Vega Strike Forums

I've been looking over the python scripts for bases, and they don't look to complicated. I do not see a base maker/editor here. Is anyone interested? I will need some guidance on what the format is. I get the imports stuff and such. I have even developed my own scripting for other games I did in Visual Basic. Just need to know what is defined where, and I should be able to make such an editor. Windows only unless someone else want's the task of porting it. sorry

if you know C++ you can try your hand in QT. The QT IDE contains a lot of examples and tutorials to work with on how to build apps in QT (unlike VC++) and even with NO coding experience you can quickly pick up on it.

Also, under objconv in the vegastrike folder on svn there is an app called base maker. I think it has more to to with the graphics side of things but I am not sure.. nor is anyone else.

What exactly are you wanting to do anyway?

I'm thinking a largely point and click interface to automatically generate the python script for a base. Load in your pic for a room, click on where a link or computer should be, assign it's values, repeat until the base is done, then click compile and the program spits out the .py file to make it happen for the game. Both mods and those interested in expanding the bases, could spend more time on artwork then coding. I'll see if I can find the prog you mentioned to make sure I'm not duplicating effort. I've dealt some with C++, though nothing advanced, as well as a java course or two. Python looks to be a straightforward script; I just don't know what data VS is expecting where in the base code. My biggest hesitation with C is it has been a long time since my class. But if that one editor is truly no experience required I’d give it a shot.

For really basic work you can do it with little to no experience provided you cut n paste a lot from the tutorial or examples.

Any mod tools really need to be in a platform independent language or dev suite (such as Glade for GTK, QT Creator for QT4, and whatever wxWidgets uses). I think thats why several of the tools released around the .4.3 release were done in python.

I've downloaded qt, but It'll be a bit of a learning curve. Ever heard of the Mono project?
http://www.mono-project.com/Main_Page

Says it is a cross-platform compiler.

supports several OS's http://mono-project.com/Supported_Platforms

Would this do the trick? If not, I'll tackle the new language.

That implies you are familiar with C#/.NET?

There are also Python APIs for Gtk: http://www.pygtk.org

If you want to go wtih VB-like then there is Gambas: http://gambas.sourceforge.net

I would encourage you not to use Mono because it is based on a non-Free technology and also because it adds Yet Another Language (C#) and Yet Another Requirement (Mono stack) to the VS application set. Gambas applications do not require users to install Gambas so is a bit better in this regard. Python is used for VS and for UnitConverter

charlieg wrote:That implies you are familiar with C#/.NET?

C I can recognise and interpret some, .net is integral to visual basic, but largely transparent, so I can't just pound out code in strait .net.

charlieg wrote:If you want to go wtih VB-like then there is Gambas: http://gambas.sourceforge.net

I think I came across that in looking at my options. QT has a visual Studio-ish mode, but my c is rusty I'll look a bit closer.

charlieg wrote:I would encourage you not to use Mono because it is based on a non-Free technology and also because it adds Yet Another Language (C#) and Yet Another Requirement (Mono stack) to the VS application set. Gambas applications do not require users to install Gambas so is a bit better in this regard. Python is used for VS and for UnitConverter

Thanks for the heads up, my thought with Mono is just to write in what I know and have then make the exe cross-platform.

I'm sure you guys can use all the coding help you can get, but I think small utilities is the best I can manage. Would something like this be truly useful, or am I just making a pointless project for my self?

I think Gambas will be closer to what you know once you get going with it.

That's my advise - though obviously, as the contributor, you are free to choose what you work with.

If you want more advice/help from us I think it best if you map out what you want your tool to do. Once thats done we will have a much better idea of what to direct you to and how to really help

*EDIT* nevermind.. its in your 3rd post. At least the basics for it.

I can mock up a dummy app to post a screen shot. On my puppy stick (Linux destro) trying to figure out how to install gambas to it.

travists wrote:I can mock up a dummy app to post a screen shot. On my puppy stick (Linux destro) trying to figure out how to install gambas to it.

Maybe this? (link in last post, second of page, working from here at this very moment)

That would be what I was looking for. I did a little more digging, when I just couldn't get it to work, and found a pet here Thanks, at least someone has looked into puppy here.

Installed from my link, not working... trying the other one

Actually, for this sort of stuff I'd rather recommend Python over C++. Development will go faster and it will be alot easier to maintain (and it will be very portable).

Either Python with PyQT, which has graphical builders and IDEs, or Python with tkInter, which is standard and very portable (but less easy to work with).

Thanks klauss, If I can't get my puppy pet to work, or even if I do, the ability to work in windows would help, just 'cause I won't have to poot to my thumb. May not like MS but it's what I truely know and have. On a side bar, I see you have a link to Wing Commander Universe. Is that still active, or has it rolled entierly into the Privateer PU project? Guess I'll have to find a language and see what I can do.

Sill could use some pointers on the internal structure of the python code defigning the bases. It looks like a list of what links where, what interfaces are where, and bounding boxes. Problem is if I assume it's an X point and it's width, The best interface in the world won't do a user a lick of good.

Thanks everyone!!

WCU got rolled into PU.

WCU seems like such a better name, especially given the attention to detail the project puts into respecting the universe's canon.

"Parallel Universe" on the other hand implies some kind of divergence from canon.

WCU was actually just a bunch of resources for modders. Ships, stats, stuff like that.

PU took WCU and made it into a (canon-diverging) game.

I don't think there was ever the intention to make WCU a game itself, rather use its resources to make WC remakes, but that never happened either.

About how base interface works, the C++ engine has very basic and simple functions for setting up rooms, sprites (possibly animated) and hotspots.

There's a GUI.py module that defines higher-level constructs with those tools, including buttons, text boxes, even list items. A base editor should try to use it. In fact, there's XGUI.py which I intended to implement as a way to have xml templates, with an xml saying: button here, text here, etc... That isn't finished, but was the idea. A base editor would probably find that extremely useful, so I wouldn't mind finishing it if there's any interest.

klauss wrote: About how base interface works, the C++ engine has very basic and simple functions for setting up rooms, sprites (possibly animated) and hotspots.

There's a GUI.py module that defines higher-level constructs with those tools, including buttons, text boxes, even list items. A base editor should try to use it. In fact, there's XGUI.py which I intended to implement as a way to have xml templates, with an xml saying: button here, text here, etc... That isn't finished, but was the idea. A base editor would probably find that extremely useful, so I wouldn't mind finishing it if there's any interest.

Sounds kinda like what I was thinking, actually. Load your background into a GUI, click on where you want the rooms, computers, ship, then draw the bounding box outline for each room on a base. Then it turns all of that into the .py script to run the base. If you have one almost done then by all means, feel free to finish it! I'm half toying with the idea of doing a mod. Also, I think I've seen some discussion on explorable bases. A GUI rather than hard-codding base scripts would make such easier until Ogre is finally ready and planet-side/bases have a FPS type interface.

?? Repost, it hasn't shown up yet...

Any tool or editor that makes adding new data items to the game is always welcome Thats why I started my mission and data editors. I just wish we had a nice 2d cockpit editor now...

pheonixstorm wrote: I just wish we had a nice 2d cockpit editor now...

I thought about doing one of them too. In fact, The cockpit code looks a little more straight forward then base's. I thought the cockpits where all meshes now? There is an old editor, specifically for the WC variants. But it looks like it's dead. Perhaps rather than spot tools some of the more advanced coders, could make a modders suite: newer ship converter, mission editors, base maker, etc. With one package, mods and contributors can focus on content, rather than codding. I'm still happy to make something, I'm just not the worlds best programmer. Don't know when I'll have the time to pick up a new language.

Hey I had some down time, so I did some looking. QT is Nokia, and both of the QT suggestions (C and python) land you at the same place. anyone know if I garb the visual studio QT plug-in if I can write in VB and port it out that way ?

Don't know. Haven't tried the VS plug-in though I have it downloaded. For QT work I work out of QT Creator. Making an all-in-one editor would be a lot of work. I may do it once I get a stable data/mission editor running though.

As for the hud editor I think it may work for the 2D vegastrike cockpits. I don't know if the idea of 3D cockpits is really worth the hassle but they would look nice if properly done.

pheonixstorm wrote:I don't know if the idea of 3D cockpits is really worth the hassle but they would look nice if properly done.

Cockpits in VS should be all 3D by now. There is support for 3D virtual cockpits in the engine, they're great, they should be used.

The only 3D cockpit mesh we have is an old one from strangelet IIRC.

3D cockpits go like thits: a 3D mesh for the surrounding environment, which will show proper movement (ie: shake when the ship is under stress) and then the 2D elements that make up the HUD, radars, viewscreens, etc, all overlaid in the usual 2D cockpit fashion.

Eventually, the 2D elements will be integrated into the 3D model by virtue of projected screens, but ATM, there's no engine support for that.

I'd discourage further making of 2D-only cockpits. I've played with 3D cockpits and it's immensely more immersive.

pheonixstorm wrote: Making an all-in-one editor would be a lot of work. I may do it once I get a stable data/mission editor running though.

When the data/mission editor is done, and we have a newer, working cockpit editor, and a base editor (I'm guessing that the data editor handles ships and upgrades/cargo) Bundling them, with an over arching launcher should work. Though some refinements to make the interfaces similar enough to each other to cross over would be needed.

As For the 3D cockpits, that was my impression. I'll grab the QT for Visual Studio plug in soon and post a quickie to test cross platform, assuming I can get it to work.

Looks like I need the full Visual Studio for the QT plug in, despite it not working with Visual C++. And I'll need to give the bandwidth a rest I think

ah well, that's the way life goes. Guess it'll just have to wait.