I Am Making a Mission.dat Editor

[Lewin]

The last days I made one or two missions with Krom's Map Editor and with your Mission Editor. Haven't found huge bugs because I haven't used every command and function of the editor. But at least I could finish my mission without issues.

If anyones interested you can download that mission from my mission website. The mission looks really nice, give it a try.

Things I noticed:
->Adding a new player doesen't work. When I do this in the script tab everxthing works fine. I can add !SET_AI_PLAYER and !SET_CURR_PLAYER etc normally. I placed some building with script commands and then switched over to the map tab. An errormessage appears like
"Problem string: !SET_CURR_PLAYER"
"Problem line : 452"
(Not exactly the errormessage text, but I am sure you know which message I mean). When I pressed OK enough times, the editor continues working, thought my new player did disappear. In map tab and in script tab. Even add a new player with a hexeditor and then load it with your editor doesen't work.

I already know that adding players from the treeview is broken, and it's fixed now. (but you must wait until the next release)
I did not know that it was also broken from in the script tab. It seems to work fine here. I think the problem is that you didn't change the !SET_MAX_PLAYER at the top of the file. Maybe you're unsure how it works? Do you know that if you have players 0-6 in the script, then you must have !SET_MAX_PLAYER 7? (as 7 is the number of players, counting 0) That would explain that error, as I would expect it for that issue. Does that fix it for you?

->Some strings aren't translated (in german). But as you said, with your last release there weren't translation updated.
->Dang, I found just 2 bugs, haven't tested enough. So I make this "->" one more time, so the post looks more important

Yeah, that version wasn't completely translated. About 98% though. The next version should be, unless I add something at the last minute.

Can't wait till your editor will become full functionally (placing troups etc). For AI Defense positions I am using Thunderwolf's Editor, but unfortunately it's a little bit..well...non user friendly. Sometimes errors appeared, but actually it's the only one which can place troups, defence position and attacks

Well, you'll have to wait a bit longer. I've changed plans a bit, due to the large number of bugs reported. I'm currently working on fixing them, but I'll try to add some new things to the map. Troops I don't know about, but AI Defence/AI Start will be easier. I know how to do troops, but they will take some time. I want to release a version to fix the current bugs first. I'd say wait a few weeks yet.
@Litude: Thanks, fixed now. Yes, that was because I copied your document. I encountered this in the program, but I never mangaged to fix it in the help file.
Lewin.

[Merchator]

Lewin wrote:

I already know that adding players from the treeview is broken, and it's fixed now. (but you must wait until the next release)
I did not know that it was also broken from in the script tab. It seems to work fine here. I think the problem is that you didn't change the !SET_MAX_PLAYER at the top of the file. Maybe you're unsure how it works? Do you know that if you have players 0-6 in the script, then you must have !SET_MAX_PLAYER 7? (as 7 is the number of players, counting 0) That would explain that error, as I would expect it for that issue. Does that fix it for you?

Yeah, indeed, I really forgot to change this number. Surely this was the reason for this errormessage. I will test it later again, but I am sure that it will work now.

Well, you'll have to wait a bit longer.

Sure, Delphi/Lazarus isn't that hard, but it take its time. I noticed it when I made my tools with it. It's better when you take some more time and release a better version than release your tool tomorrow with a big amount of bugs

If anyones interested you can download that mission from my mission website. The mission looks really nice, give it a try.

Actually you have to fix this bug, when you download my mission you get ThePrison.zip. That isn't my mission
In my mission I have found some small bugs, I will fix them soon. But they aren't that big.

[Lewin]

Hello Everyone,
Yes, it's release time again. Those of you following this forum closely may have noticed my hinting at one for a while, and here it is:
http://lewin.namsys.com.au/kam/downloads/KaMEdit-0.8.zip
Now before you ask, no you CAN'T place troops on the map yet. Sorry, that will have to wait until next release.
You see, kuba11100 has been reporting bugs faster than I can fix them, so that has taken up most of my time.
I also have got a kind of job programming and I've been doing stuff for SR3, and so my spare time has decreased somewhat.

This is a bug fix release, with only a few new features, and a ton of bug fixes. I dedicate it to kuba11100, for without him my editor would still be at buggy old 0.7.

New things:
- There is now a new way to move around the map! I call it map panning. Right click on the screen and drag it around.
- AI Start Position is now displayed graphically.
- Made a new splash screen. The other way looking out dated, but I'm not sure if I'm happy with the new one...

Bugs fixed/things changes:
- If you add a team to the treeview, it no longer crashes when saving
- Fixed mix up with goals 6 and 8
- When changing language, the program restarts nicely so you no longer get funny resizing and stuff.
- Fixed bug which allowed you to delete cerntain tree view nodes that you weren't supposed to, such as centre screen
- Changed the English text to the Australian English standard. (basically the same as UK) So now it is centre and colour, rather than the US editions.
- Run a spell checker through all the text, and corrected lots of minor textual errors.
- Global cursor is set to busy while loading, saving or starting up.
- Hide the scroll bars on the map because they get confused if you resize, and that can make it hard to scroll, and I was unable to fix this. They're not really needed now that there is map panning anyway.
- Changed the map colour of players 6, 7 and 8 to be brighter.
- You can now only have 8 players in single player and 6 in multiplayer. (KaMs' limit)

And so many more that I just can't think of.... (that may not look like much but that's only about half of them)

Known issues:
- Sometime when moving by clicking on the minimap the screen jumps like it wants to be in two places at once. I have no idea what's causing this.
- Messages in goals are not supported yet

Planned for future releases:
- Support of messages in goals
- AI Defence displayed graphically
- AI Attack with custom location displayed graphically
- Troops displayed graphically (maybe not in the next release)
- Support of delayed attack type 2 that from in TPR 1. Kuba11100 reported this a while back and I haven't looked into it yet.
- Fix some minor bugs found in this release

I am hoping to release the next version fairly soon, (a couple of weeks) so that I can support messages in goals. Therefore the next version probably won't contain too many changes.

Translations (This is a rare release in that most of the translations are 100%)
Dutch: Merchant_992 and The Dark Lord - 100%!!
German: The_Crow_ and Merchator - 100%!!
Polish: Luchbach and kuba11100 - 100%!!
Russian: Krom - 87%
Bosnian - The_Crow_ - 66%

I am currently looking for both a Russian and a Bosnian translator. If you think you can help then please send me a PM.

Please enjoy and report all bugs,
Lewin.

[Litude]

Great, I can finally load non-encoded mission files properly! Oh and that new splash screen looks real fancy.
I guess kuba11100 did forget to report one bug, the tutorial goal says "Destroy build tutorial of player 1". Kind makes no sense, eh?

[kuba11100]

I guess kuba11100 did forget to report one bug, the tutorial goal says "Destroy build tutorial of player 1". Kind makes no sense, eh?

It's used so rarely that I haven't noticed it...

@Lewin: I'm sorry, I sent you that two lines of text started with small letter, but the other goals are written with capital one. Could you fix it?

Also, do you remember that new color numbers that I posted 2 months ago?

Darker versions of default multiplayer colours:
16 16 17 17 18 18 19 19 - purple
24 24 25 25 26 26 27 27 - red
32 32 33 33 34 34 35 35 - blue
209 209 210 210 211 211 212 212 - black
Green and yellow doesn't look good, especially on flags. But check them:
96 96 97 97 98 98 99 99 - yellow
104 104 105 105 106 106 107 107 - green

[Danjb]

Awesome

Cheers man, good job!

[Thunderwolf]

New logo looks nice...


Where did !ADD_GOAL 4 0 0 1 go? Difference between this one and the lost_goal one may be minor, but is a gameplay difference. lost goal 4 0 0 1 means there must be troops of that player at all times or you'll lose. add goal 4 0 0 1 means you can only win while player 1 has troops, but does
not let you lose if the player doesn't have troops at a specific time.
:roll:

[Lewin]

Hi Guys,
Thanks for the feedback.

Great, I can finally load non-encoded mission files properly!

Yeah, non-encoded loading was one of the bugs I forgot to mention.

I guess kuba11100 did forget to report one bug, the tutorial goal says "Destroy build tutorial of player 1". Kind makes no sense, eh?

Well, it's not so much of a bug, that's how you write it in the code. (if you take 1 to mean destroy and 0 to mean save) Yeah, I might make it say "Complete build tutorial" or something.

@Lewin: I'm sorry, I sent you that two lines of text started with small letter, but the other goals are written with capital one. Could you fix it?

So you want them all with capitals?

Also, do you remember that new color numbers that I posted 2 months ago?

Yes, I remember. I just forgot to add them that's all! I tested them at the time you posted them, (they all look fine BTW) and I even added them to my help file. (included in 0.8) But somehow I just forgot to actually add them to the editor itself. :oops:
They will be in the next version.

Awesome
Cheers man, good job!

No problem!

Where did !ADD_GOAL 4 0 0 1 go? Difference between this one and the lost_goal one may be minor, but is a gameplay difference. lost goal 4 0 0 1 means there must be troops of that player at all times or you'll lose. add goal 4 0 0 1 means you can only win while player 1 has troops, but does
not let you lose if the player doesn't have troops at a specific time.

Uhh.... I think I understand... I don't know how I'll implement it though, because I'm trying to make each parameter be a word. Currently:
<Parameter 3 - Destroy or Retain> <Parameter 1 Buildings, troops, etc.> of player <Parameter 4>
I'll need to change that to something like:
<Parameter 1 Buildings, troops, etc.> of player <Parameter 4> must <Parameter 3 - Be destroyed or Survive>

The reason why I simplified it so much is because people kept uploading missions to my site asking why the lost goal didn't work. They always put:
Destroy buildings of player 1, where as in almost all cases you want Retain buildings of player 1.

I don't know, but I will change it next release. (I'm doing some big changes with goal-messages anyway)

Interesting... No actual bug reports yet!! (just suggestions/minor changes) That's a great thing. Shows that this version is far more stable than the last.
If your interested my editor has been downloaded by about 40 people!!! (from my site alone) That's amazing!!!
Lewin.

[kuba11100]

I have an idea: could you make a text box selected by default when a dialog box is opened? (new ware for example).
Also one error in Polish translation: Sojuszniczy -> Sojusznicy (allied, in tree view)

[Litude]

I have been toying around with the new version and have only managed to find one bug which has existed in it since the dawn of time .
That is when you try to load a non-encoded mission file by mistake using the normal load prompt and then after you notice it's unencoded you try loading using the special load option, there will be an extra "Loading... Please wait" in the tree view that doesn't go away until you close the editor. Loading normal missions after this can result in empty error messages and refusal to open the mission.

Some random suggestions:
Reveal Maps -> Map Revealers (Reveal maps sounds bad)
Allowed Buildings -> Pre-allowed/Released Buildings (Allowed is just completely misleading here)
Oh and it seems like there's an extra space before the "Weapons" under the supplies menu.

[Danjb]

Awesome
Cheers man, good job!"

Err...

[Lewin]

Hi,
More feedback, but still no major bugs found. (no big crashes)

I have an idea: could you make a text box selected by default when a dialog box is opened? (new ware for example).

That should be easy, I'll look into it.

Also one error in Polish translation: Sojuszniczy -> Sojusznicy (allied, in tree view)

Fixed.

I have been toying around with the new version and have only managed to find one bug which has existed in it since the dawn of time .
That is when you try to load a non-encoded mission file by mistake using the normal load prompt and then after you notice it's unencoded you try loading using the special load option, there will be an extra "Loading... Please wait" in the tree view that doesn't go away until you close the editor. Loading normal missions after this can result in empty error messages and refusal to open the mission.

Uh. I thought I'd fixed all of the non-encoded issues.
Ok, I'll look into plus I'll add some sanity checking to the normal load process to make sure you don't load something rubbish.

Reveal Maps -> Map Revealers (Reveal maps sounds bad)

Yeah, it does sound bad... Maybe Map Reveals?

Allowed Buildings -> Pre-allowed/Released Buildings (Allowed is just completely misleading here)

Good idea.

Oh and it seems like there's an extra space before the "Weapons" under the supplies menu.

He he, that's very observant of you... I know about that "bug", I put it there on purpose! You see, I do all of my indexing into the treeview by the node title, (which has been a headache with translations) and so if I search for "Weapons" "Weapons Workshop" shows up, (meaning the weapons are all placed under "Weapons Workshop") because the search only requires the text to start the same. So by adding an extra space I fixed this problem.

Err...

Oh, as you can see I am a big fan of copy and paste.
Fixed.
Lewin.

[Litude]

Uh. I thought I'd fixed all of the non-encoded issues.
Ok, I'll look into plus I'll add some sanity checking to the normal load process to make sure you don't load something rubbish.

Actually the bug is that if I load a non-encoded misison file with the normal load menu the editor will completely freak out and loading encoded missions after this result in strange errors and alike so a restart is necessary. I guess you forgot to unload something between the loads?

Yeah, it does sound bad... Maybe Map Reveals?

Age of Empires II uses map revealers and IMO it sounds better than map reveals.

[Danjb]

Map reveals doesn't sound like it makes much sense. Map revealers is better. But I see nothing wrong with just "reveal map"...

[The Dark Lord]

I remember I noticed a bug... But I forgot about it. :/
It was not very serious though.

By the way, your fish look like socks. I love 'em! xD