We really need a graphics-related addition to our family

[GooRoo]

Knight's Tour 6 came from Knight's Tour (8) as an idea, and "Honey, I Shrunk The Gruntz" was found to be the only graphics area that lent itself (visually) to such a structured map.

The first four graphics areas were designed to be natural boundaries, while the last four graphics areas have an artificial appearance (by design). However, "High On Sweetz" lacks definition between tiles 1-8 and 9-16; "High Rollerz" simply have flawed corner intersections. All eight graphics areas have several duplicates, which limits variety. "The Miniature Masterz" have transition area duplicates, yet lack tiles that allow reversed images.

Years ago I made simplistic alternative tiles in several graphics sets, but lack the ability to replace duplicates with my (usually flipped or rotated) version of existing tiles.

At a bare minimum, someone with the tech ability to update the REZ file with replacement images is required.

For something like the flaws in "High Rollerz" it requires someone with true artistic ability (which definitely excludes me)

[swietymiki]

Jun 12, 2022 12:29:55 GMT -8 GooRoo said:

At a bare minimum, someone with the tech ability to update the REZ file with replacement images is required.

I know how to do that. It's possible to replace in-game files with the Gruntz REZ Patcher.

[GooRoo]

My personal problem is that my images are in JPG format, which is not what is required in the REZ file. And I have not learned to use the tool(s) (if I even have them!) to convert them for the REZ file. All of my (weak) efforts may be found in the Tiles GLEM file (for example), if anyone would explain the capture/convert/update process. While my area is being rained out, I have some time to (try to) learn new things.

[swietymiki]

Game's file format specification thread mentions the existence of a "PCX2PID" program, which would allow conversion of (as the name suggests) images from PCX to PID. I don't have the program, but some internet sources say that it may be found in the REZ file for Claw. PCX is a more known file format so you should easily find any JPG to PCX converters.

[GooRoo]

Jun 15, 2022 9:03:24 GMT -8 swietymiki said:

Game's file format specification thread mentions the existence of a "PCX2PID" program, which would allow conversion of (as the name suggests) images from PCX to PID. I don't have the program, but some internet sources say that it may be found in the REZ file for Claw. PCX is a more known file format so you should easily find any JPG to PCX converters.

Okay, so I just finished some GLEM updates regarding CheckPoint Switches and many of the HTML Tilez???- members (to determine duplicates, and if I have some replacements).

1. I just did a quick check and I do have a JPG to PCX converter (Irfanview ... unknown version).
2. I do have a PCX to PID converter (PCXtoPID ... unknown version).
3. I have REZPatcher version 1.0.0 (which may be out-of-date).

So my next rainy days (of which there are many where I live) project is to use Paint.Net to create suitable visual replacements. Then use programs 1 & 2 to create the inputs for #3 (which I will have to learn how to use).

[GooRoo]

I have updated information on normal Ground tiles, Death tiles and Water tiles showing many of the duplicated tiles available for replacement, and some of my replacement efforts.

There are many more duplications in Death and Water tiles that I have not marked, because they are in the middle of areas, without touching any land on any side.
I don't have the skills to make graphics changes such as required in those tiles. My replacement offerings were created via rotating, and/or flipping horizontally and/or flipping vertically, naming the resultant that agrees with the orientation of the original tile.

[GooRoo]

I ran REZExtract with no conversion from a copy of the current Gruntz.REZ file on a flash drive in order to see what the folder arrangement was, and the file extensions for each part of the contents. I discovered that the original file extension for Animation components is PNG. Then (for personal training, if for no other reason) I went into "Gruntz In Space" (area 8) Imagez/RollingBall/East and proceeded to use GIFAnimator to create the animation for Rolling Rock 8 East (and North/South/West, if you care to see them).

P.S. With a little more effort, I could make the complete cycle of the animation take six tenths of a second, a Grunt's normal walking speed, and the usual value for RollingBall in questz.

It would make a mess of HTML walk-throughs and the images associated with Forum rank images to animate Gruntz, and I have no idea how to change the default Green into solver Orange, so that is not likely to happen in my lifetime.

[GooRoo]

Is there any appreciable difference between these two (besides the timing)?

The first one 34 pixels wide by 30 pixels tall; the second is 32 pixels wide by 32 pixels tall. Correctable is what should be invisible tiles at top and bottom.
Also correctable is the timing, slowing the right version down to more nearly match the left version.

Edit: I tried, but cannot find a PNG that is at least 32 pixels wide AND 32pixels tall, but with at least a transparent pixel line at both bottom and top. And for some reason I cannot remove the significant pixels from such an image in order to be able to paste in the perfectly correct 32 pixel wide and 30 pixel tall frames of the Keg.

So my thought of being able to standardize the animations to Tile dimensions (for consistency in walk-throughs) is a "no go". Another mini project to fill in my confinement indoors while the skies are filled with "liquid sunshine" will never happen.

[GooRoo]

For some reason my file uploads to the web host failed today. I completed many changes to Death Tiles and Water tiles in the HTML files, but only I can see them.

Most of my efforts retain the original colors, and are simply rotated/flipped tiles in the same graphics area renamed to duplicated tile numbers; some of the tiles that are split between Ground and Death/Water tiles show replacements that use the alternate version of the Ground Tiles.

Next step: convert JPG->PCX->PID and use RezPatcher to place them into version 1.11 (my choice for now ... as long as that doesn't clash with some other replacement set). I have an entire folder arrangement matching what is in the REZ tree, with files to be placed in them for RezPatcher to use to replace into a copy of the current GruntzREZ file.

While it is still raining here, I will return to Gruntz game play for the other project awaiting my effort.