Meta2tr update. - Page 43

meta2tr · 06-07-13, 14:57

Quote:

Originally Posted by HeinzFritz

Here is the folder with all 3 versions.

Thanks HeinzFritz. I will check this out. I didn't implement this myself because unfortunately changing the texture table can break NG features such as conveyor belts. (That's why meta2tr only ever adds to the texture table, it never rebuilds it (as trviewer does)). However I will look at how you have done this, I may learn something interesting

HeinzFritz · 06-07-13, 16:20

There is not much to learn. I just changed 3 offsets (+ replaced the name on all occurences) in WinHex. You can just compare it with WinHex or any other hex editor and you will see that it is quite a simple change to make it start numbering from Tile100, Tile200 or Tile300. It does not disrupt anything, neither does it rebuild in a different way.
By the way, that meta2tr of yours is really great. I am using (and misusing) it more than any other tool. The possibilities it offers are almost limitless.

meta2tr · 27-08-13, 18:22

Version 7f is here.

Changes:
- Added "Insert empty tiles" option.
- When importing BMP files, their real names are displayed.
- An MQM file is now created every time a BMP file is imported.
- The MQM file only contains the BMP files that were imported.
- The names of the BMP files in the MQM file have been corrected.
- Corrected an error when reading uv coords near boundaries.
- Several improvements to error handling.

Happy editing

raiderromero · 27-08-13, 18:43

thank you, i love this tool

HeinzFritz · 27-08-13, 21:01

Thanks for the update!
Before I try it out, just two questions:
What does the "insert empty tiles" exactly mean, as it was possible in the previous versions to insert empty files in any quantity. As the other feature "The MQM file only contains the BMP files that were imported"? Does it mean that the empty files that were inserted automatically in between e.g. Tile032.bmp and Tile155.bmp. will now be deleted?

@Meta2tr, disregard the questions above. After finally having the opportunity to try this update out, I understood what you meant.

It is just what was needed to replace objects with objects from a library. tr4 without burdening the new .tr4 with unneeded Tiles, or burdening onerself with endless renaming of tiles inside Metaseq.

Thank you so much!!! GREAT FEATURE!

HeinzFritz · 30-11-13, 07:58

Just for experiment sake I tried to apply waterfall scrolling and animated textures on sprites, but had no luck. Either it is impossible or I am doing something wrong.
Of course, the question why anybody would want to have animated (changing) sprites is easily answered with a simple "Why not!"
If that is not convincing enough, just imagine the shine sprite changing colors or image of the reflection, then the flame sprite, which is animating anyway, getting additional movement etc...

meta2tr · 30-11-13, 15:13

Quote:

Originally Posted by HeinzFritz

Just for experiment sake I tried to apply waterfall scrolling and animated textures on sprites, but had no luck. Either it is impossible or I am doing something wrong.
Of course, the question why anybody would want to have animated (changing) sprites is easily answered with a simple "Why not!"
If that is not convincing enough, just imagine the shine sprite changing colors or image of the reflection, then the flame sprite, which is animating anyway, getting additional movement etc...

Waterfall textures have to be applied to quads. The won't animate on triangles. If you need triangles, you could try creating a quad with two of its vertices close together.

HeinzFritz · 30-11-13, 16:22

Well, I did use the complete waterfall texture 128x64 pixels and applied it to the "shiny" sprite. I did not scroll. Then I used half of the waterfall texture 64x64 pixels and coated the same sprite with it and it also did not scroll in game.
The sprite polygons are quads by default, so there were no triangles.
The same experiment but with applying a texture from an animation range produced no results either.

meta2tr · 30-11-13, 19:53

I misunderstood your initial post. Now I see what you are trying to do.

Working in Metasequoia can give you the impression that sprites are just a texture, but in fact they are not stored like textures in the tr4 file. It seems that they are managed differently by the engine.

HeinzFritz · 01-12-13, 15:31

Thanks for the explanation.
Yes, Metasequoia does give a strong impression that sprites are just textures. One can apply any texture file on any sprite (at least to those that were in my focus of interest). I tried also to coat the "shiny sprite" with the first of the 4 flame/smoke sprites which do animate on flames, hoping that the shiny sprite would also animate, but no, just this first sprite is displayed.
Anyway, I hope that sooner or later you (or somebody else) will find out how exactly the engine handles the sprites and will succeed to make animating ones.
There are, by the way, in TREP two sprites whose behavior and attributes can be modified: The blood sprite (which can be changed to opaque and parameters like density, spread etc can be fine tuned in TREP, as well as the water bubbles sprite whose behavior can also be customized.
You may check it out how it is done by comparing two exe files of which one has the corresponding parameters changed, while the other has not.

06-07-13, 16:20	#422
HeinzFritz Explorer Join Date: Feb 2006 Posts: 536	There is not much to learn. I just changed 3 offsets (+ replaced the name on all occurences) in WinHex. You can just compare it with WinHex or any other hex editor and you will see that it is quite a simple change to make it start numbering from Tile100, Tile200 or Tile300. It does not disrupt anything, neither does it rebuild in a different way. By the way, that meta2tr of yours is really great. I am using (and misusing) it more than any other tool. The possibilities it offers are almost limitless. Last edited by HeinzFritz; 06-07-13 at 16:24.

27-08-13, 18:43	#424
raiderromero Archaeologist Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: Coatzacoalcos veracruz in Mexico Posts: 2,090	thank you, i love this tool __________________ Coder in progress...

27-08-13, 21:01	#425
HeinzFritz Explorer Join Date: Feb 2006 Posts: 536	Thanks for the update! Before I try it out, just two questions: What does the "insert empty tiles" exactly mean, as it was possible in the previous versions to insert empty files in any quantity. As the other feature "The MQM file only contains the BMP files that were imported"? Does it mean that the empty files that were inserted automatically in between e.g. Tile032.bmp and Tile155.bmp. will now be deleted? @Meta2tr, disregard the questions above. After finally having the opportunity to try this update out, I understood what you meant. It is just what was needed to replace objects with objects from a library. tr4 without burdening the new .tr4 with unneeded Tiles, or burdening onerself with endless renaming of tiles inside Metaseq. Thank you so much!!! GREAT FEATURE! Last edited by HeinzFritz; 28-08-13 at 14:52.

30-11-13, 07:58	#426
HeinzFritz Explorer Join Date: Feb 2006 Posts: 536	Sprites Just for experiment sake I tried to apply waterfall scrolling and animated textures on sprites, but had no luck. Either it is impossible or I am doing something wrong. Of course, the question why anybody would want to have animated (changing) sprites is easily answered with a simple "Why not!" If that is not convincing enough, just imagine the shine sprite changing colors or image of the reflection, then the flame sprite, which is animating anyway, getting additional movement etc...

27-08-13, 18:22	#423
meta2tr Historian Join Date: Apr 2008 Posts: 368	Version 7f is here. Changes: - Added "Insert empty tiles" option. - When importing BMP files, their real names are displayed. - An MQM file is now created every time a BMP file is imported. - The MQM file only contains the BMP files that were imported. - The names of the BMP files in the MQM file have been corrected. - Corrected an error when reading uv coords near boundaries. - Several improvements to error handling. Happy editing

30-11-13, 16:22	#428
HeinzFritz Explorer Join Date: Feb 2006 Posts: 536	Well, I did use the complete waterfall texture 128x64 pixels and applied it to the "shiny" sprite. I did not scroll. Then I used half of the waterfall texture 64x64 pixels and coated the same sprite with it and it also did not scroll in game. The sprite polygons are quads by default, so there were no triangles. The same experiment but with applying a texture from an animation range produced no results either.

30-11-13, 19:53	#429
meta2tr Historian Join Date: Apr 2008 Posts: 368	I misunderstood your initial post. Now I see what you are trying to do. Working in Metasequoia can give you the impression that sprites are just a texture, but in fact they are not stored like textures in the tr4 file. It seems that they are managed differently by the engine.

01-12-13, 15:31	#430
HeinzFritz Explorer Join Date: Feb 2006 Posts: 536	Thanks for the explanation. Yes, Metasequoia does give a strong impression that sprites are just textures. One can apply any texture file on any sprite (at least to those that were in my focus of interest). I tried also to coat the "shiny sprite" with the first of the 4 flame/smoke sprites which do animate on flames, hoping that the shiny sprite would also animate, but no, just this first sprite is displayed. Anyway, I hope that sooner or later you (or somebody else) will find out how exactly the engine handles the sprites and will succeed to make animating ones. There are, by the way, in TREP two sprites whose behavior and attributes can be modified: The blood sprite (which can be changed to opaque and parameters like density, spread etc can be fine tuned in TREP, as well as the water bubbles sprite whose behavior can also be customized. You may check it out how it is done by comparing two exe files of which one has the corresponding parameters changed, while the other has not.