VortexSurfer
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In the DROD editor help section on characters, the custom tiles file is specified as a 9x4 grid of 22x22 pixels, where the "ninth column stores the central orientation (i.e. no direction)". Is it actually possible to have characters without orientation? I have not been able to make a custom character appear without orientation.

On a related note, the fourth row contains images for "a sword-wielding character [...] not currently wielding a sword". Is this possible for characters other than the player role character?

Jeff_Ray...
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Is this possible for characters other than the player role character?

Well, weapon-holding monsters and NPCs won't have their weapon while on oremites.

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schep
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VortexSurfer wrote:
In the DROD editor help section on characters, the custom tiles file is specified as a 9x4 grid of 22x22 pixels, where the "ninth column stores the central orientation (i.e. no direction)". Is it actually possible to have characters without orientation?

Huh. Now that you mention it, I have no clue why there's a ninth column. I bet it's possible by hacking a *.hold file, but not in the editor, and even then you'd probably lose the effect any time the character moves, with no way to force it back into that weird state. Maybe wubbas have no orientation, but you can get that sort of effect just by supplying a 1x1 or 1x4 tileset.

mrimer
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schep wrote:

VortexSurfer wrote:
In the DROD editor help section on characters, the custom tiles file is specified as a 9x4 grid of 22x22 pixels, where the "ninth column stores the central orientation (i.e. no direction)". Is it actually possible to have characters without orientation?

Huh. Now that you mention it, I have no clue why there's a ninth column. I bet it's possible by hacking a *.hold file, but not in the editor, and even then you'd probably lose the effect any time the character moves, with no way to force it back into that weird state. Maybe wubbas have no orientation, but you can get that sort of effect just by supplying a 1x1 or 1x4 tileset.

Using the Die Special command on NPC rock golems, for instance, will turn them into rubble. This is the 9th direction "no orientation" sprite.

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VortexSurfer
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Jeff_Ray... wrote:

Well, weapon-holding monsters and NPCs won't have their weapon while on oremites.

mrimer wrote:
Using the Die Special command on NPC rock golems, for instance, will turn them into rubble. This is the 9th direction "no orientation" sprite.

Thanks for the answers guys ... One follow-up question remains:

Does the "Die special" command work for other entities than rock golems? And should it work for rock golem NPCs with custom tiles? For me, it doesn't. In other words, I still haven't found a way to make this ninth column tile appear on screen.

schep
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VortexSurfer wrote:
Does the "Die special" command work for other entities than rock golems?

From the F1 help pages: "Currently, this command applies to rock golems and fegundos." Fegundos Die Special with an explosion, leaving ashes that will turn into a regular unscripted fegundo soon.

And should it work for rock golem NPCs with custom tiles? For me, it doesn't. In other words, I still haven't found a way to make this ninth column tile appear on screen.

It worked for me, but only using "Die special". Golem NPCs and Custom NPCs with golem 'type' both die with the golem sound but no rockpile when killed with a sword. Maybe a bug.

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[Last edited by schep at 04-24-2007 04:57 AM]

Tahnan
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In the interest of not starting another topic, here's a kinda-related question.

What exactly is the second row in custom tiles for? The help tells me that it's "to display a second animation frame, displayed at random time intervals", but as far as I can tell, characters never display the second animation frame. That is, a monster-roach will vary between eyes-open and eyes-closed, but a character roach will always have its eyes open. When, then, does the second row display?

Tahnan
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So, er, no one knows, hm?

silver
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I don't even know what your question means.


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Tahnan
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The DROD Help says:
Character Management - Click "Characters" to pop up the Character Management dialog. Here, you may create custom actors for use anywhere in the hold being edited. [...] Click "Custom Tiles" to import a custom tileset for this character. The tileset may be from a 1x1 to a 9x4 grid of 22x22 pixel tiles. [...] The second row may be included to display a second animation frame, displayed at random time intervals.

So my question is, under what circumstances is that row displayed?

silver
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oh. oh.
it's the animation that _would_ randomly show up if the loop for animation were over all objects in the room instead of just all monsters in the room. probably the help docs are the bug that need to be modified, because they don't even bother to include a second row for any of the default characters.


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vinheim
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i think the second row is for the occasional sprite that appears if you wait around for a while for example have you ever noticed that cockroaches blink?

silver
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that's what Tahnan meant here: "That is, a monster-roach will vary between eyes-open and eyes-closed,"

but he noted "but a character roach will always have its eyes open." and I have seen the source code that updates the animations, and I was saying, "it only loops over monsters, so you're right, T, characters do not animate, just monsters."

which is to say the second row is wasted for characters. probably a holdover from a different code plan.


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mrimer
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silver wrote:
that's what Tahnan meant here: "That is, a monster-roach will vary between eyes-open and eyes-closed,"

but he noted "but a character roach will always have its eyes open." and I have seen the source code that updates the animations, and I was saying, "it only loops over monsters, so you're right, T, characters do not animate, just monsters."

which is to say the second row is wasted for characters. probably a holdover from a different code plan.

Mmm...characters should animate just like monsters. I remember seeing it happen with custom NPC tiles before, so if it's not working now, then it sounds like a bug. And looks like one too. And tastes like one.

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coppro
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Well then, for all tests that matter, it's a sofa.

Wait...

Tahnan
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No, no, if it looks like a sofa, and sounds like a sofa, and tastes like a sofa, it's probably a davenport. Anyway, I've filed an official bug report about this, so with luck mrimer'll notice.

golfrman
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mrimer wrote:
then it sounds like a bug. And looks like one too. And tastes like one.

it smells like one also.

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