String frames/borders...and transparency?

[ScaryBinary]

...I guess I'm still a noob...:rolleyes:

The borders I've selected for certain strings have some transparent pixels. But when the string is displayed in the quest, these pixels aren't transparent...they're either black or that nasty purple color, depending on what CSet I've used for the borders.

I also thought I saw some quests where the area inside the border was translucent...it "darkened" the combos under the text. I can't figure that out either.

...help!

(I'm using build 819, if that makes any difference. And OMG I love that new gigantic tile editor....)

[bobrocks95]

I believe this was achieved(after taking a look at Link to the Heavens) by putting combos you want to use for the border as a simple layer for the screen, marked as translucent.

[Gleeok]

Yeah, if you want an example screen set up there's one in the DoR tileset I know for sure.

But!! This is the future of 2.10. We don't need no stinking combos and layers!

We need a better way. ;)

First make in your tile pages the graphics you want. These can be simple or very elaborate, 8-bit or 4. Now you want to make an ffc frame script with drawtile....which as it turns out can be the message player as well.
If you want an example of things to with scripts like this, and the drawtile guy as well, check out Grikarugun. It really is way ahead of it's time. The whole easy mode thing is so *hopefully* anyone using zc can see the whole thing and get ideas from it.

[Joe123]

If you use 8-bit mode, you can achieve transparency on message borders.
You can't, however, have translucency at present I'm afraid.

[Gleeok]

You can't, however, have translucency at present I'm afraid.

What does that mean?

Works fine for me.

[Joe123]

I have no idea what you're on about?

You can't have translucent message string borders in the string editor at present.
I can't work out what your post is meant to be about at all >_<

[Gleeok]

I'm talking about graphics and scripting.

If you can "print" graphics on screen using scripts or old fashioned combos, then why can't they be borders?

[ScaryBinary]

OK, yo comprendo. I'm already using an ffc script to start the dialog sequence. But one thing --- I think I tried this before, and if I'm not mistaken, you have to draw the border every "frame" of execution. For example, if I draw my border, the next Waitframe() just clears it. But if I draw the border every processing cycle...how do I know when to stop drawing it (when the message is no longer displayed; I have the Messages Disappear rule set)?

I guess I just figured the string editor would support transparency (in some sort of straight-forward manner), since it lets you choose the border tiles....I'll goof around with the 8-bit mode and see what I can do.

At any rate, scripting it gives me way more flexibility. I was thinking it would be possible to render portraits on the screen (ala Ultima VII, for example). If I ever get that ambitious! :rolleyes:

[Revfan9]

I'm talking about graphics and scripting.

If you can "print" graphics on screen using scripts or old fashioned combos, then why can't they be borders?

You can try that if you want with the combos, but that system is heavily unwieldy... If you can get it to work through scripts, then good for you. I tried to script it myself, but there is no way that I know of to tell whether or not a message string has finished so you can "click off" the box.

[Gleeok]

Hmm..that's right. Strings are a bit...goofy.


...



Well it's time for a workaround I suppose, If a message string will null drawing functions until the string is no longer displayed.....


OK, Workaround Idea #1:

2 ffcs. 128 by 48 I think is enough......


this->TileWidth=4;this->TileHeight=3;
this->Flags[1]=true;this->X,Y = string_corner_left_x,y;
this->Data = FRAME1_LEFT;
Waitframe();Screen->Message(m);
Waitframe();
this->Data=NULL;

Maybe usefull for custom frames based on who is speaking, ie; narrarator, player, or other.


At any rate there's always an easy way.

[_L_]

To answer your original question:

The borders I've selected for certain strings have some transparent pixels. But when the string is displayed in the quest, these pixels aren't transparent...they're either black or that nasty purple color, depending on what CSet I've used for the borders.

You refer of course to the 2.50 string editor, which can place a 2x2 border of your choice on strings.

Hmm... now that you mention it, that does seem to be something I've... overlooked. ...Pardon me for a moment.

[The_Amaster]

*singing*
He's Super L! Super L!