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Inside Mac Games Volume 4 #1 & #2
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IMG 34 JanFeb 1996.iso
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1995-12-30
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15KB
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337 lines
Object Placement Editor v1.4
December 31, 1995 HAPPY NEW YEAR!
By Eric Bennett (ericb@psu.edu)
==============================================================================
What's New in 1.4
==============================================================================
- Open file ---> try to load file but run out of memory ---> never close file!
This is now fixed.
- New search for levels algorithm: faster and should not report incorrect
level names for maps edited with Mia! & Pfhorte. A side effect is that
OPE can't process M2 map files, but you should use DOPE for that anyway.
- Previous version sometimes allowed selecting "close" from the file menu when
nothing was open, corrupting memory.
- If you were still using version 1.3 (the previous official release, although
1.32b has been available for almost six months), be sure to read the section
on set files, which will be new to you and perhaps even useful.
==============================================================================
General
==============================================================================
Have you played Marathon over the network enough times that you're sick
of seeing the same aliens repeatedly? This program allows you to change:
-how many aliens/objects of each type are initially present on a level
-how many aliens/objects of each type are present during play
-whether aliens/objects are placed randomly or in specific locations
-how often aliens are replenished
OPE includes a randomizer for quickly resetting all of the above parameters
for any given level (it still needs improvements, but it does work in its
own crude way).
Although these changes are primarily useful for modifying net play, you can
also use this program as a cheater in the regular game by adding objects
or removing aliens.
==============================================================================
License and (lack of) Warranty
==============================================================================
This program is freeware. You don't owe me anything for OPE, but distribution
is restricted as described in the next section.
The author (Eric Bennett) in no way warrants that the program will perform
as described in this manual (or any other document). USE THIS SOFTWARE
AT YOUR OWN RISK!
==============================================================================
Distribution
==============================================================================
You may redistribute this program provided that you include the original,
unmodified application and readme files and NOTHING ELSE. You may charge
duplication fees for distributing this program, but your fee may not exceed
the basic cost of media duplication (you are not allowed to make money by
distributing OPE). You may place this program on an online service as long
as downloading the file incurs only standard connection charges).
DO NOT DISTRIBUTE OBJECT PLACEMENT EDITOR (OPE) TO THE FOLLOWING SITES:
sumex-aim.stanford.edu
ftp.amug.org
America Online (Macintosh Games Forum)
I will update these three sites myself, so please don't send them extra copies.
The author specifically grants permission to the maintainers of the
archives at Sumex-Aim.stanford.edu to include this program on the CD-ROM
distribution of the archive.
The author specifically grants permission to SOFTBANK Corporation to include
this program on its supplemental applications disk bundled with MacUser
Japanese Edition.
==============================================================================
How to get new versions
==============================================================================
I will post release versions to sumex-aim.stanford.edu, America Online (Mac
Games Forum) and ftp.amug.org. You can get releases and prereleases (not
for redistribution) from one of my web pages:
http://www.amug.org/~marathon/ope/
http://emb121.rh.psu.edu/marathon/marathon.html
The second site is my personal machine and is not availabe during the summer
or during semester breaks. Please try AMUG first.
==============================================================================
Special Considerations--READ BEFORE USING!
==============================================================================
You should NEVER have to change the amount of memory allocated to OPE in the
Finder. If OPE needs more memory, it will obtain it from the system software.
In other words, if you open a 3.5 meg map file and OPE has only its standard
391k of memory, your system software will expand to use an additional 3.5 megs
of RAM. "About this Macintosh..." under the Apple menu in the Finder will
reflect this increase in memory use. As soon as you close your file in OPE,
the memory will be released for use by other applications.
You should be able to use maps from the Demo or the commercial release. If the
format of your map file is not the same, this program will probably corrupt it.
This version of OPE cannot read Marathon 2 map files (previous versions could).
Use OPE's companion program DOPE to edit M2 maps.
EDIT ONLY A BACKUP COPY OF YOUR MAP FILE. This program is not based on solid
information from Bungie; it uses information uncovered by Tom Klancer and
myself. Don't trust this program to work.
==============================================================================
How to use OPE--Basic Editing
==============================================================================
After loading OPE, select "Open..." from the file menu and load your map (you
can also drag-and-drop a map in the Finder). OPE will scan the file for
valid levels.
Now select the desired level under the "Levels" menu.
You can select which character/object you wish to edit by selecting it from
the "Characters" or "Objects" menus. In the main window, there are six
edit fields:
-Placement method
If you place a 1 here, objects will be placed randomly on the level.
Net levels work in this way. Regular game levels have a zero, meaning that
aliens are placed in specific places on the level. Changing the default
value on a given level from 0 to 1 should not cause problems, but I don't
know how Marathon responds when directed to placed objects in specific
locations when they're usually random.
If you use a value other than 0 or 1, OPE substitutes a 1 because 1 is
guaranteed to work.
-Initial # of object
The object will be placed this many times on the level before game
play begins; objects are placed depending on the value of the first field.
-Minimum #
Marathon will do its best to keep this amount of the object in play.
However, if you have nonrandom placement (first field) on and you ask for
more objects than the map has placement positions, Marathon may not be
able to replenish fast enough.
-Max #
This represents the total number of the alien or object that can be
present on the level at once. For example, a value of 10 in the record
for napalm canisters means that at most 10 canisters can be in play (held
by players or sitting on the floor) at any one time. Or, suppose Min# of
missiles is 4 and Max# is 8; there will always be 4 missile packs in play,
and there may be up to 8 (the speed of the increase from 4 to 8
depends on the replenishment field; see below). Note also that if Min# is
greater than Max# then Max# is irrelevant.
-Extras
The total number of objects which Marathon will add over the course of the game
in addition to the minimum number which must always be there. An example explains
this better: suppose Min# fighters is 2, Max# is 4, Extras is 10. There will
always be at least 2 fighters; fighters will be added until up till four are present,
but only ten times--after this only the two required fighters will be present. Or
you can think of the Min# field as having precedence over the Extras field. 65535
supposedly represents infinite replenishment (as if anyone would play long enough
to exhaust 65534 items...).
-Replenishment freq.
The higher the number, the more often Marathon will add the object in an attempt
to reach Max#. Values are from 0-65535.
If you want none of an object, set both min# and max# to zero.
If you enter a value less than 0 or greater than 255 for Initial# or Max# or Min#, OPE
will substitute ZERO.
To clear all characters or objects from the level, choose "Remove all aliens"
or "Remove all objects" from the special menu. "Clear All Records" does both.
==============================================================================
How to use OPE--Level Randomizer
==============================================================================
The Randomizer (in the Special Menu) is a quick way to generate new net
levels. It clears all objects from the current level and then places
new ones based on what frequency of the various type of objects you choose
in the Randomizer window.
Some things you should be aware of:
1). OPE usually instructs Marathon to place weapons in their predefined
locations, but if a level doesn't have a predefined spot for a weapon,
it will never appear. To circumvent this problem you can check the
"Place weapons randomly" checkbox in the Randomizer window.
2). Because randomly placing large aliens (juggernauts and, to a lesser
extent, hulks) can cause problems in levels with small closed spaces,
OPE instructs Marathon to place these aliens only in predefined map
locations (if the map contains no starting points for hulks and
juggernauts, none will appear). If you really want these aliens
to appear randomly like everything else, you can make a really simple
change to OPE with ResEdit; see the "How OPE Works" file for instructions
on how to make the change (it's easy--honest!).
==============================================================================
How to use OPE--Sets
==============================================================================
If you have several map configurations that you like to use, it's probably
annoying to keep multiple large map files around just to preserve these
configurations. OPE can extract the object placement information from
a map file and save it in a much smaller file, called a "set file." This
file records the placement information for EVERY LEVEL in the current map
file, not just the level you're currently editing.
Once you have a map file open in OPE, choose "New set..." from the Special
menu. OPE will ask you where to save the set. The set file that results
contains all of the information that OPE is capable of changing--the contents
of the six edit fields in the main window for ALL entries in the Characters
and Objects menus for ALL levels in the current map file. When you want to
put this object placement configuration back into your map file, simply load
the map file, choose "Load set..." from the Special menu, and choose the
desired set.
OPE does not currently support drag-and-drop opening of set files.
One set file called "Default Set" is included. It contains the normal
map setup that comes with Marathon.
==============================================================================
About the Included Files (in the "File Formats" directory)
==============================================================================
"How OPE works" describes what I know about the "plac" section and
tells you how to use ResEdit to customize
OPE for new objects or to change the behavior
of the Randomizer.
"Map Editing" a somewhat dated file with info on the map file
(I did _not_ write this file)
"Marathon File Specs" file format info for several of Marathon's files.
(I did _not_ write this file)
==============================================================================
Version History
==============================================================================
12/31/95 -- version 1.4
Faster and more reliable level scanner.
Fixed a bug where the map file would be opened but never closed if
there was not enough memory to load the map file.
Previous version sometimes allowed selecting "close" from the file
menu when nothing was open, corrupting memory.
6/07/95 -- version 1.32b
Fixed a really stupid omission in the "Sets" code; the program was
only saving and loading the placement info for the current level,
not for all levels in the map file. As a side effect, the
"Default Set" included with 1.31b was incorrect. If you have it,
toss it.
5/30/95 -- version 1.31b
added "sets" capability
added a sanity check to make sure there is at least one valid
level in any opened map file (if not, the file is left closed)
03/18/95 -- version 1.3
the map file is now loaded into the system heap
added a portion of code which had miraculously vanished since
version 1.12b--"Place weapons randomly" in the randomizer
dialog
added level-scanning thermometer
03/15/95 -- version 1.2
Added (yuck) custom icon; many people bugged me to use one :(.
Started checking for changes to the open file before closing it.
Added file open via drag-and-drop in the Finder.
Opened last two fields for editing.
Added level randomizer.
Added load/save/search cursor changes.
Changed (again!) fields descriptions.
You can now navigate edit fields with return, tab, and up/down.
02/21/95 -- version 1.1.
Added editing of objects (added the "Objects" menu).
Fixed possible crash when Opening a locked file (Save still bombs).
Included information on Marathon file formats.
Added "Placement Method" field.
02/11/95 -- version 1.0
First version; known as NetEdit.
Written in about 6 hours and possibly buggy :-)
What may appear in future releases:
- PackBits compression of set files.
- Drag & Drop support for set files.
- better error handling (for example, OPE currently bombs on locked files)
- a window containing a summary of all objects currently on the level
being edited
- pictures of the aliens and objects
- a more intelligent randomizer
What will NOT appear in future releases:
- full-fledged map editing
==============================================================================
HOW TO REPORT BUGS
==============================================================================
If you find a bug, please figure out how to reproduce it, then send me a bug
report at EricB@psu.edu or EricB@pobox.com.
==============================================================================
Special Thanks
==============================================================================
Thanks go to:
-Tom Klancer : provided information on the map file format
-Bernie Freidin : info on how to get level names properly
-Staz Software : publisher of FutureBasic
-Bungie Software : hmmm... I forget what they did...
Less specifically, thanks to everyone on the 'net who sent me suggestions for
new features and icons etc.
[end of file]