PC Vapor Trail

I recall that awhile ago there was talk of a beta test for a pc plug editor. i think the guy was named giess or guess or giess or something similar. i emailed him as did a bunch of ppl from the this board, but then i heard nothing from him. he had that whole petition think going on for .rez data, but then he dropped off the radar. at least my radar. any news? any of you working on the beta or know whats going on? is it just to be vaporware?

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you are important and deserve respect

I thought that editor was determined to be a hoax...

Really, though... I'm not sure how great a PC plug-in editor would really be, unless it also had all of the NovaTools utilities built in. Things like ConText/Restore, MishMash, and EnRLE/DeRLE. Emulating a Mac with BII lets you run ResEdit + the NovaTools templates, which is really good enough as far as editors go. Sure, EVONE or Mission Computer for the PC would be nice, but not as needed as the utilities that only run on a PowerMac.

For that reason, I just bought a 7300/200 off of Ebay for $15.50, and I'd suggest anyone who really wants to make more than simple plug-ins do the same.

Just my $.02.

Peace,
Luck

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Hmm, I never heard anythign about it being a hoax, and if it was a hoax, he sure talked a good talk. He had this whole page-and-a-half long email he sent to the beta people, well written, discussing what he had done, etc. He may well still be around and working on it - or if he is a college student, he may be busy with work - i find that work during college takes up much of one's free time- so work might have slowed or stopped on it.

Last post by him looks to have been just over two weeks ago (august 27th)
-Az

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(This message has been edited by Azratax2 (edited 09-12-2003).)

Hey guys. Suppose its time for an update. 🙂
Yes, I did drop off the radar for a few weeks. I started working on the editor in late summer with the knowledge that I was going to be starting classes again this fall. I already had planned to have enough time to still work on my personal projects. Unfortunately, I have to work to eat also, just like everyone else(if you don't yet, live up being at home as long as you can!)
I got slammed with a new project from work shortly after I made the beta-testers announcment, so some of my extra time is temporarily gone.
As I explained to Azratax in an email I sent him today, I am will likely have something to release to those of you who requested to be beta testers by next Saturday.
I apologize to those who sent me emails that did not get my last response. Right now my list of beta testers is an extra contact group in Outlook Express to make it easier for me to send mass updates. I suspect that in the sudden overwhelming response I received, I may have missed adding some of your names to the list.
If you would like me to add you to the contact group, just email me again this week. If your name is already on the list, then you received my last update as of about 2 weeks ago. If you have never heard anything from me, assume that I got your email but I did not add you to my list, so please send again.
Also, last time someone or a couple of people that I responded to were infected with the SoBig virus and my mailbox got flooded out 3 different times with junk emails sent from infected machines. Please, make sure your systems are clean before you email me. I cannot afford to check my mail tomorrow and find that I didn't receive any mail because my mailbox was full.
Thanks!

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Dawn of Infinity(formerly OpenEV): the open-source multi-player EV (url="http://"http://openevgalaxy.sourceforge.net")http://openevgalaxy.sourceforge.net(/url)

SoBig... Blaster... Is there anyone that realizes that Outlook Express isn't worth the trouble? ... Get Hotmail! Sure, you can't send or receive big files without paying, but at least you become INVINCIBLE against those stupid viruses. (assuming you aren't foolish enough to download attachments that aren't from your friends...) So long as you don't give your e-mail out for any reason, other than to friends, there should never be 1 unwanted piece of mail in your inbox ever.

Yahoo Mail is worst as far as junk mail is concerned, they catch me even when I don't put my e-mail anywhere... sighs.

Anyways, I'm seriously wishing I had a mac for plug-in development, but I can't afford one right now... too many things to buy... not enough money to buy with!

As for the editor, hope you have luck with that! We PC users definately need an editor, even if we only get a temporary editor at first, it's better than no editor (or forking over an additional sum of money just for editing on a seperate computer!)

I wish Mac ROM Images weren't illegal, it would make things much easier... there are windows emulators for linux and mac that are totally free... moneygrubbers!

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Life is a waste of time and time is a waste of life... So get wasted all of the time and have the time of your life!

Woot! Great to hear from you. I had figured there had just been some delays, but i started to get a little worried. I'm looking forward to the beta!
Good luck on work, classes, and of course, the editor
-Az

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Quote

Originally posted by Maniac Angel Raptor:
**SoBig... Blaster... Is there anyone that realizes that Outlook Express isn't worth the trouble? ... Get Hotmail! Sure, you can't send or receive big files without paying, but at least you become INVINCIBLE against those stupid viruses. (assuming you aren't foolish enough to download attachments that aren't from your friends...) So long as you don't give your e-mail out for any reason, other than to friends, there should never be 1 unwanted piece of mail in your inbox ever.
**

Or you could use a Macintosh. 98% of all viruses do not affect Macs.

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"Before you judge someone, walk a mile in their shoes. That way, when you judge them, you're a mile away and you have their shoes." -Eric Drobile
(url="http://"http://www.livejournal.com/~rootski")Rootski's Blog(/url) | (url="http://"http://www.AmbrosiaSW.com/games/evn/addons.html")Free Stuff That's Still Overpriced(/url) | (url="http://"http://www.winternet.com/~mikelr/flame1.html")Webboard Personality Test(/url) | (url="http://"http://www.evula.com")World Domination HQ(/url) | (url="http://"http://www.joecartoon.com")Yield to Immaturity(/url) | (url="http://"http://www.newgrounds.com")Prepare to be Offended!(/url) | (url="http://"http://macaddict.com")A Better Machine, a Better Magazine(/url) | (url="http://"http://www.maximonline.com")Sex, Gear, Sports, Entertainment, More Sex(/url) | (url="http://"http://homepage.mac.com/neonsoldierx/PhotoAlbum3.html")Sephil Saga(/url) | (url="http://"http://www.theonion.com")Because Turnips Suck(/url) | (url="http://"http://homepage.mac.com/neonsoldierx/.Pictures/studmuffin.jpg")Neon's Mug Shot(/url)

Please, this is not the place for a holy war.
Lets keep it on the topic.
-Az

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I've been working on my own editor for Windows, but I'm having a lot of trouble reading in PICTs. So far in the Nova data files, I've encountered 4 different types of encoding, plus compressed QuickTime stuff (which I'm guessing are the racing videos, but I thought those were separate files?). As of now, I can load and display most of the game's PICT resources that have even widths, which is pretty much everything except for the nebulas. I haven't even started at trying to figure out the rle8 or rleD resources.

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C:dos
C:dosrun
rundosrun

Quote

Originally posted by Aprosenf:
I've been working on my own editor for Windows, but I'm having a lot of trouble reading in PICTs. So far in the Nova data files, I've encountered 4 different types of encoding, plus compressed QuickTime stuff (which I'm guessing are the racing videos, but I thought those were separate files?).

The racing movies are separate files - while it is possible to represent movies as resources, it's generally more trouble than it's worth. It's not impossible, however, for a PICT resource to be compressed in various using QuickTime still image services. Your best bet might be to try using QuickTime as a PICT decoder - I believe that's what Nova for Windows does.

Quote

Originally posted by Aprosenf:
I haven't even started at trying to figure out the rle8 or rleD resources.

(url="http://"http://www.spriteworld.org/")http://www.spriteworld.org/(/url)

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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)
Truth! Justice! Freedom! And A Hard-Boiled Egg!

Quote

Originally posted by Maniac Angel Raptor:
As for the editor, hope you have luck with that! We PC users definately need an editor, even if we only get a temporary editor at first, it's better than no editor (or forking over an additional sum of money just for editing on a seperate computer!)

I wish Mac ROM Images weren't illegal, it would make things much easier... there are windows emulators for linux and mac that are totally free... moneygrubbers!
(/B)

You know... You Pc users are going through EXACTLY what EVER mac Gamer has gone through thier entire life they had nothing but macs... 'When is counterstrike coming out for the Mac?' 'NEVER Buy a real computer stupic mac user!!!' I hate that kind of ****... People who think that PC's are the best (I am prolly gonna get flames for this but I dun care.) are what I call PC drones...' I do not know any facts about anything but my PC is better' Oh well. I think it is time some of you PC users out there who are comming into this game should think of yourselfs as commiong into the light from a long shroud of darkness and misery caused by the numerous and large corrupted PC companies out there... Namly Microsoft. Peace to you all... No offence to anyone in particular... And thank you Maniac Raptor Angel for your quote I mean no harm yo you in any way... Just as an example.
Peace out guys and live happy with Macs.

(edit) Sorry for the holy war ramble if it is too annoying I will remove it and say I am very sorry.(/edit)
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-All your Duct Tape are belong to us

(This message has been edited by Pyrobot (edited 09-15-2003).)

Of praise on high be to thy lord Pyrobot, for hath his words made they who dwell in darkness yet of Windows fear His power and His majesty of thought being complex beyond mortal knowledge. Low are thou who, by word of His greatness Pyrobot exist yet in sin under the darkness yet of Windows.
Hark! Arises now a knight, one of temptuous blood once noble of being only of the McIntosh clan but who has fallen into the lord Pyrobot's darkness being yet of Windows. Mightily he stands, made great by power merged from threads of strength twined together from noble blood and darkness yet of Windows.
"Low are thou eyes and low are thy memes that thrive in the minds of men," bellowed forth the Knight.
"Forth from the shadows have I come to make pronouncement against Pyrobot. For I come to vanquish that known wide as vapour where detractors spout incestuous word against my Works, and I am known as the Architect among those of darkness being yet of Windows, who will use my Works to raise themselves easily into equalness of the noble blood of the McIntosh clan." This said the Knight.
And in finality, for from the mind and the mouth of the Knight came words, "And who really gives a damn if pc users don't have an editor yet? Does it really mean you have to waste time spouting the same garbage I myself used to spout, thus making it necessary for me to make an ornate flowery response? For Christ's sake, WHO CARES????"

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Dawn of Infinity(formerly OpenEV): the open-source multi-player EV (url="http://"http://openevgalaxy.sourceforge.net")http://openevgalaxy.sourceforge.net(/url)

Quote

Originally posted by David Arthur:
<snip>

SpriteWorld looks like a pretty good utility, but I have no idea how to use it. I just downloaded the QuickTime SDK for Windows (which looks like it has the QuickDraw stuff with it) and have been reading some of the documentation, but I'm still clueless about how to use QT or SW to load the files. Do you know how to do that? How exactly do the current Mac editors (ResEdit, MC and EVONE) load PICTs, rleD/rle8, and snd resources?

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C:dos
C:dosrun
rundosrun

Quote

Originally posted by Aprosenf:
SpriteWorld looks like a pretty good utility, but I have no idea how to use it.

You don't need to use it, but if you download the package, you'll find it also contains the specifications for the RLE format.

Quote

Originally posted by Aprosenf:
I just downloaded the QuickTime SDK for Windows (which looks like it has the QuickDraw stuff with it) and have been reading some of the documentation, but I'm still clueless about how to use QT or SW to load the files. Do you know how to do that? How exactly do the current Mac editors (ResEdit, MC and EVONE) load PICTs, rleD/rle8, and snd resources?

The PICT and snd formats are supported inherently by the Mac OS, so there's nothing special about a Macintosh editor being able to access them - in Windows, you'll probably have to use QuickTime to get an effective solution. For RLE, the format is fairly simple to get your mind around once you get the specifications from SpriteWorld.

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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)
Truth! Justice! Freedom! And A Hard-Boiled Egg!

I don't know whether anyone has considered writing a generic ResEdit-type program for Windows... I would be quite happy if I just knew how a PC plug-in was encoded. I have to say, I ran EV Override on my old Mac and created my plugs with ResEdit. Anyone know where to get the source code from the Mac-to-PC plugin converter?

Unfortunately, I was unable to access Dr. Ralph's webpage...

Update:
expect the beta by Saturday. Its a week later than I said last week. Sorry 🙂

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Dawn of Infinity(formerly OpenEV): the open-source multi-player EV (url="http://"http://openevgalaxy.sourceforge.net")http://openevgalaxy.sourceforge.net(/url)

Looking forward to it!
-Az

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This is why Ambrosia doesn't give release dates.

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C:dos
C:dosrun
rundosrun