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-
- Welcome to the MartinSoft SIRDS Generator RDSGen v 1.00!!!!!
- This program took only two days to code, and was finished the 25:th of
- October (1993). Some people at comp.sys.amiga.programmer seemed to want a
- SIRDS generator for Amiga, so I wrote one. This program may not be the most
- user-friendly thing in the world, but it's fast and it works (for me, at
- least ;-) .
-
- ABOUT SIRDSes, for those who don't know what it is:
- A Single Image Random Dot Stereogram is a "real" three-dimensional picture.
- The dots (which seem random) are calculated in such a way that if you focus
- "behind" the picture (monitor, etc), you will see a 3D pic with a real
- feeling of "depth". It can be hard to see the pics the first time, but don't
- give up! Most people succeed in seeing them, though it may take a lot of time
- to focus properly at first. With training, you will be able to see RDS pics
- "instantly".
-
- HOW TO LOOK AT THEM: One way to see the pics (if you're not used to it) is
- to stand so close to the pic that it becomes blurred.
- Then slowly move the pic away from you while trying to keep your
- eyes as they were (out of focus). If you're lucky, you'll see the pic.
- There are some other methods too, but I'm not going to write about them.
- It probably won't help, anyway, and I've got better things to do.
-
- Hmmm... Do I have an attitude problem?
-
-
- WHAT MY PROGRAM DOES:
- This program converts a 320*256 32-color pic into a 640*256
- 2-color SIRDS. You should paint a 320*256 IFF pic and save it as "RDSDATA"
- in the directory that RDSGen is in. The color number will
- represent the "height" of the RDS. Look at the included 32-color pics. Try
- them. (You will have to change the name of the pic you want generated to
- "RDSDATA"). If you start RDSGen, it should (within seconds) have
- generated a picture. If you were running your Amiga at a 50Hz resolution,
- you should also be able to see the generated pic. Otherwise I suspect it
- will resemble a flickering mess of some sort. Anyway, by pressing left
- mouse button, you'll exit the program. The generated picture will be saved
- as "RDSPICTURE" in the same directory. As I said, not the most
- user-friendly program in the world, but it works. I'll probably write a more
- versatile and user-friendly version soon.
-
- HOW TO PAINT A PICTURE:
- Use DPaint or whatever you normally use. Make the picture a 320*256 32-color
- pic, or strange things will happen. Don't paint things too close to the
- left and right edges or they won't be seen in the RDS. RDS:es work that way.
- If you want your pictures to look good, make "smooth" surfaces. Don't make
- "jumps" between colors. Use gradients as much as possible. Don't dither the
- picture too much, though. If you use DPaint, the "outline" and "smooth"
- commands can be very handy. What's more, paint things BIG. If you write
- text, keep the letters big or no-one will be able to read it. And be aware
- of the fact that there is a big difference in height between color 0 and
- color 31. Don't use the whole palette unless you're sure that you want to.
- Again, see the included pictures.
-
- That should be everything about the program. I could always thank the
- people at comp.sys.amiga.programmer for suggestions (most of which I
- ignored :-) .
- Then I could say a quick hello to Magnus, Jens, Thomas, Fredrik*2, Hakan,
- Mirre, Anna, Tapani, Daniel and everyone else who is studying Computer
- Science here at Chalmers. I could also say hello to Niklas Een, Dick
- Augustsson, Martin Jordo and a lot of other people I know, but it would
- actually be pretty pointless as they'll probably never read this message
- anyway and as I'm seeing most of them all the time, this is really a waste
- of time. Especially as I should either be studying "Matte A" or asleep right
- now. But while I'm at it, here's a hello to Glyn Davies who's also studying
- CS, but somewhere in England.
-
- If you want to send me suggestions, ideas, letters, postcards, flowers, hate
- mail, lots of money or a really nice new car, here's my address:
-
- Martin Rebas
- Osternasvagen 17
- 431 36 MOLNDAL
- SWEDEN
-
- Or mail me at:
-
- d3rebas@dtek.chalmers.se
-
- Hmmm...I'll probably get a lot of mail complaining about "Why doesn't the
- program accept any file name" and so on... And I suppose I'll also get some
- "why don't you release the code" letters. And then I'll get some "Hey! I
- can't see the lousy pics!" letters, too. Yes indeed. Very probably.
-
- Have a happy Easter (or whatever)!
-
- Martin Rebas, MartinSoft (c)
-
-