32bit Graphics Extra Zoom Patch

[GeekToo]

Thanks everyone, for all the positive replies and PM's. I just said I was considering it......, I was expressing my state of mind in the last post, and you managed to make that a lot more positive.

Just one thing I think that should be mentioned: I started this patch because I liked the features, not because I wanted to have it included in trunk. So my previous post was not an attack toward the devs, on the contrary, if I were an OTTD dev, I wouldn't include my patch. I mentioned the IRC session because I felt somewhat disappointed about the remarks of the devs about this patch being too complicated, ( which is true), but I felt kind of proud being able to solve the complicated issue of extra zoom levels, imo better than the 32bpp branch ever did, and did not expect that the complexity would be hold against the patch. But, that is not the dev's problem, it's mine, having the wrong expectations.

Having said that, I decided to continue developing this patch, though the next update may take a while, because I have limited spare time, and at the moment, I'm also very interested in the NoAi branch ( in fact I'm developing an AI for it), but don't let that stop you from creating new graphics!

[connan]

Hello,

after some tries i managed to compile on VC8 and i love it
Finally i can play in 1600x1200 now (2nd Zoom level looks really good in this resolution, with 8bpp graphics too)
I recognized much less aliasing also. A small glitch i found is that the grid lines are drawn over some buildings, although i hope it will find its way into trunk. Mainly cause i don't like to see the great work the artists (Ben, Alltaken, Wakki... and many more) have done to lie idle.

Thanks to all artists (which includes the coders) who contribute to this amazing project.

Kindly regards,

connan.

[Teemes]

I'll try and write a howto for the wiki.

Well, so I did. It's a first draft, and you can find it here on the wiki. It was written by a newbie, and it is meant for newbies. It is, however, in need of a thorough correction to weed out factual errors, and to correct spelling and grammar (no native speaker here) and reword incoherent ramblings, so if anyone involved in this project would find the time to improve it, and maybe add his/her personal tips and experiences, it would be greatly appreciated!

I modified Aracirions official lighting setup file to include a shadow layer and brupjes blender_render.py script, to which I added a few comments, so that interested users don't have to put up with setting up .blend files. Credit is given, and no further modifications were made. I won't upload it until I get the clearance from the original authors, though. (PM will be sent.)

[brupje]

Also here, very much kudos to Teemes. If I had a guide like this when I started here, I wouldn't have spend so much time on figuring out the way 32bpp graphics work in OTTD.

great job!

[gt1750]

That guide looks really helpful, kudos for that

I'm just not sure if I should move to Blender after I've made my first few steps in 3DSMax. I used Blender once for skinning purposes and I found the interface really awful

[Zutty]

That guide looks really helpful, kudos for that

I'm just not sure if I should move to Blender after I've made my first few steps in 3DSMax. I used Blender once for skinning purposes and I found the interface really awful

I know this feeling. I have dabbled with 3DSMax and G-Max in the past (a LOOONG time ago) and would love to have a go with Blender, but it looks SOOO very different I'm not sure I'll be able to pick it up!

[GeekToo]

I'll try and write a howto for the wiki.

Well, so I did. It's a first draft, and you can find it here on the wiki. It was written by a newbie, and it is meant for newbies. It is, however, in need of a thorough correction to weed out factual errors, and to correct spelling and grammar (no native speaker here) and reword incoherent ramblings, so if anyone involved in this project would find the time to improve it, and maybe add his/her personal tips and experiences, it would be greatly appreciated!

I modified Aracirions official lighting setup file to include a shadow layer and brupjes blender_render.py script, to which I added a few comments, so that interested users don't have to put up with setting up .blend files. Credit is given, and no further modifications were made. I won't upload it until I get the clearance from the original authors, though. (PM will be sent.)

Very nice work Teemes! I planned writing something like this for a long time, but never found the time, or just felt more like coding. Documentation of software is a very important measure of quality imo, so I thank you for bringing this at a much higher level! There are just a couple of minor things to improve/ correct, I promise I'll do some editing soon.

[DeletedUser5]

Amazing article Teemes. I've just did some minor fixes in spelling, as you wrote in post that it is needed ( mainly the ones marked by Firefox dictionary ).

[Teemes]

Thanks, guys, especially to Soeb and GeekToo for the edits on the wiki, and to brupje for allowing me to release a commented version of his blender_render.py script. He also suggested that I post links to some "intermediate" .blend files on the wiki (as in "just load this file, hit F12 and you have a suitable render". I'll do so eventually. ATM, still waiting for Aracirion to reply....

gt1750 and zutty: If you are more used to 3dsmax, there is no reason not to use it. Just give it a try if you're interested. The pngcodecing steps are the same as described for the blender renders, the only drawback is that you can't use the python script (blender_convert.exe will work fine, though). gt, thanks for posting the template in that other thread.

[Zutty]

gt1750 and zutty: If you are more used to 3dsmax, there is no reason not to use it. Just give it a try if you're interested. The pngcodecing steps are the same as described for the blender renders, the only drawback is that you can't use the python script (blender_convert.exe will work fine, though).

Really?! COOL!

I've got to download G-MAX again now!

[brupje]

I was looking into creating a equivalent of my python script for 3ds max. It seems doable, but I was expecting a more similar setup in the template as the blender template, where the first 4 frames rotate the camera/sun. How is this accompolished in 3ds max?

[audigex]

Just to add my undying love for those involved with this project. I can't wait until I can zoom in on a detail of a Super Sprinter sat alongside a HST as a Pendelino flies past.

(Is there anything on the forum rules against offering cash rewards to those who convert the UK replacement set to 32bpp?)

[vvb]

Is it possible to apply extra_zoom_level patch to 0.6.1 sources?
I've try to apply 32bpp_12754_v10g.diff to sources, but there are some rejected chunks.
Also I've try to apply this patch to 13673 SVN version with the same result.
Can anybody help me?

[GeekToo]

Is it possible to apply extra_zoom_level patch to 0.6.1 sources?

No, I don't think so. I don't know at which revision 0.6.1 was split off exactly, but I guess some manual merging is necessary.

I've try to apply 32bpp_12754_v10g.diff to sources, but there are some rejected chunks.
Also I've try to apply this patch to 13673 SVN version with the same result.
Can anybody help me?

I realize I neglected this patch a bit , being busy with my NoAI Convoy.
So I made a go at syncing it again with current head.
I was pleasantly surprised that some of the optimisations and concepts of the extra zoom level patch are now also implemented in trunk:
-the trunk blitter now also caches multiple zoom level sprites, albeit implemented differently, so that will take some time to merge
-some of the optimisations on 32bpp_base.hpp compose colour functions are now also present in trunk, that does make mergeing in the future a bit easier for me.

Overall, it will take some time to bring the patch up to date again, if you want fast results, just apply it to version 12754 of SVN

BTW, what do you guys think, should I continue it with V9(short trains) or V10 (long trains). Did not see much opinions about that

[CommanderZ]

How do longer trains look on track curves? Especially 90°/2*45°?

Is the feature optional (= can it still work with "short" trains)?

[Zutty]

...BTW, what do you guys think, should I continue it with V9(short trains) or V10 (long trains). Did not see much opinions about that

I think long trains is the holy grail of 32bpp graphics, but I think that for the greater good it might be better to work on extra zoom levels and long trains separately, to give extra zoom levels a fighting chance of making it into trunk. Plus maybe if extra zoom levels makes it into trunk one day, it might make the devs more receptive to a long trains patch from you.

How come we haven't seen any long train .tars though? I thought people would jump at the opportunity!!

Just my 1.00943825p!

[athanasios]

With long trains.

[vvb]

Not all the people are like long trains. And usual ones is a classic. So it should be version of patch to usual trains.
Right now long trains with standard graphic are looking ugly. Sorry.

[habell]

Not all the people are like long trains. And usual ones is a classic. So it should be version of patch to usual trains.
Right now long trains with standard graphic are looking ugly. Sorry.

Same here.
Why is it not possible to make the length of the sprite variable, just like current 8bpp sprites?

[Teemes]

I second habell's proposal. A variable sprite lenght would be best, as there are many sprites already done for the 6.25 metre version. The excellent wagon sprites by ben robbins spring to mind, and I guess he's not likely to redo all those for the 12.5m version anytime soon. Furthermore, especially the ore, wheat or lumber wagons look perfectly fine in the 6.25m version and don't need to be stretched, although I have to admit that a 6.25m HST (or the class 47 already done, though otherwise excellent) would look a bit silly.
By the way, I realise that this would probably be the hardest way to do it, coding-wise, but also the one that would allow for the most flexibility and compatibility.

(Currently working on the Stanier Jubilee. Admittedly looks better in the 12,5m version, but maybe a 6.25m version can be pulled off, too. Not much time atm, though)