RTCWM - RTC Wallset Maker (current version 0.2)

[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!

[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!

[linflas]

AaAaaAaaaahhhhhhhhhh ! that double bump scared me !!



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.

[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?

[linflas]

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...

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 ?

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.

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.

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 !

[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 I'm thinking about incorporating a little MTG into the game, with all those mythical creature pictures and abilities.

[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.

[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.?

[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:



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?

[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

[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.

[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..

[Gambit37]

No problem, I can work around it. It's a great tool and saves so much time that this is a minor detail

[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?

[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.

[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.

[linflas]

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.

[PaulH]

Ah, gotcha!

Is there any way of producing alternate left and perspective graphics?

[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.

[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.

[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

[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.

[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!

[Gambit37]

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....?

[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.

[Chaos-Shaman]

many many thanks linflas, your program rocks.

[paladin3333]

that an hell for me... the RTCWM is buggued on win 7 64 bit...
How i will do for create my dungeons =(

[linflas]

try to run it in compatibility mode maybe ?

[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.

[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 ?