MORE-MultiMedia/mmultimedia.iso/intro/intro30.doc

Text File | 1992-07-23 | 27KB | 545 lines

Intro Maker V3.0 (c) Sauron and ZigZag of THG F/X
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Seven months in the making, the THG F/X crew finally makes it happen.  Intro
Maker V3.0 is HERE!  Now you can create intros that are at the cutting
edge of IBM demo technology.  A major problem with the previous intro makers
was the interface.  Now we have taken more time in that department and the
results are very impressive.  There are 2 different types of demos you can
choose from in this release.  Here are the features of the intros.

MEGAFONT and MEGAFONT ANYWHERE Intro's:
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·Exiting ANSI (80x24)
·4 Types of VGA Fade In/Out Routines
·2 Types of TEXT Fade Out Routines
·20 Different Palette Cyclings
·MEGAFONT Scroller Font
·Text Codes
·MOD/STX Playing
·Allows the scroller to go ALL over the screen (MEGAFONT ANYWHERE only)



Intro Maker V3.0 Interface:
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   Using the Intro Maker v3.0 Interface should be easy and efficient.  The
interface provides a few commands that are available almost everywhere within
the interface itself.  Besides these commands, Mouse Support has been added
for quick and easy use.  These commands are listed here:

                       Keys in the Interface
                       ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
                       ALT - D · View Directory
                       ALT - P · View palette
                       ALT - V · View Picture
                       ALT - X · Exit to DOS
                       ESC     · Previous Menu

   When starting out to make your Intro, you must choose two pictures, one a
background picture file, and one font file.  These both must be 320x200x256c
compressed in either GIF/LBM/PCX formats (All trademarks of their respective
companies. Screw the legal shit, promise you won't see it again!)
   Intro Maker v3.0 was designed to make two different types of Intros for
BBS ads, or those VGA groups that just can't get it up when it comes to
programming.  The first type is just called a MEGAFONT Intro.  This intro is
a straight scrolling program.  In other words, you just give the Y-Offset
of where on the screen you want your scrolly.  This uses the MEGAFONT System
which is an external 320x200x256c Font.  You must create a Coordinate File
(CRD) with the MEGAFONT external Program.  The Second type of intro is called
a MEGAFONT-ANYWHERE Intro.  This intro uses the CRD Coordinate file again for
the external 320x200x256c screen, but instead of the Y-OffSet, you need to
create a Anywhere Path File (PTH).  The Anywhere Path Editor allows you to
set how the font appears on the screen, either striaght up and down, like you
drew it in your Paint Program, or slanted automatically.  After defining
how the font will appear, simply draw on the screen you intend to use where
you want the scrolly to go.  This could go backwards, in circles, etc.  The
possibilities are endless.
   Now that you know what kind of Intros you can make, let us look at the
interface a little more indepth.  Upon entering the interface, it checks
for mouse support, and brings you to the main menu.  From here, you can run
any of the external programs or batch files.  DO NOT CHANGE THE NAMES OF
THESE BATCH FILES.  They are hard coded in the program.  You may change the
contents, but not the names.  After deciding on an external font and picture
in a GIF/LBM/PCX format, you must decide on which type of intro you wish
to make.  Choose the menu option accordingly.
   Once in the appropriate menu option for the Intro Type you desire, another
set of menus is displayed showing the specifications required to create your
new demo.  The easiest way I can think of describing the two intro menus is
to go through each one's specifications giving a little blurb about it.  Some
of the options are the exact same thing in both Intro Menu Sets, so I will
be short on a few of them, so we don't get tired of reading docs all day
just to make an Intro.

MEGAFONT Intro Menu Set:

HotKey     - Data Category      - Description
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  A          Picture FileName     Intro's Background Picture in either
                                    GIF/PCX/LBM Format.

  B          MEGAFONT Picture     External 320x200x256c Font File name.
               FileName             This will be your font or icons that
                                    will appear in the scrolly.

  C          MEGAFONT Coordinate  MEGAFONT's Coordinate File which shows
               FileName             IM30 where each font in Scrolly is.

  D          Text FileName        Scrolly Text File.  Look below for listing
                                    of MCI Codes.

  E          STX FileName         Internal SoundBlaster Music file name.
                                    Not required.  When no name is given
                    it reduces the size of the .exe
                    by about 10k.

  F          ANSi FileName        Yes, no THG F/X Signature on your intros.
                                    Use TheDraw to make your 1 screen ANSi
                                    and save it in BINary Format.

  G          Line For Scroller    This is the Y-Offset for your Scolly.  This
                                    tells IM30 where to put it on the screen
                                    between 0-319.

  H          Scroller Speed       How many pixels to advance every Vertical
                                    Refresh of the screen.  This will control
                                    the speed of the scrolly.

  I          Text Fade Out         There are two ways for the text fading.
                                    1 .. Pop Out    /  2 .. Palette Fade

  J          VGA Fade In          VGA Picture Background Fade In.
                                    1 ... Pop Screen In
                                    2 ... Palette Screen Fade In
                                    3 ... Block Screen In by the BLK File
                                    4 ... Pan Whole Screen Up

  K          Block In Name       This is required if option [J] is set to
                                   3.  This is the BLK file that is defined
                                   by the BLOCKED.EXE External file.  This
                                   will add the screen in by how you define
                                   the BLK file.

  L          Panning Up Speed    This is Required if option [J] is set to
                                   4.  This is the speed of the background
                                   panning up from the bottom of the screen.

  M           VGA Fade Out        This is identical for option [J], but it is
                                    for the Fading out of the Background
                                    picture after ESC has been hit in your
                                    Demo.
                                      1 ... Pop Screen Out
                                      2 ... Palette Screen Fade Out
                                      3 ... Block Screen Out by the BLK File
                                      4 ... Pan Whole Screen Down

  N           Block Out Name     This is required if option [M] is set
                                   to 3.  This is also defined through the
                                   BLK files created with BLOCKED.EXE.

  O           Panning Down Speed This is required if option [M] is Set to
                                   4.  This is the speed of the background
                                   panning down from the top of the screen.

  P           Cursor Upon Exit   This is the location of the cursor after
                                   ESC has been pressed in your demo.  The
                                   Value should be between 1-25.

  Q           Palette Mixing     Y/N option to tell IM30 to automatically
                                   mix and remap the font picture to f