Aces High Bulletin Board

General Forums => Terrain Editor => Topic started by: F1Bomber on February 07, 2004, 12:00:23 AM

Title: BMP Image to field placement.
Post by: F1Bomber on February 07, 2004, 12:00:23 AM: Okay today i am going to try this out let you know how i go here is the objective of the program.

Input a 256 color bmp image 512x512.

You define the color of zones and also countrys.

So lets say you want to place the following countrys.
Bishops
Rooks
Knights

Each country has 3 zones.

So that a tottal of about 9 colors per country that you need to define.

You go into aces high and build up your field groups. After you have done that just save the group.

Define it in the program as the.
Medium field = group one
Small Field = group two
Large field = Group three.

And also per country so lets say you have.

Country 1.
Medium Field = group one.
Small Field = group two.
Large field = group three.

Country 2.
ect repeat above.

After building a ma map i do not want to repeat the same placement of fields all over again and again. Instead i am going to build this program so that people like yourself who have no understand how to use the terrian editor can simply use the program i created to place the fields automaticaly.

This reduce a large percentage of time killer in the terrian editor. This reduces the following things you need to do in a MA map.

1. Place manual GV locations.
2. Place Resupply System.
3. Work On heightmap.

Allready i have created a program to autoevel fields base on the elv file data. This program also sets all objects to 30K so that when building your heightmap you can get a visual idea were everthing is located. This means that you can build lovely sloping terrian that is more aimed at gv war than using the terrian editor to do this task.

Though this will only place fields, its up to you as the terrian maker to re-place towns, place country strat system inplace, place the country resupply system, place the gv spawn locations. The reason why gv spawn locations need to be added manual is because of the nature of how and why and were you want them. Editing a bmp map to show the spawn points is pretty hard. Then its the issue with aleignment.

But i will let you know how i go.

F6Bomber.
Title: BMP Image to field placement.
Post by: straffo on September 29, 2004, 07:14:18 AM: did you completed this project ?
Title: BMP Image to field placement.
Post by: B17Skull12 on September 29, 2004, 03:38:15 PM: WOW, now this would be useful :)
Title: BMP Image to field placement.
Post by: F1Bomber on September 30, 2004, 06:16:26 AM: Yes i completed it and it been finished a long time ago.

I was going to design a 3D terrian editor for aces high, but the only problem is that time/money.

But yes the project was finished a long time ago, i can dig up the files if you would like.
Title: BMP Image to field placement.
Post by: F1Bomber on September 30, 2004, 06:20:07 AM: The program came with alot of function ality.

Auto Level.
Auto Hightmap.
Auto field placement.

Just to name acouple.

The only problem now is, i havent looked at the new data format that hitech uses for his maps and files. Unless he can give me some insight on how it works right now so i may change the code if it has changed.

Chad Lion.
clion@bigpond.com
Title: BMP Image to field placement.
Post by: straffo on September 30, 2004, 08:07:00 AM: Quote
Originally posted by F1Bomber
Yes i completed it and it been finished a long time ago.

I was going to design a 3D terrian editor for aces high, but the only problem is that time/money.

But yes the project was finished a long time ago, i can dig up the files if you would like.

Yep :)
Otherwise I would have to make it myself ... and as I'm quite a lazy bastard the 1st release will be in spring 2016 :D
Title: BMP Image to field placement.
Post by: F1Bomber on September 30, 2004, 09:57:20 AM: http://www.bushtech.com.au/chads/work.zip

All there, documentation is on the files in some parts.

I am working on other projects at the moment, and i have little time to develop it anymore. i dont play aces high 2 anymore. But i may reconsider working on this or updating it for ah2 for a months subscription to ah2.

Chad Lion.
Title: BMP Image to field placement.
Post by: F1Bomber on October 01, 2004, 08:07:10 AM: Considering there hasnt been a reply yet.

Your either completly lost, or have no idea were to start. Or havent downloaded it yet?
Title: BMP Image to field placement.
Post by: straffo on October 01, 2004, 08:25:22 AM: I'm lost :D

(plus your indenting suck :p)

Seriously I'm trying to find an friendly IDE ... next I'll have to learn the basic of Java (should not be difficult afterall I'm a c++ dev. )

I'm also trying to figure how the Gif to field work.

From what I've understood :
You set on colour for each item (ie : red for small field, green for Vfield etc ...)

like that :
(http://www.onpoi.net/ah/pics/users/33_1096636966_image1.gif)

But was is the purpose of the fields I've maked with a "?" ?
Can you also set a filter for open file dialog ,I've no clue of the kind of file I should use ...
Title: BMP Image to field placement.
Post by: straffo on October 01, 2004, 09:03:46 AM: feked dependancies ...

how do I say to netbean what path it should browse to find a complied class ?

I compiled BMPLoader.java (I did fight a bit to "mount" the Jar file ...)
So I've in my work directory a superb (and brand new) BMPloader.class (the equivalent of an .o if I'm not mistaken ?)
Now I stuck here :

Work/loadbitmap.java [38:1] cannot resolve symbol
symbol : class BMPLoader
location: class loadbitmap
BMPLoader loader;
^
1 error
Errors compiling loadbitmap.
Title: BMP Image to field placement.
Post by: F1Bomber on October 01, 2004, 11:07:25 PM: dont know if i actualy used the bml loader anymore, try to indent it out and try.

Just another note, I was not originaly going to release it. So please keep your programing sytles to yourself. Remember that development of software is not cheap nor is it free.

I will have a look at my files. brb.
Title: BMP Image to field placement.
Post by: F1Bomber on October 01, 2004, 11:29:50 PM: In the old days with the terriean editor you could save group of objects. I used this function to save a group of a small field, vh field, and other strat targets ects..

Simply select group you wanted to save and click export to a file.

The gif to field placement was originaly designed with a Moduler design approach and treating each field as an object.

Each instance of a field would have a loader that would load the raw txt file into its dataset. So this was done for the groups, eg.. Large Field, small field, and also medium field. When the colors were placed on the gif image, the program would offset the raw data to the new location and spit out the corret placement and also zone area.

This meant, that i could keep 4 objects in memory after reading the raw txt file. Then just offset them and spit out the correct placement of the fields on the map. All the user had to do was select the groups that he had saved and just assign them to the color on the gif image.

My memory is abit ruth at this stage, i havent looked over the code yet. There is bound to be logic bombs in it because i designed this during my learning java at Univercity for my computer science degree.

If you have a look at some of the dates on the files for example.
Created on 25 January 2004, 16:03

I finished the project this year about the start of the year, but i havent really worked on it since.

Mainly because of 2 main issues. Hitech upgraded aces high to ah2 and i talked to hitech that now he considered fields as a entity instead of multi objects.

My original plan with the design of the system was not to stop at its current state. But was to design a whole 3D world, that map makers could use all these functions and more, to creat worlds. With everthing that you would need in a map building application. I talked to skuzzy about it, but I decided to leave it alone until aces high 2 came on the sceen and i could get more information off hitech how his new engine worked before starting the project.

I have about 3 documents that describe the design and implimentation of the new terriean editor. Going from raw data types to the full terriean editor. These were suppost to be submited to hitech near the complettion of this project so that i could get the all clear from him to design this for the map making community free of charge.

Through things change, I got less intrested in aces high 2. And the truth of the matter is, that i and another member that will go un-named submited 2 maps but no word of them since. But this was during the last 6 months of aces high. So pretty much i have focused my attentions in other areas.

You may not like some of my indexing in the application i did creat, through I was not neccearly creating the application so people could look at it. It was mainly a proof of concept on my part to see if i could achieve what i wanted to using my programing skills for univercity.

Your most welcome to ask any question, i will try to answere them the best way i can.
Title: BMP Image to field placement.
Post by: straffo on October 02, 2004, 07:28:50 AM: Quote
Originally posted by F1Bomber
Just another note, I was not originaly going to release it. So please keep your programing sytles to yourself. Remember that development of software is not cheap nor is it free.

I know I'm a software developer since too long (1993 I think ...) I was just yanking your chain :p

If you look at the news you will see there is an expected modification of the TE coming ...

I wanted a tool to make terrain builing more RAD like and make just the prototype of the terrain.
After spending last night and some hours today on the TE I find it counter intuitive and really uneasy to use.

My choice would be to rebuild from scratch a new TE but I've neither the time nor the time or to give up... so give up.

Concerning skills after looking at your code you're IMO doing right ,your code just show a lack of experience but it's not unexpected concidering your still student.
I've seen far worst code made by "senior" developer :)
Title: BMP Image to field placement.
Post by: reacher15 on February 05, 2006, 10:20:26 PM: this is an awsome tool...it made placing fields and zones so easy! you need to see this gem at work. i spoke to Bomber about it but he has lost interest.

here is how it worked..this is the BMP file to set the zones and place the bases

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v738/reacher10/map.gif)

here is the result

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v738/reacher10/ahss47.jpg)

it took placing fields from mind numbing tedium to an actual working solution.

if someone can make this tool we will have alot more map makers and more MA maps
Title: BMP Image to field placement.
Post by: Waffle on February 06, 2006, 12:33:48 AM: It took you 2 years to figure out how to use it and make that map?
Title: BMP Image to field placement.
Post by: reacher15 on February 06, 2006, 08:03:47 PM: no waffle...i was one of the first to use it...Fbomber and I were working at the same time on developing MA's....lol...i figured out more crap just by reading then most people will ever figure out in their life times. i use professional graphics and 3d modeling programs for a living...do a quick search and see how many questions i have asked.

I don't have the program anymore...i was lucky enough to find an old hard drive that had some AHI stuff on it but i couldn't find that program...do you still have it...does it still work with AHII?

you know this post was created awhile ago...i dug it up to bring it back to light. if you look carfully you see that screen shot is from AHI and i took it yesterday.

I'm just trying to help map making at least as easy as rocket science....and take it out of the realm of a life time study.

there is one post in here where someone roughly figured out how many mouse clicks it takes to do something and it bordered on the same number of gaxacies in the universe.

so lets try and perpetuate the map making process with our posts.

perhaps i should put up another post along with the other 5000 posts..."help...how do i make a map"...or..."can someone make me a map"...or "Hitech...we need more maps"

i was fooling around recently and made this map so my Squadies and I could let off a little steam.

try it...you will have a blast...here is a hint...go to the big round island, go to A2 and grab an m8. drive to the edge of the field and then take it out of gear.

http://www.savefile.com/files/7123380

Have fun
Title: BMP Image to field placement.
Post by: Waffle on February 06, 2006, 10:44:46 PM: lol - I was just making a comment about the date gap, and the fact that you'd just posted the pics with it... :D struck me as funny as if you'd just completed it..lol
Title: BMP Image to field placement.
Post by: F1Bomber on February 13, 2006, 10:45:08 PM: With age come maturity thats for sure.

Im suprised and shocked at my inital reaction to straffo about hes comments about the java program i created awhile back. If staffo is still out there i would like to appolgies about my inital reply to his comments. You were only trying to help and i notice that now.

If there is still intrest in the Autofield placer i can set aside some time and build a win32 application to do it instead of java. Seeing that I've moved over from java to C++ programing.

Found myself getting into 3D engine design and development, so initaly reworking hitech world's and data types did help me get started.

I think my original goals was to develop a 3D terriean editor with brushes that would enable you to dynamicaly create terriean inside the editor. But my expereince of developing a full 3D package at that time in java was behond me.
Title: BMP Image to field placement.
Post by: Mustaine on February 14, 2006, 10:19:43 AM: Quote
Originally posted by F1Bomber
I think my original goals was to develop a 3D terriean editor with brushes that would enable you to dynamicaly create terriean inside the editor. But my expereince of developing a full 3D package at that time in java was behond me.
reading this thread....

if you are talking about something like how you make "maps" in civilization games, that would be F****** SWEET!

i can't believe how many times i have tried the editer, and came in here, only to be completely befuddled by everything.

stuff like this:
Quote
feked dependancies ...

how do I say to netbean what path it should browse to find a complied class ?

I compiled BMPLoader.java (I did fight a bit to "mount" the Jar file ...)
So I've in my work directory a superb (and brand new) BMPloader.class (the equivalent of an .o if I'm not mistaken ?)
Now I stuck here :
you might as well be speaking klingon or some ****

i have some great ideas for maps, but no way to construct them. i even spent a good month working almost every night to make an elevation for a map and failed miserably every time. i gave up then.

~~good luck and here's to hoping you will still work on tools like this. i will keep an eye on the forum ;) :aok~~
Title: BMP Image to field placement.
Post by: reacher15 on February 19, 2006, 11:27:18 AM: Yes Chad...we need this program!!!!!!!!!!!
Title: BMP Image to field placement.
Post by: straffo on July 11, 2006, 03:44:04 PM: Quote
Originally posted by F1Bomber
With age come maturity thats for sure.

Im suprised and shocked at my inital reaction to straffo about hes comments about the java program i created awhile back. If staffo is still out there i would like to appolgies about my inital reply to his comments. You were only trying to help and i notice that now.

np mate we all started one day ... it was 68K assembly for me you can't imagin how crap and slow was my code at this time ! :cry

I'm stil here and looking again at making a terrain ...

Can you put again your work online ? (I'm still laaaaazzy )

Quote
If there is still intrest in the Autofield placer i can set aside some time and build a win32 application to do it instead of java. Seeing that I've moved over from java to C++ programing.

Found myself getting into 3D engine design and development, so initaly reworking hitech world's and data types did help me get started.

I think my original goals was to develop a 3D terriean editor with brushes that would enable you to dynamicaly create terriean inside the editor. But my expereince of developing a full 3D package at that time in java was behond me. [/B]

hmm ... is it like my : UltimateProgramThatWillMakeMe RichLikeBillGates ?
Codename : UncompletedProgram #n :D
Title: BMP Image to field placement.
Post by: Skuzzy on July 12, 2006, 11:58:35 AM: OT warning

68K code? I started with Z80, then migrated to 68K. I loved coding for both. The assembly was so easy to debug and an easy language to work with.

Had to love the number of flexible registers in the 68K.
Title: BMP Image to field placement.
Post by: straffo on July 12, 2006, 02:58:55 PM: I made a bit of Z80 code on Amstrad in the 80 but it was hobby nothing more.

When woking with Assembly you need to make really "pure" code, not as bloated by UI and user desiderata... so was the old time :!)
Title: BMP Image to field placement.
Post by: Skuzzy on July 12, 2006, 03:27:20 PM: Heck, I thought it was much easier to do user interfaces in assembly as opposed to C.
Title: BMP Image to field placement.
Post by: straffo on July 12, 2006, 03:52:03 PM: C but using what kind of library ?

When I started windows programming with CSet and my Petzold I almost killed myself plus Win3.0 was crashing so much for the slightest error it was a real nightmare
The project was a complete failure , the user prefered the DOS UI to the new Windows UI :D
Title: BMP Image to field placement.
Post by: Skuzzy on July 12, 2006, 04:17:53 PM: Ohhhh,...I never did assembly in Windows. I would not touch Intel assembly with a ten foot pole.

I never saw a Windows version for non-Intel CPU's.

I wrote my own UI library for the 68K and had one for the Z80. The 68K library went from TRSDOS (Tandy's OS) to UNIX. It had context switching, file association (open the file to start the app which created it), built-in email (contained user lists, group lists), cut, copy, paste, alarm clocks, and a slew of other details.
Title: BMP Image to field placement.
Post by: straffo on July 12, 2006, 04:32:52 PM: Quote
Originally posted by Skuzzy
I would not touch Intel assembly with a ten foot pole.

I still have the scar on my skull and it explain lot of dead area I've in my brain :)

Btw I did some assembly with UI but it was on pSos (or QNX ? I don't really remember) and mostly on Amiga (yet again as a hobby).

Now my job is quite boring, less challenging ,annoying like looking a painting drying,did I say it's boring ?

But hell !,I make almost twice the amount of money ,so it's better for the familly :)
Title: BMP Image to field placement.
Post by: Skuzzy on July 13, 2006, 09:17:29 AM: Well, some good came of it all. When I looked at Intel assembly, I immediately started learning C.

Intel assembly is still the most convoluted language I have ever seen. Just flat out nasty. I think the 68K assembly is/was the best to work with. It's a shame were forced into the Intel world.