Home » PLAYER'S HQ 1.13 » JA2 Complete Mods & Sequels » Stracciatella Project (Platform Independent JA2) » Map Editor
| Map Editor[message #188421]
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Thu, 12 June 2008 14:07 
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| Tron |
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Messages:225
Registered:August 2007
Location: Germany |
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Since r4357 the map editor can be started using the parameter -editor. To build the game with support for the editor, uncomment JA2BETAVERSION and JA2EDITOR in the build config file.
Please test the editor and report any problems. If there's interest, I can provide binaries for Windows.
Note: You need editor.slf to run the editor. ATM I cannot provide an URL where it is available, sorry.
Update: I added support to scroll the terrain and building graphics lists and the items lists with the mouse wheel
[Updated on: Thu, 12 June 2008 20:36] by Moderator Report message to a moderator
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Sergeant 1st Class
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| Re: Map Editor[message #189501]
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Wed, 25 June 2008 01:03 
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 Khor1255 |
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Messages:1817
Registered:August 2003
Location: Pleasantville, NJ |
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I didn't say it only works on linux.
You are a combative little monkey aren't you?
I said that was one of it's most appealing aspects. Please take off your red lenses before reading a post from someone who greatly supports your project.
[Updated on: Wed, 25 June 2008 01:04] by Moderator Report message to a moderator
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Sergeant Major
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| Re: Map Editor[message #189505]
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Wed, 25 June 2008 01:27
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| the scorpion |
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Messages:1834
Registered:September 2004
Location: CH |
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there are only so few mapmakers that it will take more time than 10 days or two weeks until feedback is available. I guess right now there are quite some guys looking for a working editor though, so maybe feebdack gets available at some point.
forum activity isn't on an all time high either.
I don't think the effort to improve the editor will be wasted in the long run. But then i guess the core appeal of stracciatella is still the stable multiplatform ja2 game, and what's gonna happen in terms of moddability will depend a lot on what design decisions will be taken.
Personally, i'm not going to make suggestions for once. But i'll have a look at what's gonna happen.
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Sergeant Major
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| Re: Map Editor[message #190394]
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Wed, 09 July 2008 21:03
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| Doolan |
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Messages:13
Registered:July 2006 |
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Oh calm down guys...
Straciatella is a mother, beautiful project. There are reasons for the lack of feedback though.
First off, not everyone knows of it. If you take the time to check the VMWare / Crossover / Parallels forums or any Mac gaming forum, you will see that a lot of Mac users want JA2 to run natively on their computers and do all they can with Boot Camp or virtualization to get it working. Still, none of them know about 1.13, let alone Straciatella. Just posting in a community site is not going to help that.
Second off, the Bear's Pit hosts a number of JA2 variants that I find confusing. Only recently I discovered Straciatella, but there's a truckload of other flavors / mods / builds.
Third off, and this is the most serious problem in my opinion, most active posters here seem to know their code backwards and assume everyone else does. For most users, the simple action of compiling Straciatella for OSX or Windows is scary. No mod or build is ever going to be "mainstream" or "popular" unless it gives a single link to a single self-contained installer file in enormous, bright-colored letters.
In other words, what you guys are looking for is a person who knows of the Bear's Pit, is curious enough to use anything that is not 1.13, knows how to compile stuff AND wants to edit maps. That's a very small demographic.
I for one will be more than happy to try the map editor when there's a way simple enough that a monkey could install and launch it in OSX and the URL to that version is fed to me with a spoon. 
I can't speak for Linux users (who are probably just enjoying the crappy original Linux port of JA) or Windows users (who probably either play vanilla or learned what SVN was just to play 1.13 because they somehow learned about it), but I can tell you that most Mac users won't lift a finger until they are given a .dmg. Also, chance is they won't even have the original files, because the game was never released for Mac in the first place.
That said, I have tried 0.8 in OSX and I am now your number one fan. It's beautiful, sleek, fast and marvelously ported, and it has made one of my longtime dreams come true, playing JA2 in my Mac laptop. Now, if you want attention, build an Intel app with XCode and post it in MacGameFiles and MacUpdate with a description and an easy-to-follow readme. Then, and only then, they'll take the map editor off your hands and annoy the hell out of you with questions
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Private
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| Re: Map Editor[message #190415]
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Thu, 10 July 2008 03:38
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| Doolan |
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Messages:13
Registered:July 2006 |
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Man, I'm not attacking you or anything! I love Stracciatella and I love having a map editor...
1) I know about the Windows binaries. I'm not going to say "OMG LINUX ONLY" like everyone else.
2) I understand and appreciate the magnitude of the project more than you imagine. I am thankful for your efforts and will be more than glad to help in any way, for example offering the use of my Mac platform, which has the right tools.
3) Exactly where did I tell you to distribute the original files?
That said...
The fact that nobody replied does NOT mean nobody cares. All I was trying to say is that you are addressing a minority within a minority within a minority, so don't expect immediate reply. I know Stracciatella has many virtues. Heck, I have it installed and I was playing it less than 30 min ago. I know it even has some advantages over 1.13.
But the fact is that, for the Windows crowd, 1.13 is more widely known, and vanilla is something they already play (so they probably don't even bother to search for alternatives). As for Mac users, none of the Mac gaming forums I visit (and I visit many) even suspect that this forum or the Stracciatella site exists, and MOST users don't know how to compile stuff nor care.
What I was trying to tell you is that Stracciatella, as awesome and needed as it is, is right now beyond the reach and / or knowledge of most people  Some publicity and an easier method of distribution and installation would go a long way to increase its popularity. Then people will be flocking around for the map editor. Until then, the average user will just scratch his head and stare in bewilderment.
It's what Khor was trying to say I think. Few people play JA2, even less play one specific variant of it, even less edit maps and even less can compile or care, so a reply with any relevant feedback will take a while.
Keep up the good work man, I think, like Khor said, that the map editor is a needed addition for the long-run health of the mod.
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Private
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| Re: Map Editor[message #190470]
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Thu, 10 July 2008 22:19
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| Tron |
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Messages:225
Registered:August 2007
Location: Germany |
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DoolanMan, I'm not attacking you or anything!
No offense taken, I just replied to some points you raised.
Quote:1) I know about the Windows binaries. I'm not going to say "OMG LINUX ONLY" like everyone else.
Yes, you did not say that and I did not understand that. But you mentioned the need to use development tools, specifically Subversion, to get it to work. I just pointed out, that there are simple binaries available for download. All you further need is the game data.
Quote:3) Exactly where did I tell you to distribute the original files?
You mentioned Mac users, which want it to play, but on the other hand you said, that they most likely do not have the data files. Which conclusion should I have drawn from these two pieces?
lockieAs for me , when those bright , shiny buttons appear , maybe I'll give it a go
From my side it probably won't get any easier than a .zip file. I don't even have a Windows machine.
Well, nobody even wanted a Windows binary for the map editor, so far.
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Sergeant 1st Class
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| Re: Map Editor[message #190471]
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Thu, 10 July 2008 23:03
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| Doolan |
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Messages:13
Registered:July 2006 |
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About the Mac users, what I meant was that they have to overcome many, many difficulties to get it to work.
Many know about the game and played it ages ago, but simply accepted that a Mac port wasn't going to be made. When they got the ability to play the Windows version through CrossOver, VMware, Parallels or Boot Camp, those willing to go that far (or who had other reasons to install that software in the first place) did it and lived happily ever after.
Those probably won't look for Stracciatella or 1.13 because they already have what they wanted (in a way) and don't know there are additional goodies beyond playing Gold in a virtual machine. A compiled .app in MacUpdate or MGF would no doubt make them switch. But for most, having to install XCode and building the app themselves is more inconvenient than just installing Windows and playing.
As for those who don't know JA2 or have only heard of it / played it once or twice but don't have it, they would probably buy it if they knew that they can just slap the datafiles into the package of an Intel-native app and play away, but otherwise it's just an added inconvenience.
They would have to get curious enough to look up Stracciatella, have XCode, be able to compile the app and get the datafiles (and a PC is needed to get them no matter what, or a copy of the Linux version).
My belief is that if all inconveniences are solved but one, that last one will solve itself. Since we can't really release the datafiles, more publicity and an easier distribution method would help a tad.
A guy in your forums already built 0.8 for OSX, which works beautifully with only one or two crashes here and there. Simply hosting that file with his permission on your web site along with instructions and "OH MY GOD THIS WORKS IN OSX" in big flashy letters, paired with a link in MGF, would be really easy to do and bring a lot of attention. I even have friends who work at InsideMacGames who would love publishing a news story on the subject...
Just as an example, I've been busy recently and I already had 1.13 installed in a virtual machine. I was happy with that, so even though I'm a hardcore JA2 fanatic I didn't discover Stracciatella until two days ago when I visited here and wondered what the "new forum folder" was. If that happened to me, I suppose most "casual" JA2 players would probably never find out.
Anyway, enough writing, I have to go back to playing 0.8 on my Mac Mini 
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Private
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| Re: Map Editor[message #190511]
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Fri, 11 July 2008 14:11
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| ZeRgY |
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Messages:1
Registered:July 2007
Location: Australia |
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I will also add that I've been watching Stracciatella, and I think the idea for a stable and portable version of JA2 is brilliant. Especially with the uprising of linux based mobile PC's, and the possibilities of SDL being ported to other devices such as Symbian, Android, etc. Hell, theoretically it wouldn't be impossible to get this running on a cracked Iphone?
But at the moment, it's pretty difficult for people to not only download the libraries required, but to also download the development environment/source code/misc files and compile it as well. Especially when people are still testing and playing with the 1.13 releases.
But I hope you're not discouraged, us less technical forum goers are noticing your work, and I'm sure when I get the chance I will look more into testing out the brilliant work done by you guys!
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Civilian
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| Re: Map Editor[message #196380]
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Sun, 14 September 2008 22:10
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| LCJr. |
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Messages:83
Registered:November 2001 |
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Is this editor based on the UB version or the, better IMHO, 0.95 DE Beta version?
[Updated on: Sun, 14 September 2008 22:10] by Moderator Report message to a moderator
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Corporal 1st Class
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| Re: Map Editor[message #199374]
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Sat, 18 October 2008 00:37
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| mgl |
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Messages:255
Registered:December 2007
Location: France |
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I have tried the editor a bit more and found out that it is an emergency save that crashes it. The emergency save tries to save the map with an altitude of -1 instead of the 0 to 3 range. Now that I have hardcoded an altitude of 0, the editor doesn't crash anymore but exits on failure. But the logs are complete now.
I found two ways to make it fail: "Failed to add node to world" when using the "Building" button and "Palette creation failed, soldier has invalid animation" when using the "Mercs" button.
The detailed way to reproduce them follows.
1) The "Building" button.
Load a map. Click "Building" button, click "Place furniture" (the table button). The first item of the list is automatically selected ('old_furn.sti', subindex 0). Place it anywhere and the editor exits. I have tried several items and maps (A9, L1, Hospital, Hicks, Estoni ...). It always fails.
This is the log displayed by stracciatella:
(I removed the messages that appeared before I tried to place the item)
Copying 8 BPP Imagery.
ERROR: caught unhandled exception:
Failed to add node to world
Creating an emergency savegame failed.
Please report this error with a description of the circumstances.
Shutting down the Video Surface manager
Shutting down the video manager
2) The "Mercs" button:
Add a creature, click several times on the arrows to change its type from bloodcat to anything else. The editor exits. It doesn't always happen: it failed 5 times on the 14 tries I've done on the Hicks (F10) map.
Its log:
(I removed the messages that appeared before I tried to change the creature type)
Copying 8 BPP Imagery.
ERROR: caught unhandled exception:
Palette creation failed, soldier has invalid animation
Creating an emergency savegame failed.
Please report this error with a description of the circumstances.
Shutting down the Video Surface manager
Shutting down the video manager Report message to a moderator
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| Re: Map Editor[message #202299]
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Sun, 23 November 2008 15:51
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| Tron |
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Messages:225
Registered:August 2007
Location: Germany |
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Quote:[...] and the uppercase "MAPS" must follow Tron's policy for filenames.
As I said elsewhere, it's not my policy, but the names were spelled this way in the source code (sometimes inconsistently). Maybe I change it to all lowercase.
Quote:The editor is rather buggy but very enjoyable though. I can't do much more than draw the tiles, walls and doors of a 10x10 room before it crashes. I restart and add beds and lockers and it crashes again. There are problems of screen refresh too.
The problem is, that failure to add a levelnode is not ignored anymore. When you click to place an object, the editor tries to place it every frame. The first time succeeds, after that it fails. If you click and release the button /really/ fast, then the editor will not exit with an error. I'm working on this.
Quote:The emergency save tries to save the map with an altitude of -1 instead of the 0 to 3 range.
Yes, this a bug in the editor. For surface levels it fails to set the level. I resolved this issue in r4831. On the other hand, the emergency save code should not generate a savegame, when in editor mode, but it should try to save the map (not with its original name, of course).
Quote:2) The "Mercs" button:
Add a creature, click several times on the arrows to change its type from bloodcat to anything else. The editor exits. It doesn't always happen: it failed 5 times on the 14 tries I've done on the Hicks (F10) map.
This happens, when you change the body of the creature to something which does not have a particular rotation or stance. Same situation as before: JA2-Stracciatella does not ignore error like the vanilla version did.
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Sergeant 1st Class
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| Re: Map Editor[message #224809]
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Thu, 02 July 2009 04:24
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| Khor1255 |
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Messages:1817
Registered:August 2003
Location: Pleasantville, NJ |
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I just tried and I am getting that error message
'ERROR: caught unhandled exeption
initializing libraries failed'
is the exact message. I know this is a simple one but can't remember how to get an editor running without the necessary files.
I have the .bat file in my main directory and thew editor file in my data folder.
Any ideas?
[Updated on: Thu, 02 July 2009 06:06] by Moderator Report message to a moderator
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Sergeant Major
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