Really Dumb question

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money
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Really Dumb question

Post by money »

OK, this is going to seem a dumb question I'm sure... but using CS Build 2.98... How do i create a portrait with a charactor? I know that seems daft, I mean I have created a wall item, selected the Champion (00 - Elija) and graphic "Picture Frame"... so then next steps, at the square next to this portrait I created a text entry, edited the charactor... and saved. What am I doing soooo wrong! If i enter the dungeon and click on the portrait nothing happens. Did i think it would be too simple? Am i missing something obvious? How do i link this charactor to the portrait etc.?

Sorry for waisting any time, but I have always thought - this would be worth a try, and then given up... but thought this time i'd ask!
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beowuuf
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Re: Really Dumb question

Post by beowuuf »

Hmm, sounds like you are doing everything right!

Feel free to throw the dungeon.day file at me at beowuuf at yahoo dot com and I'll take a quick look
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beowuuf
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Re: Really Dumb question

Post by beowuuf »

Ah, interesting....

Back in older versions the default champion created by just tickign the 'edit portrait' and accepting it was a legal champion - if very underpowered.

However, now it seems like the default champion - with 0 health,stamina and mana - can't be selected from the wall.

So is that what's happened?

Note that you don't get elija selecting his portrait, you just get his pocture, YOu create the champion from scratch.

Hope that helps!
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Re: Really Dumb question

Post by Zyx »

I don't know what is wrong. You should edit the original DM and compare.
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Paul Stevens
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Re: Really Dumb question

Post by Paul Stevens »

Don't give up. I, too, would be willing
to look at your dungeon.dat file if you
cannot figure it out.

prsteven at facstaff period wisc period edu
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money
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Re: Really Dumb question

Post by money »

Sent to Beo and Paul :)
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Paul Stevens
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Re: Really Dumb question

Post by Paul Stevens »

I received your Dungeon.dat.

I truied it and it worked perfectly as far as I can tell.
I navigated (in the dark) to Elija's portrait, clicked
on it, and resurrected Elija.
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money
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Re: Really Dumb question

Post by money »

Sorry Paul, sent a seperate email - it worked for me too... I'm lost for words, spent hours re-starting and re-trying and no-idea what was different! Still, I'm happy now it works!
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Re: Really Dumb question

Post by JETENGINE »

To Mr. Stevens, would you be willing to take a look at my dungeon.dat to tell me what I am doing wrong? I would like to try to use a custom CSB portrait, but I can't seem to attain that goal. If you would be willing to point out what I am doing wrong, that would be greatly appreciated.

From, the newest (and probably the buggiest) JET on the site.
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Paul Stevens
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Re: Really Dumb question

Post by Paul Stevens »

Certainly. Where can I find your dungeon.dat?
But first: What do you mean by "Custom CSB protrait"?
Are you trying to attach a portrait to a dungeon wall
so that you can click on it to resurrect a champion?
Are you trying to replace the picture in an existing
portrait? What?
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Re: Really Dumb question

Post by JETENGINE »

I am very awkward with using anything but as an attachment in an e-mail. My address is in the PM that I have sent you.
What I am trying to do is use a portrait in addition to the portraits used for the original DM characters (CSBWin doesn't seem to like them for some reason), and yes, I am trying to use the character as a person to be resurrected/reincarnated.
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Paul Stevens
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Re: Really Dumb question

Post by Paul Stevens »

I received your DMDUNGEON.DAT. It appears to be an unaltered
X86 PC version of Dungeon Master. It appears that it has never
been loaded by CSBwin or CSBuild. And it works quite well.

I had to convert it to 'big-endian' (Because the x86 PC engine
expects it to be 'little-endian' and CSBwin expects it to
be 'big-endian'.). I did this by loading it with
CSBuild, answering a dozen warning questions in the affirmative, and
then saving the dungeon and renaming it 'DUNGEON.DAT'.
After that I could play the game normally with CSBwin.

Can you tell me what you tried to do and what went wrong?
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JETENGINE
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Re: Really Dumb question

Post by JETENGINE »

I know that I accidentally sent you the wrong dungeon. The DMDUNGEON.DAT is supposed to be a backup copy of the DM-PC dungeon.
The problem for the dungeon that I have edited with CSBuild is that CSBWin declares "Portrait not found, bwahahahahaha." when I stand in front of the mirror. What am I doing wrong for the portrait?
I am using CSBuild 3_45.
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Paul Stevens
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Re: Really Dumb question

Post by Paul Stevens »

JETENGINE wrote: CSBWin declares "Portrait not found,
I received your dungeon. It works quite nicely.

I could not find a way to get the program to say :
"Portrait not found, bwahahahahaha".

The best I could do is get it to say:
"Cannot find 'CSBGraphics.dat''".

I did this by deleting the 'CSBGraphics.dat' file and
taking the teleporter at the sign "LEFT GOOD LICK"
and approaching the portrait of 'VICTIM'.

What did you do to see "Portrait not found, bwahahahahaha"?
And where in the dungeon did it happen?
Can you provide a 'playfile.log' that will reproduce that error?
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Re: Really Dumb question

Post by JETENGINE »

Okay, I embellished a little, eh, make that a lot, but you get the general idea. The recording that I have sent you might help you (or anyone else who you think can) solve my problem. If it doesn't, it means I am pretty much out of luck. Thank you for the help, and the corrections that you have given me.
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Paul Stevens
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Re: Really Dumb question

Post by Paul Stevens »

I embellished a little,
OK. Maybe it is time to describe the situation without
any embellishment. That might help us solve your problem.
==============================
The recording and graphics.dat play very well. You fetch
VICTIM and proceed to get destroyed by the first Mummy
you meet.
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JETENGINE
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Re: Really Dumb question

Post by JETENGINE »

Paul Stevens wrote: Mon Sep 04, 2017 6:05 am OK. Maybe it is time to describe the situation without
any embellishment. That might help us solve your problem.
I agree with that statement. It would help the helper if I stuck to the facts.

My issue begins when I try to use an external 4-bit bitmap image with the proper palette. I get a:
" Cannot find 'CSBgraphics.dat' "
" Can't open graphics.dat "
" Bitmap file error - filename = 0CC
Cannot find portrait. "
What am I am doing wrong?
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Paul Stevens
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Re: Really Dumb question

Post by Paul Stevens »

By removing my CSBgraphics.dat file, I can get a
very similar result:

"Cannot find 'CSBgraphics.dat'"
"Can't open CSBgraphics.dat"
"Bitmap file error - filename = 0CC
Cannot find portrait"

I cannot figure out how you might get the
error you describe in your second line:

"Can't open graphics.dat".

If that were true then it seems like the walls
and such would not be displayed correctly.
Are you sure you reported that correctly?
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Re: Really Dumb question

Post by JETENGINE »

I can send exact the exact error message in order. They are coming in on email right as I type.
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Paul Stevens
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Re: Really Dumb question

Post by Paul Stevens »

Good. I received the screen capture of your error messages.
Now everything makes perfect sense.

I am editing your portrait on the west wall of 00(14,18).
You have selected 'Advanced' and 'External Portrait file'.
You have specified a 'Filename' of 'Portrait031.bmp'.
The engine will look for that file in "CSBgraphics.dat."
This is, indeed, an advanced topic worthy of much discussion.
This feature was created for Zyx who used about a hundred
portraits in his Conflux design (along with hundreds of
walls, monsters, items, and decorations).

The error message says that the engine cannot find your
file named "CSBgraphics.dat'. It should be in the same
folder as your 'graphics.dat'.

If you do not have such a file, for your amazement and
amusement I have posted the CSBgraphics.dat from Conflux,
for you to download and put into your game. I think it will
solve your problem. Get it here:
http://dianneandpaul.net/CSBwin/CSBgraphics.dat

You will have to ask Zyx if you can use his artwork. Or
you can create your own CSBgraphics.dat using the program:

http://dianneandpaul.net/CSBwin/CSBgraphics46.exe

It ain't gonna be easy.
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Re: Really Dumb question

Post by JETENGINE »

Thanks for the warning. Any advice on getting help for the tools? It would be nice to learn by reading, instead of entering a vicious circle of:
1) Attempting things on your own. 2) Screwing things up. 3) Getting increasingly frustrated. 4) Repeating steps one to three another four times. 5) Breaking your computer in a blind rage because you couldn't figure out the program.
In gaming terminology, I generally prefer succeeding at UM FUL (Lv.2 Magic Torch) spells rather than fail at PAL OH IR RA (Lv.5 Powerful Light) spells.

If you could point me to the correct forum, that would be appreciated beyond what I could possibly type. If not, thank you anyways for your time and patience. Have a good night.
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Paul Stevens
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Re: Really Dumb question

Post by Paul Stevens »

Well, now. What is it you want to do?
Would you be happy by using one of the existing portraits
(perhaps Halk) and editing his portrait to look like
Bridgette Bardot? Or do you need to make an additional
portrait above and beyond the existing portraits?

Are you willing to invest a few days of your time in learning
how to create additional portraits? (It would cost me a
few days, too, because I don't know how. But I'm willing.)

Perhaps you could use one of Zyx's portraits. That would be
quite easy. He has a lot of them to choose from.

Could you make minor modifications to one of Zyx's portraits?

How much is this worth to you?
point me to the correct forum
I do not think that it exists. Only Zyx knew how to do
these things (and the past tense is intentional).
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JETENGINE
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Re: Really Dumb question

Post by JETENGINE »

I would like to go a few numbers above and beyond the standard limit (with some dummy portraits, just in case), but I couldn't for the life of me figure out how to modify or edit any of the files that exist, let alone create new ones.
Out of curiosity, who is Bridgette Bardot?
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Paul Stevens
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Re: Really Dumb question

Post by Paul Stevens »

JETENGINE wrote:who is Bridgette Bardot?
At least this question if not 'Off Topic'.

Perhaps I should have said "Marilyn Monroe" or "Jean Harlow".

Hint:
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000003/medi ... _all_sf_96
Last edited by Paul Stevens on Wed Sep 06, 2017 12:12 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Paul Stevens
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Re: Really Dumb question

Post by Paul Stevens »

I couldn't for the life of me figure out how to modify or edit any of the files that exist
You modified the 'dungeon.dat' file successfully!

But I understand. Only Zyx knows how to create a custom
CSBgraphics.dat.

Tell you what: I'll see if I can create a custom portrait. If I
succeed, I will pass my knowledge onto you. It might take
a few minutes or a few days.
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Paul Stevens
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Re: Really Dumb question

Post by Paul Stevens »

I posted:
http://dianneandpaul.net/misc/SemajNiomet.zip

It contains a dungeon.dat, a CSBgraphics.dat, and your Portrait040.bmp.

Put these into your game folder and try it out.
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Re: Really Dumb question

Post by JETENGINE »

Thanks, Mr. Stevens. I'll try them out soon. Have a good night!
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