14 replies to this topic

[atari_aaron]

I've been working on a graphics editor again for the 2600, building on work I did about a year ago. This java app will allow a content author to draw 2600 sprites and playfields. The draw tools are implemented in the old version found on my website, but are not implemented in this ui yet. This will have to wait until Christmas vacation, but it'll be pretty cool. I'm especially excited about the text tool.

The editor will be able to export assembly code for both sprites, playfields, and their colors. It will also be able to export jpg's, png's, and gif's. Sprite designs can be up to 12 bytes wide. Sprite and playfield heights can be as tall as the author wants.

Attached is a screen shot showing the app with the NTSC palette open. Not shown are the SECAM and PAL palettes, which I have also built into the application.

Aaron

Attached Thumbnails

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[Radio F Software]

Sounds like the ultimate GFX editing tool bro! I cant wait!

[ATARIeric]

@ aaron: My heart goes out to you and your loved ones and congrats on getting married. im amazed at how you have free time for this and actually do it

[Retrofan]

If It's java can I use it with MacOS, too?

[atari_aaron]

It's being compiled under 1.4.2 and all pure java, so I would expect it to work on every platform that has a 1.4.2 JRE. I expect to have a working version of it finished sometime before new years. I ordered a Java 2D book to help me with the BufferedImage class. But I'm getting off topic. Yes, I believe it should work on MacOSX, Linux, Windows, and anything else that runs java.

Later,

Aaron

[Big Player]

I don't know if you know about these or not, but Kirk Israel has created these two java editors for 2600 graphics.

Here is a like to Playerpal for creating player graphics.

http://www.alienbill.../playerpal.html

And here is Playfieldpal for playfield graphics.

http://www.alienbill...ayfieldpal.html

[atari_aaron]

Nope, I did not know about it. Works well. I'll still work on mine though as it will be a standalone Java application with a few more features. His is a nice Javascript application though.

[Big Player]

Oh I didn't post it to discourage you. I just wanted to put it out there for anyone looking for 2600 graphics editing tools.

And I'm such a programming idiot, I didn't know there was a difference between Java and Javascript. (I know now thanks to your post and some googling. ) The last progamming I did was Pascal back in high school in the mid 80's.

[atari_aaron]

Oh, that's cool. No offense taken.

There are lots of good tools out there for people to use. Kirk's graphics editor is a pretty snazzy use of Javascript. Just looking at th source code, it's pretty complex.

Aaron

[Marc Oberhäuser]

Any news about the tool?

Marc.

[atari_aaron]

Yes, there is are a couple of pieces of news.

First, I've created a SourceForge site for the project. I've just started settingit up this weekend. I'll probably have something online as far as code goes sometime before I go to bed tonight. The url's are as follows:
http://vcs-graphics.sourceforge.net/
https://sourceforge....s/vcs-graphics/

Second, the color selection interface has been pretty much worked out, and I feel it is really well done.

Third, I'm having a small problem with tracking mouse events from the drawing interface as I'm using the Graphics Layer Framework. I'm think its a minor problem, but I just haven't had time to work on it since Christmas.

I'll post here later tonight once I have source files stored in the source forge cvs, a jar for people to run, and some screenshots.

Granted it needs work, but it's a good start.

Aaron

[atari_aaron]

Tonight I setup the SourceForge site for the VCS Graphics Editor. A jar is uploaded as the 0.0.1 release. I'd be interested in knowing if MAC/Linux users can get it to run. Read the release notes for the location of the main class.

I could put it online using JNLP, but the code is not signed.

The source has been uploaded into the project's CVS if anyone cares to look at it.

Also screenshots are located there as well.
http://sourceforge.n...s/vcs-graphics/

[atari_aaron]

I should say that the actual editing part doesn't work yet, no does it export or save anything.

[Marc Oberhäuser]

Great! Way to go:)

[atari_aaron]

I have made the VCS Graphics Editor applicaiton through a Java Web Start download. If you have Java 1.4.2 and JWS installed on your machine, then you should be able to install the application.

To install the VCSGE visit the following URL:
http://vcs-graphics....eforge.net/jws/

You can't do much with it right now, but you can play around with the different VCS Color Choosers.

Aaron