Nifflas' Support Forum

Level Editing Support => Knytt Stories Level Editing Support => Knytt Stories - Custom Content => Topic started by: Miss Paula on February 17, 2009, 17:54:45

Title: Custom Objects manual by SiamJai
Post by: Miss Paula on February 17, 2009, 17:54:45
Originally by SiamJai
I wrote a comprehensive manual (http://thaiwonders.com/design/14/custom-objects-manual/) about custom objects, with the hope that it will help people understand the concept. :)

Features
Custom object creation, configuration and embedding are all covered in detail. Colored illustrations and animated diagrams provide visual clues where needed. The manual includes an example spritesheet (PacMan) and its configuration codes, with thorough explanation.

(http://i124.photobucket.com/albums/p7/siamjai/screenshot.png) (http://thaiwonders.com/design/14/custom-objects-manual/)


Caveat
This manual is not an introduction to animation. It was written so that you can make best use of your existing animation skills by fully understanding this unique format - hence its title: Animator's Manual. Later on, I will write tutorials that focus exclusively on animation techniques.

Feedback and Updates
Animator's Manual will be included in the Level Editor pdf manual only after object movement has been implemented. In the meantime, the manual is available on my site. This allows continuous minor updates that would normally not be feasible with the pdf format. (Thanks for TW Design members for their help and observations on the beta! ^_^ )

Feedback, comments, corrections are all appreciated. :)


[mod]updated the link to point to the new location of the article.[/mod]
Title: Re: Custom Objects manual by SiamJai
Post by: Joozey on March 03, 2009, 21:41:14
Awesome!
Title: Re: Custom Objects manual by SiamJai
Post by: SiamJai on March 04, 2009, 01:47:03
Thanks! :)
Title: Re: Custom Objects manual by SiamJai
Post by: RoyaleBlue on March 14, 2009, 04:29:06
This was VERY usefull.  ;)
Title: Re: Custom Objects manual by SiamJai
Post by: SiamJai on March 14, 2009, 07:31:13
Thank you - I'm glad you found it useful. :)


(A small revision: found a broken link to the old forum, updated to link to the new one. If anyone spots similar errors, please let me know.)
Title: Re: Custom Objects manual by SiamJai
Post by: Dynamite on May 16, 2009, 13:51:53
Can you please sticky this? I can never find this post.
Title: Re: Custom Objects manual by SiamJai
Post by: TechnoGeek on May 16, 2009, 23:49:32
Can you please sticky this? I can never find this post.
i think it already is/was...
Title: Re: Custom Objects manual by SiamJai
Post by: googoogjoob on May 17, 2009, 02:14:08
It wasn't sticky but now it is.
Title: Re: Custom Objects manual by SiamJai
Post by: SiamJai on May 17, 2009, 02:28:49
It wasn't sticky but now it is.

Hmm... I could've sworn I saw it stickied by Paula on this forum before... but maybe I mix it up with another topic. She definitely brought the topic in from the old forum, which I'm thankful for. And thanks Goog for making it sticky, then. :)

Anyway, you have found it, Dynamite, so it's cool. If you need it again, just look somewhere in the top ten topics on this board. ;)
Title: Re: Custom Objects manual by SiamJai
Post by: AhhCobras on May 29, 2009, 05:00:01
Is there a total noob's custom object tutorial yet? Or coming soon? DL'ed this manual, but without the more basic knowledge I'm kind of stuck.  :(
Title: Re: Custom Objects manual by SiamJai
Post by: Evil on May 29, 2009, 07:18:11
Is there a total noob's custom object tutorial yet? Or coming soon? DL'ed this manual, but without the more basic knowledge I'm kind of stuck.  :(

Shawnachu has a tutorial video

http://www.youtube.com/shawnachu
Title: Re: Custom Objects manual by SiamJai
Post by: SiamJai on May 29, 2009, 11:39:54
Is there a total noob's custom object tutorial yet? Or coming soon? DL'ed this manual, but without the more basic knowledge I'm kind of stuck.  :(

Which part do you find complicated? What would you like to see covered in more detail? I wrote the manual in a way that the only prerequisite knowledge should be creating the animation itself. Do you need tips on how to create animation and spritesheets?

Check out Shawnachu's video and see if it helps. He also has a topic about it on the old forum (I can't link to it directly here, but you can find it easily in the Custom Object Support subforum.)

If you still have questions, post here and we'll surely find answers. ;)
Title: Re: Custom Objects manual by SiamJai
Post by: Dynamite on May 29, 2009, 13:25:56
How do I make the animation start in a random frame? Like I have a tree custom object but they all look like they're swaying together in the same motion. If I make them all start in different frames then It would look better.
Anyone know how?
Title: Re: Custom Objects manual by SiamJai
Post by: SiamJai on May 29, 2009, 13:42:41
Use the same png file for each object, but when you write the World.ini codes, add the following line:

Code: [Select]
Init AnimFrom=##
Where ## is the frame number that you would like the animation to start at. Make this number different for each object and they will start at different frames. :)
Title: Re: Custom Objects manual by SiamJai
Post by: Dynamite on May 29, 2009, 14:38:20
No but I have 1 object. I want each of these objects to randomly set the starting frame.

I tried things like:

Init AnimFrom=ran#(10)
Init AnimFrom=random(10)

but they don't work. Unless I just duplicate like 5 of the same objects
Title: Re: Custom Objects manual by SiamJai
Post by: SiamJai on May 29, 2009, 15:22:14
Unless I just duplicate like 5 of the same objects
Yep, that's pretty much the only working solution I can think of. It's only a matter of cloning the object placeholder in the editor, and copy-pasting a bunch of code with minor tweaks in the config file. :) Though I agree that randomizing the animation by code would be neater.
Title: Re: Custom Objects manual by SiamJai
Post by: AhhCobras on May 30, 2009, 12:54:01
Well, thanks for the vid link. It seems I just have to be shown something to really understand it I guess. One thing I was wondering how complicated, if possible, is it to make something react to Juni appearing on-screen or approaching? Thanks for the help  :^^:
Title: Re: Custom Objects manual by SiamJai
Post by: TechnoGeek on May 30, 2009, 16:37:38
Well, thanks for the vid link. It seems I just have to be shown something to really understand it I guess. One thing I was wondering how complicated, if possible, is it to make something react to Juni appearing on-screen or approaching? Thanks for the help  :^^:

custom objects only animate, but cannot have behaviors
Title: Re: Custom Objects manual by SiamJai
Post by: Kasran on May 30, 2009, 19:34:58
Not yet, anyway. I have a project (on hiatus, but all of them are) for a simple code that lets you control the behavior of active objects. :3
Title: Re: Custom Objects manual by SiamJai
Post by: AhhCobras on May 30, 2009, 20:14:53
Not yet, anyway. I have a project (on hiatus, but all of them are) for a simple code that lets you control the behavior of active objects. :3

So is it something hard-coded that makes the bugs and birds and stuff fly away when you run past?
Title: Re: Custom Objects manual by SiamJai
Post by: Kasran on May 30, 2009, 22:07:38
Not yet, anyway. I have a project (on hiatus, but all of them are) for a simple code that lets you control the behavior of active objects. :3

So is it something hard-coded that makes the bugs and birds and stuff fly away when you run past?
No, it's something that lets people making their levels maybe be able to code their own COs in future.
Title: Re: Custom Objects manual by SiamJai
Post by: Salmoneous on June 01, 2009, 08:28:01
What are all the animation settings?
Could someone list them up please.
Title: Re: Custom Objects manual by SiamJai
Post by: Dandelion on June 01, 2009, 08:49:23
What are all the animation settings?
Could someone list them up please.
*Image= This is where you type in the image name.
Init AnimFrom= This is the image the editor displays first. Default is 0.
*Init AnimTo= This is the image the editor displays last.
Init AnimSpeed= This is the speed the editor displays the images (probably frames per minute)
Init AnimLoopback= When the editor displays the last image, it goes back to this frame. Default is 0.
Init AnimRepeat= The animation loops this number of times. Default is infinite.
Tile Width= The width of the tile. Default is 24.
Tile Height= The height of the tile. Default is 24.
Offset X= How many pixels the animation is moved horizontally. Positive numbers move it right, negative to the left.
Offset Y= How many pixels the animation is moved vertically. Positive numbers move it down, negative moves it up.

*Required

Shawnachu wrote that. Frankly, I have no idea why this guide was saved as opposed to Shawn's. His was easier to use and located on the forums, allthough I suppose this guide does cover more. No offense, this guide is great but often I'm too lazy to open a separate web page. X)
Title: Re: Custom Objects manual by SiamJai
Post by: Salmoneous on June 01, 2009, 14:22:13
I didnt see the link in the first post. Well, thanks.
Title: Re: Custom Objects manual by SiamJai
Post by: Shawnachu on June 02, 2009, 00:47:45
If anyone needs it, here's my manual (copy+pasted over)
Title: Re: Custom Objects manual by SiamJai
Post by: Headgrinder on January 29, 2011, 13:38:53
I don't know if anyone will notice this post, but I'll try asking this here first.

I think I've discovered a bug of sorts.  I was trying to use a single png for both a 24 pixel wide object and a 48 pixel wide object.  However, upon testing it would set the pixel width to whichever tile width command came first.  So, if the code for the 48 wide was first, both objects would be 48 wide, if the 24 was first, both would be 24.

I figure I'll just have to make 3 or 4 single wide objects with Init AnimFrom commands to make up the difference, but does anyone know if I'm just doing something wrong or is this an actual bug?
Title: Re: Custom Objects manual by SiamJai
Post by: GingerL on July 21, 2011, 02:28:16
I wonder if there is a limit to how big each object can be.
Title: Re: Custom Objects manual by SiamJai
Post by: Raicuparta on July 21, 2011, 02:56:58
I wonder if there is a limit to how big each object can be.
Many levels have objects the size of the screen, but in many cases it will cause a performance drop, usually when the framerate of the object is high and there are many frames, I think.
Title: Re: Custom Objects manual by SiamJai
Post by: sergiocornaga on July 22, 2011, 05:43:08
Many levels have objects the size of the screen, but in many cases it will cause a performance drop, usually when the framerate of the object is high and there are many frames, I think.

In my experience, lots of small objects cause more lag than one huge one.
Title: Re: Custom Objects manual by SiamJai
Post by: Healy on August 02, 2015, 22:19:48
When I opened the web-page for this, the page was blank. Does anyone have the manual saved somewhere?
Title: Re: Custom Objects manual by SiamJai
Post by: egomassive on August 03, 2015, 18:28:56
Links to SiamJai's manuals:
Knytt CO.pdf (http://egomassive.com/nifflas/Knytt CO.pdf)
KS_Editor_Tut_v110.pdf (http://egomassive.com/nifflas/KS_Editor_Tut_v110.pdf)