Yes, it's that time again: I've posted a new version of MisisonComputer my ever-growing scenario editor for the three Escape Velocity games. MissionComputer still does not fully replace the traditional tools such as ResEdit with NovaTools, but complements them with an easier way to edit a number of resource types.

MissionComputer 2.1 adds chär to the list of supported resource types, which includes the crön, dësc, düde, flët, gövt, jünk, mïsn, përs, PICT, STR, STR# and yëä resources. It provides a simple interface for selecting the resource IDs needed when referring to one resource from another, and offers excerpts from the official Resource Bible in a convenient help system and right within some parts of the interface. MissionComputer 2 also includes a new Resource Copier utility for moving large numbers of resources between files, integrates my previously available EV Nova Target Generator application, and improves the application's overall resource management abilities.

The main purpose of version 2.1, however, is to finally get an important feature I've been working on since mid-December out to the public. The new template-based editing system allows MissionComputer to edit every resource used by the Escape Velocity games with at least the same level of functionality as ResEdit without NovaTools. It's not as good as a graphical editor, but it can save switching into Classic mode to make a small tweak, which is always a good thing.

The original version of MissionComputer was first released on 22 December 2001 after several months of development and testing. MissionComputer 2.1 is available in both a Carbon edition designed for Mac OS X - including Jaguar - and a Classic edition which runs on Mac OS 9 and below on both PowerPC- and 68000 series-based Macintoshes. It supports both the Escape Velocity 1.0.5, EV Override 1.0.2, and EV Nova 1.0.3 file formats.

MissionComputer 2.1 is immediately available from my web site at (url="http://"http://davidarthur.evula.net/")davidarthur.evula.net(/url), and, like all previous versions, is a free download.

David Arthur
26 February 2003

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David Arthur
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Truth! Justice! Freedom! And A Hard-Boiled Egg!

Very fine stuff, as usual. Very fine. Thanks a lot for your dedication and all this free work o yours. Thanks loads.

-Phil

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Always in for a game of Warcraft, though.

(This message has been edited by pesimist_guy (edited 02-26-2003).)

Quote

Originally posted by David Arthur:
**Yes, it's that time again: I've posted a new version of MisisonComputer my ever-growing scenario editor for the three Escape Velocity games.

The main purpose of version 2.1, however, is to finally get the new template-based editing system.

**

Yeah! New versions of stuff make me happy!

While the templates are a cool addition, that's really only a problem for OSX users. I don't see any mention of Cartographer(sp?) though. I assume that means it isn't done yet but will be out as soon as it is, right?

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And you haven't posted it at the EV-Nova.net forums yet...

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Quote

Originally posted by Ernimtir:
**Yeah! New versions of stuff make me happy!:D

While the templates are a cool addition, that's really only a problem for OSX users. I don't see any mention of Cartographer(sp?) though. I assume that means it isn't done yet but will be out as soon as it is, right?

**

It be a-comin', DA said maybe in 2.2

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Quote

Originally posted by no_use_for_a_name:
**It be a-comin', DA said maybe in 2.2

**

Sounds great, I hate to have to start up in OS 9 to use EVO Developers Map.

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Quote

Originally posted by Ernimtir:
I don't see any mention of Cartographer(sp?) though. I assume that means it isn't done yet but will be out as soon as it is, right?

There's still some key features that need implementing before Cartographer is ready for release, and I'm still working out a few minor issues with the pipeline that allows MissionComputer and Cartographer to communicate, but I wanted to get MissionComputer 2.1 out the door since I've basically been sitting on the template-based editor since mid-December.

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David Arthur
(url="http://"http://davidarthur.evula.net/")davidarthur.evula.net(/url) | (url="http://"http://www.ev-nova.net/")EV-Nova.net(/url) | (url="http://"http://www.evula.com/survival_guide/")EV Nova Survival Guide(/url)
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I've got one request about the templates, and that is could you make it a bit more like ResEdit, because I am having a hard time telling what is what.

Argh just deleted everything on my computer about my pulgs and my editors for plugs.

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Quote

Originally posted by cdrcoyote:
I've got one request about the templates, and that is could you make it a bit more like ResEdit, because I am having a hard time telling what is what.

Could you be more specific? The template fields are labelled the same way as in ResEdit, so I'm not sure what else there is I could do.

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David Arthur
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Truth! Justice! Freedom! And A Hard-Boiled Egg!

I think this (url="http://"http://cdrwerks.northernswamp.com/res.gif")http://cdrwerks.nort...amp.com/res.gif(/url) is easier to understand than this (url="http://"http://cdrwerks.northernswamp.com/msc.gif")http://cdrwerks.nort...amp.com/msc.gif(/url)

It gives more info about it than just a label. I couldnt understand Mission Computers with-out the Nova Bible.
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(This message has been edited by cdrcoyote (edited 02-26-2003).)

Quote

Originally posted by cdrcoyote:
**I think this http://cdrwerks.northernswamp.com/res.gif is easier to understand than this http://cdrwerks.northernswamp.com/msc.gif

It gives more info about it than just a label. I couldnt understand Mission Computers with-out the Nova Bible.**

Neither of the images display for me, though they do appear to exist.

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well they are both the Outfit editors, from ResEdit/Nova Tools and Mission Computer.

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My only complaint about the template editing in MSC is that you cannot use the tab key. Also, I am not too crazy about the comma separated stuff. Otherwise everything is cool.

edit: sp
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Always in for a game of Warcraft, though.

(This message has been edited by pesimist_guy (edited 02-27-2003).)

Quote

Originally posted by cdrcoyote:
**well they are both the Outfit editors, from ResEdit/Nova Tools and Mission Computer.

**

The templates are supposed to give the functionality of ResEdit w/o NovaTools installed. The other editors give the functionality of NovaTools and then some. The templates are available so you can edit all of the resources in MC instead of only the ones with full editors, which made you have to boot up Classic to deal with the others.

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Quote

Originally posted by cdrcoyote:
**I think this http://cdrwerks.northernswamp.com/res.gif is easier to understand than this http://cdrwerks.northernswamp.com/msc.gif

It gives more info about it than just a label. I couldnt understand Mission Computers with-out the Nova Bible.**

I couldn't load your images, but it sounds like you're comparing my templates with NovaTools, which is hardly a fair comparison; de-install NovaTools to see what ResEdit's template-based editor looks like, and you'll see that they're about the same, except that mine doesn't give you error messages about invalid rectangles.

Quote

Originally posted by pesimist_guy:
My only complaint about the template editing in MSC is that you cannot use the tab key. Also, I am not too crazy about the comma speparated stuff.

Yes, I'm hoping to be able to change both of those in future versions.

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David Arthur
(url="http://"http://davidarthur.evula.net/")davidarthur.evula.net(/url) | (url="http://"http://www.ev-nova.net/")EV-Nova.net(/url) | (url="http://"http://www.evula.com/survival_guide/")EV Nova Survival Guide(/url)
Truth! Justice! Freedom! And A Hard-Boiled Egg!

ok i guess im gonna have to learn the hard way for a while.

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Quote

Originally posted by David Arthur:
**except that mine doesn't give you error messages about invalid rectangles.
**

me shudders at those invalid rectangle errors

Sorry to go offtopic, but I've always wondered what's the deal with those errors (something about rectangles on top being bigger than the bottom rectangles?). They've been around since the original EV, and the first time when I tried ResEdit, I totally got scared thinking I corrupted my EV template...

Pan Sola, Eater of Snacks

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I'n kinda curious DA, which editor do you intend to implement for the next release(however far away that is)? If you're taking suggestions, I'd say tackle a big one, like the ship or outf editor. I've been itching for a MC with those
Anyway, have downloaded it and it looks great! I can finally say bye bye to those darn rectangle errors

MickyBIs

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Hey there, DA! I've got a bit of a problem with Mission Computer. At first, it worked just fine, but it eventually started giving me a message saying:"This file could not be opened. Mission Computer could not copy this file into the cache folder." Am I doing something wrong? Great-looking interface, btw!

~Ace

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