Barocca - New utility - SPM for new/amended units

[Wellington]

B,

I've just finished some documentation for a general utility that changes the shield positions for modders who are creating new units.

Unfortunately I can't upload it

May I E-mail it to you and request you upload it to the appropiate downlaod area.

Let me know.

Welly

[barocca]

certainly, email from my private account is on it's way, i think that account has a larger file limit than my hotmail account, well the ISP said it did...
crossing fingers...

[barocca]

uploaded to [url="http://www.mizus.com/Tools/Files/Wellington_SPM_BETA.zip"]Wellingtons SPM Beta version

[komninos]

Thanks ... I needed that I will test it ASAP.

BTW B, did you get my PM?

[Wellington]

Quote[/b] (komninos @ Aug. 16 2003,04:51)]Thanks ... I needed that I will test it ASAP.

BTW B, did you get my PM?
Hi Komninos,

Yes, I got your PM. Unfortunately there is very little I
can do now in terms of LMM and VI. Basically, LMM only supports MTW at present, and I'm waiting to see the results of several peoples investigations into getting a full new campaign running in VI.

Also, as CA are about to release a VI patch I'm also waiting to whether this will "throw a spanner in the works" for anyone modding VI.

Welly

[Wellington]

[QUOTE=Quote (barocca @ Aug. 16 2003,03:36)]uploaded to [url="http://www.totalwar.org/Downloads/Mtw_Uploads/MTWbeta/Wellington_SPM_BETA.zip"]Wellingtons SPM Beta version

[GreasePaintMonkeyBrains]

my anti virus doesent like your utility ....mallecious script http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/wink.gif

Regards
GPMB

[Wellington]

Quote[/b] (GreasePaintMonkeyBrains @ Aug. 17 2003,13:09)]my anti virus doesent like your utility ....mallecious script http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/wink.gif

Regards
GPMB
Hi GPMB,

I presume your using Norton Antivirus - as I unfortunately do.

If so go to this site (search for the topic "Alert: Malicious script detected... (OUCH&#33http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/wink.gif") -

http://home.att.net/~wshvbs/

and read all about it

The problem is that if you run a VB Script that uses any of the File System Object facilities (reading/writing files) Norton kicks off and stops your VB Script from running. If you write your own small VB Script program you'll get exactly the same rubbish.

Yes, its crap ... I know

However, if this annoys you, just think how annoying it is for myself who gets this Norton shite every time I change a program. You've no idea how many times I've hit the wrong button and Norton has then quarentined my program I've almost been tempted to uninstall Norton AntiVirus as a result of this.

But, before you start thinking "Maybe it's good that Norton AntiVirus checks all Scripts, even if it does'nt know what the Script is doing" well ... er ... not quite.

You see, Norton Antivirus only checks the root program. It does'nt check sub-programs that the root program may load and then execute. Therefore -

a) if I want to send you a virus Script I'd do it an a manner that Norton can't detect, as above
b) this makes Norton AntiVirus absolutely f****g hopeless at checking VB Scripts for potential "malicious" intent

Bad You bet it is


Anyway, I can guarentee there is nothing wrong with the program ...

... but I can't say the same about Norton AntiVirus.

Welly

[The Blind King of Bohemia]

Wellington, you really have done a fantastic job, well done

[Wellington]

Quote[/b] (The Blind King of Bohemia @ Aug. 18 2003,17:48)]Wellington, you really have done a fantastic job, well done
Thanks for the kudos but, to be honest, I hav'nt used this little prog in ages. Any probs/questions then reply to this thread, but er ... any questions regarding Norton Antivirus then I'm of the same opinion as Jim (the VB Script guru - check out his his site above) - it's shite, but as it's the only Antivirus I have installed on my PC at present ... then .. er ...

... what else can I say http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/confused.gif

[barocca]

i haven't used this util yet, but i have some neat plans to do so,
i created a unit that carries an item, now i need the unit to only carry that item sometimes because i want to use the bif set for another unit as well,
seeing the unit does not use a shield i am going to try declaring the "item" as shield http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

now if only i could figure out how to make the weapons co-ordinates work as well...
hmmm....i wonder... would this util do that too?

[Wellington]

Quote[/b] (barocca @ Sep. 17 2003,15:12)]i haven't used this util yet, but i have some neat plans to do so,
i created a unit that carries an item, now i need the unit to only carry that item sometimes because i want to use the bif set for another unit as well,
seeing the unit does not use a shield i am going to try declaring the "item" as shield http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

now if only i could figure out how to make the weapons co-ordinates work as well...
hmmm....i wonder... would this util do that too?
Hi B,

I don't quite follow your logic regarding this "item".

Basically, if an item (weapon or shield) is very much a 3-D image (sych as a shield or crossbow) then SPM can be used as it deals with such 3-D objects. In this case your item would be defined, in MTW, as a shield.

If an item is a weapon, really a 2-D object (in MTW terms)like a spear or sword then it it's easier to define it as a weapon - fewer coords to define in the positioning files.

SPM only deals with 3-D items (shields) because its a LOT easier to manipulate such items via a simple prog. Why? Because for shields the actual positions of such items, relative to the figure images in a 12 frame cycle, do NOT have to be 100% pixel perfect. Such shield images effectively cover the hand positions of the figure - thus allowing a bit of leeway in terms of exactl;y where such shields are superimposed on the figure images.

With weapons it's more complicated, simply because (as 2-D objects) they must be positioned exactly within the "hands" of the figure images for all 12 frames.

Some guy at the ME:TW forum has amended SPM to do the same for weapons. I don't know the results but I suspect either Martyr or Duke John may have a coipy of this amended program that assists with weapon positioning.

Check with DJ or Martyr.

Welly

[barocca]

:D
what i need to do is "cut away" an item displayed on a units back, specifically an arrow quiver, and then be able to "add" it to those units i want to have a quiver,
I want to use the bif to make some new units, but those new units will look distinctly odd if they are carrying the quiver.
As such it does not have to be "pixel perfect", so that is indeed good news...

[komninos]

Hi Welly,

I know that you are up to your neck with the MTTM utility so I delayed posting this as much as possible.
Though the SPM is excellent can’t help but think that this is the initial part of a larger program that every one building new units will need. Since the initial production of the SPM many new Unit Builders (graphic wise) have come up with some excellent units but weapons and shield placement is still a more than a hassle. That is why I feel a new SPM-2 is needed with more functionality built in to it. This is how I visualize it and what I hope to get ... if you have time and willingness to do so
It will read as input

1. The BMP files that were used to get the BIF,
2. The Action Points of the unit
3. The Weapons / Shield coordinates
4. The Unit Weapon and shield files.

On the main screen you will get the

1. A selection for the four view angles
2. A selection for the frame number
3. A selection of weapons or shields
4. A rotate field
5. A Flip and Mirror buttons
6. A set of input boxes for the weapon/shield origin what else it will be needed to clearly define the Weapon or shield.

It will produce the files for the Weapon/shield coordinates in a folder /items/ShieldX and /items/WeaponX,Y where X is Weapon/Shield numbers.

As I said ... this is what I would hope for but it gives a good idea of what is needed. Seeing the unit with the shield and weapon (even in a balk rectangle) is great help. I hope I got your interest here ... and don’t get stoned or burned at the stake but a good part of the code is in the SPM already.

Cheers

[flip]

Will be a huge help http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/cheers.gif

[CeltiberoBilbao]

Dominus vobiscum.

All that sounds truly fantastic but... that link works?

I work about shields and weapons and this tool would be a simple (and a BIG) answer to my cray. All those positions and size shield's numbers make me crazy.
I don't know how to set a shield position, and a shield's size... (too much numbers http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/gc-wall.gif for me, and I don't know how work no one http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/confused.gif ).

Another of my great problems is the weapon position (I know something more about this, but...) My boys take their swors using a "mental control" sistem. They don't need touch thier weapons (in the original medieval and viking is usual too, http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif ). A little http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/gc-furious3.gif pixels had the blame.

I have a dream... and if this tool has the solution?

OOOoooOOOoooh
Maybe god listen my cray
http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/tongue.gif http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/wave.gif

[TosaInu]

Content is moved to the final destination: fileservers.
Please try Wellington_SPM_BETA (http://www.mizus.com/Tools/Files/Wellington_SPM_BETA.zip)

More tools can be found here (http://www.mizus.com/Tools/Files/).

[Lord Of Storms]

This has been quiet and the last version has been made avalable on the downlaod page to the repository for this thread...LOS