Super Mario Bros. X Forums

mariofan 64 wrote:

Wohlstand wrote:

Nice background movement. WAIT, THERE'S GAMEPLAY??? PLEASE DO A VIDEO OF A FULL LENGTH LEVEL, WARPS AND ALL. I'M PRETTY SURE EVERYONE WILL WANT TO SEE HOW FAR YOU HAVE GOTTEN IN PGE.

Mayby you wanna see this video:
or you already seen them?

Wohlstand wrote:Mayby you wanna see this video:

Spoiler: show

Wohlstand wrote:PGE Engine 0.0.2 pre-alpha: little travel into "Sarasaland Adventure 2" by Otabo

or you already seen them?

Can music/sounds play yet? I would like to playtest levels. Can the world be tested yet, or is that also big development in the work? Please provide link to the level testing here or pm me. I am enjoying this way too much. Good work on the tilesets, too, but, is there going to be an easier way to put custom npcs, backgrounds, and blocks soon? I can't place new ones just because of all the complicated code there is.

mariofan 64 wrote:

Wohlstand wrote:Mayby you wanna see this video:

Spoiler: show

Wohlstand wrote:PGE Engine 0.0.2 pre-alpha: little travel into "Sarasaland Adventure 2" by Otabo

or you already seen them?

Can music/sounds play yet? I would like to playtest levels. Can the world be tested yet, or is that also big development in the work? Please provide link to the level testing here or pm me. I am enjoying this way too much. Good work on the tilesets, too, but, is there going to be an easier way to put custom npcs, backgrounds, and blocks soon? I can't place new ones just because of all the complicated code there is.

Engine now in early development, and now I'm working with graphics first. I doesn't implement sound system to play music/sounds yet. Implement of them is easy, but now is not actual before I will make normal physical engine. World maps is not implemented yet, now you can only play one of levels with able to walk between them via warps.
Customizing is easy, but creation of new - not, because you define FULL settings set of item unlike partial when you customize someone. With npc.txt I will add txt for backgrounds, blocks and BGO to change animation parameters and using of multi-layered backgrounds in future. Don't forget, NPCs will be written in lua without integrating into EXE unlike SMBX/VSMBX. This means, you can reProgram algorithm of NPC or create own and when you replace one of NPC, you also will can replace it's algorithm.
Also, like npc.txt editor I will make more useful configuring tools which will help you with configuring of items.

Wohlstand wrote:

mariofan 64 wrote: Can music/sounds play yet? I would like to playtest levels. Can the world be tested yet, or is that also big development in the work? Please provide link to the level testing here or pm me. I am enjoying this way too much. Good work on the tilesets, too, but, is there going to be an easier way to put custom npcs, backgrounds, and blocks soon? I can't place new ones just because of all the complicated code there is.

Engine now in early development, and now I'm working with graphics first. I doesn't implement sound system to play music/sounds yet. Implement of them is easy, but now is not actual before I will make normal physical engine. World maps is not implemented yet, now you can only play one of levels with able to walk between them via warps.

But there's no download link to the style of gameplay you had when you tested it? How about this. You implement enemies, score, and warping between levels, and I will test for any bugs there happens to be. When they are added in correctly, pm me a download link and I will test them all out in one massive game. SMB1, SMB2, SMB3, and SMW. I would be ready to give the information a month after download. Though I can't provide screenshots at each moment, or even videos. (Unless you already added the screenshot feature, if not, don't worry about it yet.) Does that seem fair?

mariofan 64 wrote:

Wohlstand wrote:

mariofan 64 wrote: Can music/sounds play yet? I would like to playtest levels. Can the world be tested yet, or is that also big development in the work? Please provide link to the level testing here or pm me. I am enjoying this way too much. Good work on the tilesets, too, but, is there going to be an easier way to put custom npcs, backgrounds, and blocks soon? I can't place new ones just because of all the complicated code there is.

Engine now in early development, and now I'm working with graphics first. I doesn't implement sound system to play music/sounds yet. Implement of them is easy, but now is not actual before I will make normal physical engine. World maps is not implemented yet, now you can only play one of levels with able to walk between them via warps.

But there's no download link to the style of gameplay you had when you tested it? How about this. You implement enemies, score, and warping between levels, and I will test for any bugs there happens to be. When they are added in correctly, pm me a download link and I will test them all out in one massive game. SMB1, SMB2, SMB3, and SMW. I would be ready to give the information a month after download. Though I can't provide screenshots at each moment, or even videos. (Unless you already added the screenshot feature, if not, don't worry about it yet.) Does that seem fair?

Completed gameplay will work with new physical engine, but for those tests used the Box2d physics engine. Download always available in the laboratory http://engine.wohlnet.ru/docs/_laboratory/ . Readme file for help includes. Yes, will be planned also internal video recording system (for example, hedgewars have video recording feature).

A small update to the editor
Hello, recently I proceeded to organize mouse events, the result being an increase in performance in the editing process:
- you can now select a large area instantly without waiting (fixed a bug which applied the grid to selected data which wasn't moved)
- removed lots of junk calls which was resulting in some things being slow
- now editing modes internally have separated mouse events which prevents a lots of bugs in the editor in comparison to before. This organizing should also make it more convenient to create new editing tools with a lesser risk of having serious bugs.

At the moment this this update is experimental and some things are not completely done. Please do report any bugs.

The update is available in the laboratory:
http://engine.wohlnet.ru/docs/_laboratory/

Once I use it, it brings up it's configuration manager, and the configurations don't pop up with it. The only thing I can click is Cancel on the dialog. How do you fix this?

Download one of these config packages and put the config folder you download in the main directory of the editor.

Development news

After month of works, we have something updates of the editor:

Change log of current laboratory build: Smart Importing
Is a quick and convenient feature which allow import custom data into your level by drag&drop of folder which contents graphics and some settings (npc.txt, tilesets, etc.) Flood filling tool
Allows you to flood ranges of any shape, but be careful with using of them: (if you accidental flood whole level map, don't worry, after 3 sec. timeout editor will be unfrozen, simple press Ctrl+Z to remove junk items and try again with fixing of hole which caused flood overflow).
Experimental, works for blocks and for BGOs. Will be implemented into the world map editor.
Introducing a level testing
While engine part is under construction, you can test levels with them and also test developing engine part.
Unlike SMBX, to test level you don't required save them to disk. Draw & play level Now!
[Be careful, this feature is experimental, if you can't start level testing by any reasons, try to save level and open them by engine's application]
What about engine
Current build of engine now can
- make screenshots by F12 key
- display native message boxes of errors, warnings instead of disappearing after startup.
- Added little command line feature: you can run engine with argument --config=SMBX or --config="Raocow (A2MBXT)" to start engine with selected config pack's directory name (run engine without asking of configuration pack)
Also just a little blocks features: All updates available in the laboratory:
http://engine.wohlnet.ru/docs/_laboratory/

P.S. Don't forget to update your configuration packs to prevent any bugs and errors after updates:
http://engine.wohlnet.ru/config_packs.php
(to quick update you need a "base" or "lite" versions of config pack)

Holy crap Wohlstand, this is a big update; a fill tool? This will be so useful! Just like SMBX had. And the alpha engine will be useful, too. (Especially for me as I can't even install SMBX.)

Also, with the editor and engine updates, here is an update of my Super Mario UI Theme. Overwrite everything in your current version of the Super Mario UI Theme Pack, if you downloaded it prior to now. This contains a small update to remain up to date with the editor itself. This includes the following updates:

Includes:
- SMBX default Hand Cursors.
- New Fill Tool Cursor and Button
- New Cursors and corresponding Buttons
- Updated Paste from Clipboard Cursor


http://www.mediafire.com/download/h4xzb ... _Mario.zip

Auto-increment of special value feature for NPC placing:

Hey, is it possible for you to include an auto-installer or make the tutorial more in-depth?

Villager103 wrote:Hey, is it possible for you to include an auto-installer or make the tutorial more in-depth?

In work is online installer which will download & install necessary components of PGE.
Also planned "Configuration packages downloader" which you can use to manage your config packs / install/remove/update them in interactive mode.

But before I have simple tutorial, how to download and install PGE:

Programs
1) Here are a fresh DEV-builds where available most new features and also fixes of known bugs: http://engine.wohlnet.ru/docs/_laboratory/
- At first, download EDITOR: http://engine.wohlnet.ru/docs/_laborato ... or_dev.zip (15.1 MB)
- And optional helpful tools: http://engine.wohlnet.ru/docs/_laborato ... ls_dev.zip (18.7 MB) which you can use to fix wrong GFXes, generate SMBX-compatible graphics from any PNG's and opposite - from SMBX's masked GIFs to PNG with own transparency.

If you wanna test with inside PGE without using of SMBX:
- you can also get engine which is under construction: http://engine.wohlnet.ru/docs/_laborato ... ne_dev.zip (7.7 MB)

2) Create any directory and unpack all downloaded archives into them

Config packs
To start using of PGE you need a configuration pack pack.
Available configuration packages:
1) Classic SMBX 1.3 which based on original SMBX, use them first if you usually work with SMBX. Config pack is big (245.9 MB full package)
2) "SMBX Integration" - a special config pack which will save your time! (size of archive ~200 KB!) which using SMBX's content directly
(to make them works, you should put PGE directory together with original SMBX directory (also, rename SMBX's directory into "SMBX"))
3) Raocow Talkhaus - based on A2MBXT content. Get them if you using A2MBXT too.

Don't forget, you can switch between config packs to work with levels of other game and also you can make asking of config pack each startup of editor. Engine will ask config pack each startup but exeption is --config= flag which you can use to escape config selection dialog (example, --config="SMBX")

Don't forget to update configuration packs with editor/engine too (for update use the "lite" or "base" versions to save your time, but get "full" pack only if you have some problems after update).

All config packs here:
http://engine.wohlnet.ru/config_packs.php

When do you think, judging on your current progress, do you recon it will be all completely ready? Christmas?

Wohlstand wrote:

Villager103 wrote:Hey, is it possible for you to include an auto-installer or make the tutorial more in-depth?

In work is online installer which will download & install necessary components of PGE.
Also planned "Configuration packages downloader" which you can use to manage your config packs / install/remove/update them in interactive mode.

But before I have simple tutorial, how to download and install PGE:

Programs
1) Here are a fresh DEV-builds where available most new features and also fixes of known bugs: http://engine.wohlnet.ru/docs/_laboratory/
- At first, download EDITOR: http://engine.wohlnet.ru/docs/_laborato ... or_dev.zip (15.1 MB)
- And optional helpful tools: http://engine.wohlnet.ru/docs/_laborato ... ls_dev.zip (18.7 MB) which you can use to fix wrong GFXes, generate SMBX-compatible graphics from any PNG's and opposite - from SMBX's masked GIFs to PNG with own transparency.

If you wanna test with inside PGE without using of SMBX:
- you can also get engine which is under construction: http://engine.wohlnet.ru/docs/_laborato ... ne_dev.zip (7.7 MB)

2) Create any directory and unpack all downloaded archives into them

Config packs
To start using of PGE you need a configuration pack pack.
Available configuration packages:
1) Classic SMBX 1.3 which based on original SMBX, use them first if you usually work with SMBX. Config pack is big (245.9 MB full package)
2) "SMBX Integration" - a special config pack which will save your time! (size of archive ~200 KB!) which using SMBX's content directly
(to make them works, you should put PGE directory together with original SMBX directory (also, rename SMBX's directory into "SMBX"))
3) Raocow Talkhaus - based on A2MBXT content. Get them if you using A2MBXT too.

Don't forget, you can switch between config packs to work with levels of other game and also you can make asking of config pack each startup of editor. Engine will ask config pack each startup but exeption is --config= flag which you can use to escape config selection dialog (example, --config="SMBX")

Don't forget to update configuration packs with editor/engine too (for update use the "lite" or "base" versions to save your time, but get "full" pack only if you have some problems after update).

All config packs here:
http://engine.wohlnet.ru/config_packs.php

I extracted it all, put it in a file, and opened the .exe, and it says open an editor configuration, and guess what? Take a guess! Come on!
Okay, NOTHING SHOWS UP.

Villager103 wrote:

Wohlstand wrote:

Villager103 wrote:Hey, is it possible for you to include an auto-installer or make the tutorial more in-depth?

In work is online installer which will download & install necessary components of PGE.
Also planned "Configuration packages downloader" which you can use to manage your config packs / install/remove/update them in interactive mode.

But before I have simple tutorial, how to download and install PGE:

Programs
1) Here are a fresh DEV-builds where available most new features and also fixes of known bugs: http://engine.wohlnet.ru/docs/_laboratory/
- At first, download EDITOR: http://engine.wohlnet.ru/docs/_laborato ... or_dev.zip (15.1 MB)
- And optional helpful tools: http://engine.wohlnet.ru/docs/_laborato ... ls_dev.zip (18.7 MB) which you can use to fix wrong GFXes, generate SMBX-compatible graphics from any PNG's and opposite - from SMBX's masked GIFs to PNG with own transparency.

If you wanna test with inside PGE without using of SMBX:
- you can also get engine which is under construction: http://engine.wohlnet.ru/docs/_laborato ... ne_dev.zip (7.7 MB)

2) Create any directory and unpack all downloaded archives into them

Config packs
To start using of PGE you need a configuration pack pack.
Available configuration packages:
1) Classic SMBX 1.3 which based on original SMBX, use them first if you usually work with SMBX. Config pack is big (245.9 MB full package)
2) "SMBX Integration" - a special config pack which will save your time! (size of archive ~200 KB!) which using SMBX's content directly
(to make them works, you should put PGE directory together with original SMBX directory (also, rename SMBX's directory into "SMBX"))
3) Raocow Talkhaus - based on A2MBXT content. Get them if you using A2MBXT too.

Don't forget, you can switch between config packs to work with levels of other game and also you can make asking of config pack each startup of editor. Engine will ask config pack each startup but exeption is --config= flag which you can use to escape config selection dialog (example, --config="SMBX")

Don't forget to update configuration packs with editor/engine too (for update use the "lite" or "base" versions to save your time, but get "full" pack only if you have some problems after update).

All config packs here:
http://engine.wohlnet.ru/config_packs.php

I extracted it all, put it in a file, and opened the .exe, and it says open an editor configuration, and guess what? Take a guess! Come on!
Okay, NOTHING SHOWS UP.

You forgot install config
http://engine.wohlnet.ru/docs/_configs/ ... _pack.html

xxxzzz1 wrote:When do you think, judging on your current progress, do you recon it will be all completely ready? Christmas?

With engine part I have lot of work:
- implementing of own physical engine with conditional collision detection / slopes / speeds summaring (when body stay on top of another body, speed of another body should be appended to first body), with water/quicksand/streams/gravity zones etc. Box2d have lots of things which is not good to use them for side-scrolling platform games.
- implementing of NPC AI system with programming system
- writing LUA-algorithms for each NPC to finish "SMBX 1.3" config pack
- implementing layers / events system
and I think, works will be long at half~whole year. Mayby faster, mayby longer. I'm never sets any deadlines, they are limiting freedom and hurt quality of result (while you hurry to make faster, you can forgot some things and result will be buggy )

Few time ago I was researched for Visual Basic's blending method to found better method to correctly generate alpha-channel of image to make displaying of sprites which correctly displaying in the SMBX.

You can look for this implementation here:
https://github.com/Wohlhabend-Networks/ ... cs.cpp#L53

You can check them in action in the editor before I will make update of my lazy-fix tool:
in the laboratory available update which have new menu item in the "View" menu, but you will see result after reloading of file.

---

Examples:
This is a typical lazily-made sprite and mask pair:

and it's result:


But graphics like this:

will give full transparency, because color or mask mapping to alpha-channel:


When you enable special flag:


and when you will reload level, you will see magic:

---

Now about algorithm:
I looked for VB's drawing method: it apply bitwise "AND" operation between RGB's while draw mask to background image, and after apply bitwise "OR" operation while draw image over mask.

I made similar operation for image sprite over gray background to unmask. But how I made right transparency?
1) I mapped mask into alpha-channel by normal method (result like "AND")
Alpha = 255 - ((R+G+B)/3) //if Alpha 0 - transparency, if 255 - solid
2) After I made same operation but with pixels of source image and gotten value I was appended to already generated alpha-channel. (result like "OR")
Alpha = Alpha+((R+G+B)/3)
and this method will fix any lazily-made graphics which was correctly shown in the SMBX but wrongly shown in the PGE.

I will update my lazy-fix tool and will apply THIS method to generate RIGHT mask.

---

P.S.
Without "VB Emulation" flag ('GFX Fix'):
(Because masks are have completely white pixels, lights are invisible here)


With "VB Emulation" flag ('GFX Fix'):
(Instead of simple mapping of mask to alpha-channel, was run this algorithm of calculating target color & alpha-channel )


And do you remember those goombas from this http://engine.wohlnet.ru/forum/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=158 test?


If you will enable this algorithm same goombas will have this view:

Unlike SMBX where mask drawing to screen over background and other objects and after sprite drawing over drawn mask, sprites generating by once into memory and masks no more using. This save lots of memory and giving better CPU speed.

Hey there, here's a relatively small but useful update.

I've noticed recently that people particularly living in the North/South American continents, Australia, Asia etc. are prone to having a hard time with the downloading speed of my main server which happens to also serve as host for most of the PGE executables/configs and files. (This can be mostly attributed to the huge distance between these individuals' location and mine(Moscow, Russia).)

And so here's a temporary but effective solution.
I've made a mirror of the laboratory and configuration packs on Google Drive:
https://drive.google.com/folderview?id= ... sp=sharing
This mirror is planned to be updated daily/each hour.

So if anyone has a problem with downloading(or with the speed of attempting to do so) configuration packages or builds from the laboratory, you should be able to get them from my Google drive linked above.

Do feel free to try it out by downloading now.
Good luck