tulamide's Forum Posts

  • I feel like I'm missing something obvious here...Yes you are. You're missing a counter of the elapsed time. ROJO showed a way of displaying a value in a minute:second format, but without counting the time it will always read 0:0, of course. Also, don't change the variable that you use for counting. And how come that you were able to enter "int global('Seconds')/60" without an error message? There are brackets missing: "int( global('Seconds')/60 ) "

    First, create a counter for the elapsed time, let's say "totaltime". Now let it count the time:

    +Always

    ->Add TimeDelta to global('totaltime')

    Then add the conversion:

    ->set global 'minutes' to int(global('totaltime') / 60)

    ->set global 'seconds' to global('totaltime') % 60

    and finally show it:

    -> Set text to global('minutes') & ":" & global('seconds')

    Somewhere on these forums you will find my "clock" example, it shows the conversion for h:m:s and also shows how to display the time as an analog clock.

  • I know, I might sound childish now, but while Quazi was the first to do the comic look fluids and therefore should be called the inventor of the blobs in Construct, it was me who created the blob_test.fx (btw, I never really published it, hence "_test"^^). In fact, I created the effect after I saw a video with quazi's creation. I wanted to recreate it, but at the same time making it a bit easier to use (it's now just one effect, instead of several ones).

    Anyway, nice example of usage. I also still use the blob shader in a td concept, where all the paths are created in realtime via sprites that build a nice looking road, thanks to the effect:

    <img src="http://dl.dropbox.com/u/11182740/pictures/td.png" border="0" />

  • You might also want to give this effect a try: http://www.scirra.com/forum/effect-ellipse_topic51611.html

  • This effect draws an ellipse. It uses the sprite's texture and color filter for coloring. If you just need a single color ellipse, just create a 2x2 sprite, either filled with the intended color or filled with white while using the color filter to set the color. You can resize the sprite to any size in the layout (NOT in the picture editor!) without adding to VRAM.

    <img src="http://dl.dropbox.com/u/11182740/pictures/ellipsefx.png" border="0">

    <font size="1">(example image)</font>

    The following parameters are defined:

    1) Outline: Defines the thickness of the outline. 100% means, it uses the complete area.

    2) Smooth Outline: How much of the outline's thickness is used for smoothing. 100% means a mirrored gradient from the center to the inner and outer border of the outline.

    3) Outline Opacity: Controls the transparency. 0% means fully tranparent, 100% means fully opaque.

    The values are all relative, that might be confusing at first. For example, if you have a 128x128 sprite and set Outline to 50%, then half of the area is occupied by the ellipse. At any angle the ellipse is at both sides of the center, so the thickness will be 32px (32px on both sides = 64px, 64px = 50% of 128).

    Likewise, smoothing is calculated. It is a value relative to Outline. So in this example, a value of 25% means 25% of the outline's thickness (which was 32px), or 8px in total. 4px for the outer side smoothing and 4px for the inner side smoothing. In result the ring will be smoothed in from px1-4, full color from px5-28 and smoothed out from px29-32

    Based on the description above, if you want a circle (an ellipse would break it) to always have the same pixel thickness, regardless of the size, you'd calculate the proper value:

    pixel in percent = (1 / totalpixel) * 200 * n

    (sprite is 128x128, outline shall be 1px)

    Outline = (1 / 128) * 200 = 1.5625%

    (sprite is 30x30, outline shall be 5)

    Outline = (1 / 30) * 200 * 5 = 33.333%

    (sprite is 200x200, outline shall be 3px)

    Outline = (1 / 200) * 200 * 3 = 3%

    I didn't implement this, because it only works for squared sprites (because pixels are squared, too). In the last example, we have 3px horizontal/vertical, but if we set the height to 100, we have 3px horizontal and 1.5px vertical.

    Download:ellipse.fx

    EDIT: I've accidentally uploaded an earlier developer version This is now corrected. (April 29, GMT 3:47 pm)

  • Here is an example that uses the effect "Color Fusion (Masked)" to create a fog of war. This example with a 4000x4000 layout in a 1024x576 window runs at over 1000 fps on my pc, when all 1600 sprites that reveal the fog are created.

    1) Create your layout

    2) Add a "fog of war" layer

    3) Apply "Color Fusion (Masked)" as a layer effect

    4) Use sprites created on the "fog of war"-layer as cutmasks to the fog

    You could further optimize this example by creating/deleting the cutmasks when they get in or out of sight. You can use different shapes or even animated shapes, use a smaller or wider grid size, etc. The advantage of this method is that you don't use any additional VRAM (the layer effect always renders to screen size). Also, the layout size isn't important (CC cares more about sprites on screen, than the total number of sprites). And since the revealing is made out of sprites, you can have a vivid fog, e.g. different stages of revealing, instead of just 100%.

    Download:

    fow.cap

  • Are you aware of the effect "Color Fusion (Masked)"? It can help tremendously with creating a fog of war.

    Will post an example soon.

    EDIT: Here is an example.

  • You are right, it is broken. If you need to append data to a hashtable, you need to use one hashtable as a buffer and then copy the content of the buffer using "for each key"

    pseudo event:

    + buffer: for each key

    ->hashtable: insert key buffer.currentkey with value buffer.currentvalue

  • A Blender installation automatically installs Python as well. Unless you want to update Python, you don't need to install Python seperately. Just follow the basic instructions.

    1) Download the collada importer zip file

    2) Put the content of the zip file in your scripts folder.

    If you never set up any, just create a folder somewhere (preferably somewhere you identify as belonging to Blender) and make this folder the scripts folder in Blender by navigating to the user preferences, selecting the tab/button "File" and clicking the folder icon on the "Scripts:" line. Now direct to the created folder. Finally save your changes ("Save as default"). Exit Blender, put the scripts from the zip file in your scripts folder and restart Blender. That should do.

    (Explanation valid for Blender 2.6x)

  • For the hobbyist/amateur game designer there is one argument that beats all: the price.

    If you want to make a desktop game, grab CC for free.

    If you want to make a browser game, buy C2 for $79

    Stencyl also offers both for $79 - but that's an annual fee. As soon as the 13th month starts, C2 has the better value/price ratio.

    I'd say that counts at least as much as any integration of web services.

  • I haven't actually tested it, but you can get every processes name and id through expressions, so it shouldn't be a problem to kill a process by name. For example, by using a hash table.

    + Process: For each process

    -> HashTable: Insert key Process.GetProcessName with value Process.GetProcessID

    You'd then kill the process via the name

    -> Process: Kill process HashTable("thenameoftheprocess")

  • The binary system is nothing more than an ancient relic. The first computer were mechanical machines (like the ones of Blaire Pascal). It was needed a way to represent the decimal system through simple mechanical switches. Earliest tries to work with only two numbers are found in india and china, and later scientists built upon this. The breakthrough for mordern computer was George Boole (you all know a "boolean", right?^^)

    So we are using computer that use a very old technique. But we are not at the end. There are ideas for totally different functioning computer in many disciplines. Have a look at

    Photonics

    Quantum computer

    DNA computer

    Lately a group of scientists were able to store a short video in a light cube. Others stopped light to zero speed and beamed it to another transistor. Light might be the next step, because qubits and dna are to complex right now. But the quantum computer comes closest to your multidimensional approach, I'd say.

  • I wasn't sure to which category it fits best, so I post it here. Mods, please move if wrong here.

    A friend of mine runs a company for voice recording/audio/music services. They also offer limited free services for low- or no-budget productions.

    Teampage with voice examples: http://tomkylesoundproduction.de/sites/team.php

    Homepage: http://tomkylesoundproduction.de

    Click on the appropiate flag to switch between english and german on-screen text.

    Just thought it could be of interest for those in need of short dialogues, a narrator, background chatter, etc.

  • I'm a big Fruity fan but I couldn't get your plugin to work. I put it in the Fruity/Generator folder (after unzipping it), but I don't know how to insert it in the pattern editor. Do you mean the step sequencer or piano roll? When I insert it in the step sequencer, I get an error saying it can't install the plugin. Any clues?

    I'm running Fruity 10 on WIndows 64-bit.

    I'm sorry for the confusion. Yes, I meant the step sequencer.

    With regard to the error message, try the following:

    (You might need to first get the plugin from the list by moving it out of the FL Studio plugin folder and then refreshing the list as described below)

    1) Navigate to ...\Image-Line\FL Studio\Plugins\Fruity\Generators

    2) Create a folder named exactly as the plugin, but without the extension. If you didn't rename the plugin yet, name the folder "tulamide ANG"

    3) Place the plugin inside this folder (so that the plugin "tulamide ANG.dll" is inside the folder "tulamide ANG")

    Now in FL Studio do the following:

    1) Select the menu Channels>Add one>More

    2) In the plugin window click on "Refresh" and select "Fast Scan"

    3) Select tulamide ANG

    This should work (the plugins must be in their own folders, that's a restriction by FL Studio). If so, I'll make sure future synths will be in its folder instead of the dll alone when offering them for dl.

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  • I was afraid so... But thank you for the quick answer, newt. At least I know it isn't me doing something wrong.

  • Hi,

    am I just too stupid, or does setting an initial color for the color dialog have no effect?

    I have a sprite whose color filter is set from the color picker in the usual way (=delayed by one tick). It works fine. But if a try to set the initial color to the current color filter of the sprite, it fails and always shows standard black. It doesn't matter if the call to open the dialog is delayed, or how long it is delayed. Black is the only initial color that shows up.