Charas-Project
Off-Topic => Really Old Stuff => Archive => Charas Project Support => Topic started by: Alex on November 09, 2004, 01:59:35 PM
-
As i said in the news some weeks ago, i'm working on a new version of he generators.
It's time to present its beta to you, explaining a bit of its techs and concepts.
The actual genreators are based on:
Postgresql for the resources storage;
Mysql for user logins;
Physical image files on the HD for the image data;
The limits of this generator is the use of a double DB system and the physical files storage.
When you generate a resource, the poor server needs to read all of the needed images from the HD, and this may stress VERY MUCH the HD itself.
Moreover, the actual generator is not modular: there are 3 different codings for charas/facegen/battlechargen.
The new one is based on:
Mysql for both user management and resources storage;
Mysql also for the image files data;
This means we will not have a resource file somewere, but the binary data of the image itself will be written within a DB field.
This will not be faster than the pphysical image solution, but it will be much better for the poor serfer's hardware.
And this generator IS modular: i can define resources parameters quicly and easily, so this will be a "global" generator for everything, not only RPGMaking resources. For example, it can be used to produce dogtags in few steps, once you have you basic resources.
Anyhow, i will say more about technical infos lately, if someone will be interested.
Now back on what charas2 is from users point of view.
The will not see great differences between the old and new generator, with th exeption of some new controls available.
In actual generators you can set the transparency of each section and define items rows as ontop or onback.
Well, now you can do this and more for EVERY frame, not "by row".
You will be able to set the transparency for a whole section (body, item, etc.) and to set one of 3 properties for each frame.
These properties are:
t=OnTop
b=OnBack
h=Hidden
So you will be able, for example, not to display the hair resource just in frames 7 and 8, and to make on back in frame 4.
The custom resources system works too, and again it was totally rewritten. I'm still working on the new sharing system.
What is still not present is:
the flash preview;
the 8 charasets image creation;
Now... i know it's only a beta, so DON'T EXPECT IT TO BE FASTER.
I'll do the optimization coding at the end.
I just would like to ask you to try it a bit: the new properties are a bit more difficult to use, so i'd like to have some user's feedback.
You can also try to upload/use some custom resource, just please do not try to share them from there.
When i'll finish it, the result will be a portable generator, that may finally be moved away from the machine it is in now.
Possibily i will release the source code as an opensource project, when it will be ready to be easily installed on generic servers.
Oh, one last important thing! The generator link! :D
It's here:
http://charas-project.net/charas2
Let me know, and remember you're trying a BETA, k?
-
First: HOLY SH**! THAT WAS THE SAME IDEA I WANTED TO APPLY ON FACES.EX!
And maybe in the Charas.EX remake. I'm planning on rebuilding Charas.EX.
Anyway, how about database crashes? Will you occasionally make backups, or are you going to make a special script for it?
Also, the layout looks spiffy, as Don Miguel would say it.
-
DB crashes are ust something you may prevent with a correct backup policy, it's nothing related to the coding itself.
The layout is almost the same, with the exception of the new per-frame functions.
It's a developer preview, so the layout will be probably changed in future and backup utilities will be added later: what i need now is to be sure it works properly (evenif not looking pretty), and if users will understand that horrible per-frame command bar :D
-
O_O
:bend: Awesome... I'm sure most people will be able to find manyways of making new charsets with old resources with these new features! :p
-
I tryed to do something, and with Body, GFace and Dress I've clicked the "Italian language button"...
All my work gone away! :badboy:
-
OOOOOOHHHHH!!!!
SUGGESTION!!!!
A checker, which checks if a resource has less than 256 colors! Else it won't accept!
And the possibility to delete your own uploaded resources.
EDIT: Never mind the last one.
-
I tried the new generater and I think it rocks! :p
I can see this making many new possibilities...
-
Very nice layout! Looks good!
-
Originally posted by GaryCXJk
A checker, which checks if a resource has less than 256 colors! Else it won't accept!
And the possibility to delete your own uploaded resources.
About suggestion #1, good point.
As tech addon, i explain here why Gary suggestd this.
We're currently working with PNGs, 8 bit.
This means the max number of colors is 256.
We already have unfixable problems if the used resources, all together, require more then 256 colors.
Just imagine a body with 20 colors, face with 50, hair with 80, dress with 100 and item with 60. It would need 310 colors, so the result will be slightly unexpeted.
Good idea, Gary.
About suggestion #2, i miss something...
It's already possible to delete your own custom resources: so you mean the possibility to delete resources already online that were uploaded by you?
If so, i don't think it's a good idea, for 2 main reasons:
1) if someone would create a recolor, the resources would be an "original". What sould the system do with recolors?
2) if you submit a resource and it is accepted, it means you wanted to donate it to the community and the community accepted it.
I don't see any valid reasons for turning back on this, it would be like downgrading a software because someone changed his mind about it...
Let me know your thoughts.
-
Hi, had a chance to try out the new Charas system, have a couple questions.
1) Are you saying you can change visibility and opacity now by individual frames instead of by rows? That layout to me is kind of confusing.
2) Is it possible to do a recolor type thing on the site itself? Just wondering. Thanks. :)
-
Whoa, that is pretty cool.
How about a "report bad resource" link? For example, say that a certain resource doesn't match up with the base. They could click the link, put in the name and author of the resource, so Alex could remove and/or fix it.
This could be done easily with an email or PM, but I think that would save some time.
EDIT: I like Dani's idea of recolouring, but is that even possible online? If so, that would be really cool, but it's understandable if it's not.
-
1) Are you saying you can change visibility and opacity now by individual frames instead of by rows? That layout to me is kind of confusing.
The opacity (transparency) value is applied to the whole set (for example, to items), and is the first textbox value (defaulted to 100).
What you can change by individual frame is visibility (on top, on back, hidden), which are all the others dropdown options after the transparency textbox.
2) Is it possible to do a recolor type thing on the site itself? Just wondering.
Unfortunatly not. It would need a palette editing tool online, and it would be hard to code and really slow to use. The best choice is still downloading the resource, change the palette and re-upload it.
Sorry.
How about a "report bad resource" link? For example, say that a certain resource doesn't match up with the base. They could click the link, put in the name and author of the resource, so Alex could remove and/or fix it.
This could be done easily with an email or PM, but I think that would save some time.
This is a kooooooooool idea!
Will keep it in mind, it would be VERY useful!
-
This all sounds great, I don't have any questions. But one comment; Great going!
-
Ok.
I was working on Gary's suggestion:
A checker, which checks if a resource has less than 256 colors! Else it won't accept!
It was not that easy, because it seems i can count only paletted image colors. Moreover, i'm not sure at all it is counting the effective USED colors, but the whole palette itself.
Anyhow, i did some little things:
1) optimization of palettes when you upload a custom;
2) now only png images are allowed, no more jpgs;
3) if the size is wrong (not 72x128) the system resizes the image and alert you that the result may be wrong;
4) if colors count is > 256 it gives you an error;
5) when you upload a custom, it will also say the numbers of colors found (example "Update succesfully done (83 colors resource").
Now it would be great if you can test this.
I'd like to know if this color thing checker works fine, avoiding 24 bit resources.
Thank you!
-
I can't use it, because the whole site is down, but mystically, gunnar found a way to it...
-
Yeah, I can't seem to get into anything either..
One question; Will this Genterator be faster or slower than the old?
-
I'm hoping faster dude. And it would be cool if it would produce full character sheets.
-
About how fast it may be, i still don't know.
It's a test, and the itention is to create a "global generator", so speed optimization will came at the end (on database side).
And about testing it while Charas is down (btw, great that someone still remember the alex.ombra.net thing!), the new gen cannot be used with main Charas down, due to absolute link names....
EDIT:
With the temp solution i've written in homepage too, the new gen is temporary available here:
http://alex.ombra.net/charas/charas2/
-
Back with some test news!
Again on http://charas-project.net/charas2/
I inserted 2 new sets in test:
Overweight Torso (by Gary)
Isometric (by The Brave)
The first one was an old thing now came in reality.
The isometric thing is an experiment (the face is buggy), but i feel it may be REEEEEALY interesting, expecially for other game engines that may create isometric views
-
The fat one looks like it's good, no problems there. But the Isometric one needs work. The body is wierd, and the head and hair don't line up properly. But the concept of making isometric charasets is awesome. This could really help with people using us for systems like RPG Toolkit 3.
Also, wwhen you select a new body part or move to a different section, the parts don't go away. I don't know if that was on purpose or not, but it's kinda annoying when you want to add something else and take away the original.
So I'm assuming there will be other sections in the other generators being added too? *cough*
-
i think that is bcuz you may want a body from one set, and a hair from an other. but still i gree it should.
-
Originally posted by Osmose
The fat one looks like it's good, no problems there.
The only problem I see is the fact that it doesn't have all 89 resources. Oh well, that means just manually uploading.
Oh, and special thanks to RUGORROHURTON for the naked body resource.
EDIT: I HAD A GREAT IDEA! A LIST OF PENDING RESOURCES!
But then again, it's not that great.
EDIT2: I think the Share your Resources thingy is kind of anoying. When trying to share multiple resources, it returns you to the delete sprite thing. It should return you to the share thing, since you choose to share your resources.
-
No, no. That pending resource idea may be kind of cool.
-
I'm not dead yet!!!
I'm going on with the new gen, and in these days i added some new cool things.
Main spots are:
- Flash Preview with selectable zoom and animation speed
- gz exporter finally working WELL
- custom resourcing upgraded
- resource sharing upgraded (but i still have something to do, here)
- Admin panel to easily test/accept/refuse/delete shared resources
But you have to consider that i plan to create a global generator here, so there are some new features we will not use in Charas but possible with the engine:
- anonymous custom resources (without need of being registered somewhere)
- can work in RPG or Truecolor images
- a full admin panel to easily add/edit/etc every aspect of the generator
- It's now possible to "write" within the image custom texts!!!
- You may choose truetype fonts for custom texts
- You may choose fontwidth and color for custom texts
- You may choose rotation angle for custom texts
And many other little thing.
So: i still don't know WHEN, but the upgrade to the new system is surely near!
For who'd like to test it:
http://charas-project.net/charas2/
-
Well, it was a little slow when it was loading, and a few of the images were broken, but it looks awesome thus far. That Flash preview is a good idea.
So, how about that "Report a bad resource" link? I do realize that you have the new Admin panel to delete resources, but it would still be a good idea, because you won't be able to catch all of them.
EDIT: Alex
Tip: if you have troubles with IE, try the gzipped PNG
That's going to save some newbs from posting threads about "My Charas resource does not work!!". Good idea :)
-
Originally posted by Warxe_PhoenixBlade
Well, it was a little slow when it was loading, and a few of the images were broken, but it looks awesome thus far. That Flash preview is a good idea.
I still have to optimize the DB loading thing.
It's using binary data from the DB now, insted of real image files.
But the procedure that handles them is a module, so it will be easy to fix it in the future.
Originally posted by Warxe_PhoenixBlade
So, how about that "Report a bad resource" link? I do realize that you have the new Admin panel to delete resources, but it would still be a good idea, because you won't be able to catch all of them.
All the ideas said in this thread are still valid.
I will implement the "Report a bad resource" shortly
-
BTW: I'm not sure (it reallly depends on how busy the server is), but i made a little modification about speed.
Warxe, do you feel it a bit faster, now?
-
Yes, it is running much faster now.
-
Wow, charas2 is really coming along nicely. I really like the flash preview thing. I wouldnt be able to tell you about speed because I have bad computer anyways, everythings slow,lol!
-
It's really fast on my cpu. but I have nothing to compare it to. I like the flash too.
-
Looking good! More customability to the generator is nice too!
-
I have a suggestion for the Flash preview.
First, why not make a left-middle-right-middle instead of just blazing trough the animation? This way we can see how the animation might look with its full movement.
Also, maybe set the quality a wee higher of the Flash. If you can add actionscript, you can call it with _quality = "HIGH". This way the colours don't look odd.
EDIT: Never mind.
-
Originally posted by GaryCXJk
First, why not make a left-middle-right-middle instead of just blazing trough the animation? This way we can see how the animation might look with its full movement.
I don't understand.
Actually, we have a 12 frames image, with 1=topleft and 12=bottomright.
The animation is done placing frames from 1 to 12 in sequence.
So my "frame list" is:
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12
And then repeat.
Can you tell me your suggested "frame list"?
Also, maybe set the quality a wee higher of the Flash. If you can add actionscript, you can call it with _quality = "HIGH". This way the colours don't look odd.
Unfortunatly, the low quality is given because frames are no more pngs in flash.
While the image is a 256 RGB one, the ming library has problem in using it. So, only in the flash preview case, the image is saved as jpg.
And this is the problem: when you convert an 8bit image to a jpg, evenif at 100% quality, colors will lose something.
I'm sorry, but it seems there's nothing i can do about it.
-
Lookin' good, man.
-
Originally posted by Alex
I don't understand.
Actually, we have a 12 frames image, with 1=topleft and 12=bottomright.
The animation is done placing frames from 1 to 12 in sequence.
So my "frame list" is:
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12
And then repeat.
Can you tell me your suggested "frame list"?
1 2 3 2 4 5 6 5 7 8 9 8 10 11 12 11
Or
2 1 2 3 5 4 5 6 8 7 8 9 11 10 11 12
-
Well, now online i place the
2 1 2 3 5 4 5 6 8 7 8 9 11 10 11 12
series.
Anyhow it seems not that different, but i have to say i like the previous one much.
Anyhow, it's online: try it and tell me what you think.
-
Well, maybe you're right about that, that it might seem better the old way. Maybe let people choose, if it's not hardcoded?
Edit: The Behind / Hidden feature doesn't work well. Try to put in random resources. Leave frame one normal, the rest for each frame one of the types behind / hidden.
-
code language O_0.... *freaks out*
well its just gr8 i just tried it...^^
*head explodes*
garycxjk: ern...too many code language XD
sorry about that.
-
Originally posted by GaryCXJk
Well, maybe you're right about that, that it might seem better the old way. Maybe let people choose, if it's not hardcoded?
Edit: The Behind / Hidden feature doesn't work well. Try to put in random resources. Leave frame one normal, the rest for each frame one of the types behind / hidden.
Behind / Hidden feature fixed.
About choosing the frame sequence, not that easy: this generator will not be only "Charas", it will be a modular generator to do lot of things (there are also the text resources we'll not use here, for example).
So, the frames may be 1, 2, 12 or 100, no limitations.
This is why it's hard to give users the possibility of changing frame order: what with a 100 frames resource, for example? A textarea where to write more than 100 variables?
Dunno...
Anyhow i replaced the framelist with the old one, for now.
-
One added feature: now i can change, from my admin panel, the defaul bgcolor to use.
As you can see the generated resource is no longer with white BG, but with the RTP green.
In RPGM the first color of the palette should be transparent, so i think it should work.
Anyhow, some tests would be appreciated.
Just to explain, this is what happens:
1) 3 blank images with pure white as transparent is generated
2) 2 of these images are filled with the resources of the "top" and "back" series
3) these images are merged together into the 3rd blank one
4) the "almost white" is converted into "pure white"
5) a 4th blank image is created
6) the 4th image is filled with the final bgcolor
7) the pure white (transparent of the previous images) is translated into the final bgcolor
Result should be an image with the correct "pure" and "almost" white relationships, but with the final bgcolor as first palette color (and so, transparent in RPGM).
Plz test, i'm not sure 100% everthing is ok: my tests are, but i cannot test the whole DB! ;)
EDIT:
BTW, this new feature may help in finding IMMEDIATLY errors with white/almostwhite useage: infact, if not correct, the BG will NOT change and you'll see that there are errors in your resource
-
Well, I'm not sure what you mean about the color thing, but since the last time I checked it's looking great.
-
Originally posted by GhostClown212
Well, I'm not sure what you mean about the color thing, but since the last time I checked it's looking great.
I simply mean "try to generate something and make sure it still works in RPGM" ;)
-
Workes like a charm. :)