[Frobozz]

Might take a commercial version of Winzip then. But I do know I've seen Winzip self extractors do that.

[Dr Lancer-X]

It would take a few minutes at most to write something to do that in any decent programming language if none of the archiving utilities or programs like Installshield Express or MSI could do the job for you...

[Frobozz]

True. But those install programs take a while since Windows does it's preparing (the progress part that appears just before the setup program opens) where as Winzip only pops up a window and either prompts or immediately extracts and runs the setup file.

[Koji]

Well mzx is much smaller than anything usually installed by Installshield or msi, so I wouldn't imagine the preparation wouldn't take long.

Although I'm still finding it dubious that winzip provides that service.

[djtiesto]

Yeah, the RPG maker series has something called "Make a gamedisk", which makes a package with an executable/installer and it adds all the RTP (run time package, the default stuff) needed for the game, so you can burn the game onto CD and give it to people who don't necessarily have the editor. This would be cool, instead of having random people d/l MegaZeux, they can just run an executable for your game... I don't think it would be too hard to do...

[Exophase]

I'd rather not have that, because then people could make it look like they made the games, and it wouldn't spread MZX any. And then people would need to download these larger versions of your game... Also it would be hard to make such a feature portable.

I think it's best to include a version with MZX packaged with it, and a shell script to run MZX so it runs the game (or something like that)

- Exo

[Koji]

Whooo go batch file go!

That or a piff I suppose...

[commodorejohn]

I'm with Exo. Standalones for MZX would just be useless. Half of playing through a given MZX game is looking in the editor.

[Pyro1588]

unless it's a game like btb where the editor stuff is so confusing that it's pointless looking in it.
and yeah, i've seen winzip do that.

[Exophase]

Okay, audio is all done. Mods play, samples play (up to 16 at a time, but they can take a while after finishing to actually unload, so you sometimes need this extra room), and PC speaker effects are emulated. Samples that are in SAM format are internally converted to WAV (thanks to MadBrain for his convertor which I adapted into my code) the first time they're ran. GDMs aren't supported yet, but they will receive the same treatment.

I also fixed some other issues, more bugs, etc. Besides the config file, almost all of MZX's core should be done, so I should be able to start working on the editor now.

- Exo

[duvel]

YES. Soon I'll be able to run MZX on my mom's comp without VDMSound!

[djtiesto]

First off, congrats on getting the sound done...

Now, I dunno if you're gonna try and keep the look and feel of the editor as much as possible, but I was thinking, it would speed up MZX game development if you had the following things:

-A way to UNDO the last 3 or 4 things you did
-Have the character set appear in a window to the left, allowing you to select groups of characters with the mouse, to place... kind of like the RPG Maker editors... This way, say you draw a tree, using 4x3 characters.. you'd be able to select the whole tree and place it down at once, instead of manually going in, placing a bunch of customblocks down, and selecting each individual character for them
-More intuitive copying system
-Have it automatically load the proper palette/character set for a board
The editor's interface can definitely stand to be reworked, to make it more user friendly...

This post has been edited by djtiesto: 12 July 2004 - 06:18 PM

[GetDizzy]

Commercial winzip can do that, yes. So can free WinRAR... But if you want something a BIT less cumbersome, and maybe also somethnig for actually creating an installer for MZX, you might want to take a look at this:
http://www.nullsoft.com/free/nsis/

[KKairos]

YAY to Exo on all of that stuff! (that is, getting ready to move to the editor 'n stuff...)

This'll be cool stuff when it's done!

[Dr Lancer-X]

djtiesto: The original editor will be implemented first.. what I'm hoping for is the ability for MZX to be compiled with multiple editors, and be able to choose the one to work with. Say, at first the original editor would be implemented, then later maybe another one similar to the original, but with some of the extra efficiency features implemented.. it would be nice. Even better, to have the editor as an external program that runs MZX with special command line options for testing and such... and then anyone can write and release an editor without having to release a branched form of MZX, possibly introducing compatibility problems.

[Spectere]

Exophase, on Jul 11 2004, 11:22 PM, said:

samples play (up to 16 at a time, but they can take a while after finishing to actually unload, so you sometimes need this extra room)

Will there be any way to specify the pan position of samples, or will they at least be centered? Just curious.

It's great to see that someone is taking the time to develop MegaZeux. I was getting worried for a while.

[Pyro1588]

um, i don't really see the point in implementing stereo sound effects. the only situations where i see them as helpful are 3d shooters (which mzx is not designed for) and the occasional sidescroller. in standard top-down games, the gameplay is as much vertical as it is horizontal, so it throws me off hearing stereo sound played because i always look directly to the left or right of my character and forget to check up and down.
i like the undo idea, and the character window might not be bad as an optional feature, but i think the copying system is fine. loading a given palette would probably require a change in file format, but it would be a nice feature.

[Spectere]

The main reason I asked about the panning was because hearing sounds at the far left (as in the original) bothers me.

Also, I think that it would be kind of a neat feature. Sure, you couldn't use it everywhere (like you said, that'd be a little disorienting). It would be nice to have for cutscenes and the like; being able to position, say, voices, could really enhance a dialogue sequence.

[Exophase]

The sams are played in the center. I don't know how they ended up in the far left in the original..

I'm reimplementing the editor (since the original code is a real mess), but I don't want to add all of these complicated editing abilities. That would really slow down development time. In the future there will probably be a totally different editor.

The primary focus of the port is to put MZX onto other platforms, not redesign or expand it. Some additions come because of internal revision, but that's not the goal right now.

Likewise, I have no intention of modifying Robotic or adding new function counters. It's best to wait for later versions (3.x line?)

- Exo

[Tokugawa]

Yeah, this needs to be done fast so I can start obsessing over MZX again.

[weasel]

I don't mind waiting.

[paulguy]

Don't use InstallSheild 'cus litestep gets pissed off and crashes.

[Tokugawa]

WildWeasel, on Jul 13 2004, 04:36 PM, said:

I don't mind waiting.

Well, neither do I, but I wanna play MZX again as soon as possible.

[Pyro1588]

i really doubt that mzx 3 will require installation, unless sdl requires it (i don't think so)

[Revvy]

All SDL needs is a DLL, so an installer shouldn't be needed unless you have no idea how to unpack a zip file =\

[Frobozz]

Revvy, on Jul 13 2004, 10:18 PM, said:

All SDL needs is a DLL, so an installer shouldn't be needed unless you have no idea how to unpack a zip file =\

Chances are Exo probably has SDL compiled so that it makes statically-linked libraries. If so we won't have a dll to fiddle with.

This post has been edited by Frobozz: 14 July 2004 - 05:51 AM

[Exophase]

Frobozz, on Jul 14 2004, 12:50 AM, said:

Revvy, on Jul 13 2004, 10:18 PM, said:

All SDL needs is a DLL, so an installer shouldn't be needed unless you have no idea how to unpack a zip file =\

Chances are Exo probably has SDL compiled so that it makes statically-linked libraries. If so we won't have a dll to fiddle with.

No, I don't...

I know some of you don't mind waiting, but I do mind having to do a bunch of extra work for a port thats already become far more complicated than ever intended. One new revision will lead to another and then it'll never get done. I have specific goals to accomplish and when they're done I'm releasing.

- Exo

[Dr Lancer-X]

I don't want you to waste time working on any extra features.. besides, when you're done I'm grabbing the source and shoving in the stuff I want anyway.

[Revvy]

Heh, yeah. Lancer spoke my mind.

[bomber_nuke88]

Incredible... Funny, about a year ago I stopped coming to the forum regularly. Now, my computer can't run MZX now that I try (Win XP). Still, 2.70 w/ boot disk... Waiting for this port. Keep up the good work.

Now, I recall the help file in MZX to say "255 characters is a hardware limit"... Would that be... a DOS limit? if MZX still uses 8x14 2 color ASCII characters, it's emulating it... in Windows, shouldn't MZX have the capacity to any number of 8x14 16 color graphics? at this point, change the format a bit and any number of graphics could be stored. If MZX uses ASCII it's merely for compatability, right? But, when is the last time anyone has complained about character limitations, though?

So if I'm being unclear my question boils down to, "Will graphics capability go up with the port's completion?"

Exo, I'm trying to keep up with the port, the sooner it comes out, the bigger your check ^_- Good luck and God Speed...