TGA Works

Hi,
Just messing about with TGA works and I can't seem to get it 'exploding' and 'imploding' properly.

When i explode one of the 'Dizzy' tga files, I get the two bitmaps (one for the mask and one for the image. But when I implode them together, the image doesn't have any transparency (so it's just a red square with Dizzy in the middle).

Any ideas?

Thanks in advance!

Hi,

It was a problem indeed!
I guess no one else tried it so far :smile:

But it's fixed now - just get the latest tools:
https://www.yolkfolk.com/dizzyage/download/dizzyage_tools.zip
The engine version remains the same (v2.2.1)

Also note that the files resulted from explosion are .bmp files, even if the tool allows you to give a different extension. And so are the input files for implode.

Thanks for telling me about it!
Alex

Cheers, very quick response. Nice one!

I'm probably going to miss the deadline for the 2009 competition, but I should have something ready to submit.

you'll be surprised how quick a decent little uncomplicated game can be knocked up...

I had the same problem with exploding and imploding, it's nice that it's fixed now. Thanks !

Me again!

How can you change the number of frames of animation a tile has?

Sorted, I forgot about the Editor Book! Basically, if anyone's interested, the last part of the filename of a tile describes the number of frames in that tile.

So to add an extra frame to the '177 pogie 2.tga' tile, you explode the tga, resize and add the extra frames, implode then rename the file '177 pogie 3.tga'.

Easy!

JonnyJP, do all these questions mean we'll be seeing a game from you? :tongue:

Hopefully, got a lot on so probably not going to get something in time for the 2009 competition.

awww that's a shame. :sad:

Drop everyone else and concentrate on dizzy for 2 weeks solid.
There a ideal and constructive solution to one of liefs many problems!!!!!!

{yolkfolk}:tongue:

I tried using the "Build Alpha" feature in TGAWorks yesterday for a rather long period of time and just kept banging my head into a wall without any success. The problem is:

1) I create a TGA file (tried both 24bits and 32bits uncompressed) with my picture. Let's say, I paint the areas that should be transparent with pink color (R=255, G=0, B=255 for memory).

2) I launch TGAWorks.exe, choose "Build Alpha", choose my TGA file, choose the appropriate color (R=255,G=0,B=255), hit the "Build" button. The program reports that it has finished working on my file (at least it's listed in the text box, supposedly as processed).

3) Once I restart my graphics editor, there's either nothing new with the file (no "Alpha" channel built at all) or sometimes there's an empty Alpha channel that doesn't really contain anything (it's all white).

After a few hours of trying to figure this out I just built up the alpha images manually (which worked nicely in DizzyAGE btw), but I'm still curious if there's something I'm missing or doing wrong in order to auto-build Alpha channels from a color with TGAWorks? I tried the version on the DizzyAGE website and also I tried downloading the updated version from this thread (not sure if they're different), neither of them worked for me. :cry:

Thanks in advance for any help.

sorry, i can't help you, i've never used it. I always use GIMP to edit my tiles.

the way I use 'tga works'

1st i design the tile in paintshop pro the surrounding border of the tile I usually set as red. I then save it in 32bit uncompressed .tga.

i.e 1500 mytile.tga

I then save the same image again but with the rgb.bmp tag

i.e 1500 mytile rgb.bmp

i then fill in all the parts that aren't red, in white. Then fill the red part in black. this leaves me with a back and white inverse sillouette (alpha channel) of the tile. This I save with a.bmp tag

i.e 1500 mytile a.bmp

now in tga works I select implode. and seach for the 1500 mytile.tga pic.
The program will automatically select the rgb.bmp and a.bmp parts.

and click proceed. I now have a working tga tile. You will need to refresh the tile list in the editor

This works for me everytime!

I use Paintshop Pro also.
What I do is.

1. Select the border of the tile with the magic wand (or SHIFT & magic wand if there is more than one part to the border).
2. In the 'selection menu' choose 'invert'
3. In the 'selection menu' choose 'save as alpha channel'
4. Save the tile as an umcompressed TGA.

It only takes a few seconds this way.

Alrighty, thanks for help! I'll try that out!

- Agetian

I'll have to check it out when I get home and see if it's another bug in TgaWorks. It should produce alpha channel as Agetian said. But my home internet connection is kinda buggy these days :sad: I'll let you know about it.

I tested the TGAWorks tool and it does work for build alpha.

But the tga you want to build alpha to must already have an alpha channel.
The tool fills alpha 0 (black) the area corresponding to the selected color (FF00FF for pink) and with 255 (white) the rest of the image.

If it didn't work for you, it may be because it didn't understood your 32 bit tga right. In some paint programs it is tricky to convince them to produce the alpha channel right.

A test you can do is to "implode" two bmp (it may be the same image) into a 32bit tga, and then "build alpha" on it (I tested that and it worked).

I should probably adjust the tool to accept 24bit tga, to auto generate the alpha mask and to save in 32bit. I'll let you know when I get to it (may be a while).

Alex