Dungeon Master Forum

Hi,

Is there any good way to convert CSBuild dungeons to the original ST format (or Amiga/PC)?

Any help is appreciated.

Hmmm, I don't think that is possible any more as CSBWin adds too many new things which aren't backwards compatible. However, if I'm wrong, someone who knows it better will soon pipe up.

No, you are correct, too many new things - evne something as simple as the old version of CSBwin expanding the database to allow more objects in the dungeon.

CSBwin can't, to my knowledge, convert a dungeon to amiga/PC - just convert a PC dungeon to CSBwin (atari). I think one of Christophe's tools onverts both from little to big endian and vice versa, so I think you could take a normal atari dungeon untouched by 'recent' CSBwin engines, and convert it to run on at least the PC.

Thanks for the quick replies, but I want to convert CSBWin dungeons that don't use any extras to one of the original formats. If that's not possible, or a big pain, then too bad I guess. The reason, if anyone wants to know, is that I still use an Amiga (not WinUae) for various things, including playing DM. It would therefore be nice to be able to use standard feature dungeons made with CSBuild with the Amiga version (or meynafs ST to Amiga port).

All dungeons made with the newest versions of CSBuild simply can't be converted, whether they use "extras" or not -- because the file format has changed. You would only be able to convert very very early dungeons created several years ago with very early version of CSBuild. I'm not even sure if any of those still exist, I think most dungeon authors updated their early work to the latest versions.

Off topic: I much prefer the Amiga avatar for Torham that you're using, than the PC version. Seems more 'classic'

Even if it doens't use an extra, the file format had to be changed.

If the dungeon you wish to convert is really old, the endian converter of Christophe's would probably work. If it is relatively newer, then it won't.

As I said, before any new features were added to the dungeons, CSBwin let you expand the saved game file so it could hold more generated items (instead of having dropped monster items deleted after too many appeared)

The easiest way is just to try it - play old CSBwin dungeons directly on an atari emulator or convert using the tool, and see if it works

Gambit37 wrote:All dungeons made with the newest versions of CSBuild simply can't be converted, whether they use "extras" or not -- because the file format has changed.

Although existing programs can't do it, technically any dungeon that only uses the original features can be converted to the old format, because there is no information in the file that the original format can't handle. That such programs don't exist is a down right shame, of course.

Gambit37 wrote:Off topic: I much prefer the Amiga avatar for Torham that you're using, than the PC version. Seems more 'classic'

Thanks

beowuuf wrote:Even if it doens't use an extra, the file format had to be changed.

Indeed, and that's why I wanted a converter It's the same principle as converting a plain, uncompressed 24 bit PNG file to BMP: Because no features are used that BMP doesn't have, this conversion will be a 100%.

beowuuf wrote:If the dungeon you wish to convert is really old, the endian converter of Christophe's would probably work. If it is relatively newer, then it won't.

Sadly I want to convert new dungeons that I'm making myself to the original format

Although existing programs can't do it, technically any dungeon that only uses the original features can be converted to the old format[...]

That's nitpicking The point is, there's no converter that does what you want. You could write one, of course.

Gambit37 wrote:That's nitpicking The point is, there's no converter that does what you want. You could write one, of course.

Perhaps, it's just that almost nothing is impossible with computers Anyway, meynaf seems to have some sort of editor. He's on the English Amiga Board, so I'll just ask him for his editor. Problem solved