StuffGEN - object maker, made with C2

Try control e to export. It may depend on which version you're using though.

This is looking better and better every time I see it. You are doing such an amazing job with this Somebody!

Event: Every 0.25 sec simulate m pressing = automatic mirror update (only activ when user is activ).

This is looking better and better every time I see it. You are doing such an amazing job with this Somebody!

+1!

Both are excellent updates!!! I can't wait to play around with the new version.

If I don't finish the partset by the end of this week I'll just put up what's already there so you guys can play around with the new things.

How did you get it to export? PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE tell me!

Seems like Burvey already helped you out, but in the next bigger version the quick help should be back to avoid this sort of panic <img src="{SMILIES_PATH}/icon_e_smile.gif" alt=":)" title="Smile">

This is looking better and better every time I see it. You are doing such an amazing job with this Somebody!

Thanks! Still plenty to do, but it's getting somewhere.

Event: Every 0.25 sec simulate m pressing = automatic mirror update (only activ when user is activ).

I get the idea, but it would just strangely flicker if done like this (besides confuse the undo system). I might look into a real-time mirror "modifier", but in the future.

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So that this isn't just replying to positive feedback here's a little status update.

Colors

Since the HSL effect workaround was a little messy (the pixels came back on extra high or low brightness) I started doing some research and ended up on a thread with a similar problem and a solution provided. The result is a new effect: Adjust HSB - effect-adjust-hsb_t123286

So, hopefully, color mush is a thing of the past.

Selection (Or - A Story of optimization)

So one thing that keeps on changing is the way selected shapes are shown - it started with just the gizmos, then went onto shaking, then somewhat rough outlines, then outlines that were basically achieved by scaling the part so at times the corners would be ugly up to fairly decent ones in the latest published version.

How selection outline basically worked was - a layer above the rest with additive blending - we draw a larger or shifted white copies of the original shape and then draw a black copy of the original shape. In the latest version this was 5 extra shapes for each selected shape - since the background white shape was shifted in a cross formation. In code it looked like this:

If you did a Select All a more complex project the slowdown was tangible - since we basically had x5 of all shapes, each with shader effects runing.

So I went around looking for a solution - R0J0 had a rather nice outline effect, but it was somewhat imited - but with a little work (read: blindly pasting things in from other things and hoping they work - after about 30 versions they did, heh) I had a new version. It takes your shape:

Zeroes the original pixels to black and adds 8 shifted copies around it and makes them white:

Then we just place this on an additive layer and have a really neat selection effect:

I hope this works on all systems, but if it doesn't I can put the previous clumsy version in as a toggleable backup solution. Performance-wise this should be rather good as the GPU does all the heavy lifting.

More to come.

Edit: Here's the effect, if you need it: https://www.dropbox.com/s/vwvgvb2syvpvb ... addon?dl=0

Every update old one destroy. Higher refreshrate?

For me it is important that you want a realtime mirror update. It is a challenge for me to find a solution over events. I have an idea how it could work. Maybe i take some time for it. Your manual system is more difficult because of storage. Rohound did this part for you?

JamesXXXYZ

Mirroring would basically involve adding an extra parameter for each shape, something like (MirroredWith) that stores the UID of the other shape.

That is quite easy (and only breaks the save file one more time I guess). The awkward part comes when we go into situations simpler than "Shape A is on the left, user moved it right". What happens if both shapes are selected? Do we somehow mark mirrored shapes, which one is the main one, etc.

Like I said I have an idea of how to do it, without any tricks, but just need to sort out the basics first.

Your manual system is more difficult because of storage. Rohound did this part for you?

Not sure what you mean here? I'm using R0J0's excellent paster plugin and modified his outline FX, but he hasn't done any code or such for this project.

Another update.

Thanks to the new HSB color system we can push the brightness independently from saturation, which means rough flat colors:

It only works at top brightness and, certainly, isn't a proper flat part solution, but gives a little more to work with. Also the GIF shows off the selection described in the previous post quite nicely.

I'm still trying to make it for a "this week" update, but undo just got broken somehow and there's still plenty of parts to (re)make. But it looks hopeful.

Awesome updates! Keep up the good work.

Great!!

Well, I didn't manage to finalize all the things that should be finalized, but I know you guys want to try a more recent version so here goes revision M: https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/132 ... index.html

NOTE: This version breaks saves again - this is one reason I have kept all the older versions up for now.

Most things are similar... Some things are missing for now (but will be back), like the quick mirrors while holding shift. Some of the known issues are still present, like no opacity in renderings. But there's plenty new as well, let's see:

[New] You can load a guide image (probably try to stay under 2048x2048 - but could try more as a test - for me it crashes) - by clicking the bottom button under canvas editing one - when loaded you can use all the usual keys, when you are done that's it - you'll have to load again.

[New] You can move and resize the UI elements - just click the top panel.

[New] Tiny grid size that don't display a grid

[New] Info panel that shows your canvas size, grid size, active objects and for the future export size (for pixelly and huge stuff)

[Improved] Partially finished new neat 3D parts, laid framework for part set switching

[Improved] Cool new selection with Shaders

[Improved] Colors are now HSB - they grade better, no artifacts

[Improved] Somewhere under the hood things should be a little faster - also this is a base for action caching - so in theory we could slow it down on older machines and it would still be quite snappy

There's probably more I forgot - please feel free to share your thoughts. More stuff is coming, as usual.

While your being awesome, any update on a 'grouping' system that would let us group together parts for easy mass export to spriter?

I'm seriously thinking of using StuffGen to make some big multipart bosses in an upcoming project (think castlevania or gunstar heros). StuffGen is pretty close to the art style in the project (my existing assets are very colorful, minimal, and geometric).

While your being awesome, any update on a 'grouping' system that would let us group together parts for easy mass export to spriter?

I obviously keep track of all the ideas and have had some thoughts about this one - it could either be a little simpler - just assigning certain groups to parts or, more complex (argh, math, mine ancient foe! *hisses*) where you can manipulate them together.

It's all a question of resources - be it time, skills, inspiration or actual need to earn a living. I'm more and more thinking about trying kickstarter, so all these suggestions go onto the big list for the future (tiers?).

I'm seriously thinking of using StuffGen to make some big multipart bosses in an upcoming project (think castlevania or gunstar heros). StuffGen is pretty close to the art style in the project (my existing assets are very colorful, minimal, and geometric).

That sounds super-great - I'm sure despite there being preset parts an author's personal style would still shine through for fairly unique results, especially as the part set grows an (finally) we also get more part sets. I'm always excited to see things someone else manages to build.

Also Gunstar Heroes is the bomb.

One thing to keep in mind, though - all the way up to 1.0 (or would that be Z? Or 0.99?) the partset will change and the save system might change and so on. I do sequentially save these, so if anyone is like "you took version E down and I had half of my game done in that!" I'll be able to put it back up - but just a warning, either way

> While your being awesome, any update on a 'grouping' system that would let us group together parts for easy mass export to spriter?

>

I obviously keep track of all the ideas and have had some thoughts about this one - it could either be a little simpler - just assigning certain groups to parts or, more complex (argh, math, mine ancient foe! *hisses*) where you can manipulate them together.

It's all a question of resources - be it time, skills, inspiration or actual need to earn a living. I'm more and more thinking about trying kickstarter, so all these suggestions go onto the big list for the future (tiers?).

I'd totally go in for a StuffGen Kickstarter, and I doubt I'm the only one. I think it's easier to get apps/games on kickstarter than some other ventures, so you'd probably get right in.

> I'm seriously thinking of using StuffGen to make some big multipart bosses in an upcoming project (think castlevania or gunstar heros). StuffGen is pretty close to the art style in the project (my existing assets are very colorful, minimal, and geometric).

>

That sounds super-great - I'm sure despite there being preset parts an author's personal style would still shine through for fairly unique results, especially as the part set grows an (finally) we also get more part sets. I'm always excited to see things someone else manages to build.

Also Gunstar Heroes is the bomb.

One thing to keep in mind, though - all the way up to 1.0 (or would that be Z? Or 0.99?) the partset will change and the save system might change and so on. I do sequentially save these, so if anyone is like "you took version E down and I had half of my game done in that!" I'll be able to put it back up - but just a warning, either way

Thanks. I'd probably 'elaborate' in inkscape/gimp/krita, but overall I think it would be a great fit.

As to versioning, what about a shared dropbox/G-drive with all the versions? Just keep dropping in the new ones whenever you update.

As to versioning, what about a shared dropbox/G-drive with all the versions? Just keep dropping in the new ones whenever you update.

I'll look into this - have to clean things up a little and do some actual work work as well.

While we are here - forgot to mention some new features: You can now select related parts with more than just exact values (V key). Now there's "Same part" (P) and "Same Hue" (H) - sometimes useful.