RTCWM - RTC Wallset Maker (current version 0.2)

Use this forum to discuss additional RTC utilities (other dungeon editors, graphics generators etc).

Moderator: George Gilbert

Forum rules
Please read the Forum rules and policies before posting.
User avatar
Gambit37
Should eat more pies
Posts: 13714
Joined: Wed May 31, 2000 1:57 pm
Location: Location, Location
Contact:

Post by Gambit37 »

Oh my goodness! I had no idea this program was so cool! Linflas, you are a genius! I remember trying an early version and it didn't work properly on my computer, but this one runs like a dream.

And the features are amazing too! I've been trying to get correct perspective by hand drawing stuff in Photoshop but it's rally tricky. This program solves all the problems.

Wonderful! Thank you very much! :D
User avatar
Gambit37
Should eat more pies
Posts: 13714
Joined: Wed May 31, 2000 1:57 pm
Location: Location, Location
Contact:

Post by Gambit37 »

In fact, I have to say it again: AWESOME. I've just generated my first custom wallset using it and it took minutes compared to the hours and days I was wasting in Photoshop trying to do it by hand.

THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU! :D :D :D
User avatar
linflas
My other avatar is gay
Posts: 2445
Joined: Tue Nov 04, 2003 9:58 pm
Location: Lille, France
Contact:

Post by linflas »

AaAaaAaaaahhhhhhhhhh ! that double bump scared me !! :shock:

;)

seriously, i'm really happy you finally managed to use it because that piece of code was especially intended for people like you and Cows.
User avatar
Gambit37
Should eat more pies
Posts: 13714
Joined: Wed May 31, 2000 1:57 pm
Location: Location, Location
Contact:

Post by Gambit37 »

It's indeed a great piece of work. Of course, the perfectionist in me will have to go back and enhance the final images in Photoshop to add highlights, etc, to make things look more 3D, but it's a great way to get all the base images.

I was playing with loading in some sci-fi textures from Unreal Tournament 2003 -- it certainly shows how different textures immediately create a totally different feel. Sci-fi dungeons could be cool....

I noticed that some of the offsets don't seem to be quite right. I think GG may have changed things a bit in more recent versions of RTC. Do you have any information about that?

I am looking at how the masks work and it seems to be quite easy to add masks for areas with tall walls. I will have to try that out some time.

I read back over the notes about merging some of the images to make the stairs side views. GG says that's no longer necessary. I don't understand why -- can you explain?

I think the default light and fog settings are too dark as you can hardly see the third level of walls.

Will you work on this tool anymore do you think?

:)
User avatar
linflas
My other avatar is gay
Posts: 2445
Joined: Tue Nov 04, 2003 9:58 pm
Location: Lille, France
Contact:

Post by linflas »

Gambit37 wrote:It's indeed a great piece of work. Of course, the perfectionist in me will have to go back and enhance the final images in Photoshop to add highlights, etc, to make things look more 3D, but it's a great way to get all the base images.
perfectionism is what slows FoD progress... :)
Gambit37 wrote:I noticed that some of the offsets don't seem to be quite right. I think GG may have changed things a bit in more recent versions of RTC. Do you have any information about that?
if i remember well, there were no changes since RTC0.35 but i may be wrong.
RTCWM offsets are *not* RTC ones, they are an approximation in real 3D of something that is not real 3D. can you tell me (eventually with a screenshot), which offset(s) should be corrected ?
Gambit37 wrote:I read back over the notes about merging some of the images to make the stairs side views. GG says that's no longer necessary. I don't understand why -- can you explain?
That one is a bit tricky and d*mn... i removed my newstairs example... :?
if you clone a flooritem, fill only the first bitmaps tab and leave blank the NSEW ones, RTC applies symmetry.
if you want separated "left" and "right" views instead of one single "side" bitmap, you must fill the NSEW tabs. but in that case, you have to make 4 clones (check (FLOORITEM_TOMBSTONE_MERCHANT_***) or only 2 clones (NS and EW for symmetrical stairs).
i prefer doing the little merge thing in photoshop rather than creating 2 clones of one stairs object.
Gambit37 wrote:I think the default light and fog settings are too dark as you can hardly see the third level of walls.
that could be changed in the ini file... maybe.
Gambit37 wrote:Will you work on this tool anymore do you think?
well, i *use* a 0.3 instable version for myself but never released it... there's a beginning of a "save-all-in-one-click" feature that crashes everything ! :P
User avatar
Chaos-Shaman
High Lord
Posts: 2642
Joined: Wed May 03, 2006 7:26 pm
Location: The Gates of Hell

Post by Chaos-Shaman »

Yes, that rtcwm program is fantastic! and the rtcip program sure helps in finding positions. My keypad actually works where I press the buttons.
Thanks Linflas, You've really made it easier for dumb dumbs like me.
I am almost done my experiment dungeon. I made it with you in mind Linflas :) Just have had one surprise after another this year, but I have managed to learn RTC, RTCWM,RTCIP and GIMP enough to actually start to do something 8) I'm thinking about incorporating a little MTG into the game, with all those mythical creature pictures and abilities.
keep your gor coin handy
User avatar
Gambit37
Should eat more pies
Posts: 13714
Joined: Wed May 31, 2000 1:57 pm
Location: Location, Location
Contact:

Post by Gambit37 »

One other thing I noticed: the door frame object isn't generated in the TXT file so you have to do it by hand in the editor.
User avatar
Black Eagle
Journeyman
Posts: 76
Joined: Mon Jan 28, 2008 10:58 pm
Location: Leicester, UK

Post by Black Eagle »

Linflas, Im certain Im not the first person to say this, but your utility is fantastic!!!!! be certain of new wallsets in my dungeon, with thanks to you!!! well done :)

im not sure if there's something that i've overlooked though - when it comes to saving the bitmaps and generating the RTC code - is there no way that you can have it automatically generate all the bitmaps in one go, instead of having to click one, then save, then the other... etc.?
User avatar
Gambit37
Should eat more pies
Posts: 13714
Joined: Wed May 31, 2000 1:57 pm
Location: Location, Location
Contact:

Post by Gambit37 »

I've been playing with this tool a bit more and noticed some problems with offsets

The floor is 140px high but the mask captures at 132, so you get some of the furthest wall included too. Also, 1 pixel of the furthest wall can be seen on the ceiling.

The furthest walls do not meet the floor when viewed from the side. That is, the wall is too short to stretch to the end of the perspective floor, so the fogging affect isn't applied enough to that furthest wall, making it look like it's the sharp corner of a column.

The furthest doors/door pillars are all wrong.

The middle door pillars are wrong.

Here's a grab of all these issues:

Image

I am not sure the best solution? I can fix the offsets myself and let you have them Linflas, but I think there is a problem with the overall layout, especially when it comes to the floor being merged with the back wall. Is the 3D model correct?
User avatar
linflas
My other avatar is gay
Posts: 2445
Joined: Tue Nov 04, 2003 9:58 pm
Location: Lille, France
Contact:

Post by linflas »

I already know those issues : you must adjust the generated bitmaps and force RTCWM offsets values in your dungeon code (especially for doors, frames and pillars !).
about the whole layout, well, this 3D scene is the closest i could implement to the DM perspective but it is still appoximative. As i won't change the code, i suggest you to edit the masks.ini file and maybe the masks bitmaps. maybe you will have a better result than mine :)
User avatar
Gambit37
Should eat more pies
Posts: 13714
Joined: Wed May 31, 2000 1:57 pm
Location: Location, Location
Contact:

Post by Gambit37 »

OK, I can modify offsets no problem. The biggest problem is that the furthest side wall isn't long enough -- did you just stretch yours in Photoshop after it was created? I guess it's far enough away that the detail won't be noticed too much.
User avatar
linflas
My other avatar is gay
Posts: 2445
Joined: Tue Nov 04, 2003 9:58 pm
Location: Lille, France
Contact:

Post by linflas »

i made the 3D scene with a fog to have a nice fade out and probably never noticed that the wall was too short.. :?
User avatar
Gambit37
Should eat more pies
Posts: 13714
Joined: Wed May 31, 2000 1:57 pm
Location: Location, Location
Contact:

Post by Gambit37 »

:-) No problem, I can work around it. It's a great tool and saves so much time that this is a minor detail :-)
User avatar
PaulH
Ghastly gastropod
Posts: 3763
Joined: Wed Aug 07, 2002 10:27 pm
Location: Level 6

Re: RTCWM - RTC Wallset Maker (current version 0.2)

Post by PaulH »

I've been experimenting with the programme, and have created masks and custom offsets for tall walls, which I will publish for the community once finalised.

One question: when the prog outputs the RTC code/text, how do I specify where it is uploading images from? It just says 'bitmaps/custom.xxx' - no specified folders or drives. Do I have to manually input this?
User avatar
PaulH
Ghastly gastropod
Posts: 3763
Joined: Wed Aug 07, 2002 10:27 pm
Location: Level 6

Re: RTCWM - RTC Wallset Maker (current version 0.2)

Post by PaulH »

Also got a problem when generating bitmaps for front high walls - whilst it works fine for the sides and perspectives, from the front it creates a black high bit rather than a wall.
User avatar
PaulH
Ghastly gastropod
Posts: 3763
Joined: Wed Aug 07, 2002 10:27 pm
Location: Level 6

Re: RTCWM - RTC Wallset Maker (current version 0.2)

Post by PaulH »

And just to add lol, the front images (and a left) have a blue bar across the bottom, as if the grab has saved a portion of the blue box outline.
User avatar
linflas
My other avatar is gay
Posts: 2445
Joined: Tue Nov 04, 2003 9:58 pm
Location: Lille, France
Contact:

Re: RTCWM - RTC Wallset Maker (current version 0.2)

Post by linflas »

PaulH wrote:when the prog outputs the RTC code/text, how do I specify where it is uploading images from? It just says 'bitmaps/custom.xxx' - no specified folders or drives. Do I have to manually input this?
"bitmaps" folder is relative to directory where RTCeditor.exe is located. I've created "bitmaps" in my RTC dir and put all my custom graphics into.
if you rename your wallset in RTCWM to "mywall" for instance, all your bitmaps will be renamed with "mywall" prefix as well.
"The only way out is another way in." Try Sukumvit's Labyrinth II
User avatar
PaulH
Ghastly gastropod
Posts: 3763
Joined: Wed Aug 07, 2002 10:27 pm
Location: Level 6

Re: RTCWM - RTC Wallset Maker (current version 0.2)

Post by PaulH »

Ah, gotcha!

Is there any way of producing alternate left and perspective graphics?
User avatar
PaulH
Ghastly gastropod
Posts: 3763
Joined: Wed Aug 07, 2002 10:27 pm
Location: Level 6

Re: RTCWM - RTC Wallset Maker (current version 0.2)

Post by PaulH »

Hmmm, the programme seems to have gone wrong, unless I have missed something: not altered any x dimesnions, neither masks or offset but will now not join the walls up corrects, transparent vertical lines seperate frames.
User avatar
PaulH
Ghastly gastropod
Posts: 3763
Joined: Wed Aug 07, 2002 10:27 pm
Location: Level 6

Re: RTCWM - RTC Wallset Maker (current version 0.2)

Post by PaulH »

Not to worry fixed it ;-). Got to be careful when hiding/adding graphics as it grabs a slightly different part.

Slightly altered my masks to cure the blue bar thing, but doesn't seem consistent using my method:

Method for the high masks and offsets:

- Increase y dimensions of all wall masks by y value of current offset.
- repaint perspective masks where necessary
- Reduce offset off all y values to zero

As RTC offsets from the top, my thinking is that this method would ensure the base of the walls remain in the same place.

This works, but produces a thin blue bar on the bottom of front 1 and 2, left 1 and 2 and on the bottom diagonal of perspective [side] 2. To cure this I reduced the y dimesnions of the front and left masks that were affected by 1, but kept the same offset. For the side, I edited the bottom portion with a transparent layer.

Seems to work, but need to figure out how to get the programme to draw high front walls now.
User avatar
linflas
My other avatar is gay
Posts: 2445
Joined: Tue Nov 04, 2003 9:58 pm
Location: Lille, France
Contact:

Re: RTCWM - RTC Wallset Maker (current version 0.2)

Post by linflas »

it doesn't !
if you check "high walls" option on and off when wall object is shown and ceiling is hidden, you can notice that i add all necessary cubes; except the front one.
it is hardcoded.. :(

but you can strafe left/right with arrows after selecting WALL_FRONT* bitmap then grab it
"The only way out is another way in." Try Sukumvit's Labyrinth II
User avatar
Gambit37
Should eat more pies
Posts: 13714
Joined: Wed May 31, 2000 1:57 pm
Location: Location, Location
Contact:

Re: RTCWM - RTC Wallset Maker (current version 0.2)

Post by Gambit37 »

In my experience, you still need to do some manual touch up and adjustment of the captured images; the tool isn't 100% accurate.
User avatar
PaulH
Ghastly gastropod
Posts: 3763
Joined: Wed Aug 07, 2002 10:27 pm
Location: Level 6

Re: RTCWM - RTC Wallset Maker (current version 0.2)

Post by PaulH »

yes, the strafe right/left option shows a high wall, but if you save bitmap it leaves bars at the sides. Great utility btw!
User avatar
Gambit37
Should eat more pies
Posts: 13714
Joined: Wed May 31, 2000 1:57 pm
Location: Location, Location
Contact:

Re: RTCWM - RTC Wallset Maker (current version 0.2)

Post by Gambit37 »

linflas wrote:except the front one. it is hardcoded.. :(
Did you lose the source code? I'm sure it wouldn't be hard to fix the small problems with RTCWM if you still have the source....? ;-)
User avatar
linflas
My other avatar is gay
Posts: 2445
Joined: Tue Nov 04, 2003 9:58 pm
Location: Lille, France
Contact:

Re: RTCWM - RTC Wallset Maker (current version 0.2)

Post by linflas »

i have some source somewhere... pity i don't go to work for 2 days but my source code is on my desktop computer, 200 km away for where i am...
i don't think i can do something for the accuracy problem but you can post a list of all little glitches that have been mentioned and i'll see what i can do.
"The only way out is another way in." Try Sukumvit's Labyrinth II
User avatar
Chaos-Shaman
High Lord
Posts: 2642
Joined: Wed May 03, 2006 7:26 pm
Location: The Gates of Hell

Re: RTCWM - RTC Wallset Maker (current version 0.2)

Post by Chaos-Shaman »

many many thanks linflas, your program rocks.
keep your gor coin handy
paladin3333
Neophyte
Posts: 7
Joined: Wed Nov 05, 2008 7:38 pm

Re: RTCWM - RTC Wallset Maker (current version 0.2)

Post by paladin3333 »

that an hell for me... the RTCWM is buggued on win 7 64 bit...
How i will do for create my dungeons =(
User avatar
linflas
My other avatar is gay
Posts: 2445
Joined: Tue Nov 04, 2003 9:58 pm
Location: Lille, France
Contact:

Re: RTCWM - RTC Wallset Maker (current version 0.2)

Post by linflas »

try to run it in compatibility mode maybe ?
"The only way out is another way in." Try Sukumvit's Labyrinth II
paladin3333
Neophyte
Posts: 7
Joined: Wed Nov 05, 2008 7:38 pm

Re: RTCWM - RTC Wallset Maker (current version 0.2)

Post by paladin3333 »

already all try.. RTCWM menu are graphically buggued... i dont see the menu... i can't move the mipmap, i can't save them.
User avatar
linflas
My other avatar is gay
Posts: 2445
Joined: Tue Nov 04, 2003 9:58 pm
Location: Lille, France
Contact:

Re: RTCWM - RTC Wallset Maker (current version 0.2)

Post by linflas »

well, it was coded way before Win7 in Blitz3D. it looks like those glitches come from your graphics driver and/or directx. i don't have win7 on my current machines, i'm still using vista. maybe you can try it in dosbox (i've never did that but who knows ?).

EDIT : i just tried, it's not working in DOS mode. i don't think i can do something to correct your problem, as it is related to Blitz Basic itself, not my code. are there other people in Win7 who can try to launch RTCWM ?
"The only way out is another way in." Try Sukumvit's Labyrinth II
Post Reply