Orb of thralni

[Thralni]

I looked several times at the graphics - everything seems fine. I looked at the scenario data script - it looks fine to me. So what can be the problem? The exact error message is it can't find graphic: sheet 514, icon 0. the graphic really is there, so i don't understand what the stupid game is complaining about!!

 

Note that the graphic DID work in the editor.

[Kelandon]

I'm sure you've done this, but since graphics don't reload until you re-open the scenario, you could try opening the scenario in the editor again and seeing if it gives you problems. If not... uh... is the scenario you're editing the same as the one in the Scenarios folder that BoA is opening?

 

This one's something seemingly obvious that I just can't think to check.

[Omikron]

I read from the "scenario contest entries" that you needed help here, Thralni, so what help do you need exactly?

 

BTW, why is this discussion SOOOO long?!

 

How old are you?

[Thralni]

Quote:

Originally written by Omikron:
I read from the "scenario contest entries" that you needed help here, Thralni, so what help do you need exactly?

BTW, why is this discussion SOOOO long?!

How old are you?

Did i post a help request on the scenario contest thread? Hm. Probably somedy elso did then.

My problem is described just three post above this one (i think, I'm not completely sure).

Kelandon, I really use the same .bas file, the .cmg file is in the scenbario folder. Its all in the correct place (the other custom graphics do work).

I'm 15, soon 16 years old.

EDIT: BTW, the problem I described above (above three posts) are one problem. If you don't know an answer, you can always be of help by saying (on the custom graphics topic in this same BoA editor forum) you'd like to see my graphics in order to judge if they (and espacially how) I can improve them.

EDIT 2: I saw i myself indeed requested help, but that was a long time ago. Back then I had an other problem. But its nice to see people actually react to this and look where i tell them to look.

[Omikron]

Two questions:

• What editor are you using?
• What application are you using to pack the picts into the resource file?

I am using Isaac's 3D editor and ResEdit (in the classic environment) and Gimp, and everything worked fine then. If everything else fails you could try using these too (they're all free, and should be obtained by mere Googling if not found from the scenario development pages). Also, double-check the parameters you're giving in the data file. And please RTFM! (I just get the image that you don't, cuz this topic has > 200 replies, and most of the questions' answers were ones that could be found in the manual.)

[Archmagus Micael]

Could you post the picture(s) (in jpeg format or something). Hopefully that will help someone (maybe even me) figure out what's wrong.

 

- Archmagus Micael

[Thralni]

A few things:

 

I use a Mac (meaning i use resedit to make the resource file) (BTW, i use a windows to make the .bas file, but that shouldn't make things different).

 

I use the 3D editor (Why using the 2D when there's a 3D?)

 

This paricular graphic is my 20th custom graphic. In the beginning I had a few problems, but it all went fine until this graphic error came up. therefor I think its strange.

 

About posting the graphic: you don't know how many times I tried to do this. All i can offer is that you post your email adres and I just send you the graphics. But to be short: The grphic is a remake of the standard waterfall graphic that comes with the game. The only thing i changed, was that I turned it, hereby making it possible to make rivers that end up in waterfalls, flowing not only from the north (and then ending up in the waterfall) but by turning it the river flows from the west (and ends up in a waterfall). Can you picture what I mean?

 

About this topic: What exactly do you have against so many posts, Omikron, and by that making a long thread?

[Archmagus Micael]

Okay. Email me the picture, and I'll post it up here for everyone else to see.

 

It'll have to be in a format that Windows can handle, and which doesn't take too long for me to download.

 

A Jpeg, PNG, or GIF should do fine.

 

My email address: micael456@aol.com

 

- Archmagus Micael

[Thralni]

Okay, Michael, i sent you the graphic, Its in PNG format, so I wouldn't no why your computer can't open it, if it can't. Anyway, if it doesn't work, I'll send the graphic differently, but then I don't know if it will work when pasting it into the post.

 

We'll just sit and wait I gues...

[Omikron]

I haven't got anything against long topics, it is just awful to hop into one (as I did). You'll normally have to read all replies before you get to know what's going on. However, I didn't, this time.

 

There are still questions:

• Are you using the editor on the mac, but playing the same scenario package on windows?

Because windows has an awful habit to kill the resource fork of every file that has one and is accessable from windows. Thus, Blades of Avernum for windows put the GFX into single files.

Or:

• Are you playing it on a mac?
• If not, have you exported the pict resources to single bmp files with proper names?

If you have followed every rule, but the game still complains, then I can't help you more.

[Thralni]

Okay. It seems my former explanations weren't very good, so here's an other one:

 

I make the scripts on the Mac, while making the scenario (.bas) file on the windows, using the 3Deditor. Then I copy the .bas file to the Mac, and put it in the scenario file.

 

The graphics I make in Appleworks, then copying them into the resourcefork, which I make with Resedit. I play the scenario on the Mac.

 

However, although this system i described above really looks silly and complicated, it works. All graphics I made work, except this one. In the 3Deditor the waterfall graphic did work. Therefor i don't know why the Mac is complaining.

 

A last note about the topic: You don't have to read everything to fully understand it. Last post is or deals with the last question I asked.

 

Anyway, i apreciate your help. sorry you couldn't help me.

[Archmagus Micael]

Okay.

 

So here's Thralni's problematic graphic:

 

 

Hang on. Is all this white really there, or is this because of the method you used to convert the picture to a PNG?

 

- Archmagus Micael

 

P.S. It's Micael, not Michael.

[Thralni]

All the white really is there. i could have cut it. This however, doesn't cause the problem, because all other Windows graphiucs do work (this is the graphic i use with the editor. the mac graphic sits in a resource (.cmg) file, and that doesn't have the white).

 

Thanks. How did you do that? is it the format of the file that makes the diffrence between appearing on the post or not?

 

(BTW, this graphic is an animation, like the normal waterfall graphic. Here is the code from the datascript again)

 

Code:

 // Waterfall	begindefineterrain 474;	clear;	te_name = "Waterfall";	te_which_sheet = 514;	te_which_icon = 0;	te_second_icon = 4;	te_second_icon_offset_y = -55;	te_ed_which_sheet = 504;	te_ed_which_icon = 40;	te_move_block_n = 1;	te_move_block_w = 1;	te_move_block_s = 1;	te_move_block_e = 1;	te_anim_steps = 4; 

[gcmaxxon]

Hi,

Yes all the white appears to be there! I downloaded the file from your web site and converted it to a .bmp file. If you open it with a paint program you can then shrink the waterfall file and thereby get rid of the unusable white area.

Hope this helps.

gcmaxxon

[Archmagus Micael]

Quote:

Originally written by Thralni, emperor of Riverrod:
Thanks. How did you do that? is it the format of the file that makes the diffrence between appearing on the post or not?
[/code]

It depends. What format was it when you were trying to upload it?

Have you tried this file without all of that excess white?

I'll just start up a blank scen and see if i can get it to work. I'll tel you how it went in a minute.

- Archmagus Micael

[Archmagus Micael]

Hows this?

 

 

If this is how it should be, here's the code you will need:

 

Code:

 begindefineterrain 474;	clear;	te_name = "Waterfall";	te_which_sheet = 2514;	te_which_icon = 0;	te_second_icon = 4;	te_second_icon_offset_y = -55;te_ed_which_sheet = 504;te_ed_which_icon = 40;te_move_block_n = 1;te_move_block_w = 1;te_move_block_s = 1;te_move_block_e = 1;te_anim_steps = 4; 

And the picture you will need:

 

 

- Archmagus Micael

[Thralni]

Very good! My compliments to the chef!

 

So how did you solve it?

[Archmagus Micael]

I changed the name of the file to G2514, and got rid of all that excess white. (I think the white was the main problem, but if the others work with white, maybe it was the file number.)

 

I can't believe I managed to fix something no-one else could! (though they could have with the picture, I have to admit)

 

 

- Archmagus Micael

[gcmaxxon]

Hi,

I'm confused:

 

Quote:

te_ed_which_sheet = 504;

te_ed_which_icon = 40;

Which editor has the graphic file G504?

[Kelandon]

Uh, no editor has graphic file 504. I think you're misunderstanding what that call means.

 

It's telling the editor that in 2D mode, it needs to display graphic 40 in sheet 504. Any sheet between 500 and 599 inclusive is a custom sheet, so it would be scenario's own custom graphic alongside all the other custom graphics.

 

It's a custom graphic.

[Thralni]

Quote:

Originally written by Archmagus Micael:
I changed the name of the file to G2514, and got rid of all that excess white. (I think the white was the main problem, but if the others work with white, maybe it was the file number.)

I can't believe I managed to fix something no-one else could! (though they could have with the picture, I have to admit)

And the game excepted that? I didn't know the program excepts graphic files that have more than three numbers (like G514), and can start with a 2 (like G2514).

I didn't test it yet, but I'll do that soon.

[Archmagus Micael]

It accepted it while I was still working on KoV. So it should accept it now.

 

And if it wasn't the graphic, maybe it was just mum's XP computer...

 

- Archmagus Micael

[Thralni]

I still don't think the graphic itself was the problem, really. When I copy-paste the graphic into the resourcefork, now white comes with it. Its only the widows graphics that have it, and they work fine.

[Thralni]

I'm afraid I have bad news. The graphic of that waterfall still doesn't work. I really don't understand this. I decided I'd cut out the hole graphic, and use the standard waterfall graphic.

[Thralni]

I have some problems with the text bubbles that appear above characters in towns. For some reason they don't always appear. here's what I did:

 

Code:

 //Town script for town 12: fort filbertbegintownscript;variables;body;beginstate INIT_STATE;	set_crime_tolerance(3);	set_name(6,"Commander Johnson");	set_name(7,"Kellin");	set_name(8,"Lieutenant Furginson");	set_name(42,"Sergeant Peter");	set_name(56,"General Flamington");	if (get_ran(1,0,100) < 6)		text_bubble_on_char(6,"All these problems");	if (get_ran(1,0,100) < 6)		text_bubble_on_char(6,"What should I do?");	if (get_ran(1,0,100) < 6)		text_bubble_on_char(8,"Should find succesor");	if (get_ran(1,0,100) < 6)		text_bubble_on_char(8,"But where to look?");	if (get_ran(1,0,100) < 6)		text_bubble_on_char(42,"Slurp... Slurp");	if (get_ran(1,0,100) < 6)		text_bubble_on_char(41,"Zzzzzz");	if (get_ran(1,0,100) < 6)		text_bubble_on_char(56,"I can solve puzzles");	if (get_ran(1,0,100) < 6)		text_bubble_on_char(56,"Yawn");break;beginstate EXIT_STATE;break;beginstate START_STATE;break; 

Does anybody have a clue of what's going on? The characters exist, that I can telkl you. It isn't like that I try to put text bubbles above characters that aren't there.

[Kelandon]

Put the text bubbles in the START_STATE, not the INIT_STATE.

[Thralni]

Quote:

Originally written by Kelandon:
Put the text bubbles in the START_STATE, not the INIT_STATE.

Its always the small things I tend to do wrong. Its the bigger more complicated things I tend to do rather well, I think. thanks, kelandon. This is something I woudn't do wrong ever again.

[Drakefyre]

Commander Johnson? Are we perchance in Fort Duvno?

[Thralni]

Quote:

Originally written by Drakefyre:
Commander Johnson? Are we perchance in Fort Duvno?

No. We are in a fort called "Fort Filbert", somewhere in the Riverrod province. Its just that I'm very bad in Thinking of good names. I could however try to make it a grandson, of the the fort Duvno Johnson...

[Thralni]

Its a long time ago I posted a problem. To make that period a little smaller, I'll post a problem now.

 

I want to replace a town with an other town. Now how exactly should I do that? Now just whipe the town of the outdoors, so you can't enetr it any longer, but replace it. Is there a certain call I need to use?

[Drakefyre]

Look in the manual for Variable Town Entry.

[Kelandon]

Specifically, you want to use VTE in the Scenario menu, and you want to set a particular flag to the difference between the town numbers (so if your first town was town number 5 and your replacement was town number 11, you want to set a flag to 6. Specify the coordinates of that flag (and the first town number) in the VTE in the Scen menu.

[Thralni]

Quote:

Originally written by Kelandon:
Specifically, you want to use VTE in the Scenario menu, and you want to set a particular flag to the difference between the town numbers (so if your first town was town number 5 and your replacement was town number 11, you want to set a flag to 6. Specify the coordinates of that flag (and the first town number) in the VTE in the Scen menu.

What I understand from this, is that the flag counts the number 6 up, by number 5, as to get 11. Am I right?

[Drakefyre]

Yes.

[Thralni]

Thanks, again.

[Thralni]

It was a long time since I had a question, but I came up with one, so now wrorries!

 

Ugh I'll never say that again.

 

When you make a space blocked, what does that mean for the party? I saw several times that you could just walk over blocked spaces. How can that be? Is it only a limitation for the AI monsters?

[Ephesos]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but making a space blocked just keeps the party from being placed there (which effectively counters the "fight, end combat" method of avoiding encounters/traps). Enemies won't walk there, and nothing can be summoned onto that square.

 

Of course, it's completely different if you're using block_entry().

[Kelandon]

Okay, there are several things we're talking about here. As far as I know, the call change_blocked, the floor definition fl_blocked, and the Place Blocked Space tool all do the same thing: they make the space impossible for monsters to step on and prevent the party from being placed on the space when ending combat (or when using move_to_new_town or whatever).

 

The call block_entry, on the other hand, prevent the party from stepping on a space and nothing else.

 

(This is much the same as what Ephesos just said, but it's more detailed for clarification.)

[Thralni]

So all that the option block space in the editor does, is to make it impossible for monsters to pas that blocked space? if so, then I understand what's going on here.

[Kelandon]

It does that, and also it prevents the party from being placed there when ending combat or coming in via a move_to_new_town or anything like that.

[Thralni]

I want to have a scenario which offers everything that a normal, even bad scenario has. What I mean now, is the services, like healers. How the hell do I make a healer? I looked in the documantation, and didn't find anything that could help me with this. Does anybody know what to do?

[Swimmin' Salmon]

Healers are the same as specialized stores.

 

*this message sponsored by the golden calf*

[Kelandon]

How odd. A quick search of the docs seems to suggest that there is no direct way to make an A1-style healer. I checked VoDT, which has a healer in Sweetgrove, and this is how Jeff does it (dialog removed to prevent stretching):

 

Code:

     begintalknode 51;     state = 42;     personality = 24;     nextstate = -1;     condition = 1;     question = "I require the services of a healer. (Pay 150 Coins)";     text1 = "*no money*";     text3 = "*changed mind*";     text5 = "*heals*";     code =          clear_strings();          if (coins_amount() < 150)                add_string(1);               else if (run_select_a_pc(1) == 0)                    add_string(3);                    else {                         play_sound(24);                         add_string(5);                         restore_pc(get_selected_pc());                         change_coins(-150);                         }break;  

It appears that anything more complicated than that must be scripted directly.

[Thralni]

That's indeed strange. I guess I'll have to do it that way then, thanks anyway.

[Thralni]

This time I'm trying to make outdoor encounters with friendly guards. The point is that they don't attack you. Now how exactly do I do that? Its probably somethign that I missed in the docs, cause I really couldn't find it.

 

Thanks.

[Drakefyre]

Use something like this:

Code:

beginstate 14;	//upon meeting a group of soldiers along the road	message_dialog("This group of soldiers greets you as you pass each other on the road. They warn you that it's dangerous traveling at night.","As they leave, you catch a look at their equipment. It's woefully inadequate for anything more than causing a diversion to alert the town.");	outdoor_enc_result(1);	break;

Call this state when the outdoor encounter reaches the party.

[Poit]

Thralni have you checked out Erik's Cookbook at all?

 

http://dnet.com/erik/BoA/cookbook/index.html

 

If not it should help explain most of the simpler Blades functions.

 

Also make sure the encounter is an Outdoor Preset Encounter and the "party can't evade" box is clicked.

[Thralni]

I have Erik's cookcoob, but I always seem to forget I have it! Thanks for pointing that out to me, and Drakefyre, thanks for your help too.

 

BTW, Drakefyre, how are you getting on with the material I sent you?

[Drakefyre]

Sorry, I've been busy lately, but in the next few days I should have a bit more time.

[Thralni]

Quote:

Originally written by Drakefyre:
Sorry, I've been busy lately, but in the next few days I should have a bit more time.

That is what I already thought. Don't worry, take your time. Send it when you're finished. I myself am also rather busy, so I also wouldn't have much time.