new to forum

[SuperChief]

Hi all, I am new to this forum. Back in 96 I bought FRUA and was amazed with the game.What I really like about the game was the ability to design your own dungeons. Well the long and short of it I got tired with it and boxed it away. When I moved it became lost.

Well recently while surfing the web I came across FRUA again as a download. So I downloaded it again. I soon did a search and found a huge source of modules made and the UAshell for loading them. While searching I found DC. I downloaded and got it running.The graphics here surprised me. I could run it in XP with out DOSBOX or VDMS Sound utility which I use for FRUA. I also saw that I could load a module design from FRUA and run it in DC.

I read what I had to do: Download the proper files from Magic Mirror and install into default art, done. Imported the module as instructed thru the editor. Found that DC will not import
- Art
- Sounds
- Spells
- Special Abilities

This leads to some questions:
1. Is there a fix in the works which would allow importing of
- Art
- Sounds
- Spells
- Special Abilities
2.How does one config to remove the default settings or is this action unwise?

The default only has only two combat icons , I see that I have to maually load each one individually, and once I leave the editor it reverts to the defualt and I have to reload, I found out that I could save the default dugeon and it keeps the pics and icons loaded.

1.Is there an easier way that these process can be done?

2. Where can I find a list of art used in FRUA?

[manikus]

Hi SuperChief! Welcom to Dungeon Craft.

I'll try and answer your questions, though you may need to contact CocoaSpud for some of them.

1.) FRUA uses specific formats for art, sound, spells and special abilities that are not standard- they didn't want people just taking their art, etc. DC uses standard formats for art (.jpg, .bmp, .pcx, .png) and sounds (.wav, .mp3, .mid) and the spells and special abilities are coded into a .dat (can also be imported from a .txt file) file which the engine reads.
Also, FRUA was designed to be played at 320x200 pixels resolution with just pc sounds. DC has three resolutions currently- 640x480, 800x600, and 1024x768. So, all of the FRUA artwork is the wrong format and the wrong size (not to mention the wrong spot on the screen). The sounds issues are analogous.
With that being said, there is a way to take FRUA art and make it into DC art. It is not automated, however.
First, you need to visit Dan Autery's site (members.aol.com/~autery) or the Magic Mirror, er, Rosedragon (frua.rosedragon.org/index.htm) I think it is now, and download a utility that Dan wrote called "Show".
Second, open "Show" and find the FRUA directory and go into the disk2 subdirectory. On the right you will see a list of file types. there will be an asterisk next to .tlb, highlight .tlb and a list of that file type will come up. Choose one of the files and click on it. Cycle through to the picture you want and press the capture key (I can't remember off the top of my head which key this is, but it'll say in the help). The picture will be saved in that directory in the .pcx format.
Third, open your favorite art program. Open the picture you just captured. For example, let's say you wanted one of the small pictures. The graphic you open up will be 320x200 and mostly black. The part that you want is the 88x88 picture in the upper left corner starting at 16,16. Crop the picture to that. Now, increase the size from 88x88 to 176x211. Save it in one of the formats DC uses.
Fourth, open DC and the design you would like to import the picture to. Create the proper type of event where you would like the picture to appear, actually if you have an imported design, edit the event where you would like the the picture to appear and add it in. When you save the picture will be saved in the design directory for further use.

I bet you didn't think you'd be reading a book on this, huh?

Sound is a bit more difficult. There are a couple of utilities that can translate between .xmi and .wav; but I am unfamiliar with them, as last time I looked none would work on win98.

Speels and special abilities are still being worked on by CocoaSpud, so not all of them are available yet. There is no automated way to change/add these. You have to go into each creature in the monster editor and change or add what you need.

Now you begin to see why there has only been one FRUA design translated to DC. [img]smile.gif[/img]

2.) DC decides which art to load when a design is created by the name of the art (which resides in the default art directory).
There is a complete list in the help documentation. For example, player character icons follow the format cn_iconNN.xxx, where NN is a number from 01 to 50 and xxx is the file type, I think the default is .pcx.
It will do this for every art type.

1.) There is currently no easier way, and in the furture there may be, but not until after version 1.0

2.) Go to the Magic Mirror and look in past copies of the UANL (Unlimited Adventures News Letter) Several of them (I think in the 20's) have complete lists of all of the artwork for FRUA.


I hope this has been helpful.

-manikus

[SuperChief]

manikus

Thank You. Well you gave me atleat a start. I see the DC is still in the developement stage. I guess I will not try to import any designs unless they are small. I am currently playing a FRAU design by Krukoski_jose, Europe Campaign. I guess I will keep it in mu FRUA dir. and play it by the UAshell.

I am going to try to create a town with DC. I have not decided to us FRAU art or standard DC. Which do you recommend?

By the way I am looking for the manual txt file for FRUA. DO you know where I can get it? I have tried to buy FRAU on the web or thru stores here. Unable to find except on E-Bay. I will check then out as my last web source, if that fails I will have to search the swap meets and yard sales in my area. Might get lucky there.

Thanks for your input again

[manikus]

Glad it helped.

I think using DC art is easier b/c you don't have to reformat it, plus it is better quality. The stuff available here on Ironworks is awesome.

As for the manual- someone here or at the yahoo group, but I'm pretty sure it was here, emailed it to me once upon a time in the not too distant past, and while my copy was deleted (I found my print copy), I'm sure that they would be able to email it to you or upload it somewhere. I recommend starting a new thread asking for it.

-manikus

[SilentThief]

Also, don't forget that the original FRUA had bugs (no morale score for NPC's, so if you don't have a paladin who gets a chance to control the NPC; they always run from combat as an example of one bug I remember) So look for a newer version or a hack.

SilentThief

[ 01-22-2005, 04:39 PM: Message edited by: SilentThief ]

[SuperChief]

manikus
I will check with the yahoo group for the manual.
thanks agian for help. I have downloaded your design and will give it a try.

SilentThief
Thank you for the advice , I do have the update, not installed yet. Waiting to find manual before installation. If I install now the hacked version will not work that I have. I do not have the copy protect passwaords with out the manual.