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Hello there! I was just wondering how you experts make plugins Please explain it to me (from you got the idea to the plugin was finished).
This is how I do it (but I'm a newb, in other words; I think I do it wrong!):
1: I got the idea about making a plugin with a little bot called the "seekerbot" . 2: I modelled the "seekerbot" in Strata 3d (I'm not very good at using strata, though). 3: I'm trying to make a plugin, but I just don't manage the weap resource (!!!!).
Well that's how I do it, but I'd like to know how you do it. And one more thing resEdit keeps crashing (I've allocated over 40 mb of ram to it, too!). I have no idea why, do you?
Plz tell me.
------------------
"To play ev nova or not to play ev nova, that is the question" - Shakespear
(This message has been edited by HomeWear (edited 11-29-2002).)
I'm no expert but I think that to make a plugin you do exactly what you're doing. Get an idea and slowly and methodically put it together: Build it. I just suggest to take it slow. And mostly have fun. Everything I have put together is by trial and error. I see what works and what doesn't and learn a whole lot in the process. I would suggest that there is no one way to make a plug. If there was, you'd probably see alot of the same stuff going on. Think about it and don't just throw it together.
------------------ (url="http://"http://www.polytone.net/new_axiom")nova: the new axiom(/url) (url="http://"http://www.polytone.net")polytone.net: exploring a new era in music(/url)
resEdit is fairly unstable so it crashes alot there isnt much you can do about it. Go to the Add-ons page and downloads some guides and they will have you making plug-ins in no time.
------------------ Why not? | (url="http://"http://www.evula.com")EVula.com(/url) | (url="http://"http://www.AmbrosiaSW.com/cgi-bin/ubb/search.cgi?action=intro&default;=26")The Search Function(/url) | (url="http://"http://www.evula.org/soysauce/FFF.txt") FFF (/url) | (url="http://"http://modernhumorist.com/mh/0101/rings/")Good Lord of the Rings(/url) Momentum Team: Freelancer and Official Tester The Ancients: There coming and nothing can stop them The Nova Expansion: coming soon
While making my Star Trek TC and Evn: Invasion, I just shut down my computer and take a piece of paper. I start writing my ideas, etc.... down. Then I take my printed copy of the nova bible and try to start translating my ideas into nova. There are always things you don't understand, I write down the things (in your case in the wëap resource) I CAN do down. Also highlight the things you don't understand. Now you fire up your mac. Try opening some plugs that use the wëap resource or the nova data files. Now comes trial and error; if you did the paper work, you'll have sevral things you no longer need to worry about. This makes it easyer to focus on the hard parts. Start by filling in the fields you do know. When thats done take an existing wëap resource and copy the stats to fill in the fields you don't understand.Then test , edit, test, edit,......... Remember that you also need an oüft resource, etc...( try to figure that part out form existing plugs) for a weapon to work. You repeat the steps for the other resources. I know it takes some time , but It will save you some worries, and frustration.
Remember : Never give up ! , you'll get the hang of it soon, its not that hard, just keep trying
If you keep trying, and finish the plug , I'm going to play it and perhaps give you some more tips.
Entarus,
------------------ (url="http://"http://www.apple.com")iMac, Therefore, I am(/url) (url="http://"http://www.ariossoftware.com/upcoming/")EVONE 1.0.0, the plugin editor for EV/EVO/EVN(/url) (url="http://"http://www.AmbrosiaSW.com/webboard/Forum26/HTML/007795.html")Star Trek : Frontiers ( An EVN Tc)(/url) Somewhere out there life is bound to exist...
(This message has been edited by Entarus (edited 11-29-2002).)
Quote
Originally posted by HomeWear: **Hello there! I was just wondering how you experts make plugins Please explain it to me (from you got the idea to the plugin was finished).
**
It may be my imagination, but I seem to remember a thread a while back about ResEdit being unstable under OS-X. This may be the problem here. On a 8.x system it is dead stable. Probably stable under 9 or classic, too.
------------------ "I know the stranger's name." Turandot
Mmm, on OSX, Classic starts up whenever I use ResEdit (OS 9.2) and it's been pretty stable (the occasional crash). I just save every time I edit a resource. It's not like you can undo to easily anyway.
As for making a weapon plug... I'd say look over the weap section of the bible. Then make sure you've got the Nova Tools installed as your preferences. Then check out the other weap resources in the Nova Files to get an idea of how resources should look when they're finished. Just make sure you don't save over the original files. Make a backup if you need to. Start out by thinking about the details of your plug. Like these guys said, do some brainstorming and write down your ideas. Then go back to that bible and figure out how to translate your ideas to each variable. Then it's off to ResEdit and a fresh resource with a brand new template. Tedious? Yes. Repetative? Yes. Do you learn? Hell, yeah. Might I also suggest just messing with simple variables to start. Make a copy of a resource and stick it in a new plug. Then make some little adjustments to that resource and test it out in Nova to see how your changes affect the game. As they said before, it's all trial and error and some lucky guesses. JUST MAKE SURE YOU DON'T EDIT THE ORIGINAL RESOURCE FILES.
------------------ I used to jog but the ice kept falling out of my glass.
Thanks guys! I'll try to figure out how to use that **** weap resource
hehe. I'll let you know when it's finished (the plug).
DJ HomeWear (yes, that's me!)
Originally posted by HomeWear: **Thanks guys! I'll try to figure out how to use that **** weap resource
Yea, get novatools for resedit. It makes editing weap resources really easily. The best way to make a plug is to erase the resources from an existing plug, and starting from there. That way you don't have to change the file type and stuff. Having a printed copy of the nova bible next to you, while it's long, is infinitely helpful, and easier to use because you don't have to go searching through windows and windows to find the page you want.
At least you've modeled the weapon graphics. That's the first step. Then you get a blank plug (through whatever means), and create new resources for weäp and oütf. After you create your weapon in the weap resource, you have to create a corresponding outfit in the outf resource or else (all versions of) EV will go a little wonky. Specifically, when you go into the outfitters, EV doesn't have any outfit for your weapon, and then erases it from your ship. This means, of course, that if you want to keep your cool new weapon, you can never go to the outfitter. Oh, and when you create the weapon and outfit, make sure that they're on unused resource IDs, unless you want your new weapon to override an existing weapon.
And another thing. Just as this forum was designed for users to get help from others, it's also generally understood that when someone asks for help, they want help from experienced (or at least from someone who knows an answer) users. This (luckily) isn't a general EV nova board. Very few people who don't make plugs visit it (and if they do, it's usually "can someone make me..."), so you can safely assume that there's going to be someone here who can help you. It's much better to title your topic something more specific like "I need help with the weap resource," or "Need help with making weapons." Luckily for you, the weap resource is one of the first resources that people learn how to use, so almost anyone will be able to help you with that.
And one last thing, Homewear, please change your signature. Shakespeare wrote (as everyone knows) "To be, or not to be, that is the question" (Hamlet, III, 1, 55). If you want to change the quote to be yours, then don't cite it to Shakespeare. Otherwise people who happen to like Shakespeare (like me), while they get the joke, might feel a bit upset that you're citing a quote to someone who didn't say/write it. It would be better to leave off the "Shakespeare" from the end.
Matrix
------------------ "Nothing is fool-proof to a sufficiently talented fool."
Well, the hole point is that Shakespear didn't write it. But that doesn't mean that he couldn't have wrote it. I'm absolutely sure that if Shakespear had tried Ev Nova, he would have wrote it
I do use NovaTools, but I still don't get how to use the weap resource. I'm completely aware of that I may be extremely stupid 'cos I don't get it, so don't tell me that. Instead, tell me how to use the weap resource.
What is the weap resource? Is it in the outfitter or is it a resource that makes Nova list for example "seekerbot bay = 5" in the secondary weapon field?
Originally posted by HomeWear: Well, the hole point is that Shakespear didn't write it. But that doesn't mean that he couldn't have wrote it. I'm absolutely sure that if Shakespear had tried Ev Nova, he would have wrote it
Why would Shakespeare have written it? It was Hamlet's soliloquy about whether he wants to die or not.
This is how I make a good plug-in which I have made a few of. #1. Sit down for a while or sthink of a possible idea gather info from other people what they think of it put in there comments or advice, mix it together and ya got a good idea. #2. Make some outfits, a plug-in is nothin without outfits or weapons in my opinoin. #3. Spend time on descritions for Ships and Outfits. #4. Make sure your 3D renders are top notch it makes a good impression.(although I sadly cannot do 3D). thats all I have to say on the matter. If you wanted technical help with resEdit just e-mail me at jamothetitan@hot-shot.com I can help with weäp, outf, dësc, and some ship.
------------------ Altough PC's are the most popular comp in the world. My outlook on this is that it can be imagined that PC's will one day be uterlly anihhilated,terminated, abliterated, flamed, or simply Liqufied!
Ah! Finally! Now I know how the weap resource works! But how does the ship resource work? Hehe
Originally posted by HomeWear: **Ah! Finally! Now I know how the weap resource works! But how does the ship resource work? Hehe
No offense, but I feel like we're spoon-feeding you here. I'll help you again, but you're going to have to do some learning for yourself. The ship resource, put simply, controls almost all of a ship's attributes. It controls how fast is goes, how fast it accelerates, how much shields (and how fast they recharge), how much armor, how much cargo space, how much weapon space, how many weapons it can carry (max turrets, and max guns), and what those weapons are. It also controls things like the ship's mass, the ship's crew, the length, and what AI to use (weak trader, strong trader, warship, interceptor). There are more specific things like what government it belongs to, what bit is needed to activate it, and specific AI behaviors (how it uses its cloaking device, if it does "stand off" attacks, etc). Again, I suggest reading the EV Nova (or whatever version of EV you might be using) bible, and experiment (but don't inhale) with the resources. This is the absolute best way of learning. Pretty much all of us learned this way (I did way back on EV 1.0.0), and we turned out pretty well. If you're going to be a developer, you're going to have to do your own work, not just lean on us all the way. I'll keep complaining if you keep asking extremely general questions about the easier/obvious resources (weap, outf, ship, desc, pers, govt, spob, and syst). These you should either be able to figure out on your own (using the EV/O/N bible, and your own experimentation). If you have specifics, I won't mind. If you have general questions about less obvious resources (oops, nebu, cron, etc), it's understandable, but all this free-loading on the easy ones is getting a bit annoying.
thnx
Originally posted by HomeWear: **thnx
Sorry, I don't speak AIM. Come again?
------------------ I'm pr(url="http://"http://www.zombo.com")E(/url)sid(url="http://"http://www.zombo.com")E(/url)nt of the Unit(url="http://"http://www.zombo.com")E(/url)d States and I r(url="http://"http://www.zombo.com")E(/url)fus(url="http://"http://www.zombo.com")E(/url) to (url="http://"http://www.zombo.com")E(/url)at broccoli! - G(url="http://"http://www.zombo.com")E(/url)orge H. W. Bush Lif(url="http://"http://www.zombo.com")E(/url) is short. (url="http://"http://www.zombo.com")E(/url)at d(url="http://"http://www.zombo.com")E(/url)ss(url="http://"http://www.zombo.com")E(/url)rt first. Moo.
Originally posted by froggy: **Sorry, I don't speak AIM. Come again?
What? AIM????!?!?! What the **** is that!?
And by the way thnx means "thank you" if you didn't know
Originally posted by HomeWear: **What? AIM????!?!?! What the **** is that!?
AOL-Instant-Messager-speak is things like thnx, u, r, ur, (I think you get the point). It's not that hard typing "thank you" or "thanks." Easier than searchin for the "x" key, in my opinion.