this evening...

Object Vaults
Got the structure sorted (I think), got 3 items in there at the moment, the doorframe, the portcullis and a mirror.

Character Vault
Structure and directory implemented (so you can have a library of characters and select them from a list for the mirrors) - only halk in there at the moment, but the extractor to get the proper data from the CSB and DM characters wont take too long.

Object placement
This is pretty much there (along with some cool error checking - you cant place a door unless there is a doorframe, etc). It also does rotations (albeit a bit crude at the moment, you dont actually have to specify a rotation on the door or door frame but to make it look nice, you do for the editor. Im sure there will be improvements to this.

Note to self : I have one serious bug with redrawing the items that have been placed when you scroll round the map, but that shouldnt take more than a couple of minutes to sort out.

Property Vault
Again, the structure is down, I currently have 2 files in there HOLDS.TXT (for the mirror) and STATE.TXT for the door. But there is loads more to do there. I do have the object guide here, and it is massive. Big up to to Matt Smith for that one!

and...

It actually compiled something
I got my first RTC text file out of the editor today, admittedly not very much and there are a couple of restrictions (like no offsets for levels yet).

admittedly there is a base text file that has all teh header information, so unfortunatley it doesnt do all the graphics replacement stuff that peopel wanted right now, but progress is being made. Its a bit rough and ready at the moment, but it is taking form quite nicely.

Having looked at the above, it doesnt look a lot, there is more on the way :)
Regards,

Andy
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Post by Gambit37 »

It sounds like you're making good progress. Don't be hard on yourself either -- if anything is worthwhile, it takes time to do it properly, and I think you're doing a great job.

One suggestion though, about the error checking. Can you make it so that something like the doorframe example you used can be overridden? The beatuy of the RTC engine is that because these things are separate objects, they aren't actually required to compile a dungeon, and if the editor won't allow it, it's placing artificial restrictions on what people might want to do for special effects... :-)
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Post by andyboy_uk »

An Image for you all (you need to copy and paste the link into a new window for it to work - bl00dy freewebs)

http://www.freewebs.com/andyboy_uk/rtceditor/ed03.jpg

The window that has the objects in will allow you to edit very shortly, they are the objects on this level.

I have cleared up the drawing bug. Im going to spend about half an hour on getting the items exporting properly and then Im going to hit the sack.

See ya later.

A
Regards,

Andy
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Post by andyboy_uk »

In answer to your question Gambit, that is no problem at all, just make a copy of the object's text file (i.e. the PORTCULLIS) and remove the entries for the the DOORFRAME from it, save it as GAMBIT_CULLIS.TXT and it will pick up as a new object when you restart the editor.

Admittedly you could also create bogus txt files, like a portcullis that specifies the HEALTH as a property, the editor would write it into the file and RTC would whoop your a$$ when compiling.

Code: Select all

[OBJECT]
ID=DOOR_PORTCULLIS;
TYPE=FLOORITEM_HV;
IMAGE=FLOORITEM_DOOR.BMP;
PROPERTIES=STATE;
RESTRICTPOSITION=FLOOR;
REQUIRES=FLOORITEM_DOORFRAME;
ENTRY=<ID>,FLOORITEM_DOORFRAME,<X>,<Y>,<LEVEL>;
This is the DOOR_PORTCULLIS.TXT file in teh object vault. As you can see, all you need to do is take out the RESTRICTPOSITION and REQUIRES values, and you could put one in the middle of a wall should you wish (RTC will warn about this Im sure, but thats up to you entirely).

So you woudl make a GAMBIT_PORTCULLIS.TXT and in it would go

Code: Select all

[OBJECT]
ID=GAMBIT_PORTCULLIS;
TYPE=FLOORITEM_HV;
IMAGE=FLOORITEM_DOOR.BMP;
PROPERTIES=STATE;
RESTRICTPOSITION=;
REQUIRES=;
ENTRY=<ID>,FLOORITEM_DOORFRAME,<X>,<Y>,<LEVEL>;
Et voilla..

Ooh, just while Im at it, you probably wouldnt actually do THAT, but your new file would go in the USER section of the objectVault. The core files are best left un messed with, so I have provided a section where people who are used to the TXT editing can screw around with more Risky files.

Your gambit_cullis.txt would go in \objectVault\user\ and would just be a case of changing tabs on the Object picker (that is currently disabled in the most recent image, but will be there very shortly)
Regards,

Andy
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Post by cowsmanaut »

any news on those shadows? I have not yet completed that set and you suggested I wait untill you figured that part out..

moo
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Post by andyboy_uk »

I havent started on the shadows yet. Any chance I could have a few tiles without the shadow maps on them yet. they only need to face south.

So a tile like an alcove would be at the bottom and a small item would be bottom left corner.

Pink Backgrounds would be superb but not to worry if you have proper backgrounds.

Cheers
A
Regards,

Andy
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Post by PicturesInTheDark »

Looks like you're making nice progress. Looking forward to seeing a version of the editor and experimenting with it.

Are there any priorities on the editor development, i.e. stuff you are not going to allow or implement later and things you want to be possible from the start?

Regards, PitD
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Post by andyboy_uk »

Well the todo list stands thus:

- Get multiple level editing working (easy - just a couple of keyboard shortcuts)
- Finish the display of all items in the dungeons (mostly done now)
- Allow editing of properties on inividual objects from the above list (pretty easy stuff, just need to work out windows in the gui for different types of property, i.e. select list, text, single target, existing item, etc)
- Get that list so that it can narrow down to items on a single square
- Editing from above (should be simple if step 1 + 2 are done)
- Get the some more base properties in the propertyVault (i.e. TARGET, HOLDING and HOLDS) - I might even try and get MOST of them in
- Get the Items section exporting properly with editor assigned number

That is the point of the first Alpha for people to test (and another bug thread :))

Target Property
The targets will glow on the current level when you hover over a square that has items on it that have target properties (if that makes sense). The glow of the square may be different colors depending if it is a teleporter or maybe a target switch. I havent quite decided yet.

After the first release
I may just add items as I go to the editor and release them as patches if you like (text data only patches that is - unzip to the relevant vault) and then people can add their own. This is instead of trying to automate the extraction and will aid me in testing things.

Auto decoration is not going to be in the first version.

Other things that I take for granted now - but need testing
- Multiple tile sets (so you can use your favorite set of tiles in the editor)
- Custom Screen Res of editor and all the usual video bits.

Much Much later in life
New Graphics New sound sections.

Im thinking this may turn out to be a seperate editor where you can have create a monster, or a new wall set and import graphics then, see it in (mock) action with all the offsets, etc, then assign correct properties to it and then it drops out the correct TXT file for the RTCEditor userVault directory for placement in any dungeon you do in the Dungeon editor.

I doubt very much I would link the two editors into one as they are so different.


More Importantly
Is there anything that you think should/could be in the first release that anyone would like to see (even if its a method of doing one of the above), if it isnt unreasonable I will try and get it in.

Below are a list of planned features for the dungeon editor:

- Auto Decoration
Regards,

Andy
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Post by PicturesInTheDark »

Hi Andyboy, a search function would definitely be nice. From my experiences with CSBuild and DMute this eases editing a lot and you don't have to browse through all the levels for a specific item/monster/potion/scroll/whatever.

The New monster/new sound section sounds very interesting, even if that should be another editor and at a much later time - creating a monster and immediately seeing a first impression including the code for it would be really impressive.

Regards, PitD
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Post by andyboy_uk »

I can have an "Items on level" window as well, actually I think they are all going to be the same window just with different list population, you could choose.

- level
- dungeon (the lot)
or
- square.

I suppose I could find a way to order them by item type (even if the numbers werent in order).

Would that work for you?
Regards,

Andy
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Post by PicturesInTheDark »

Definitely - that would be a very good start for a first version I'd say. Details can be discussed at a later stage.

Regards, PitD
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Post by andyboy_uk »

Features added/changed this weekend:

- Rotate Item moved to right mouse key (much much nicer)
- Item list can show all items on a level, all items on a square, and all items in the dungeon
- dungeonNew() replaces the initialisation code (so you can start a new dungeon without restarting the editor)
- Items are now assigned numbers as they are added to the dungeon
- Fixed a bug whereby placing an invalid object would stop you being able to place any more afterwards (stupid error)
- Added code to fire up RTC compiler (didnt work - RTC wont execute from teh editor - talking to GG about this)
- Designed item Property window
- Designed windows to change property values, will be putting them to use very shortly.

Only did about an hour or so work on it, so mainly simple stuff yesterday.

More this evening. Now GG's Editor is out, I will have a good resource to use (although I dont like those arrows as you hover over a square - sorry mate ;))
Regards,

Andy
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Post by andyboy_uk »

New stuff as of last night:

- Item List now allows object filtering and selection dependant on editor mode
- Item properties displaying ( x, y, level, type, rotation and property list )
- Changes to objectVault structure to include an editorList variable for seperating dungeon features (i.e. switches, movable walls, teleporters) from game items (weapons, keys, etc)
- Numerous small bug fixes and error trapping.
- Removal of a load of rubbish windows (I have a far better way of doing it now)

Cor blimey, I only just started getting my finger out when GG does an editor in 2 weekends. :D. Everything at work has settled right down now as of this monday and so I am getting loads of time to work on it.

Tonight im going to tackle the propertyVault and changing and assigning valies to objects in the dungeon.

Once I get that done its just stitching together the compile components to get the text file and then the job of adding the objects to the vaults (text files).

I think Im actually getting somewhere, I dare say a first alpha will be out fairly soon.

Cheers all
Regards,

Andy
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Post by Gambit37 »

Great news -- perhaps another early Christmas present??? :-)
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Post by andyboy_uk »

I won't promise anything, but it is looking more hopeful every day.
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Andy
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Post by PicturesInTheDark »

I was gonna say the same, Gambit. Since everybody seems in the mood right now to work on their projects, we might be lucky ;)

Regards, PitD
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Post by andyboy_uk »

Another new screenshot showing the Item Editor (editing a single square), the Item properties window, and changing the HOLDS attribute of a mirror object. I know it looks a bit cluttery there but it is getting better.

http://www.freewebs.com/andyboy_uk/rtceditor/

If you launch that in a browser you will see the screenshots from the beginning to the end. The last one is bigger because I have bumped up the resolution on the monitor.

The CHARACTER_HALK is coming from the (fairly) new CharacterVault that you can add TXT file to (in a friendly format) and select them for use in any dungeon you create later.

The PORTCULLIS needs a bit of tweaking, for some reason the "special" lists (like character vault) are populating but not standard written ones in the text, one for tomorrow I think.

Progress tonight :-

- Item property window populated with all information about an item in the dungeon (except the rotation, small bug will fix tomorrow)
- Item properties being listed in the item properties window and clicking on one and edit brings up the property editor (the small window in the screenshot)
- The property window will populate lists from the object Vaults (wicked news) and will also look out for special entries in the text files like "_character_vault" which will populate the choosable values with the objects in teh character vault.

- Major bugfix with the LAYOUT happening underneath windows. BlitzUI rocks (now I know what I needed to know - cheers Chris).

- New resolution does not appear to throw out boundary maths and map drawing maths. Excellent

- A little white square to show selected tile being edited.

- Edit items on tile is now on the right mouse button in OBJECT placement modes (FEATURES and ITEMS) mode. Much nicer than F12 on the keyboard.

- Changes to the Item Properties structure to include a reference to the original vault Property object (very handy - so implemented the same thing on the item/object relationship and standardised all the names).

- Cleared up a lot of crap that was around the place and put them into proper functions and making them reusable. e.g. AddListItem will now add to either a combo box or a list box, before it was hard coded at the point that the entries were made and an error occored if I tried to put an entry in the wrong type of control (got there now though).

And I won a game of online chess (but am about to loose the other) - ah well. Off to bed now. :) See you all tomorrow.
Regards,

Andy
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Post by PicturesInTheDark »

We can play a game of chess sometime Andy ... would be a change for once at least knowing a little bit about the opponent :wink:

Regards, PitD
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Post by andyboy_uk »

Any time PITD, I am registered on

http://www.chessworld.net/chessclubs/asplogin.asp

under the nickname andyboy_uk. Im pretty sure we should be able to challenge each other. Unless you know of another site that does the same sort of thing. :)

Cheers,
A
Regards,

Andy
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Post by Lunever »

Great! I'm really looking forward tp your Editor, Andy!!

Good, another chess player here! :-D
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Post by PicturesInTheDark »

I'll register there and let you know when I've time. Sorry I can not do so regularly but I'm working with computers all day long and have no separate account at home. Only sharing with my flat mate and therefore rarely online in the evenings. But we will play, looking forward to it.

My usual adress of playing is http://www.chessbase.de, which has an own online server mostly used by those who purchased one of the engines Fritz, Shredder, Hiarcs or Junior, but also shows a lot of live games and has various competitions each day for all sorts of players.

Regards, PitD
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Post by andyboy_uk »

The editor compiled its first dungeon yesterday (major progress)

New as of yesterday

- Special object type introduced (stairs at the moment) when you place down stairs on a level, up stairs are put on the level below automatically. Checks to make sure that you cant do anything silly are made as well (to be extended but good enough for now)

- List properties are working, integers and text to go in there next, multiple selections on list as well need to go in there.

- Bug fixes galore (bloody annoying bug when failing to place an item failed and the whole thing stopped working)

- Lots of work on the RTC text file export (still need a dungeon save and load feature - when I have finished with the structure of the files) - at first it wont be able to load from RTC text files although it is planned.
Regards,

Andy
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Post by andyboy_uk »

LOADS of bits went in there today. Far too many changes to list individually but here is a summary. I reckon Im damn close to a first alpha (admittedly it will be a very cut down object set to start with - but addint them is the easiest thing in the world)

Also, for anyone who wants to make tiles for the game, I have a blank tileset here that you can use as a base if you like. You dont have to keep the sizes of these tiles (filenames yes) but there are rules to creating a tileset.

1. The sizes in the file specified are not fixed, you can have tiles of any size you like, but .... tile0.bmp and tile1.bmp are the wall and floor tiles that form the base dungeon layout. Tiles in the tileset will have to match to the sizes of these two pictures and the smaller pictures (monsters, keys, etc) all have to be a quater of the size. Full size tiles (wallitem_shooter, wallitem_mirror, etc) have to match the size of the tile0 and tile1 pictures or bad things will happen when its being drawn.

2. For wall items draw the item on the south wall, the editor will rotate them automatically, for the smaller tiles draw the correct way up and the editor will deal with the placement and rotations automatically again.

3. The transparent color is 255,0,255 (RGB power pink).

4. When you unzip the directory created is called BLANK, if you rename it to something else (your name, or something original)

Cheers
http://www.freewebs.com/andyboy_uk/tile ... mplate.zip
{Right click and Save Target as... to get the file)

New Features / Fixes / Functions

- Property Editing now has Integer (and soon to have single line text as well)

- Massive change to the rotation code so that when you put a small item (a key for instance) on a wall it will change the rotations to N, S, E, W rather than when it is on the floor where it can be SW, NW, NE, SE (and Centre for some things) - still fixing this, but it is getting there.

- default value now added to the object vault (so there is always SOMETHING in the values of properties, even if it is 15 for health -for instance) [edit] Just found out this isnt quite working yet :) [/edit]
Regards,

Andy
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Post by andyboy_uk »

Its just been pointed out to me (cheers Cowsmanaut) that some of the tiles will be wrong in here. The worm's Ive fixed (they are 2 tile monsters) but there may be others (oitu was the otherone cows mentioned to me).

If there is a tile for the worm, draw them along the bottom 2 squares. I will have to experiment with RTC to see which way they face on teh rotation.

More updates this week.
Regards,

Andy
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