The Legend of Beryl Reichardt

[Opry99er]

Cart64 in action

 

 

very cool program!!!

 

[The Codex]

Slick, that looks nice!

 

Let me know if it works out for you or not, mate. If not, I can probably code you something up in Java from the tools I've been working on.

[Opry99er]

Codex--- this thing is 100% designed for the C64--- one of the developers wrote me back and informed me that the screen parameters WILL be problematic--- since the minimum display allowable by the program is something like 25x40 or something of the like. Doesn't make a ton of sense to me, and I may very well be misreading his response--- but his response was definitely sharp. I'll post the link to the discussion thread so you can keep up with the conversation.

 

http://www.c64dev.com/forum/viewtopic.php?pid=2364#p2364

 

in any case, this is certainly not streamlined for the TI. It would make a BRILLIANT piece of a TI-99 IDE though!!!! Wow! A little optimization, change a few things.... I would pay good money for a TI IDE with this as a part of it!! One interesting thing is character set and color set limitations... Since this is set up to be C64 specific, the character stuff will all be incorrect. But it wouldn't take much effort at all to re-work this excellent tool to be TI-compatible. Cart99!!! Hehehe

Edited March 30, 2010 by Opry99er

[Opry99er]

Karsten, if you're listening-- the developer has asked for a sample charset to attempt an import into Cart64... I need something, but I don't know precisely what he needs-- you have any ideas?

 

<<edit>> I sent him a copy of Grapefruit. Hope that helps him. It would be cool if you could contact these guys, Karsten... They might help us get a TI version going-- they will have many questions that you're much better equipped to answer than I.

Edited March 30, 2010 by Opry99er

[The Codex]

Can't...stop...tool-building...

 

Leveraging my fairly lousy work on FonTI and Charcoal, I've munged my tools together to create a map editor, code name Magellan. (Actually, real name Magellan, too.)

 

So far you can edit all the character sets, including those not available in XB (sets 15 & 16), assign the color-pairs associated to them, and plot the characters on a standard TI screen.

 

Character Editor

 

 

Colorset Editor

 

 

Map Editor

 

 

Still some work to do, like getting the save/load working in a consistent format, plus the BASIC exporter. Also need to add proper transparency support, and enable the colorset samples. Finally, need to move the selector tools onto the Map Editor console as well.

 

Anyway, I can make this available soon if there's any interest. As most things I do, it be in Java.

[sometimes99er]

Karsten, if you're listening-- the developer has asked for a sample charset to attempt an import into Cart64... I need something, but I don't know precisely what he needs-- you have any ideas?

 

<<edit>> I sent him a copy of Grapefruit. Hope that helps him. It would be cool if you could contact these guys, Karsten... They might help us get a TI version going-- they will have many questions that you're much better equipped to answer than I.

There are actually quite some map editors out there, and many can be bend one way or another for use with TI-99/4A.

 

I think I know the hardware of the C64 quite well (used to do assembler in the day). Basically a “charset” can be many things on both machines. In XB we think 14 sets each with one foreground and one background color consisting of 8 characters each of which has 8x8 pixels. Then there’s TI Basic. Then there’s assembler with 32 sets, or bitmap or a hybrid, text or multicolor. I think the C64 has 3 character modes and 2 bitmap modes.

 

Either we can try and cover all modes, or go for what’s relevant for your future needs. Do you know what you want to use it for ?

 

I don’t mind answering questions as best as I can. I don’t have time to become an expert Cartograph user, but I think I know what’s going on there.

 

Maybe if they/you could place their questions here. Then all TI-99/4A users here can assist as best as they can.

 

[Opry99er]

Codex--- SWEEEEET!!!!!! Hell yes there's some interest-- at least on my end!!! Something like this is precisely what I wanted. Can your tool be set up to expand the map size to larger sizes? For instance, in Cart64, one can make the size of the "world" 160x120--- then the screen part of the game can be any size--- 32x24, 10x10, whatever.

[Opry99er]

Sometimes, here was the fella's response to Grapefruit

 

********

 

Arkanix Labs

Offline

Registered: 2008-10-07

Posts: 339

OK here you go

You have to dony only one step from Grapefuit to be able to use these that is:

Open the charset gif in paint.

Double the size of current image(200%)

Save as .BMP

thats it your done.

I have inlcuded one tileset in editor already.

Have FUN let us know how you make out.

CartographPC TI-99 Edition v1.0

http://www.arkanixlabs.com/downloads/Ca … dition.zip

[The Codex]

Changing the grid should be doable, yes. The tricky part will be implementing scrolling on those grids that are larger than the drawing area. Will investigate once I get the basic functionality done.

[sometimes99er]

Sometimes, here was the fella's response to Grapefruit

 

********

 

Arkanix Labs

Offline

Registered: 2008-10-07

Posts: 339

OK here you go

You have to dony only one step from Grapefuit to be able to use these that is:

Open the charset gif in paint.

Double the size of current image(200%)

Save as .BMP

thats it your done.

I have inlcuded one tileset in editor already.

Have FUN let us know how you make out.

CartographPC TI-99 Edition v1.0

http://www.arkanixlabs.com/downloads/Ca … dition.zip

Holy shit man. We’ve got ourselves a TI map editor in no time. It supports 256 characters (32 sets), but you can easily limit yourself to 16 (TI Basic) or 14 (TI Extended Basic).

 

And it is easy and fun to use. I’ll keep it for future use as is. Bravo !

 

[Opry99er]

Exciting stuff!!! Can't wait to try it out for myself!

[Opry99er]

Karsten, what steps need to be taken to take this thing from PATTERNS.swf to Cart99?

[Opry99er]

Hey Codex-- give this program a try-- it's pretty cool. Should help in our home-grown map editor!!!

[sometimes99er]

Karsten, what steps need to be taken to take this thing from PATTERNS.swf to Cart99?

Patterns only produce hex for what you see - and thats 16x16 pixels.

 

Grapefruit is not needed to produce input for Cart99.

 

You need to do a 64 pixels wide (8x8) and 256 (8x32) high image in a paint program, draw your patterns and then resize the thing 200 percent (making it 128x512 pixels) and save it as bmp format. Then use Tools, Load Tiles or Ctrl+L from within Cart99 to get your character definitions.

 

Cart99 doesnt care about what or how many colors you use. It will care about the map you make, and this will consist of character codes (not patterns or colors). Therefore Cart99 will do great with hybrid bitmap too.

 

Edited March 30, 2010 by sometimes99er

[sometimes99er]

Can't...stop...tool-building...

 

Finally, need to move the selector tools onto the Map Editor console as well.

Nice work.

 

Yes, you should put screen/map, characters, colors and editor (for one character) all on the same screen.

 

This mockup shows some of my layout, but it’s an idea for handling/choosing the colors. Click a color and a 16 color 4x4 or 2x8 block pops up hovering in place. Press Esc and it disappears or click the color you want.

 

 

 

[Opry99er]

Interesting... I was curious as to how it would work with the grid--- do all my characters need to be in sequential order (32-) from left to right, top to bottom in order to have a complete character set for import into map editing?

[sometimes99er]

Interesting... I was curious as to how it would work with the grid--- do all my characters need to be in sequential order (32-) from left to right, top to bottom in order to have a complete character set for import into map editing?

Well, the image for input has to be in a 0-7, 8-15, ... , 248-255 layout. Let’s assume XB. You will have to limit yourself to the middle range of the image containing 32-143. Each row of characters can have one foreground and one background color, so the layout kinda takes care of that. Other than that you can have whatever order you like. You can leave some characters without definition, but the final image with patterns to input is always fixed at 128x512 (the 200 percent resize that it needs).

 

I guess the guy adapted my layout (you send him a link to Grapefruit) though it looks like Codex is going much the same way (8 characters per row).

 

This is me working in a paint program with a zoom factor of 4. And I’ve asked for a superimposed grid with the size of 8x8 pixels (looks like 32x32 because of the zoom). When I draw a pixel it looks like a 4x4 pixel (again because of the zoom).

 

 

 

[Opry99er]

Very cool--- can't wait to really get into it--- I've had a quick go, but I need to really delve in. . I have a Paint program, but I can't make it do anything worth a crap. That's why I asked about patterns. Anyway, I'll have it all figured out soon, then I get to have some good TI fun

Edited March 30, 2010 by Opry99er

[sometimes99er]

This one could work as a template. Loads fine with Cart99.

 

 

 

[Opry99er]

Excellent! I'll try this out as soon as I get home! Thanks man!!! Grapefruit is what made these guys convert or "modify" the program to Cart99. They saw that someone had pit the work in and all they had to do was make a few minor mods. Noe we have Cart99--- almost everything I wanted in a map editor.... Would be really nice if the character editor were built in, like in Codex's.

[Opry99er]

Karsten, I totally skipped over one of your questions earlier. My intended use for this program is to be able to design entire world maps for my CRPG and then be able to edit those maps, have it kick out code for each "section" of the map, and then allow for me, the user, to choose how I wish to use that info. I can't do real scrolling in XB, so I was thinking about a Zelda type thing-- if the user exits the current screen to the right, place the play piece on the LEFT side of the screen and load the next section of the map. Bad ASCII art below...

 

*------------*------------*

- - -

- 1 - 2 -

- - -

*------------*------------*

 

if the player goes off the right side of square 1, the computer will place the character on the left side of the screen after loading square 2. Make sense?

[Opry99er]

God, that got mangled... Well, the asterisks signify the edge of the viewable screen--- there is supposed to be dashes separating the two squares with the numbers 1 and 2 in the center of each square.

[The Codex]

Yes, you should put screen/map, characters, colors and editor (for one character) all on the same screen.

 

Great idea! I'm following the multi-tab layout out of habit, but you're right that it makes sense to have everything on one screen in this case. The character editor certainly doesn't need to be huge like I have it. I'll have a go at merging them all together and post the results. Meanwhile, sounds like there is a great set of tools available now. Good deal!

[Opry99er]

Codex--- yours is very self contained, I like that alot!!! I don't have to edit in paint and then import-- it's all right there. So, I want to help BETA test this thing when you've got it ready!!! These are exciting times, guys!!!

[The Codex]

Hmm, I think this may be doable. Got about everything on one screen except the "enter hex code to set character" field. The main difficulty at this point is that Java gets real pissy about element layout when you start adding a lot of things. But if I can get that working then this might happen. The next challenge after that is allowing the map editor to get larger than 32x24, and scrolling it when it does.

 

Here's a screenie of the all-in-one editor so far.

 

 

EDIT - The dropdowns below the character selectors on the left control the current foreground/background color pair. Click on a character and they change to the current values, then select a new value and they update on the fly. Most of the other elements change on demand. For example, if you modify a character, the next time you mouse over the map editor all occurrences of that character will change to the new image as well.

Edited March 31, 2010 by The Codex