Well, they do get annoying sometimes, but seriously, many of the great trigger tricks are based on bugs. Still, a very interesting idea. I'd try it out, even for novelty. Good luck with your project!

[This message has been edited by zyxomma100 (edited 12-22-2003 @ 09:20 PM).]

I would help you, but I have no experience with programming. Some people might be willing to help, namely at the Modpack Forum, but most people there are already involved in some sort of project there.

Hopefully it'll work :-)

Go DiGiT! Go DiGiT! Make the program! Make the program! Save us all! Save us all! Be our first AOE2 Map Editor Hero! Be our first AOE2 Map Editor Hero! You'll be the best! Yes you will!

But no, I'm afraid I can't add new conditions or effects because the SCX format would need to be upgraded to support them. I'm not upgrading the format, just adding on to the editor.

With all the positive response, I'll definitely give it a shot! (And I'd still be pleased if someone would help me reverse-engineer the format )

But you're saying your program's ability is to read the SCX, right? But could you like..try to do it? Or maybe you could make a HEX Editor that could edit one separate unit's attributes (EVERYTHING about it) instead of editing the whole type? But anyways, will the program have like a sort of map that views the whole scenario and have a command to select a unit and (like I said) edit that one unit's every attribute instead of editing its whole type?

Hope ya succeed, buddy!

PS: Got email?

EDIT: Honestly, I really would!

[This message has been edited by aoc_freako (edited 12-23-2003 @ 12:08 PM).]

And no, I'm not planning any hex features because:
1) like da hobo said, people wouldn't use it
2) this is only a SCN/SCX editor, not a unit editor

Also, as far as my plans go, I am not linking this with DirectX. That would require me learning DirectX :P. Instead, you'll probably have to do selecting units and areas in the AOK editor and then do textual triggers in this editor. In a later version, I'll probably add in a grid-type thing that will tell you where units are, but it won't look anywhere near as spiffy as the AOK editor.

Also if and when the SCN/SCX format is reverse-engineered, it will be very easy for someone to write programs that read it.

I've also updated the format TXT on my website with today's work. I'm afraid I didn't get too far :-/

Maybe someone at the Modpack Forum would be willing to help? Maybe a bit of a long shot, but you could try.

aoc_freako: By "textual stuff" I meant you can edit things that don't involve graphics, like triggers, scenario instructions, and options.

I've also basically completed the header/instructions layout, I'm now trying to figure out what each section does. And that's the hard part... :-P

If you edit "Change Object HP" and allow the program to change a unit's HP to a digit [LOL] higher than the regular limit that ES put, that would be cool.

@aoc_freako: Changing Object HP is a textual thing, same with Armour.
I am not sure, but I do not believe that Armour is that dynamical; it is limited to technologies.
HP is pretty dynamical (why would you want a unit with 1 million HP?), and you can change it to any amount with a trigger it is just that the unit cannot retain that much HP.

And as I understand it DiGiT is only trying to make it easier to use the editor, not add new features.

[This message has been edited by WhiteWolf (edited 12-24-2003 @ 05:38 PM).]

D_B

I'll try to write up a quick non-functional program in C++ today that will just show you guys visually what I mean.

Digit,
I don't think you'd have to worry about direct x programming, as the graphics are actually bitmap files. you should be able to do it without touching direct x.

D_B

If this is just going to be a trigger editor, then there's no need to make the units and stuff to be "changeable", therefore maybe you can use a full-map screenshot to get the unit-based trigger features? The map would only be there to help you remember where is where, it doesn't even have to be clickable, as long as there's like a grid on it telling which point is what coordinate.

Just a thought.

That reminds me:
@all non-programmers: Please do make suggestions as the mind of a programmer is very often creative, but not in certain areas. Once we have an idea, we don't change it. So please, as magna did, make suggestions that you think I'm overlooking. Very often there's no 'secret programming problem' with it, I just haven't thought of it! :-P

And of course, this solves my problem with the lack of DirectX, but just to clarify:
The map editor uses DirectX to place the units/buildings on the field, so if I was to recreate that, I'd need to link with DirectX.

[This message has been edited by DiGiT (edited 12-26-2003 @ 11:02 PM).]

Probably no one has any clue about this, but does anyone know if the files are somehow encrypted or strings rotated? I can only find the Instructions in normal ASCII, hints, scouts, everything else just doesn't appear in the file :-/

As for taking a full map screenshot, press Ctrl-F12.

Quote:

Quote:

I'm not quite with you. 10000 in hex is equal to 16 in decimal. But I do agree about the re-programming thing though.

D_B

Just to clarify what I'm actually doing: I make a really simple scenario (no units, no triggers) and just change a few settings here and there, (add instructions, change victory), and open it in a hex editor. It would be very easy, but the only problem is the entire file changes except for the header every save no matter if you change anything or what. That's what I mean when I say it's an "odd format". It's like it's encrypted or something :-/.

Now that I've made it a bit clearer, is there anyone interested? All you need is an analytical mind. (I can teach you bin and hex .)

And actually nicholas is right about 65536 being 10000 in hex. 0x10 is 16 in decimal, actually. In fact, all the 'magic' numbers in AOK are actually just one above the limits for the various integer datatypes. For example 65536 is one over the max unsigned short (16-bit) value. I know, it's complicated :-P.

I've made a bit of progress lately! I've even written an excessively-alpha pre-release version for you all to see what I mean. Just don't drag around the dialog boxes, they don't paint correctly (this is my first GUI C++ program, lol). It will open SCN and SCX files and show the format version, save timestamp, and scenario instructions (if available).

It's available at my website.