I'm having some trouble with loading interface files in Coldstone. I created a startup screen, saved it in .png & .pct formats. I used the .pct format in the pictures folder of the locations folder. My location and my file name are both "Startup Screen", and the .pct file shows up as a thumbnail when I open up the location, and if I double click on it, Coldstone displays it in its own window. However, when I start my new game, the startup screen is completely black. If I use the .png file though, it works fine.

I'm using FireWorks 3.0, and I've followed the guidelines in Appendix A of the user manual. My Startup Screen.pct is 640 x 480, and 72 DPI. I don't know what it means by "standard RLE", and this is probably what the problem is. I've saved the picture as both an 8-bit and 24-bit image, but it doesn't seem to make any difference. Only the Startup Screen.png file works. Ordinarily I wouldn't care, but I'm going to post this game for download and PNG files are a lot larger than PICT files. Does anybody have any suggestions?

I can't just go out and drop a whole load of money on Photoshop, so if that's your suggestion, save it for somebody else.

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Hi man

I would use the .png file. All the other stuff should work with .pct so if only your interface is .png is won't be much bigger. Good Luck and be shure to tell when you finish your game. Jeff McArthur BlueGill Software

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JK the King!!!

Actually, I have experienced this problem before with all .PCT files. I had a friend who was making some original artwork that we were going to substitute in for what came with the tutorial, and those didn't work either. I really think that Beenox really needs to provide some better information than "oh, by the way..." in appendix A when it comes to images and Coldstone. Also, it would have been nice if there was support for .GIF files, then we could have had animated .GIFs for our games.

Is it the case that only .PCT's made in Photoshop work with Coldstone? They should make that pretty explicit before they sell their product, if that is the case. I don't know why none of the .PCT files I made with Fireworks 3 don't work, but they display properly in CGE, just not when the game runs.

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Click HERE to see if you are a winner!

Quote

Originally posted by XxtraLarGe:
**... I really think that Beenox really needs to provide some better information than "oh, by the way..." in appendix A when it comes to images and Coldstone....

**

(This message has been edited by Commander Arashi (edited 04-16-2002).)

Commander Arashi - Combat has two values - damage and armor. First, I'll explain armor.

The added up value of all your armor is set as the max damage blocked (MDB for now). Let's say you have 100 points of armor through each means. When you are hit, the game generates a random number between 40-100 (this may be 1-100, raising lower scores to 40, I don't know.) This is the percentage of the MDB that is subtracted. Say the computer rolls a 55. You will block 55 (variable on armor amount) points of damage on hit.

Blocking, as in the command the player chooses, simply sets that roll to 100 against attacks from one direction.

Weapons have three damage-related stats, damage min, damage max, and damage bonus. The game will generate a random number between the max and the min, and add the bonus. That will be the damage you deal pre-armor.

Just in case you need more combat details, hitting an enemy is a function of a random number (1-(Your DEX)) vs. random number (1-(enemy's DEX)). If you match or beat, you hit. If not, you miss.

Good luck!

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"... For in that sleep of death, what dreams may come when we have shuffled off this mortal coil must give us pause..." - Willaim Shakespeare, Hamlet

Quote

Originally posted by Celchu:
**Commander Arashi - Combat has two values - damage and armor. First, I'll explain armor.

The added up value of all your armor is set as the max damage blocked (MDB for now). Let's say you have 100 points of armor through each means. When you are hit, the game generates a random number between 40-100 (this may be 1-100, raising lower scores to 40, I don't know.) This is the percentage of the MDB that is subtracted. Say the computer rolls a 55. You will block 55 (variable on armor amount) points of damage on hit.

Blocking, as in the command the player chooses, simply sets that roll to 100 against attacks from one direction.

Weapons have three damage-related stats, damage min, damage max, and damage bonus. The game will generate a random number between the max and the min, and add the bonus. That will be the damage you deal pre-armor.

Just in case you need more combat details, hitting an enemy is a function of a random number (1-(Your DEX)) vs. random number (1-(enemy's DEX)). If you match or beat, you hit. If not, you miss.

Good luck!

**

(This message has been edited by Commander Arashi (edited 04-16-2002).)

Quote

Originally posted by XxtraLarGe:
**I'm having some trouble with loading interface files in Coldstone. I created a startup screen, saved it in .png & .pct formats. I used the .pct format in the pictures folder of the locations folder. My location and my file name are both "Startup Screen", and the .pct file shows up as a thumbnail when I open up the location, and if I double click on it, Coldstone displays it in its own window. However, when I start my new game, the startup screen is completely black. If I use the .png file though, it works fine.

I'm using FireWorks 3.0, and I've followed the guidelines in Appendix A of the user manual. My Startup Screen.pct is 640 x 480, and 72 DPI. I don't know what it means by "standard RLE", and this is probably what the problem is. I've saved the picture as both an 8-bit and 24-bit image, but it doesn't seem to make any difference. Only the Startup Screen.png file works. Ordinarily I wouldn't care, but I'm going to post this game for download and PNG files are a lot larger than PICT files. Does anybody have any suggestions?

I can't just go out and drop a whole load of money on Photoshop, so if that's your suggestion, save it for somebody else.

**

As you've said, Xtxra, this is probably due to an incorrect compression method by Fireworks. However, there's a reasonably simple method of converting .pict files from Quicktime to RLE compression, using that excellent tool, GraphicConverter.

First off, visit the (url="http://"http://www.lemkesoft.de/us_gcdownload.html")downloads page(/url) for GraphicConverter. Download the appropriate version, unstuff it, and launch. When you have fully entered the program (past the shareware screens if you haven't registered) open your .pict file that seems to be not working. When it is open, select 'Save As' from the file menu. A dialogue box should pop up, containing a few buttons, the directory list, a drop down menu and the name field. Select "PICT (*.PICT) " if it isn't already active. Now, click on the options button (it should be right next to the drop down menu. At the top., there are two buttons, one called RLE, the other Quicktime. Check the RLE button, close the dialogue, and save. Make sure you name the file with extension .pct instead of .pict, and you should be good to go!

Just a few points: GraphicConverter can also convert directly from PNG files to PICT files (or from almost anything to almost anything, really) and so you can export straight from Fireworks, and convert using GraphicConverter. Also, be positive that the file name extension for your PICT files is filename.pct, not filename.pict. Coldstone does not allow for the .pict extesnsion, and only files with .pct will work.

Hope that was helpful.

-Andiyar

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"Any good that I may do here, let me do now, for I may not pass this way again"

(This message has been edited by Tarnćlion Andiyarus (edited 04-15-2002).)

Quote

Originally posted by Tarnćlion Andiyarus:
**
<snip>
using that excellent tool, GraphicConverter.

First off, visit thedownloads
page for GraphicConverter. Download the appropirate version
<snip>
**

The asterisks are mine...

BTW, GraphicConverter is really useful!

Alois

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Quote

Originally posted by Commander Arashi:
**
Behavior of armor, blocking, and weapons is another missing piece; the manual explains how to set up numbers for combat, but gives ziltch information on how the engine uses it. I've been playing PoG to try to figure out what the engine is doing, but that is a poor substitute for hard numbers.

I do not like feeling like Top Secret Ultra, working to break an enemy code. Unfortunately, more and more software is using a push-button interface and a hermetic operation. Entire manuals are repetitions of, "To create a Frozlick, open the create menu and select 'Create Frozlick.' Congradulations! You now have a Frozlick!" Pushing buttons is a fine way to clone PoG, but creating an original game is a task that cries for some decent documentation.

**

{MSG}...To: Top Secret Ultra
From: CGE Command...

Agent Celchu's info seems to be extracted from the CGE Manual pages 19-20.
granted he paraphased it and explained the info well but that can be explained by his reading and study of the subject matter.

{END OF MSG}

or as Necro is fond of typing RTFM...

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'mentally I'm compatible with Macintosh and I can get a girl in the sack with floss, Hop on the microphone actin lost' --- Casual

(/B)(/QUOTE)I can't just go out and drop a whole load of money on Photoshop, so if that's your suggestion, save it for somebody else.

Perhaps you can afford SnapZ Pro. SnapZ can convert to any of the graphics formats needed for Coldstone. Just set the graphic protocol you want and snap a picture of the screen (or selected part) you want and save it to a folder. SOOO simple! SnapZ Pro is the way to go. Of course you have to register to get all the benefits of the different formats. Hey, it's a lot cheaper than PhotoShop and, the button to download is right in front of your face if your on the Coldstone web board. (url="http://"http://www.AmbrosiaSW.com/utilities/snapzpro/")http://www.AmbrosiaS...ities/snapzpro/(/url)
It's free for 15 days too.

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(This message has been edited by Toast (edited 04-15-2002).)

(This message has been edited by Toast (edited 04-15-2002).)

Quote

Originally posted by straytoaster:
**{MSG}...To: Top Secret Ultra
From: CGE Command...

Agent Celchu's info seems to be extracted from the CGE Manual pages 19-20.
granted he paraphased it and explained the info well but that can be explained by his reading and study of the subject matter.

{END OF MSG}

or as Necro is fond of typing RTFM...

**

Sorry. I seem to have been wasting everyone's time. I'll stop posting now.

(This message has been edited by Commander Arashi (edited 04-16-2002).)

Quote

Originally posted by Commander Arashi:
**Sorry. I seem to have been wasting everyone's time. I'll stop posting now.

(This message has been edited by Commander Arashi (edited 04-16-2002).)**

I hope youre kidding as I was.

only through the open exchange of ideas will the revolution successed.

dont stop posting!!!!

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'mentally I'm compatible with Macintosh and I can get a girl in the sack with floss, Hop on the microphone actin lost' --- Casual

(edit=spelling)

(This message has been edited by straytoaster (edited 04-16-2002).)