Dear Greg,

I think that i found out what i need in EE 2.0 to start fully using it!

1. Pak separation:
You wrote very precisely in http://esenthel.com/?id=doc#Publishing that

Quote:For example: Let's say that your data files in total are 1 GB in size. If using PAK, then you have just one "Project.pak" file of 1 GB size. You upload the file to the server, everything's okay. However you then make an update to the game, by changing some of the files, and the generated "Project.pak" is now different, but still around 1 GB in size, and would need to be uploaded again fully, because it's different. You'd need to upload 1 GB of data again, and then the Players would need to download this 1 GB.
Instead, the solution is to upload files to your server separately, without archiving them to PAK. For example, if we have 1000 files, each 1 MB in size, having a total of 1 GB data. The tool will upload the files separately. Then we make an update to the game, by changing some of the files. The next upload process will just take the few modified files (few MB), and not the entire data.

So there are two ways, either keep one PAK and have problems with client update, or have a lot of unencrypted files with "awful" names (i can't name them other way but awful). i think there shall be an option to group for example folders to separate PAK files with "human" names, for example i have fillowing folders in project:
- Worlds
- Gui
- Chars
--- CharRace1
--- CharRace2
-Objects
--- Static
--- Particles

And i create 6 PAKs with following names and contents:
1. Worlds.pak, includes "Worlds" folder
2. Gui.pak, includes "Gui" folder
3. CharRace1.pak, includes "Chars/CharRace1" folder
4. CharRace2.pak, includes "Chars/CharRace2" folder
5. ObjectsStatic.pak, includes "Objects/Static" folder
6. ObjectsParticles.pak, includes "Objects/Particles" folder

So for example there will be a button "Pak manager" that opens a window with folder/files structure. When adding a new PAK you select objects (files/folders) via checkbuttons. Once selected objects become inactive (as they are already in one PAK). We will be able to manage our PAKs this way, that would be AWESOME

2. Extended Image editing:
It would be great to extend image editing by adding dynamic text creation with custom font files, outline and antialiasing like shown here http://www.codeproject.com/Articles/42529/Outline-Text

It would be also great to dynamically create geometrical primitives like shown here: http://www.codeproject.com/Articles/2722...n-GDI-with (of course with antialiasing, filling and outlines).

I can use examples from the links above but it will require only Windows platform (as Gdiplus is only in windows). If it is built-in in aditor and cross-platform, that will be great!

Hi,

1) Sorry but I fail to see the point in doing this.
Please read this about Project Files and ID's:
http://www.esenthel.com/?id=doc#Project_Files

For the purpose of creating Mods/Expansions, you're free to create the PAK's from files by yourself through codes.

Or copy selected elements to an empty project, and "Export project data" from there, to make the Mod PAK.

2) I recommend doing graphics in Photoshop, and importing those images

(02-08-2014 06:41 AM)Esenthel Wrote:  Hi,

1) Sorry but I fail to see the point in doing this.
Please read this about Project Files and ID's:
http://www.esenthel.com/?id=doc#Project_Files

For the purpose of creating Mods/Expansions, you're free to create the PAK's from files by yourself through codes.

Or copy selected elements to an empty project, and "Export project data" from there, to make the Mod PAK.

2) I recommend doing graphics in Photoshop, and importing those images

1. The solution has its own advantages and disadavntages. I'll check PAK creation through codes.

2. I'm not so silly to ask things that i can do in Photoshop. I need to be able to create billboards with text and geometrical pvimitives dynamically while playing. That can't be done through photoshop.

(02-08-2014 09:46 AM)laugan Wrote:  2. I'm not so silly to ask things that i can do in Photoshop. I need to be able to create billboards with text and geometrical pvimitives dynamically while playing. That can't be done through photoshop.

What's wrong with rendering it via setting the render target to your dynamic object and drawing on what you want?
Keep in mind that those links you provided use GDI+, which doesn't play well with games. You would be better off having the fonts imported as an image containing all the letters and numbers, then mapping each character to coordinates on the image.
The primitives can be easily created using built-in Esenthel functions, including VI.

(02-08-2014 06:41 AM)Esenthel Wrote:  Hi,

1) Sorry but I fail to see the point in doing this.
Please read this about Project Files and ID's:
http://www.esenthel.com/?id=doc#Project_Files

For the purpose of creating Mods/Expansions, you're free to create the PAK's from files by yourself through codes.

Or copy selected elements to an empty project, and "Export project data" from there, to make the Mod PAK.

That's a pity, that feature would be nice.

Maybe then add a feature of each file encryption when publishing? Cause if i publish an application without creating a secure PAK (to perform network updates in the future) all files are unencrypted. If i open them via notepad the first word is "GFX", or "FONT" etc. so it's not a problem to recognize a file type, import it to EE editor and change anything you like.

(02-08-2014 06:41 AM)Esenthel Wrote:  Hi,

1)Or copy selected elements to an empty project, and "Export project data" from there, to make the Mod PAK.

I don't think it's a good idea, if there are a lot of files in project it's very easy to forget something. Can you tell me how much time can "Pak manager" (described earlier) take to be implemented, theoretically?

(02-18-2014 06:48 AM)Houge Wrote:  Maybe then add a feature of each file encryption when publishing? Cause if i publish an application without creating a secure PAK (to perform network updates in the future)

Uploader tool automatically handles compression/encryption for you, which you can also modify at a later stage during downloading of the files.

Quote:I don't think it's a good idea, if there are a lot of files in project it's very easy to forget something. Can you tell me how much time can "Pak manager" (described earlier) take to be implemented, theoretically?

Managers for making mod's would cost approximately 400-1000$ to be done in first priority.
I would need to first think it through exactly, to make more precise price.

(02-18-2014 06:48 AM)Houge Wrote:  I don't think it's a good idea, if there are a lot of files in project it's very easy to forget something.

The recommended method would be to make a folder element in your project:
"Mod X" or something, and keep all elements related to that inside it, this way you won't forget about anything.