GPF Lith

[GPF Lith]

Hey guys. It's really cool to see this forum! And it's WAY better than the Monolith Gruntz forum. I wonder if they'd be willing to link here when the domain expires. Might be worth asking. *shrugs*

Anyhow, for those who don't already know, I'm working at Gas Powered Games now as Lead Designer for Dungeon Siege 2 and having a blast.

Someday when I start my own company or take a couple of years off, I sure would love to get with some talented artists and animators and do a Gruntz 2 or a Gruntz 3D. MAN that would be awesome.

I still think it's awesome that the forum is still going strong. You guys rock. I'm not worthy. In fact, I'll stop babbling here and go back to lurk mode.

Nice seeing you guyz again. Take care.

GPF.

[GooRoo]

Kevin, FriedGruntzaholic has been in contact with MPI and told that we have a leg up on obtaining the domain name, should they decide to drop it. The latest word is that they are renewing it for 2004, so it may be a while.

It would be really sweet to have you drop by from time to time to give us some of those Gruntz tidbits that you have often hinted at ... like the alternate voice files that can be selected (by the user). Also, an easy way to incorporate the animations of Gruntz into avatars, etc. to 'dress up' this Forum. What you have seen in your visit(s) so far has been a matter of a graphically challenged attempt at using portions of screen grabs and paint programs to do the job. You can see that my own avatar is a still, while in the game the King is pacing around. Now that would be a neat avatar!
Having those Gruntz in the rank indicators 'doing their thing' would be a kick for everyone else, I'm sure.

Waiting (somewhat impatiently) for your return. And soooooo glad you took the time to come by!!

[GPF Lith]

This may already be news to you: REZ files are a proprietary Monolith format, but I believe someone wrote a public utility (called Winrez maybe? you should be able to search for it) that can extract the Gruntz.rez file (or any .rez file for that matter)

If you've already done that, the sprites are encoded in a proprietary RLE format, but I believe we had a utility to view the animations frame-by-frame (MAN it's been a long time).

Give the rez file a shot and I can see if I can dig up the anim viewer and see if it works.

GPF.

[Gamer]

Even elementary knowledge like the speedz you gave us would be useful. They sure made it easier for us editors using the speez for the timing puzzles.

I am happy you came here! I hope you have enough time to check in from time to time.

Also, as the graphics warden, is there any hope for us incorporating 32 by 32 graphics into making additional level sets? I love the ones that are there already, but *cough cough* claw has 14 level sets *cough cough* and the more the merrier right?

[Jean]

GPF! So pleased to see your post. I hope you'll stop by as time permits, and you know that all of us would LOVE to see a Gruntz2 or 3D Gruntz. Although all these Custom Levels are keeping me entertained. Take good care. Jean

[GooRoo]

GPF said:

This may already be news to you: REZ files are a proprietary Monolith format, but I believe someone wrote a public utility (called Winrez maybe? you should be able to search for it) that can extract the Gruntz.rez file (or any .rez file for that matter)

If you've already done that, the sprites are encoded in a proprietary RLE format, but I believe we had a utility to view the animations frame-by-frame (MAN it's been a long time).

Give the rez file a shot and I can see if I can dig up the anim viewer and see if it works.

GPF.

Well, I found a program named "Lithrez", but have been unable to download it. The site requires registration, and $6.95 to register. There are also two programs named ")Edit" and "MEdit" that are part of the suggested 'package'. The site appears to be a Monolith web site, with Claw and Shogo(?) advertisements. I don't have the time tonight to pursue it, but will try again tomorrow afternoon.

[FriedGruntzaholic]

GooRoo said:

Well, I found a program named "Lithrez", but have been unable to download it. The site requires registration, and $6.95 to register. There are also two programs named ")Edit" and "MEdit" that are part of the suggested 'package'. The site appears to be a Monolith web site, with Claw and Shogo(?) advertisements. I don't have the time tonight to pursue it, but will try again tomorrow afternoon.

Where did you find it? I found a site that deals with Lithrez, primarily from Monolith's "Alien vs Predator2" perspective. I'm wondering if Lithrez will work with Gruntz.

[GooRoo]

"Lithrez" is apparently the name of the program Kevin posted as "Winrez" (maybe). What I have read about it indicates it works with all of Monolith's engines. Now if I could only actually find a place from which to download the program, we'll be in business!

I believe, David, that we were at the very same site. So one of us needs to find the entrance to the download link. So far, I have had no luck at all.

Edit: Thanks to the legwork that our own IdleAl did while I was away from the computer for three hours, I am now in the process of downloading the suite of programs which includes Winrez LT, and a little over 63% of the way through the download.

For those Windows ME/2000/XP users who would like to try their hand at it themselves, you may enter the download process by clicking here.

[FriedGruntzaholic]

I actually went to two sites. One that had an in-depth tutorial on making new worlds for AvP2, utilizing Lithrez. The other offered Winrez LT Studio for download. It is freeware. There is also a Winrez Pro that is available for a mere $10 USD. I downloaded Winrez LT Studio, if nothing more than to play with it a little bit. I'd like to fix, if possible, a couple of the bugs that we've run across in the editor. But, alas, I haven't been able to get the program to start (yet!).

[GooRoo]

FriedGruntzaholic said:

I actually went to two sites. One that had an in-depth tutorial on making new worlds for AvP2, utilizing Lithrez.

That is undoubtedly the same site I went to first, via Google. I intend to return there today, and (if possible) capture the tutorial. Hopefully, there will be enough similarities to WinRez LT to be useful. If the tutorial for LithRez helps me with WinRez LT, I will upload the tutorial to our web host, so it may be accessed. That is, if I would be allowed to post a link to our own hosted copy for Gruntzerz to use ... there may be copyright exclusions to prevent that. I certainly would not think that MPI would want us to use their bandwidth by hot-linking to their site.

The other offered Winrez LT Studio for download. It is freeware. There is also a Winrez Pro that is available for a mere $10 USD. I downloaded Winrez LT Studio, if nothing more than to play with it a little bit.

I also downloaded Studio, reserving a decision to 'go Pro' for later. What I read about Pro, it is overkill for what I would be qualified to do with it.

I'd like to fix, if possible, a couple of the bugs that we've run across in the editor. But, alas, I haven't been able to get the program to start (yet!).

I'm not sure what you mean by 'bugs ... in the editor'. Seems to me that the Gruntz game engine is where the 'run between pyramidz on the diagonal', and "ExitTrigger on the edge of the map" bugs exist. What I would like to do with WinRez LT is extend the graphics set by eliminating duplicate Tilez, and modifying Tilez (particularly #1 through #16) to be unique in some way. For instance, in "The Miniature Masterz" there should be both red/blue and blue/red diagonal Tilez, to name but one shortcoming.

[FriedGruntzaholic]

GooRoo said:

That is undoubtedly the same site I went to first, via Google.

Great minds think alike or what? That is exactly what I did.

I also downloaded Studio, reserving a decision to 'go Pro' for later. What I read about Pro, it is overkill for what I would be qualified to do with it.

Same here.

I'm not sure what you mean by 'bugs ... in the editor'.

The inability of a custom level maker to introduce "Help" books into their levels is the one bug in the editor that strikes me. If I don't miss my guess, the level editor that we possess is nothing more than a modified type of WinRez or Lithrez program that allows us to extract certain .rez files from the game engine (tiles and objects), modify them or arrange them as we wish, then drop them back into the game in the form of a .wwd file, which I think is a form of a .dat file. However, during the creation of the Level Editor, an error was introduced somehow that paired the image of a Help book with a megaphone when a megaphone was used as a covered powerup. Perhaps a patch could be made to drop into the editor to fix this bug? That's all the patch for the original game was--a modification of the game's .rez file.

Seems to me that the Gruntz game engine is where the 'run between pyramidz on the diagonal', and "ExitTrigger on the edge of the map" bugs exist.

That's exactly where those bugs exist. They probably could be fixed (I mean, a grunt is not supposed to run through geometries, right?), but it is probably not worth the time or effort to worry about. Those "bugs" can either be worked around (don't place the ExitTrigger object on the perimeter of your map) or add a surprising gameplay element to the game (anyone remember "Bombz Away!?").

What I would like to do with WinRez LT is extend the graphics set by eliminating duplicate Tilez, and modifying Tilez (particularly #1 through #16) to be unique in some way. For instance, in "The Miniature Masterz" there should be both red/blue and blue/red diagonal Tilez, to name but one shortcoming.

That would certainly be great if we could do that.

[GooRoo]

I am 'in the queue' waiting to download LithRez. I would like to see the differences between the two programs. I still have 29 minutes to wait to start the download of almost 8MB.

[GooRoo]

After spending an hour and a half in the queue, and then in downloading the file, it wouldn't install because I do not have Alien Vs P...2 installed. I don't think I want to go through the hassle of somehow acquiring the game, so I am at a dead-end. WinRez LT lets me view what is in the Gruntz.rez file, but I don't know how to do anything with what I have. I guess I will have to just experiment with things, to try to get something accomplished.

[FriedGruntzaholic]

It looks like I may be dead in the water on this issue. It seems that WinRezLT Studio uses elements from WindowsME/2000/XP and cannot be run on machines that are running Win95/98, which mine is running. At least not until BlackAngel Software comes out with the update they say they are working on to address that issue.

[Blaze The Movie Fan]

Please make Gruntz II, please!

[Gruntzola]

admin said:

Well, I found a program named "Lithrez", but have been unable to download it. The site requires registration, and $6.95 to register. There are also two programs named ")Edit" and "MEdit" that are part of the suggested 'package'. The site appears to be a Monolith web site, with Claw and Shogo(?) advertisements. I don't have the time tonight to pursue it, but will try again tomorrow afternoon.

DEdit is a world editor for another (really awesome but violent) game by Monolith called Aliens vs. Predator 2.

ModelEdit(or MEdit) is a Lithtech model editor.it works around Aliens vs. Predator 2 Modelz(.ABC and .LTA).

i know this because i own Aliens vs. Predator 2 and these two utilitiez.

[Gruntzola]

admin said:

After spending an hour and a half in the queue, and then in downloading the file, it wouldn't install because I do not have Alien Vs P...2 installed. I don't think I want to go through the hassle of somehow acquiring the game, so I am at a dead-end. WinRez LT lets me view what is in the Gruntz.rez file, but I don't know how to do anything with what I have. I guess I will have to just experiment with things, to try to get something accomplished.

i can give you a demo of AVP2.i cant give you the full version though,because it is too big.
Minimum Requirementz:

• Pentium 3 or Athlon 450 MHz Processor or higher
  
• 128 MB of RAM or higher
  
• 750 MB of free Hard Disk space
  
• 4x or greater CD-ROM/DVD Drive
  
• 16 MB DirectX 8-compatible D3D video card
  
• 16 bit DirectX 8-compatible sound card
  
• English Windows 95,98,Me,2000,or XP
  
• DirectX 8 or higher
  
• 56K(or higher) DirectPlay-compatible TCP/IP Internet connection required for Internet play
  
• Network interface card required for Local Area Network(LAN) play
  

you can download the demo below:
SinglePlayer Demo
Multiplayer Demo