Eidos Interactive Forums
  Tomb Raider Level Editor
  New object distribution method

Post New Topic  Post A Reply
profile | register | preferences | faq | search

UBBFriend: Email This Page to Someone! next newest topic | next oldest topic
Author Topic:   New object distribution method
aktrekker
Member

Posts: 222
From:WA, USA
Registered: Apr 2001

posted 06-01-2001 06:16 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for aktrekker   Click Here to Email aktrekker     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
How about a scripted program so you can distribute DXF files instead of entire wad files? The program would replace an existing object in the wad with your custom object (remember to backup) during install. It would make the downloads smaller.
We could have libraries of objects, and just replace objects in wads with the new mesh and textures.

You could just name the wad, the object slot, and the DXF/texture files. It would run without user interaction. Anyone up for this?

IP: Logged

Elpasodude
Member

Posts: 1090
From: *~*~MARS*~*~
Registered: Apr 2001

posted 06-01-2001 06:18 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for Elpasodude   Click Here to Email Elpasodude     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Good idea.

------------------
DOWNLOAD MY NEW LEVEL, THE ICE AGE!!!
http://www.geocities.com/tomb_raider_levels/

IP: Logged

MichaelB
Member

Posts: 217
From:
Registered: May 2000

posted 06-01-2001 06:46 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for MichaelB   Click Here to Email MichaelB     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
WONDERFUL idea!!! Pascal, where are you!!!???

------------------
How can I be dead already?

IP: Logged

DaleR
Member

Posts: 45
From:
Registered: Mar 2001

posted 06-01-2001 10:06 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for DaleR   Click Here to Email DaleR     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
After having spent quite a bit of time creating objects and bringing them into levels, I'm afraid I don't see how you're going to assign the textures to the polygons? Especially when the wad contains the info on how the texture is to be rotated, flipped, and/or trimmed. If you figure this out, I'd be interested in the solution.

IP: Logged

aktrekker
Member

Posts: 222
From:WA, USA
Registered: Apr 2001

posted 06-01-2001 10:29 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for aktrekker   Click Here to Email aktrekker     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
The mapping information must be accessible, or you couldn't do things like changing a mesh, or even giving Lara long pants. If we work together, we should be able to handle it. That is why I previously asked for any info on the format of wad files. We should be able to figure this out.

IP: Logged

MichaelB
Member

Posts: 217
From:
Registered: May 2000

posted 06-04-2001 07:18 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for MichaelB   Click Here to Email MichaelB     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
*bump*

Has anyone come up with a solution?

IP: Logged

robbase
Member

Posts: 425
From:the other side of the puddle
Registered: Mar 2001

posted 06-04-2001 08:48 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for robbase     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
ah yeh

stripix3 works great!

------------------

Tools, Custom wads, Audio/Vidio,
TRLE. Real time on line help!

IP: Logged

aktrekker
Member

Posts: 222
From:WA, USA
Registered: Apr 2001

posted 06-04-2001 09:40 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for aktrekker   Click Here to Email aktrekker     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
But could it be made to work in batch mode, maybe with a script? Then you could build a wad when you install the map.

IP: Logged

psiko
Member

Posts: 454
From:Rome
Registered: Mar 2001

posted 06-05-2001 02:41 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for psiko   Click Here to Email psiko     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
who will tell which object to substitute in the wad? and what about the collision info?....

------------------
| |--->> psiko <<---| |

IP: Logged

aktrekker
Member

Posts: 222
From:WA, USA
Registered: Apr 2001

posted 06-05-2001 01:46 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for aktrekker   Click Here to Email aktrekker     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
You start with a basic wad containing things you always want. You, as the map builder, decide what objects you want. You write a simple text file telling what objects you add to the basic wad. The when someone installs your map, the install program adds those objects to the basic wad, creating the final wad for your game.
That way, everyone downloads the basic wad ONE TIME. You send out textures and meshes with your map. The basic wad is copied, and the new objects added. If the collision info is in the wad, and is being used now, we should be able to export it in some custom format for this utility to handle.

IP: Logged

psiko
Member

Posts: 454
From:Rome
Registered: Mar 2001

posted 06-05-2001 02:49 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for psiko   Click Here to Email psiko     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
aktrekker, have you really edited a personal working wad? cause there are many difficulties in what you are trying to make it work.... as a level designer, you cannot decide which object to substitute with so much simpleness: every object you substitute has particular specifics: and collision information, which remains in the new objects if you don't change them: if you change a column with a chair, the chair will have the collision info of the column: and then you HAVE TO KNOW the name of the textures couse the layers of the meshes of the DXF file must be with the same name....

All of this only to avoid 4 MB of download? and you will have the wad completely working since the beginning..... and can edit it as you want....

------------------
| |--->> psiko <<---| |

IP: Logged

psiko
Member

Posts: 454
From:Rome
Registered: Mar 2001

posted 06-05-2001 02:59 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for psiko   Click Here to Email psiko     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
well, a solution can be this: exchanging directly DXF files with only the few textures which render it, naming the layers of the meshes with the name of the few texture you included.
Then, editing the wad, you import the textures in the wad you prefer, substituting some original textures with the ones you downloaded. Then, come back to a cad program and change the name of the layers with the new names of the texture just imported in the wad. Then import the dxf file, which now is textured with the right textures.

But well... it is still a little bit hard to understand which object to substitute (if we don't understand how the collision info works).

------------------
| |--->> psiko <<---| |

IP: Logged

All times are PST (US)

next newest topic | next oldest topic

Administrative Options: Close Topic | Archive/Move | Delete Topic
Post New Topic  Post A Reply
Hop to:

Contact Us | EidosGames.com

[Copyright 1999/2000 - Eidos Interactive, Inc.; Mpath Interactive]

Powered by Infopop www.infopop.com © 2000
Ultimate Bulletin Board 5.45c