Make custom levels NOW :-)

[BurningSheep]

Rob, I like your level, even though you didn't get my name right it's BurningSheep instead of just sheep as you wrote

it's online btw

[t250]

[BurningSheep]

[Michael Y]

[randall]

The lower portions of the map didn't use to cause an error if it was not enclosed. However, Peter did add something that would not allow the bottom row of pixels to be destroyed (just before launch), so maybe that is causing the error.

The maps should always have a "ground" anyway. This is gravity based and everything ends up on the ground eventually.

Dunno about the paths, Rob. The paths to the desktop are much longer in Win2K/XP. I was looking at your path and it was 29 characters long (in DOS 8 character limit). The "\sheep" pushed it over 32 bytes. But who knows, I am only guessing.

Here I go guessing again.

[randall]

t250- it isn't an editor. Its a simple convertor. Big difference.

[R0B]

Randall, quick question. When the new version of snails comes out, what will a map creator have to do to get their levels running on it. I.E. what should the dat file look like? I know that I, and many if not all of the other custom level users have been simply adding their level to the level.dat file. My guess is that is would just look like a singal level entry, but I am not sure.

[randall]

[R0B]

I realized the map wipeout problem, and that is why I sugested the dat compiler. So, here is my next question, would it be worth it to make a compiler that compiles individual .dat files into the main dat file for the time being, or will the next version of snails be out soon enough that the compiler would simply be a waste of time?

[randall]

I just recieved version 1.7 today and taking a look at it. So pending any show-stopping bugs, it could be released soon.

Writing an app to append a file isn't that diffcult- it could even be done in DOS with a BAT file (dunno how it would work on XP). So depending whether you think its worthwhile or not is up to you.

Since a few people FINALLY sent me their files I can now tell you the results of some of them. With the compiling tools, it works across Win9x, WinME, Win2K, and WinXP. Most of the problems arise from XP because of user-error. I have yet to see one that is a true technical glitch (not that the tools are 100% perfect).

Simple levels may have problems loading, because of the way the engine tries to spawn and spread out the Snails across the playing field. It needs room and it needs ledges.

That is why I suggested sketching your idea first. once you have that worked out, you can load the sketch into your game and test it for playability and loading problems. Maybe your scale is a little off and you'd like the Snail to reach a certain ledge by lowering it.

Anyway, anyone who is having inconsistencies with loading, try playing a game with 1 Snail per team. That will suggest that you don't have enough ledges.

Designing a 1-on-1 map won't work, as people will try to load it with 5 Snails anyway. Most likely they will quit trying to play it when it fails time and time again.

[R0B]

Randall, what about the path-lenght error? I could send you one of those 16 byte files, but I don't think that it would do any good. Also, I was thinking of an eVB app, that way it wouldn't matter what platform the user had, as long as they own a wince device. Which I assume would be the case, seeing as my microwave beta has yet to arive.

[Matt Gifford]

[KAIO]

[R0B]

[NYIllustrator]

can someone tell me how to determine what magenta to use in photoshop to make the transparent parts in the foreground. Ive decided to make a muffins level in photoshop and illustrator.