DKC Atlas Forum

[Simion32]

DKCRE v0.0.7.0 Features List (Accepting Suggestions)

NOTE: Several smaller items have been moved or may be moved to DKCRE v0.0.6.9!!

Big Ticket Features (No Requests for this Category)
DKC2 & DKC3 Extraction and Viewing Capability
DKC1 World Map Editor Mode
DKC1 Level Settings - The ability to change level name, theme, environment settings, flags, and more.
New patching format for DKCRE - IPS/UPS hybrid format, possibly called RPF, RPS, or something like that.
Dynamic Resource Allocation - This feature allows you to use as many objects/bananas/cameras in a level as you want, and enables you to resize a level within the space allocated by the game for that archetype. May also include a patch for DKC1 that will make object entries 6 bytes long instead of 8, which would add at least 1,000 more object slots that you can use for your levels. This adjustment means that objects/bananas/cameras can be completely deleted rather than only just modified.

New Editing Features
Dynamic Object/Bananas Edit Mode Switching - Ability to edit (almost) anything in the level simultaneously without needing to switch panels. Except for cameras and tiles.
Enhanced Palette Editor - Global and Per-Line hue/sat/val/colorize. Copy-and-paste-able color squares. Animation previews.
Edit DK's Start Points & The Starting Cameras - One of the features that was dropped from v0060.
Level AutoLaunch from the checkpoint barrel...
...and a "Debug at clicked location" feature based on internally modifying DK's starting points.
Ctrl-Z & Ctrl-Shift-Z to Undo & Redo Modifications Incrementally - Should be easy to make once the transition to v070 is complete. I hope.

Tiles Editing Revisions
Backspace to Undo a just-moved-but-still-selected Tiles Selection - rather than Ctrl+Z it will have a specific shortcut.
Tile Grouping and Drag-Droppable Default Tile Groups - to make editing easier.

Object Editing Revisions
Compound Object Visualization - use the INI to allow displaying the contents of compound objects.
Cache Contents Visualization - use the INI to allow displaying the contents of hidden caches.

Bug Fixes
Vertical Levels - They need a (currently unknown) special object sorting order, thus DKCRE v0.0.6.x causes those levels to break. This may result in me working on the camera map functionality if the levels have some sort of camera settings that need to be examined.

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I'm still working on the speed improvements for v0.0.6.9 right now, but as soon as I'm done with those, these are the features on the list to be implemented for the next big version of DKCRE.

Please post any input/suggestions you have for DKCRE v0.0.7.0!

[Markster]

What about ExHiROM support and adding more objects to a level with that extra storage, there is a custom ZSNES that plays ExHiROMs up to 8MB now, and I found that rare Xkas custom build that support ExHiROM on my old hard drive!

[Simion32]

*I moved your post to the relevant topic*

That is up to someone to hack an ExHiROM expansion method of DKC first, and then we'd have to have a hack to put the objects into a different bank besides the current one. Objects in the original game are limited to one bank, so a hack is required if we want to do multiple-bank layouts. A given level objects layout cannot cross the bank boundary, either.

It would be relatively easy to add that (all DKCRE really needs to know is the object map bank & address), but I'd need to see some concrete hacking results before I decide to add that.

[HellFire]

What about the water levels? Weren't they buggy? Or am i mistaken? Some time passed since the last time i checked DKCRE... (Sorry, I'm more interested in DKCLB, since it will not be limited as a rom hack) If this was already addressed, then sorry. If not, then i think thats one of the main bugs to be fixed.

Here's a banana for you as a prize for your continuous work these awesome tools.

[Simion32]

You're correct HellFire, I forgot to add a bugs section here. *adds it to list*

[Simion32]

Added 2 new features to the list.

[Raccoon Sam]

Haven't had a chance to try it at all but from what I've seen from the shadows, I'm absolutely sure you've done a fantastic job. Among Fu-So-Ya, Treeki, VL-Tone and probably Aeon Genesis, you're one of the most phenomenal reverse-engineers/ROM Hackers I've ever had the pleasure of knowing online.
How heavily does DKCRE rely on windows dependencies? I'm just a macfag hoping for cross-platform compatibility one day. :>

[Simion32]

Thanks for the praise...

Seriously though, you need to find a windows computer somewhere and try RE out, if you ever get a chance. I won't be doing ports for quite a long time...

There are only a few things I can remember that NitroGUI depends upon having:
(1) A borderless, possibly alpha transparent window (OS-dependent feature, or in Linux depends on the interface you use) with DirectDraw or equivalent drawing system where I can just push pixels to a GPU buffer and pageflip between pages (without any extra hassles like 3D etc). Must have vsync(); capability for program stability. Allegro is probably super-portable in this respect, so I might be keeping it around for compatibility's sake (right now Allegro's only remaining purpose is the graphics back-end).
(2) 2D graphics must be assembly code fast. GDI was never an option. I must do graphics routines in assembly so they are as fast as possible (currently I have MMX as the base for most routines). Also, obviously no palette based video modes are supported.
(3) Ability to take input messages straight from the hardware (lowest possible OS calls) in a separate thread, must be able to detect input outside of the program itself (global hooking). These rules are ESSENTIAL for eliminating input bugs and for ensuring proper application behavior (I use the global input hooks a lot in NGUI to make the window behave correctly, often more correctly than most large commercial games I've seen can muster - for instance DELTA has a proper response for Ctrl+Alt+Del and gets itself out of the user's way, and it also knows to stop using the CPU when something forces it out of focus (Alt+TAB, minimize, etc...)).
(4) This is just a nitpick, but... I enjoy the ability to switch screen modes while the program is still running, and for it to be as fast as the hardware can refresh with the new settings (DELTA and RE are both this fast).

[Qyzbud]

I finally got around to reading this feature planning list in full — sorry for the delay; as usual it's due to a general lack of time/energy at my end — not a lack of interest!

I'm very impressed (and excited) with what I see here so far. Here is one thing I'd love to see in an upcoming build; if it's too ambitious for inclusion in the 0.0.7.0 release, I understand.

Intelligent terrain 'painting'

I know variations of this idea have been suggested/proposed at least once or twice in other editors' project topics already, but I just wanted to reiterate that the ability for DKCRE (and DKCLB) to let users draw in (or simply 'stamp') terrain tiles easily and dynamically without obvious 'seams' would be awesome. This would require the function to have 'neighbouring tile awareness', and probably a lot of sophisticated tile-matching voodoo... but it would be a giant leap forward for user-friendly, aesthetically pleasing level building.

That's all I wanted to put forward for now, but I'll let you know when other feature ideas come to mind.

[Simion32]

What comes to mind when you mention that is, a 3D grid-like network of connected "possible" tiles. It would have to use some sort of heuristic to calculate a grid of tiles which fits a particular physical surface definition (all tiles are constrained by the tiles nearby them, and some tiles are constraned to a select few values based on what the physical surface is). The idea would be to find a network of tile values such that all grid links satisfy the matching requirements.

Then there's the issue about random seeding and how to replace existing tiles as overrides to the system - you couldn't store the dynamic building info in the ROM unless it was extremely small.

...yeah, I have actually thought some about this occasionally, and I know it will be super-involved. Probably not a feature for v0.0.7.0 - but it's definitely on the "MUST DO" list.

[Simion32]

added: "make it so there can be groups of tiles that are pre-assembled so it's easier to make the level" by Cyclone on the chat.

[Markster]

I came up with that idea one time.

I've got an idea for 0.0.7.X, how about a built-in string editor to edit text lines without using a hex editor.

[Simion32]

Added:
When changing an object to an object type that is supposed to not be visible (view menu) it will force that setting ON so that users aren't confused over the "disappearing objects". Perhaps with a notification on the screen about it.

[Simion32]

Update Notice: Blue Items have been moved to DKCRE v0.0.6.9!!

I might mark additional blue items for inclusion to v0.0.6.9 - these items are being included earlier because they will help usability and are easy to do.

I'll mark the finished ones with a check mark as development progresses.

[VideoViking]

Totally forgot about this: you can snap with objects to an 8x8 grid, but you CANNOT do it with camera boundaries. Would love for the camera boundaries to snap to the 8x8 grid as well.

[Simion32]

I've moved all the v0.0.6.9 items into a new topic to keep them separate from this list.

[Seiryuki]

I'm not sure if this is possible, but it would be a very helpful feature:

To have the option to launch the level from the halfway point (checkpoint barrel).

This would assist in easily testing large or complex or challenging levels, where the designer has already tested the first half of the level and don't really want to test from all the way in the beginning.

[Simion32]

That's a great suggestion. I'll see about having that implemented for v0.0.7.0.

Level AutoLaunch from the checkpoint barrel (and, if possible, a "debug at clicked location" feature) should be doable if I'm adding DK's starting positions to the level editing capability. It would be a simple matter of modifying his starting point to send you to where ever you wanted.

[Seiryuki]

Lunar Magic has the feature where you can export a level as a single file, as well as import a level from that file into any level, thereby replacing that level.
I think it's a useful feature to implement into DKCRE.

> Export level to a file.
> Import level, from file, into any level - replacing the level's theme, music, etc.

[Simion32]

For that one, it will require me to first have access to ALL of the level settings. A good feature to do when I'm able to do it. May or may not be in v0.0.7.0 - we'll have to wait and see.

In the meantime, the dynamic allocation and windows-like copy and paste capabilities should be enough to get a layout and its objects copied over.

[VideoViking]

Can you revise the grid line display so that they appear over the objects and sprites instead of having it hide behind them? Maybe have the grids show up in a transparent fashion.

[TurretBot]

How about the ability to copy+paste things between levels?

Wait, a cooler idea: What if we could save tiles in groups/objects?
For example, we could take DK's Treehouse in the first level, save it as a tile gorup/object, and then place it in a later level with the same jungle theme.
Wait, it's already there.

Another idea! (I checked this time.)
Right click a tile to get a copy of it.
For objects/enemies, maybe you right click one, then you click a different one to switch it to that enemy? (There'd need to be some visual work so you don't change things by accident.)

[Cody]

How about a notification that generates potential palette issues in a given level?

[Cyclone]

Sorry if these have been mentioned already. Or maybe they are already in there I only spent a few minutes with the editor.

1. Add a free edit mode so you can edit objects, baddies, level items ect simultaneity so you don't have always switch buttons or use shortcuts(if there are any). The editor would have to check what type of object is clicked to change the window on the right side but I'm assuming that would be easy.

2. Thanks for bringing back the sprite viewer
Can we edit the palette and see the sprite at the same time? If that's already on your to-do list. Great.

Anyways can't wait next release.

[OneOf99]

-Include a hotkey for turning the physics map on and off. It gets tiresome to have to go to the tab every time.
-Would it be possible to rearrange the tilesets to seem more coherent? Looking at the tiles is one big of a chore, since finding the one you need is hard because they are all over the place...
-Option to clone selected object, this would speed up item/object/enemy placement
-Either remove the custom mouse or set it to a higher speed, it is very disorientating

[gohkenytp]

-Custom Sprites
-Ability to edit Title Screen graphics

[OneOf99]

Hey! Welcome to the forum!

You can already make custom sprites in multiple ways. Although the editor may not have all functions needed, there are other tools out there to do so. Changing of graphics is actually more accessible than actual level editing.