Author Topic: SCI EGA - View Drawing, Tools, and Technique Questions  (Read 4967 times)

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Offline NilG

SCI EGA - View Drawing, Tools, and Technique Questions
« on: December 26, 2018, 12:06:58 AM »
Hi all, I had a couple of questions as I'm just starting to dip my toes into this world.  I am hoping to build up a parser-based EGA game similar to the ones I loved way back when (and still), and I've been looking into/playing around with SCI Companion V3.  I've got half of the game "written" and plotted, so wanted to start looking at the options to implement it, and so far things are pretty clear pic and scriptwise.

One thing I've been having a lot of difficulty with, though, is creating the Views/Backgrounds.  Probably doesn't help that I'm no visual artist, but I've been making some progress playing with the vector-based tools and checking out what Sierra's awesome artists could pull off with the form.  I don't draw really goodly on paper to create trace images, unfortunately, although I'm starting to wonder if it would be quicker to learn to do that over creating backgrounds the way I currently am.

So I had a couple of questions regarding functionality which I think could hugely improve my productivity here, but I'm not sure if they're possible.  If they are, though, I'd love to know.

1)  Probably the biggest question I have it whether there is a way to edit an existing line/point.  For example, if I want to go back and tweak/fix/move the coordinates to a line with a numeric entry in the command list (rather than deleting a line's command and redrawing it), I think that would be hugely more efficient for me.  To just change the numbers and have the new vector visually show in the main screen would be awesome for figuring things out and experimenting until things look right.

2)  Alternately (or additionally), is there any way to reorder the commands so I can keep them grouped in a logical sense?  I know you can jump around commands by selecting the image sections in question, just wasn't sure if there was a way to order them in the command list.

I know they're things that can be worked around, I've just been working on a couple of screens over the last three days, and I keep finding that these two possibilities would make things way easier, at least within my flow.  It may be that I just haven't established a proper technique or I'm just not sure yet what I'm doing, but the View tools seem a lot more limited than they need to be even within the vector "restriction."

There may also be a different, more complete tool for creating Views.  Is there something I'm missing?  Or is a trace image really the only answer outside of flailing around blindly?

Thanks!



Offline MusicallyInspired

Re: SCI EGA - View Drawing, Tools, and Technique Questions
« Reply #1 on: December 26, 2018, 09:36:32 PM »
I have some answers to some of your questions, but not all.

You can "group" PICTURE resource drawing commands by selecting a bunch and CTRL+C (copy), Del, and CTRL+V (paste)-ing them to a different position on the list. You can even move the selected commands around on the screen to translate their coordinates. It's almost like a layering system in Photoshop and once you get the hang of it you can really work your way around your "props" that aren't VIEWs in your background. There are even commands (via the numpad, I believe) to mirror/flip/rotate/stretch the selected commands' coordinates. This was invaluable for me as I ended up taking pieces of KQ1SCI's and KQ4's backgrounds (trees, rocks, foreground objects, etc) and copying them into my own backgrounds for KQ2SCI with ease, sometimes mirrored to fit them where I needed them.

VIEWs are not vector-based images. They are bitmaps. You're really just drawing of your own accord. You can draw freehand, use the line and shape tools, etc, but they are imprinted into the bitmap and are not vector commands like the PICTURE resources where you can select and move them around. You can trace over images too as you said. Another option is to import or copy/paste from other images. If you really wanted to work with vector tools and roundabout way you could do it is to create a "VIEW" as a PICTURE instead and then export it as a BMP or GIF or PCX or something and then import that into the VIEW editor for your VIEW. A little complicated and cumbersome, but possible.

But yeah, VIEWs are bitmaps. It's the same thing as drawing in MS Paint or Paint Shop Pro or Photoshop or something with the paint brush tool. Totally not vector-based.
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Offline troflip

Re: SCI EGA - View Drawing, Tools, and Technique Questions
« Reply #2 on: December 28, 2018, 11:23:29 PM »
1)  Probably the biggest question I have it whether there is a way to edit an existing line/point.  For example, if I want to go back and tweak/fix/move the coordinates to a line with a numeric entry in the command list (rather than deleting a line's command and redrawing it), I think that would be hugely more efficient for me.  To just change the numbers and have the new vector visually show in the main screen would be awesome for figuring things out and experimenting until things look right.

Yup, see "Transforming coordinates" here:
http://scicompanion.com/Documentation/pics.html

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Offline NilG

Re: SCI EGA - View Drawing, Tools, and Technique Questions
« Reply #3 on: January 03, 2019, 06:34:09 PM »
Hi MusicallyInspired and troflip,

Thank you much for the replies.  Yes, I confused Views and Pics in my initial post (and the post title  :-\ )  But the C/P and transform methods you've mentioned are handy for sure.  I'd read over the Transform documentation already, but must have misunderstood on my first couple of attempts with it, so sorry for a question that sort of amounted to "RTFM," but much appreciated!

I am starting the get the hang of things a bit better after some play with it.  I think it's generally just working differently than I'd expected, which is fair enough.  I'm super grateful for the tools for sure, I'd have no idea how to even start without.    :D

Thanks again!


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