Hey Development Team...

[manikus]

Does any member of the Dev Team know about DC automatically putting art in the right spots for FRUA conversions?

I want to be able to convert small pics and icons and have DC put them into converted FRUA designs in the right spots if I have labelled them correctly.
[img]smile.gif[/img]

-manikus

[CocoaSpud]

FRUA has it's collection of pics, and the data files that DC scans during an import just provide an index into this collection. Something like SmallPic=5 to use the fifth small pic in the collection for this event/npc/etc.

The method I used to import wall/backdrop information was to create a similar collection of artwork for DC that has the same images in the same spots. Ie: The FRUA wall slot 1 and the DC wall slot 1 have the same image. Then, during the import process, I convert the wall slot index value into a file name, as in wa_wall5.png for an index value of 5. If this particular slot in FRUA had a door or overlay in it, there would also be a dr_door5.png and/or ov_overlay5.png file.

There is a zip file containing the walls/backdrops
that you can download. I think there are 80 walls and 19 backgrounds, which seemed like a bit much to include in the default install. Also, having that many images to load at startup can introduce a noticeable delay when you first start the editor (on my slow pc, at least).

I suppose we could do the same thing for the other types of art, and possibly even the sounds. Each art slot in FRUA would need to be exported to a suitable image format, converted to the correct dimensions, and named according to the slot index the image comes from.

In the current release, these types of artwork are left blank in the imported design.

[manikus]

Nice to hear from you CocoaSpud.

I would be willing to convert all of the FRUA art. I think providing it as an additional zip file to download is the best idea as well, as it seems quite a few of the people downloading have slower connections.

What are the naming conventions that I should use? The ones that are already established? I'll go ahead with these, and only set up something new if there is a category not covered.
Do you think it will be possible to import the frames? DC currently handles frame/border art differently, though I've successfully experimented with using other formats for this art.

-manikus

[CocoaSpud]

It would be easiest for me if the art files followed the current naming conventions. The current code builds a filename string for a given type of art based on the naming conventions. I would be happy to peform the renaming to DC format if you indicate which file belongs in which slot. Up to you [img]smile.gif[/img]

Hmmm, not sure about frames. Can't remember how that kind of art is handled in FRUA design files. If it is indexed in a manner similar to the other art types, then the same procedure can be used. I'll have to look into it.

[manikus]

I will definitely follow the current conventions, then. I'll let you know if any issues arise.

Where would be a good place to upload these zips once I have created them? Ideally, these would be available from the official site, just like the backgrounds and walls are now.

-manikus

[manikus]

I have extracted the small pics from the .tlb files using Dan Autery's 'Show' utility. It name4s them in order, just like the walls and backgrounds that have already been extracted.
The issue I am having is that the pica.tlb files are named pica.pcx, pica000.pcx, pica001.pcx, etc. I am assuming that pica.pcx should be prt_spic1.png, pica000.pcx should be prt_spic2.png, etc. Is this correct? Also, how should I name camp and treasure pictures? Currently, the are named sp_defca.png and sp_deftr.png, but I was wondering if they shouldn't be labelled as prt_spicxx.png for this, as FRUA stores them in the pic*.tlb files.

-manikus

[CocoaSpud]

We'll probably have to work this out on a case-by-case basis.

For walls, the FRUA has 16 slots I think? But then you can choose from several wall images to populate your 16 slots. When I import, I get two values that let me determine the image group and group index for each slot's image, then convert that to a filename.

For small pics, it might be the same thing. Looking at the hack docs for FRUA (SlotDef.txt) I see:

PICTURES:
Monsters--
1==Bit Of Moander
2==Bulette
3==Carrion Crawler
4==Dolphin
5==Dracolich
6==Ancient Dragon
...
45=Vampire Lord
46=Vampiress
47=Vidruand

Clerics--
1==Kallithrea
2==Lunit Bdufe
3==Dark Cleric
4==Dwarf Priest
5==Temple Priest

Fighters--
1==Alias
2==Fejyelsae
3==Grunschka
4==Jagaerda
5==Jovena
6==Shal

and so on. Which leads me to believe that I need to examine two values to figure out the image group and image index to determine which file to use.

Icons, Sprites, and BigPics appear to have groupings also.

These image types look straightforward to figure out:

OVERLANDS:
1==Moonsea Realms
2==Southern Ksoh
3==The Dalelands
4==Web Realm
5==Western Cormyr

DUNGEON COMBAT WALLS:
1==Adobe
2==Cave
3==Coral
4==Lava
5==Rock

WILD COMBAT ART:
1==Forest
2==River
3==Swamp
4==Wasteland

So I'm not sure about the small pics. I guess I need to compare the exported pics with what FRUA shows in each slot (using defaults). Then export a test design that uses the default slots, then import it into DC to see what I get. From there I can work out the proper indexing on each filename.

I agree with you on the camp/treasure file naming. If they follow the small pic indexing scheme, then they should be loaded properly during import. That is, if the camp event indexes to the camp pic, then it will be loaded, else whatever else the designer put there will be loaded.

Edit:

Also, the small pic filename indexes will be totally sequential, they won't start indexing at 1 for each image group as indicated by the hack info above. The import code will be able to offset group and index to figure out the correct filename.

Also Part 2, I guess I need to examine the files you exported in order to test how the indexing works in the FRUA design files. Perhaps it would be better if I exported them myself rather than get a big zip in email. I think figuring this out will require debugging the import code in DC, which you're welcome to do if you feel inclined [img]smile.gif[/img] If not, I'll be happy to do it [img]smile.gif[/img]

I think the combat and overland images won't require special import code. If they are exported to DC format and renamed in sequence as indicated above, then the import can reference them without any fiddling with indexes.

[ 04-04-2006, 09:34 AM: Message edited by: CocoaSpud ]

[manikus]

I agree with you about the combat art, but think there might ne indexing for the overlands as they are stored with the pigpics, 2 at the end of one file and 3 at the end of the other, I think.

I may try looking into some debugging, but make no promises.

For smallpics, as best I can tell the order in the .tlbs has nothing to do with the order in FRUA, but the walls may be like this twoo for all that I know.

-manikus

[SilentThief]

Originally posted by manikus: What are the naming conventions that I should use?

Is there an established file naming convention for sounds and music???

If not, I would propose a these ideas:
"sd_***.***" for sound
"mu_***.***" for music.

I have been toying around with some sounds/music and will have some for release to the DC community soon (hopefully B4 the end of the media contest)

SilentThief

[manikus]

I concur with SilentThief on the sound file prefixes. Having common nomenclature makes it easier to scan a directory or zip file to sse what is there.

I look forward to hearing what you're new files, SilentThief. I can't begin to tell you how tired I am of hearing "Wabbit kicked the bucket." (Maybe that means that I shouldn't make the combats so hard...)