Help me....

[Obi_Wan_Cannoli]

I have been trying and trying to succesfully import an object, but I just can't do it! I don't understand the Text Strings, the Icon References, and the Icon Textures...i can succesfully create a ovl. and install the theme but i get an error when I try to place it...we need an in depth tutorial, like a video one...I can't take it!

[Usf geek]

I'm looking Into making a video now.....

[Belgabor]

That would be highly appreciated. If vodhin is ok with it, I can host it on my space on his server.

[Vodhin]

If it is under 10MB I should have little problem hosting. When I made my 10 minute ling ASE tutorial, I used a ton of still images (edited in Paint, no less). That brought the file down considerably. Now since I have been editing more images for custom scenery, I realize that I could have made it even smaller and clearer by using 256 colors...

But... to answer obi-wan-cannoli's (I love that name!) question: Here's what's happening in the importer (nutshell version):

First, there is the scenery piece:

There is a Model (the ASE file you import)
There is info about it's Name (the text string)
There is an Icon(The Icon reference)
There are parameters that tell RCT3 how to use it/place it/what it does (the SID info).


Now, you probably will have more than one piece, or maybe not. But either way, you need to have a "theme". To unify the theme, a list of the scenery Names and a "sheet" of Icons needs to be created.

The Scenery Names have two parts- the internal name (for the game to look up) and the "friendly Name" (what appears next to the icon). You can make your set load a little faster by using very short item names (001 ,002 ,003, etc). but you probably will need to write down a list of what each one is. Most of us simply use a duplicate name in both sections. If you do thins, try to keep your names 'boolian" based on how you want it to be listed, eg: "Wall- Brick 1m high" and "Wall- Brick Window 1". If you look at frontier's scenery menus, you can see what happens when you don't keep consistant naming from set to set. But, don't worry, we're all having that issue :p

Icons are similar, except that you first need to tell the importer what image to use (the Icon Textures button) and then map out a grid of where each icon is in the image(s) by clicking the Icon References button. Use my Icon Sheet (http://www.vodhin.net/CustomScenery/Vodhin/HowTo/24bit_Chessboard.png) to start with. Belgabor's latest importer can automatically generate the icon references (needed to be done just once- thank you!). Simply paste your little 64x64 icons into my icon sheet (going across and then down) any time you want.

After you have made the scenery OVL, you then set up the SID options using the Scenery button- there you choose the scenery OVL file, the group name, it's icon, and it's other settings.

Now, once you have all 4 parts of a theme set up, you are ready to 1. save your theme (in the File menu) and 2. Install Theme.


:D

[Obi_Wan_Cannoli]

Thanks...I am still a little confused..see, I installed the theme...and it said it worked...but I got an error when I place the item....and it shows my icon on it and everything....can somone give me a sid. file? the ones in jonwil's tutorial don't work...also, can someone do me a favor and just make a really simple item, like a stucco 3h wall, and give me ALL the files so i can just plug them in, so I can see and understand what is what?

[Obi_Wan_Cannoli]

Um...I just downloaded Milkshape, and before for this object, I used wings3D, could that mean anything?

[Obi_Wan_Cannoli]

I think I'm coming along....with the icons, I don't understand what to do with your sheet....do I paste my little things in and the copy them and save each one? or do I put them all there and use the same icon texture each time?

[Belgabor]

You need one icon texture, ie you copy'n'paste all your icons into one (you can use more than one if you need more icons than fit on one).

[Obi_Wan_Cannoli]

oh, that's awesome! well, check out my bit's and pieces thread, i've succesfully imported my first object!