Plugin intro tutorial

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This is the beginning tutorial, that is to come before the Bible Explained to Dummies. I wrote it some time ago and mailed it to Space Pirate (thus the HTML that won't quite work here...), but I realised you people may wish to have a look at it, especially since there are allusions to it in the BEtD and other people may wish to put my guides in their website. Indeed, my policy is that just about anyone can take my work, copy it, post it in his website, modify it, ignore it, set it on fire and wipe his ass with it, just as long as I'm credited as the original author (and making people pay for it won't make me happy). The tutorial is to be read after this liminary note that SP has already put there.

Begin by opening your plug editor of choice, and find the open command. But before you open anything, though, it is better to take a precaution: lock all Nova data files. This is usually done by calling Get Info (cmd-i) in MacOS, or the properties in Windows, and checking the right box ("locked" or "read only"). Repeat for every file in the "Nova data" folder, save for Nova Music and the 4 movies. This should be done because some editors automatically make changes and/or save changes, there is really no point in modifying them, and nothing will turn wrong to the point you will have to reinstall the game.

When they are locked, return to the plug editor, and open Nova data 4. You should see a number of things inside the file, labeled by 4-char names, oütf, for instance. Open the oütf one, you should see a list of named things that are called <b>resources</b>, here you have the list of the outfits in the game. <b>oütf</b> (including the dots, though some editors don't show them) is called a resource type, it's a 4-char long code that identifies the kind of resource; Nova uses several of them such as shïp, dësc, etc... Open other resource lists for other resource types to familiarise yourself with the interface of the editor. Notice there is a number associated with each resource, which is its ID (there might be another, its size, ignore it). It identifies the resource in the file, you can't have two resources of the same kind with the same ID in the same file.

Then, open the first oütf resource, that has ID 128, the light blaster. You should have a window with fields and such that shows the characteristics of the outfit (note: this will need to be checked to be sure it's like that with the various editors). You could modify them, but the modifications won't be saved, as the file is locked. No, don't unlock it. Rather, we will create a new file that will hold the modification, and when starting out the game will apply the modification found in the new file. Such a file is a <b>plug-in</b>. This is essential as by doing your modifications in a plug, you will easily revert to the normal scenario, the mod will be easier to distribute, and it's safer overall.

To create a plug-in, tell the plug editor to create a new file. Maybe after asking for a name and where you want it created, the editor should open it. Return to Nova data 4, select oütf ID 128 in the oütf list, and choose copy. Then, go back to the new plugin and choose paste. Make sure the copy in the plug has ID 128. You can then open the light blaster in the plug, and make a small modification. Let's change the mass field to 1 (the mass field should be easy to find, and contains 3); as the Nova Bible says, in the oütf section, this is the mass of the outfit, in tons. Then, close the window, save, and look for your new plug where you saved it on the hard drive. (note: indent somehow here so that people not using ResEdit won't search how long they should skip) If you use ResEdit with or without NovaTools on Mac, it will look like a ResEdit document (actually, it is one), and Nova will not load such a document. Therefore, you need to choose "get info for -plugname-" menu item in the file menu of ResEdit. You should have a window with many things (note: a link to a screenshot would be useful), but we're interested in two things: the type and creator fields. Enter "Npïf" in the type field, and "Növä" in the creator field. Close the window, and confirm to save the changes. Return to the Finder, and make the plug icon refresh somehow (selecting, closing and reopening the window, or waiting for a few seconds, usually work). It should now sport the appearance of a Nova plugin (a black square or puzzle piece with tools on it). If it doesn't, reopen ResEdit's get info of the plug, and check you did enter things well. In order not to have to do this again, make a copy of your plug, strip the copy of its resource, and rename it blank plug, this way when you'll need a new, virgin, plug you'll just have to make a copy of blank plug. (note: end of indent) If you use a PC or another editor, it should be a valid plug rightaway. For everyone, quit now your editor, and move your plug-in to the plug-in folder in the Nova folder. Then run Nova, and with an old pilot or a new one, go to a Federation outfitter. It should display the light blaster with a mass of 1 tons. Clearly an improvement over the original design!

If Nova crashes at some point before you can see that, there is a problem, tell us about it in the EV Developer's Corner, with all the info you can give (platform, editor, when it does crash and <A HREF=http://home.comcast.net/~slagblah/pilotlog.html TARGET=_blank>pilotlog and debuglog</A>). If it simply does not work, i.e. the light blaster still has a mass of 3 tons, quit Nova and double-check everything. Note that the light blaster is not available 100% of the time, so if you don't see any, take off and land on another planet. If it still doesn't show up after 10 tries, quit Nova and double-check everything.

Otherwise, congratulations, you successfully made your first plug-in! Notice the resource in the plug-in overrided (note: overrode? I need to check my irregular verbs...) the resource in the data file with the same ID. This is a general rule: the resources that are found in the plugs add to the ones in the data files, overriding the ones with the same type and the same ID. This allows to add anything you want and modify anything existing while not having to have in your plug anything but what's new or modified.

(note: at this point, I think it would be better to leave the guy do as he wants, with links to: -a page about using the Bible (that I will do, do you know you can efficiently go directly to a section of the Bible by making a search for the resource type, skipping the extraneous results of course?), -annoted templates for each resource type, with a short explanation of each resource type with each link, advising him to check them in the order we prsent them, i.e. outf first and misn last, -actually, anything your guide will contain (links added as content is provided). It's possible to add later on other links should the content come, right?
Therefore, the "getting started" part will consist of two pages, this one and the one I already submitted. Notice it's better to have them on separate pages, that way if someone decides to disregard what the first tells him (and my experience tells me that most will, let's remember they will likely be newbs on the EVDC/EV-Nova.net forums who have asked for a guide to do plugs and have been linked to this place), he will click, so he will really decide it, then he will realise he needs the stuff and will obtain it, he can't blame anyone for not having been warned.)

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You can comment anytime now.

This post has been edited by Zacha Pedro : 21 September 2004 - 11:21 AM

Zacha Pedro, on Sep 21 2004, 04:17 PM, said:

You can comment anytime now.
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Weeeeeeeeeeel, it seems to be just fine, though you may want to seperate the steps into bullets or number them somehow. Trying to follow steps in a big block of text can be difficult.

Yep, seems just fine to me. And what Picquilrius said.

(well, as long as the HTML code used here is correct, but since I'm no HTML expert, can't point out anything)

So what you should now do is post a new topic (or then post it here) asking an opinion on if it works as such in every editor (especially the " shows the characteristics of the outfit (note: this will need to be checked to be sure it's like that with the various editors)." part). That could already help a little.

This post has been edited by Pace (haldora) : 22 September 2004 - 12:09 AM

For the formatting (bullets, paragraphs, etc...), I'm leaving it to web designers who are better at doing such things. I'm no specialist of making good-looking and easy to read text organisation.

One of the ideas behing my guides is: make them not editor-specific. This way, editors may change, newer editors my appear, the editors we know now may be forgotten, etc..., the guides will still be relevant. But indeed for the starting guide, as people know zilch at this point about plug editing, they will wonder every two seconds what to actually do since I have to be vague. After this beginning tutorial, I can go back to being non-specific, since the guy already knows about opening/saving, selecting a resource type and selecting a resource with a certain ID in the editor. I think I'll download EVONE and MC, and make three versions of the starting guide, one for each Mac editor (the ones I can run). Someone will need to do it for EVNEW, since I know zilch about it. This will require me (or someone else, such as his author) to write a new guide should a new editor appear, but this is already less work than rewriting the whole guides. Actually, if anyone is feeling like writing the version for EVONE or MC, he's more than welcome of doing so (I need to concentrate on düde, spöb and s˙st, then the ResEdit w/NT one first).

Okay, just so you know, the internet connection of my school (when I'm connecting my laptop to it) won't let me download anything via ftp (the port is closed, simply put), and I don't have Internet (yet?) where i reside, so I cannot download MC nor EVONE nor the Dark Station plug (that I intend to port to the Nova engine) for now. So I'll just do the intro tutorial for NovaTools, then the uploading guide, before taking a break.

This post has been edited by Zacha Pedro : 29 September 2004 - 10:40 AM

You could go to http://davidarthur.evula.net/mc.php to get an HTTP port download of MC or http://ariossoftware...load.php?prod=1 to get an HTTP download of EVONE.

I'll assume you have SpacePort already... As for Dark Station, I can't really help you there.

~ SP

Tanks a bunch; I'll download them as soon as I bring back my laptop to school (I don't do it every day, more like once a week).

Rewriting this for NovaTools has been quite straightforward, but it took me time to take some screenshots (especially, I had to change my default language to english and relaunch the Finder for the screenshot showing how to lock files to be of any use); I cannot show you my work yet (it's on my iBook that I didn't bring to school today), though.

However, I have a problem with EVONE: when attempting to open a locked file, EVONE tells me it is in use and refuses to open it. I guess that I should rewrite the tutorial to take advantage of the feature of "declaring" the data files, then create a plug, though with all resources (and not just the ones in the plug) shown, make a modification, and change so that only the resources in the plug are shown for the reader to realise what's actually in the plug. But the problems are that:
-first, I'm not really sure of that, and it will be better explained by someone with the habit of EVONE
-second, I want the reader to actually know what he is doing and not obey mindlessly, and it will be quite hard to do with these instructions.
For these reasons, I'm leaving the EVONE intro tutorial to someone who is really wanting to do it.
however, bar for telling me it cannot save its dsďg, Mission Computer has been nice, and the tutorial will be easy to adapt, I'll just have to take more screenshots.
On other news, I also began the uploading/distribution guide.

If you ask me, I've never seen the need to lock the files anyways... Locking files has always annoyed me in the past.

I prefer doing so, especially with ResEdit, which automatically saves changes one may do, and if ResEdit crashes the changes will remain. When doing plugs, one has to peek in the data files (to know which ID matches which weapon, for instance), while having to keep them untouched. And the data files weight around 150 MB, which makes copying them JustInCase™ not very economical.

Plus, when starting out one always make mistakes, and I don't want to be blamed by readers who had to reinstall Nova.

RE: Zacha Pedro's Tutorial

Now is the time to do a complete developer's manual for plugin development with glossy photoshop images, the full selection of tutorials. 200 p. ect.

-Sean Meaney email:s892646@students.cdu.edu.au

These guides are posted here mainly for people to comment on and webdesigners to pick. Though they can be useful in this form to the beginner, they are not ready yet and will be when they will be put in an actual website; SpacePirate has begun doing it, but it's not complete yet (especially since I have not written annotated templates for all resources yet).

As for "glossy photoshop images", maybe, but there won't be screenshots since there are too many different editors to cover, not to mention new ones may appear from now on.

The intro tutorials are now complete (for NT and MC), as is the uploading guide. I need to process the MC screenshots (size, format), but that's not what's holding me back from posting them. It's the fact I still have no home internet connection, and did not think to bring my laptop to school so far (I forget every morning %*^!//_#!). As the weekend comes now, don't expect anything before monday.

By the way, Space Pirate, it's a good thing you put the latest version of the Bible. But sadly you should open it and save it with encoding ISO-8859-1. Why so? Because as it is in MacRoman encoding, all the accents get corrupted if the text file is viewed in a browser (indeed most if not all people have their browser encoding set to ISO, even on Macs).

This post has been edited by Zacha Pedro : 08 October 2004 - 11:11 AM

Zacha Pedro, on Oct 8 2004, 12:06 PM, said:

By the way, Space Pirate, it's a good thing you put the latest version of the Bible. But sadly you should open it and save it with encoding ISO-8859-1. Why so? Because as it is in MacRoman encoding, all the accents get corrupted if the text file is viewed in a browser (indeed most if not all people have their browser encoding set to ISO, even on Macs).
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Heh, you noticed that, eh? I didn't mention anything because I was in the process of doing exactly that, but never quite got around to it.

Now that you remind me, I just uploaded it, in Unicode-16 format. Also, I fixed up the NT bible, and put it in RTF format (changed from simpletext).

~ SP

This post has been edited by SpacePirate : 11 October 2004 - 02:02 PM