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Magellan


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Thanks, I really like the idea of the map turning into tiles, but it's very detailed for an icon, and in resolutions below 64x64 it's not recognizable. The splash screen I can use as it is, but do have an idea for a less detailed icon that would work in lower resolutions?

 

I'm planning to release the next version as a 'native' Windows program with installer and exe file built using install4j. I can also build Mac or Linux versions if there's any interest.

 

Yeah, it's difficult to keep the same concept at very low resolutions. I tried a slight variation on it that should hopefully hold up better at lower resolutions, but I'm not sure if it's better. What kind of resolution are you looking for actually?

I'd want both a Mac and Linux version, I try to minimize my Windows time :).

 

Also, since I'm making requests anyway: have you ever considered a C .h file style export function? That would be applicable to all TMS9918a/F18A sporting platforms in a kind-of platform independent way and might lead to more traction for the tool in other communities as well. Plus, I'm a C junkie, so it'd be perfect for li'l ol' me ;)

post-33891-0-65746900-1387387141.png

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The main change in this beta version is the addition of a map image import function that allows you to import an image of any size with less than 256 unique 8x8 tiles. This is really useful if you want to rip graphics from MAME, SMS Power or other sources. When I started implementing this function I soon realized that an algorithm that produces an optimal color conversion could be extremely complex - especially in the F18A Enhanced Color Modes where there are so many parameters to adjust. The algorithm in the beta version produces a reasonable result in all color modes, but works best if the source image is not too far from the capabilities of the target color mode.

 

Map files saved from now on will include information about the color mode. If you open a file saved in another color mode than the current, Magellan will ask if you want to change the color mode.

Other changes include the addition of The Mole's graphics, and a proper Windows installer. The latter will register .mag files to open with Magellan. It still requires Java to be installed. The preferences file is now saved in the user's home directory, so when you run this version of Magellan for the first time all options will have been reset.

 

The second, smallest, attachment is the usual cross platform version.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Magellan_windows_2_0_beta.zip

magellan-2.0b.zip

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The main change in this beta version is the addition of a map image import function that allows you to import an image of any size with less than 256 unique 8x8 tiles. This is really useful if you want to rip graphics from MAME, SMS Power or other sources. When I started implementing this function I soon realized that an algorithm that produces an optimal color conversion could be extremely complex - especially in the F18A Enhanced Color Modes where there are so many parameters to adjust. The algorithm in the beta version produces a reasonable result in all color modes, but works best if the source image is not too far from the capabilities of the target color mode.

He he, I did some work on exactly that. Loading and preliminary color distribution was actually coded. There were always new test image with new challenges (as you imply), like when a few green colors of source is reduced to only one green color in the output. I thought this loss of information was probably not wanted. I counted colors and wanted to force preservation of patterns (at least with source having less than 16 colors). Many images will need a bit of color massaging (and other stuff) prior to loading with Magellan. Anyways, no worries, I didn't get too far. Great work and very useful.

 

Here's one test image. When I finally got better results with this one, it was pretty much useless anyway. Additional color changes would have to be done (more easily) outside of Magellan. Image was only intended for test purposes.

 

http://www.photonstorm.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/screenieEdit997intro2.png

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He he, I did some work on exactly that. Loading and preliminary color distribution was actually coded. There were always new test image with new challenges (as you imply), like when a few green colors of source is reduced to only one green color in the output. I thought this loss of information was probably not wanted. I counted colors and wanted to force preservation of patterns (at least with source having less than 16 colors). Many images will need a bit of color massaging (and other stuff) prior to loading with Magellan. Anyways, no worries, I didn't get too far. Great work and very useful.

 

Here's one test image. When I finally got better results with this one, it was pretty much useless anyway. Additional color changes would have to be done (more easily) outside of Magellan. Image was only intended for test purposes.

 

http://www.photonstorm.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/screenieEdit997intro2.png

 

The colors in your test image are imported fine in ECM 2 or 3, but there are 1715 unique 8x8 characters in the image, and I'm not trying to handle characters beyond 255. So a large part of the map is filled with the last character. A more sophisticated algorithm could do a best match to one of the characters 0-255 instead of just choosing the last one.

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The colors in your test image are imported fine in ECM 2 or 3, but there are 1715 unique 8x8 characters in the image, and I'm not trying to handle characters beyond 255. So a large part of the map is filled with the last character. A more sophisticated algorithm could do a best match to one of the characters 0-255 instead of just choosing the last one.

Yeah, I didn't get around to doing the match and distribute, but of course, restricted to 256 characters. As I said it was just a test image. I'm more with an original TI-99/4A spec anno 1981-1984, so I didn't look into any ECM.

 

;)

Edited by sometimes99er
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It appears that the install4j wizard requires a 32-bit JRE, which I don't have on my computer, I've got the 64bit version (1.7.0_13)

Java SE Runtime Environment (build 1.7.0_13-b20)
Java HotSpot 64-Bit Server VM (build 23.7-b01, mixed mode)

 

Guess that's ok though, as most people probably are fine with the 32-bit version.

The usual cross-platform runs fine for me. It's amazing how well Magellan has progressed in the last year! Well done!

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The main change in this beta version is the addition of a map image import function that allows you to import an image of any size with less than 256 unique 8x8 tiles. This is really useful if you want to rip graphics from MAME, SMS Power or other sources. When I started implementing this function I soon realized that an algorithm that produces an optimal color conversion could be extremely complex - especially in the F18A Enhanced Color Modes where there are so many parameters to adjust. The algorithm in the beta version produces a reasonable result in all color modes, but works best if the source image is not too far from the capabilities of the target color mode.

 

Map files saved from now on will include information about the color mode. If you open a file saved in another color mode than the current, Magellan will ask if you want to change the color mode.

Other changes include the addition of The Mole's graphics, and a proper Windows installer. The latter will register .mag files to open with Magellan. It still requires Java to be installed. The preferences file is now saved in the user's home directory, so when you run this version of Magellan for the first time all options will have been reset.

 

The second, smallest, attachment is the usual cross platform version.

 

Excellent work, this will undoubtedly be very useful to me once I restart my Alex Kidd porting project. I would suggest however that you consider allowing more than 255 patterns to be loaded while editing and only enforce the limitation when saving. That way you can import a detailed png and simplify the drawing for the TI all within Magellan. Or even allow exporting all of the definitions (you might want to upload new patterns to the VDP during gameplay).

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It appears that the install4j wizard requires a 32-bit JRE, which I don't have on my computer, I've got the 64bit version (1.7.0_13)

 

Java SE Runtime Environment (build 1.7.0_13-b20)

Java HotSpot 64-Bit Server VM (build 23.7-b01, mixed mode)

 

Guess that's ok though, as most people probably are fine with the 32-bit version.

The usual cross-platform runs fine for me. It's amazing how well Magellan has progressed in the last year! Well done!

 

I can either bundle a JRE with the 32-bit version or make another 64-bit version. I guess the latter will be the most useful solution.

 

Try the attached. You may want to uninstall the 32-bit version first if you still have it installed.

Magellan_windows-x64_2_0_beta.zip

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I fixed a few bugs, and added support for transparency in ECM. So here is version 2.0 in 3 different editions (Windows 32, Windows 64, cross platform).

 

Magellan V2.0
------------------
* Import Map Image
* Copy and Paste buttons for easy copying of characters
* Color mode check when opening files
* ECM screen colors and transparency
* Shifting of character patterns is now cyclic
* For various Export options the Setting dialog is now shown before the Save As dialog
* Windows installer
Season's greetings from Denmark.

Magellan_windows_2_0.zip

Magellan_windows-x64_2_0.zip

magellan-2.0.zip

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Excellent work, this will undoubtedly be very useful to me once I restart my Alex Kidd porting project. I would suggest however that you consider allowing more than 255 patterns to be loaded while editing and only enforce the limitation when saving. That way you can import a detailed png and simplify the drawing for the TI all within Magellan. Or even allow exporting all of the definitions (you might want to upload new patterns to the VDP during gameplay).

 

A good idea that I might consider for the next major version.

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Rasmus, you work is epic. I have an older version so if this has changed please excuse me. If possible could you make the function icons at top more descriptive and or isolate the fill and clear ones? I don't know how many times I went for clone and hit fill by mistake. It's a fatal error for me at least. Barring that a back button would be gtreat. Thanks.

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Rasmus, you work is epic. I have an older version so if this has changed please excuse me. If possible could you make the function icons at top more descriptive and or isolate the fill and clear ones? I don't know how many times I went for clone and hit fill by mistake. It's a fatal error for me at least. Barring that a back button would be gtreat. Thanks.

 

If you hit fill by mistake, which I have also done many times, there is now an undo button in the upper left corner. But the fill functions should also have a confirmation dialog.

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Excellent work, this will undoubtedly be very useful to me once I restart my Alex Kidd porting project. I would suggest however that you consider allowing more than 255 patterns to be loaded while editing and only enforce the limitation when saving. That way you can import a detailed png and simplify the drawing for the TI all within Magellan. Or even allow exporting all of the definitions (you might want to upload new patterns to the VDP during gameplay).

A good idea that I might consider for the next major version.

 

This made me think that a good way to implement this might be to have the tiles managed completely separate from any map, and thus you have have hundreds or thousands of tiles defined. This would let you build a huge library of tiles, and maybe a possible future-future upgrade would be to save and load "tile libraries", which would make sharing them much easier.

 

Then, any given map would have a "tile set" that is made up of a selection of tiles from the various libraries, i.e. you can pick and choose the map's tiles from the larger library or libraries.

 

Just my thoughts as I read these posts.

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  • 3 weeks later...

I discovered this tool last week on the TI meeting in Vienna. It's incredible and well designed! Thank you for this. No specific TI project at the moment, but it will be useful in the future for sure.

 

Latest update. Nothing major, but a few annoying issues have been addressed:
* Replace Characters dialog now has option for repeating action for the next n characters
* Confirmation dialog before critical fill and delete map actions
* Empty characters are never excluded from Assembler exports
Bug fixes:
- Scroll bar refreshed when changing magnification

magellan-2.1.zip

Magellan_windows_2_1.zip

Magellan_windows-x64_2_1.zip

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Rasmus, Magellan has 32x24 and it seems I can make some dimensional changes.

But I cannot seem to make large maps, say 128x96 or 128x128 etc.

I would like to build a big race track that will scroll H & V and allow me to use magnified sprites and wide roads etc. a la Intellivision's Auto Racing

 

Thanks,

Gene

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Rasmus, Magellan has 32x24 and it seems I can make some dimensional changes.

But I cannot seem to make large maps, say 128x96 or 128x128 etc.

 

You have to press enter after changing the width (W:) or or height (H:) of the map for the change to take effect. If you leave the field with the mouse the number will revert to the old value.

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A picture paints a thousand words... A video...?

 

Okay, so I'll have to change my method.

 

I was reading 28 chars at a time. Adding "," to break up the long strings.

 

But I started that method to save every possible byte in my pacman game. Not a problem here....so far!

 

Thanks for the help!

Gene

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