The long wait is finally over. I am releasing the first Escape Velocity: Nova editor for Windows, and I am seeking beta testers. The name of the program is EVNEW - EVN Editor for Windows. If you can think of a better name, let me know. I have been working on this project for several long months. I wanted the release to be a complete surprise.

Here are the current features:

• Can read and write all 23 Nova-specific resources
• Can read and write the Mac resources cicn (color icon), PICT, rle8/rleD, snd, str, and str# (string list)
• Provides an easy-to-use GUI editor for every resource, with check boxes for the dozens of flags in various resources
• Can import and export images and icons to and from a variety of different image formats using QuickTime, which operates through DirectX
• Can import and export snd resources to and from uncompressed .wav files
• Can play snd resources using the Windows libraries of the Mac Sound Manager, which also operates through DirectX
• Automatically compiles and decompiles rle8/rleD resources and can display them in a user-defined grid
• Robust error handler
• Tooltips for every field of every resource, containing about 90% of the Bible's information
• EVNEW is completely free!

Planned features for future versions:

• Plug-in tester that will copy the current plug-in into the Nova Plug-Ins folder, run Nova, and delete the temporary file after Nova exits
• GUI Universe editor with all of the system data
• Ship previewer where you can test out all of the animations
• Built-in plug-in checker that checks all fields for valid values

Currently known bugs/issues:

• I can't find pallette information for the rle8 resources, so they appear messed up

System requirements:

• If your system can run EV: Nova, you can run EVNEW

To sign up to be a beta tester, email me at Aprosenf@aol.com . There will be (at least) two rounds of beta testing. For the first round, the requirements to be a beta tester are:

• You have a Mac AND a PC. Being able to successfully emulate a Mac does NOT count
• You have a registered copy of EV: Nova
• You know how to convert plug-ins on Windows
• You have a good experience using some of the various Mac editors, such as ResEdit, MissionComputer, and EVONE

For the second round of beta testing, the requirements will be:

• You have a PC
• You have a registered copy of EV: Nova

The first round of beta testing will primarily to test compatibility between Macs and Windows for all of the resources and to make sure every data field comes out exactly as it should. The second round of testing will be to make sure that all plug-ins made actually work with EV: Nova.

Currently, I have not made documentation other than the tooltips which were copied from the Bible. I will make that after the beta testing. When the testing is complete, I am going to do something that will surprise a lot of you - I am going to open source the project. Yes, that's right, you guys can take my code and make it better. I hope this will result in better editors in the future that don't have to worry so much about the loading and saving of all the different resources. The code is not well commented, but it is relatively clear and as organized as possible. I look forward to releasing EVNEW.

-Adam Rosenfield

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C:dos
C:dosrun
rundosrun

Count me IN!
Email sent!
Edit: read the details of features again... WOW!! It looks great!
-Az

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(This message has been edited by Azratax2 (edited 10-03-2003).)

Nice work. Is there any way to upload some screenshots of some editors? The open source idea is quite interesting as well, it will allow people to add some interesting features... What did you write it in?

~ SpacePirate

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Eat blazing electric death!

Quote

Originally posted by SpacePirate:
**Nice work. Is there any way to upload some screenshots of some editors? The open source idea is quite interesting as well, it will allow people to add some interesting features... What did you write it in?

~ SpacePirate

**

By "some editors," are you asking me to upload screenshots? I'll work on it. It's written in C++, using a fair amount of STL. It's also very heavy in Windows API code, which can get messy at times.

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C:dos
C:dosrun
rundosrun

Quote

Originally posted by Aprosenf:
**By "some editors," are you asking me to upload screenshots? I'll work on it. It's written in C++, using a fair amount of STL. It's also very heavy in Windows API code, which can get messy at times.

**

Thanks. I was actually just curious to how you set up the interface.

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Eat blazing electric death!

Awesome! And I (think) I meet all the requirements!
Sent you information; hope to hear from you again.

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(url="http://"http://www.geocities.com/ue_rd")Fatal Alliance- an upcoming quasi-TC for EVN.(/url)
Secret Project: In intermediate planning stages. (No links available)
Visit the (url="http://"http://www.ambrosiasw.com/cgi-bin/ubb/forumdisplay.cgi?action=topics&number;=20&SUBMIT;=Go")Chronicles(/url) today! Be sure to read the short story ' (url="http://"http://www.ambrosiasw.com/cgi-bin/ubb/newsdisplay.cgi?action=topics &number;=20&forum;=*EV/EVO+chronicles&DaysPrune;=100&article;=000262&startpoint;=")Fiery Descent(/url)'!
(url="http://"http://forums.tildesoft.com")Oblivion:(/url) An upcoming TC for EV:N

Screenshots now available at (url="http://"http://evnew.8m.com")http://evnew.8m.com(/url) .

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C:dos
C:dosrun
rundosrun

Most excellent. I see you adopted a Mission Computer-like resource picker. My only problem is that it seems that the minimum resolution is 10241280, that mission editor doesn't look like it would fit on an 800600.

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Eat blazing electric death!

Quote

Originally posted by SpacePirate:
**Most excellent. I see you adopted a Mission Computer-like resource picker. My only problem is that it seems that the minimum resolution is 10241280, that mission editor doesn't look like it would fit on an 800600.

**

Well, do note that you cant play EVN on a pc (without kludgy workarounds) without 1024x768 or better resolution. It looks like you could put some of the fields alot closer together on the mission editor that spacepirate mentioned, so that it could definately fit on 1024x768. Personally, i run 1600x1200 or 1200x1024, so i dont notice things that wouldnt work on smaller resolutions.
-Az

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Really wish i still had my old Mac. FINALLY! Good job, and i hope the beta testing goes smoothly. I will definately be interested for 2nd round or release!

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Seth Hrabovsky
Good Ship Names:
Intimidator, Defiant, Excelsior, Valiant

Beta 1.0 released to first round of testers. Anyone who meets the requirements can still join in, though. I've decided that after the first round of testers who have a Mac, I'll make the second round a public beta.

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C:dos
C:dosrun
rundosrun

Yay!
I've had 40 megs of files on my computer just waiting around for an editor for a few months now. You have just made my day.

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"Only those who attempt the absurd...will achieve the impossible."
--M.C. Escher
(url="http://"http://www.evula.org/artanis")www.evula.org/artanis(/url)

YAY! my months of prayer were not in vain

I applied as well, i am pritty sure i meet requirments, i hope i get accepted, it will make my day

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(url="http://"http://forums.tildesoft.com")Oblivion:(/url) An upcoming TC for EV:N
I am also known as Demon1s and Reo

It looks pretty good from what I can see in the screenshots. Are you planning to have a mechanism to look up ID numbers for entry into the resource fields?

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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)
The people united can never be ignited!

Quote

Originally posted by David Arthur:
**It looks pretty good from what I can see in the screenshots. Are you planning to have a mechanism to look up ID numbers for entry into the resource fields?

**

What exactly do you mean by that? Do you mean a mechanism that automatically tells you something like, "The associated shan of this ship will have ID xxx"?

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C:dos
C:dosrun
rundosrun

Quote

Originally posted by Aprosenf:
*** You have a Mac AND a PC.
**

Do they both need to work?

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Yet another meaningless post
<(url="http://"http://www.evula.com")E(/url)(url="http://"http://www.evula.net")V(/url)(url="http://"http://www.evula.org")ula link(/url)>

nope, the mac is just for looking at.

sounds like a really cool editor. good luck!

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(url="http://"http://www.adventuredog.net")Adventure Dog(/url): Everyone's favorite little black and white dog.
In a fight for peace, you must fight for equality, not revenge.
"I am against evolution being taught in schools. I am also against widespread literacy and the refrigeration of food." - The Onion

Quote

Originally posted by Aprosenf:
What exactly do you mean by that? Do you mean a mechanism that automatically tells you something like, "The associated shan of this ship will have ID xxx"?

I was referring to the fields within some resources where you enter the ID of another resource - the ships referred to by a dude, the descs for a misn, and so on. As far as I can tell from your screenshots, it looks like the user has to type in the ID number manually; I'd suggest something like my Resource Selector, where you click a button and choose from a list of resources of the appropriate type.

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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)
The people united can never be ignited!

How's things coming? (very anxious!)

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Seth Hrabovsky
Good Ship Names:
Intimidator, Defiant, Excelsior, Valiant

Pretty good so far. I've fixed a number of minor bugs, and I'm working on revamping the interface. Beta 3 should be released soon.

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C:dos
C:dosrun
rundosrun