General Plea for Help

They're still listed in the preferences if I quit and reopen, but they aren't showing up in the resource selector. Additionally, if I have more than one file in the folders 'Nova Data' and/or 'Plugins', only the first file is listed in the selector, and I can't add any additional files to the lists and have them show up.

This post has been edited by fir992 : 06 September 2010 - 01:46 PM

QUOTE (fir992 @ Sep 6 2010, 10:26 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

True, but if i wait until I have all of the resources in the first file, it'll be HUGE (~90 MB), and I don't want it to get damaged before I get to split it...

Not what I meant. I meant split it now and split it again if you exceed 14MB again. If it looks like you'll need more space, make a new plug-in. Like David said, never wait to split your data between multiple plug-ins. Doing so risks data loss and could set your project back by a lot if something goes wrong.

Yeah, I split the file anyway, by removing things that are just linked by a single number, so things like rlëDs and larger PICT graphics are now in a new segment, and smaller stuff like the starmap and the dëscs are in the original file.

@ David Arthur

I found out that's going on with Mission Computer; the resource selector will only show a file if it has the type of resource that you're looking for in that specific selector. If I'm looking for a PICT file, and Fire Emblem Data 2 doesn't have any PICT resources, it won't be listed under the selector. If, however, I'm looking for an rlëD, and FE Data 2 has those, it'll show up under the appropriate selector.

QUOTE (fir992 @ Sep 6 2010, 07:51 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

If I'm looking for a PICT file, and Fire Emblem Data 2 doesn't have any PICT resources, it won't be listed under the selector. If, however, I'm looking for an rlëD, and FE Data 2 has those, it'll show up under the appropriate selector.

Good — this is intended behaviour, as it saves having to look through files that are irrelevant to your current query. It’s odd that they wouldn’t be appearing in the Open Special menu, though.

Hi. I'm Meaker VI. I do work in a variety of 3d programs, and I recommend that you use the free version of Sketchup- unless you're using AutoCAD, or want to export complicated 3d formats, you really don't miss out on anything using the free version. Try to find Sketchup version 7 to download if you can, I think they nerfed sketchup 8's import capabilities.

QUOTE (fir992 @ Sep 4 2010, 07:49 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Thanks for the replies! I'll look into SketchUp; if the lite version can get anywhere close to the graphics of the original game, then that would work for me.

For 50-100$, you can probably find an external renderer that will replicate the look in EVN. If you're planning on making a TC, it won't matter if you can replicate the original look or not, just turn on shadows or use the second file link in my sig. It's a complete renderer, and I posted instructions somewhere, I think it was in one of DarthKev's topics. I'll work on re-linking that if it's not already relinked to show the instructions.

QUOTE (fir992 @ Sep 4 2010, 04:12 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I've been messing around with SketchUp, but I'm finding it difficult to make things that are curved...does anyone have any ideas on how to do that? (oh, and I'm still stuck on the sprite recolor thing, although I do have gamemaker lite now)

What I'm trying to make is a ship that looks like a single-person of the Subarashii from Arpia; sleek and curving, but not alien. SketchUp does straight lines great, but it doesn't seem to like curves too much...

I don't recall reading what graphics program you are using, but I'd recommend GIMP if you can't get ahold of Photoshop for recoloring and general touch ups. It's effectively as capable as PS, and free. Make sure you read the install instructions for your system.

I do organic - or at least sleek - curves in Blender, typically. Then I export to .3ds or .obj and use them in Sketchup. Unfortunately, sketchup does have issues with large files, so I'd recommend using no greater than a subdivision modifier of 2. The way to do it is actually not that bad, but Blender is tough. You start out with a cube, and using that I switch to edit mode, then edit faces, and start extruding (I think it's either "E" or "F" with the face(s) selected). "S" scales (x,y,z all work for axis locking), "G" moves (grab, same applies as scale), "R" rotates (same applies). Once you've got something that you like, the pane accross the bottom should have some options, and you should be able to apply a subdivide/smooth filter in object mode to your now-poly-cube. I'm not helping more than that with Blender though, I'm out of it's loop, it's complicated and there are tutorials out there.

You can do some basic curving in Sketchup, use the lathe option (try creating a circle, then copying it up and rotating it so it's perpendicular to the origional. Then click the first circle's edge, then the "Follow Me" tool, then the new circle's face. Thus you can lathe any shape).

Blender looks quite intimidating when you first open it up, but it's actually not that bad. I highly recommend the tutorials "Blender: Noob to Pro," and "Blender Basics." Both are available online, though "Blender: Noob to Pro," is also available as a text from Amazon for fairly inexpensive. Blender is currently going through some revisions to release Blender 2.5. They're on the beta right now, and I've found it to be a significant step up from Blender 2.49b. Blender also maintains an excellent forum and knowledge base that are very, very helpful. I have been using Blender for about four years now, since back in my planetarium special effects days, and I haven't yet found anything that it absolutely can't do that professional software being used to make feature films or television shows can do.