TOOLS: FlareGEN and FlashGEN now 0.4 (CC)

Hey, everybody.

I like shiny things and suspect there are more weirdos like that out there somewhere. Thing is - when you want to add that nice shiny thing to your game you have to go out there, draw that gradient, then layer another one, then, possibly, adjust things and save it, try it out, then do some more... It's a chore.

So here I was sitting in the chat, when tulamide comes in with something that's using the canvas object and suddenly it struck me - why not make something that generates these shiny things?

BAM! Coupla hours later (and thanks to tulamide again, pointed out one stupid mistake there) here it is:

<img src="http://i244.photobucket.com/albums/gg36/some9000/FlareGeneratorDX9runtime.png" border="0">

It's quite simple, you drag the sliders, this pops out:

<img src="http://i244.photobucket.com/albums/gg36/some9000/A-1.png" border="0"> <img src="http://i244.photobucket.com/albums/gg36/some9000/B-1.png" border="0"> <img src="http://i244.photobucket.com/albums/gg36/some9000/C.png" border="0">

If you left click the top where the preview is you get a flare in your clipboard, if you right click it then you get a Flare.png in the same directory and in that case it actually has an alpha channel and is even better:

<img src="http://i244.photobucket.com/albums/gg36/some9000/Flare.png" border="0">

So here it is - the cap itself, use it if you please. There are no colour options or such since the idea is that you'd use these as simple glow/flare sprites mostly and add colour via the Filter option.

Enjoy.

Edit: I have updated the code with full comments so maybe, simple as it is, it could help someone with learning Construct.

Edit Edit: So here's versions 0.4 of both FlareGEN and FlashGEN.

This is awesome! I've thrown in a file dialog and it now sits on my desktop for future use. <img src="smileys/smiley1.gif" border="0" align="middle" />

This is Brilliant. <img src="smileys/smiley2.gif" border="0" align="middle" />

I admit to being a weirdo !

Thanks for the kind words, guys.

Small update:

<img src="http://i244.photobucket.com/albums/gg36/some9000/FlareGenDX9runtime2.png" border="0" />

A tool should inspire so for those moments when the inspiration's running low there's now a Random feature, shown by the dice button. Keep clicking and get ever new random Flares until something suits your fancy.

allesandroLino - mind sharing the file dialog version?

Here you go

<img src="smileys/smiley1.gif" border="0" align="middle">

Wow, that sure was simple <img src="smileys/smiley2.gif" border="0" align="middle"> I hadn't tried the dialog options so thought it'd be trickier, d'oh.

Anyways, I made another little tool, similar to this, just for a different effect:

<img src="http://i244.photobucket.com/albums/gg36/some9000/FlashGenDX9runtime.png" border="0">

Good for impacts or explosions centres and such. It's a little rough, might improve it later. It's here.

This work great, nice job <img src="smileys/smiley2.gif" border="0" align="middle" />

Nice work sir

Cool idea for a little app.

Only gripe I have is that the slider handling seems pretty glitchy. It works better if you just use Drag and Drop behavior (horizontal) and one single always event that clamps it.

Fantastic suggestion, thanks, PixelRebirth!

And with that we get versions 0.3 of both FlareGEN and FlashGEN:

<img src="http://i244.photobucket.com/albums/gg36/some9000/FlareGen03DX9runtime.png" border="0"><img src="http://i244.photobucket.com/albums/gg36/some9000/FlashGEN03DX9runtime.png" border="0">

New interface is just one of the improvements - better sliders, better inner logic (less stupid maths, hopefully), the ability to set the size for the exported/copied images, proper flash generation (now with new and improved controls - just click the dice a couple of times to see what they do).

In CAP form, as usual, at the usual place: FlareGEN and FlashGEN. Enjoy, more comments and/or suggestions welcome.

Very nice UI.

And I can use come of this exported images <img src="smileys/smiley1.gif" border="0" align="middle" /> Cool !

Sometimes though, when I'm draging a slider, the on drop doesn't seem to be taken in effect, and so, even if I released my mouse button, the slider still follows the cursor.

Dunno if it can be modified, or even if it isn't another trick from my defiant mouse (it could be, she has a lot of character).

Good job !

Yeah, I noticed that, guess it's all about mouse movement speed. Still, it's better than the previous one, so there's some progress. Also each improvement will go into the following tools so by the end somewhere there should be some pretty interesting things.

It certainly helps to plan things out a bit and then implement them in Construct, even though it seems so quick and easy there's a temptation to just do it. But planning pays off. On that note... EXCLUSIVE BEHIND THE SCENES IMAGE: <img src="smileys/smiley36.gif" border="0" align="middle" />

<img src="http://i244.photobucket.com/albums/gg36/some9000/IMG051.jpg" border="0" />

I guess your office is missing a roll of labels now <img src="smileys/smiley1.gif" border="0" align="middle" />

Dont know if you have already done it, but it's missing the option of saving with transparent background ? (unless i missed it)

I added it to the version i downloaded (you can use the transparent flare image for a particle texture.........just a thought?

Cool app. <img src="smileys/smiley1.gif" border="0" align="middle" />

Edit...I just read your first post...youve already done it!

Oh well.. <img src="smileys/smiley9.gif" border="0" align="middle" />

Brilliant! Just brilliant!