HexStartup++ 2.0 (startup,notch,netnotch tool)

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ibm5155
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HexStartup++ 2.0 (startup,notch,netnotch tool)

Post by ibm5155 »

Image

Download HexStartup++ v2.0 (Windows xp up to 10 32/64 bits), + source code + step by step screenshots.

With this program you can take the full potential of Hexen loading screen instead of that sad brown color.

-Uhh, but slade3 can convert this type of files, well, yeah, but take a look into the spoiler and you'll know why I did this software.
Spoiler:
Making a startup,notch and netnotch files are now as easy as making a cake :D

NOTE: This isn't a image editor software, this software only converts a group of .ppm images into the correct lumps that hexen likes, for editing the images and creating the image files, you'll need GIMP for converting/creating the images.

README

Code: Select all

HexStartup++ v1.0, created by: ibm5155

Before you run this software:
-You need the GIMP software to convert your image files to .ppm or .png (https://www.gimp.org/) 
   (others softwares may do the same but I have only tested with gimp)

BASIC NOTES:

-This software only support .ppm and .png image files with indexed 16 colors.
-You can create a Hexen compatible STARTUP,NOTCH and NETNOTCH files as long as you maintain the proper image size (https://zdoom.org/wiki/Startup_lumps)
-For creating a notch and a netnotch file you must before load a startup image for creating a default palette.
-netnotch and notch just need to be using indexed 16 colors and it should also be using the same RGB colors that the startup file is using.

HOW TO USE:
-you need at least a keyboard to interact with it (input text and enter operations)
-you can run step by step if you open the the HexStartup++ software or you can just drag and drop all the image files on it (if you do that for 
notch or netnotch, you must include your startup file in order to create the right palette)
-Step by step information about how to create a startup lump is included in "Step by Step" Folder (notch and netnotch should be the same way).

WHERE CAN I RUN THIS SOFTWARE:
-For now, only on windows xp up to 10 (32/64bits).

SLADE3 shows the right image for STARTUP BUT NOT FOR NOTCH/NETNOTCH, WHY?
-Slade shows the STARTUP using the startup palette included in the startup file, while for notch/netnotch it just uses the default hexen palette.
but the file is ok.

WHAT SOURCE PORTS CAN THIS TOOL BE USED:
-Gzdoom,Zandronum 3.0 and up,Qzdoom and also Zdoom.
-Vanilla Hexen Works but notch and netnoch are hardcoded into the .exe file so you'll Always see the default notch and netnotch (unless you edit with na hex editor the .exe file).

SOURCE CODE:
-Use the source code the way you want, as long as you add a credit information about me :).
Example: "code Based on HexStartup++ from ibm5155"
-I can be compiled on ms-dos and linux (if using SDL), but I'm lazzy and for now the windows build is fine.
-If you really want to compile this project, you need to include this project in the include director (https://github.com/ibm5155/MT2D)

THIS SOFTWARE HAS A VIRUS!!!:
-Nah, I only know how to make meme virus :p.
Jokes aside, this is a software that almost no one ran, so it'll not be in the antivirus database and they are gonna keep an eye opened in this file.
-If you are still afraid about this file, check the source code and compile yourself.

I HAVE MORE QUESTIONS!!!:
-ASK HERE: https://forum.zdoom.org/viewtopic.php?f=44&t=56556
Last edited by ibm5155 on Wed May 31, 2017 2:29 pm, edited 8 times in total.
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HexStartup++ TUTORIAL

Post by ibm5155 »

Since my english isn't that great for making long text, if someone want to fix some typos I'll be glad :D

TUTORIAL

Before you start
-You need to have the Gimp Software installed and HexStartup downloaded.
-You may also want to use this example files: http://www.mediafire.com/file/5fipfffx5 ... efiles.zip
-OR the Spooky House example files: http://www.mediafire.com/file/ldgy7yn2t ... +Files.zip

Part 1, creating a Startup graphics file

1) For creating a startup graphics file you need a 640x480 image file (it can be all the types of supported files to Gimp).
2) With that in your hands, you just need to open that image file on gimp and transform it in a indexed Picture (for that you go into Image->Mode->Indexed).
3) Now you see a window with some options, first you need to mark that max number of colors to 16.
4) After that, go to the Dithering options (on the same window), change from "None" to any of those options, later press the "Convert" Button.
5) In case you didn't like at all what you see, do a ctrl-z and try another dithering method.
6) If you still didn't like any of those dithering image files, well, that's all you can get with 16 colors :-?
7) With all that done, go to "FIle"->"Export As...", go to the "Name" and name the way you want, but the file type MUST be .ppm (like startup.ppm).
8) Now press the "Export" button, a window will show to you, just mark "Raw and press the "Export" button from that window.
9) Tadah, you now have a .ppm file that HexStartup++ can read :D

Part 2, creating a Notch graphics file

-The process is the same as creating a startup ppm file, but we need to do some extra steps to use the same palette from the startup ppm file.
-I sugest you to let that startup file opened becasue we'll need it for this part.

1) For creating a startup graphics file you need a 16×23 image file (it can be all the types of supported files to Gimp).
2) With that in your hands, you just need to open that image file on gimp and transform it in a indexed Picture (for that you go into Image->Mode->Indexed).
3)Now, we'll see a difference, you can use 16 colors for making the NOTCH, but be aware that you'll use the 16 colors that the startup lump uses and not the ones that you're going to create, you could go in your startup file and check the colors that you want, later set that amount of colors under the "Maximum number of colors" input box. (on the example files I set the notch with 5 types of colors because there were no red and just a short amount of yellow/brown tones).
4) After that, go to the Dithering options (on the same window), change from "None" to any of those options, later press the "Convert" Button.
5) In case you didn't like at all what you see, do a ctrl-z and try another dithering method.
OK now the "boring" part.
6)Now we'll need a window called "colormap", to view this Windows goto "Windows" -> "Dockable Dialogs" -> "Colormap".
7)You'll now see a Window (or over the gimp gui ui) a blank box with some colored boxes, those are the palette that the image is going to use.
8)Now go to the startup file that I hope you still have opened in gimp and note that in the colormap área, the colors has changed.
9)the next step will be just a repeatable action, just do in order:
-on the startup image, double click a color block from the colormap window, it'll show a window like this:
Spoiler:
-copy the HTML notation string and close that window.
-goto the notch image (on gimp) and on the colormap window, double click the color block that you want to apply that color that you have copied.
-Now replace the value inside of HTML notation by the one that you copied.
Tadah, one palette replaced, now do repeate thie process for the other colors that you didn't have replaced in the colormap Windows from NOTCH.

10) With all that done, go to "FIle"->"Export As...", go to the "Name" and name the way you want, but the file type MUST be .ppm (like notch.ppm).
11) Now press the "Export" button, a window will show to you, just mark "Raw and press the "Export" button from that window.
12) Tadah, you now have a NOTCH .ppm file that HexStartup++ can read :D

NOTE: You should do the same that you did in part 2 for netnotch (BUT the image size in netnotch must be 4x16)

(FINAL) Part 3, converting the

this is the easiest part (if everything before worked :p )
Ok there're two ways of using HexStartup, I'll show it one way in 1.x and the other one in 2.x
1.1)select the files .ppm files that you have created and drop it into the HexStartup.exe file.
2.1)Launch the HexStartup file, if the files are in the same folder as HexStartup, you just need to type the filenames and the file type (name.type) on it, else you'll need to give the full path of your file + his full name (c:\my doom stuff\test\startup.ppm).
2.2)First you need to load the startup ppm file, later if everything goes ok, press the number "1" to load another file and type the notch or netnotch file on it.
Spoiler:
3)If it shows OK in all the 4 parts then your images are ready to be tested with gzdoom :D


Part 4: HOW DO I TEST IT???????????
1)Open your favorite wad editor, create an empty text called GAMEINFO and write the below text on it

Code: Select all

STARTUPTYPE = "Hexen"
STARTUPTITLE = "The name of my mod or game "
STARTUPCOLORS = "c30d0d0", "2b2424"
2)Drag and drop the files that HexStartup has created (STARTUP.dat, NOTCH.dat [if you loaded a notch file] and NETNOTCH [if you loaded a netnotch file])
3)Save
4)Test.

if you are using the example wads that are on the top of this post, you should see something like this:
Image
Last edited by ibm5155 on Tue May 23, 2017 7:09 pm, edited 2 times in total.
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Re: HexStartup++ v1.0 (startup,notch,netnotch tool)

Post by Enjay »

This is really cool and straight forward enough to use*. However, I'm also looking forward to your tutorial post because, just using your example files, I created a startup where the background was fine but the NOTCH graphic was a weird colour (poorly paletted?):

Image

*in saying that, I saw someone trying to use a text based interface for the first tome today and he was completely confused by how it worked. Kids these days don't know how to use computers. Back in my day everything was a text based interface... Image
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Re: HexStartup++ v1.0 (startup,notch,netnotch tool)

Post by Rachael »

Text-based interfaces are easy once you understand how to execute commands. In fact, they're much easier to interact with than GUI interfaces for probably about 3/5ths of total computer tasks, which is why some people constantly use their computer with a command prompt or terminal window open.

Once you get used to "talking" to your computer through a command prompt window, it's very difficult to adjust to pure-GUI interfaces. (It's a wonder more people don't try to tell computer novices to imagine a command prompt window as a "chat window directly with your computer")

As for the notch, I am pretty sure it will require that both the notch sprite and the wallpaper are the same 16-color palette. The reason for this is because back in ye olde DOS days the Hexen startup screen was in fact mode 0x12h (640x480x4) with 16 DAC-assigned colors (the default color set emulated CGA graphics, obviously, but each of the 16 colors could be set to any available RGB666 combo).
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Re: HexStartup++ v1.0 (startup,notch,netnotch tool)

Post by Enjay »

For a very long time I still used a command prompt for a large part of my Doom editing. I was pretty good at using the interface, text based programs (like dehacked) and batch files. So, long after many people were all point and clicky, I was still dropping to the command line and typing. It wasn't until most of the tools I was using became GUI ones (or were replaced by GUI ones) and the old tools also became unsupported (or at least not easily supported) that I finally gave up on text based stuff for most tasks.

As for the program in hand, I thought that might be the case with the palette, but I wasn't sure. Once I get the hang of it, it will be a nice easy way to do things. I mean, I got something mostly working on my first try which is more than I managed when I was trying to do stuff for my Gene-Tech mod.
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Re: HexStartup++ v1.0 (startup,notch,netnotch tool)

Post by Rachael »

What license will the source for this program be? If it's GNU or zlib or something like that, it would be permissive enough to import a zlib library, which will allow for importing PNG graphics.
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Re: HexStartup++ v1.0 (startup,notch,netnotch tool)

Post by ibm5155 »

Enjay wrote:This is really cool and straight forward enough to use*. However, I'm also looking forward to your tutorial post because, just using your example files, I created a startup where the background was fine but the NOTCH graphic was a weird colour (poorly paletted?):
Uh, have you tried to run the files in the Example Output folder? Here's working fine, but I'll have a look in what's going on...
Enjay wrote: *in saying that, I saw someone trying to use a text based interface for the first tome today and he was completely confused by how it worked. Kids these days don't know how to use computers. Back in my day everything was a text based interface...
I'm more used to create text user interface, for me they are faster for making simple type of software (plus Works in ms-dos so gg for me :lol: )

quote="Rachael"]
As for the notch, I am pretty sure it will require that both the notch sprite and the wallpaper are the same 16-color palette. The reason for this is because back in ye olde DOS days the Hexen startup screen was in fact mode 0x12h (640x480x4) with 16 DAC-assigned colors (the default color set emulated CGA graphics, obviously, but each of the 16 colors could be set to any available RGB666 combo).[/quote]
yup, on HexStartup it forces you to load the startup file if you want to generate the notch file, this is to force both files to use the same palette.

AND about the license, I'm kinda off about all those types of license, I may use the same license from slade3 or gzdoom since the planar code is the same from both softwares
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Re: HexStartup++ v1.0 (startup,notch,netnotch tool)

Post by Enjay »

ibm5155 wrote:Uh, have you tried to run the files in the Example Output folder? Here's working fine, but I'll have a look in what's going on...
Yup, and as you say, they're fine. That's why I'm wondering what I did wrong, because it must be me. Image
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Re: HexStartup++ v1.0 (startup,notch,netnotch tool)

Post by cmw1986 »

@ibm5155: Looks neat, but have you ever thought of combining the Hexen Startup with the Doom Startup?.
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Re: HexStartup++ v1.0 (startup,notch,netnotch tool)

Post by Enjay »

If you tell it to, any add on can use any startup type (Heretic, Hexen, Strife) with any supported game type. Doom doesn't really have a startup as such.
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Re: HexStartup++ v1.0 (startup,notch,netnotch tool)

Post by ibm5155 »

cmw1986 wrote:@ibm5155: Looks neat, but have you ever thought of combining the Hexen Startup with the Doom Startup?.
you want this? 8-)
Spoiler:
Yeah, just whay Enjay said.

EDIT: Hmmm, vanila hexen doesn't like the notch file (is it hard coded?)
but the startup at least worked just fine
Spoiler:
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Re: HexStartup++ v1.0 (startup,notch,netnotch tool)

Post by cmw1986 »

Actually, what I meant was...

This (ignore the script error part!)...

Image

Plus this...

Image

Equals...

Well, I'm sure you probably know what I mean now, right?. :lol:
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Re: HexStartup++ v1.0 (startup,notch,netnotch tool)

Post by Enjay »

Your first picture is not a Doom startup, it's a ZDoom startup. Doom never had a startup (well, it did but it was just a text-mode series of messages and a progress "bar" made from .........). You can see the ZDoom startup for any supported game by adding -nostartup to the command line.

There isn't much point in showing both because the Hexen (etc) startup is supposed to show the loading progress of the game instead of showing something like the ZDoom startup. By the time the ZDoom startup is finished, there is no progress left to show in the Hexen one.

[edit]
Original Doom startup
Spoiler:
[/edit]
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Re: HexStartup++ v1.0 (startup,notch,netnotch tool)

Post by cmw1986 »

Oh, the first picture is the ZDoom startup!. Oh okay then... But anyways, if the ZDoom startup could allow graphics displayed right above it as one screen, that would be pretty cool to have and would be suitable for a project like mine in the works. :D 8-)
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Re: HexStartup++ v1.0 (startup,notch,netnotch tool)

Post by Enjay »

That would certainly be beyond the scope of this tool. It's for making stuff for mods. The kind of functionality you're talking about would require a change to GZDoom itself and I can almost guarantee that there would be no enthusiasm for such a thing.

viewtopic.php?f=54&t=56180
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