FancyPic.exe - FANCYBOOST - HQ Images in Elma Levels

[sunl]

I use a publically available lgr.
Just download default.lgr, or find your lgr in this folder or this zip file.
You are done! Download Ctrl+F4 download "girla.lev" on EOL to test to see if it works now (reload lgr by restarting elma or opening a different lgr)

I use a private/custom lgr.
How to patch your lgr files to be FancyPic2.0-compatible (adds the 256 palette colors as special images to be used to draw any custom picture):
1) Run LGR_Utility
2) Select folder -> elma/lgr and press ***FancyBOOST*** button. (it will make a backup of your original lgr files)
3) You are done! Download Ctrl+F4 download "girla.lev" on EOL to test to see if it works now (reload lgr by restarting elma or opening a different lgr)


During Dino Run 2 I showcased a new way of displaying custom images in default elma levels. As jblaze, Kazan, Boomer and adi brought the total time of the levels from over 16 minutes to less than 13:15.00 (http://elmaonline.net/statistics/levelpack/DinoRun2), as I promised, I am releasing the program I made to generate custom images.





NOW VERSION 2.01!!

>>>DOWNLOAD (64-bit)<<<
>>>DOWNLOAD (32-bit)<<<


>>>FANCYBOOSTED LEVELS<<<


Never used git before but somehow managed to put it on here for programmers: https://gitlab.com/sunlelma/fancypic.

Enjoy.

I will answers questions below.

For issues, please add to: https://gitlab.com/sunlelma/fancypic/issues

[iCS]

Crazy stuff!
I will try it soon.

edit: tested!

[Xiphias]

Wow great stuff

[Orcc]

After Ramone and Zero put level designing graphics-wise to a new level with HALF pack, I believe this is even bigger. Even the gameplay still seems to have undiscovered tricks and level designing even more.

Great stuff and keep up the good work being the biggest contributor to the scene lately!

[Boomer]

Great stuff and keep up the good work being the biggest contributor to the scene lately!

This.

[Sunshine]

excellent program however i had to disagree with orcc but only because of elmas retarded limits. all pictures in dino run took 3-5k images to make and they are tiny, doesnt leave much room for anything else if the level is on the bigger side (masking etc can eat a lot of pics). elma2 now supports all colors and even animation so can only hope its finished someday and we all migrate there (though elma2 could still have better support for displaying custom images like this program does)

anyway very nice program again and removing obstacles and enabling people to show their creativity is always excellent and those picture limits shouldnt be a problem in regular balles so i hope to see some cool graphics more often even in norm battles now!

[kuchitsu]

I just hope that people will at least try to use it in style. What I mean is that when you're playing a normal looking Elma level and then suddenly encounter something so detailed, complex, and different looking, there is a very high chance that it will look completely out of place stylistically. Just putting a Trump face or whatever in the middle of a regular lev is nothing more than a novelty that wears off quickly. To put this tool to really good use you'll have to think carefully how you can incorporate these pictures in your levels without breaking the overall style. FancyPic.exe should be used with extreme care. For example, I would argue that these faces in Dino run levs are more like a technical accomplishment rather than an artistic one. Like "yeah, cool, but the resulting lev doesn't really have a coherent look". Just something to think about before this tool becomes popular.

[Lousku]

kuchi =D Very concern, visual thing might be used in unpleasing way. We must be careful not to let it happen!

Nice tool sunl, yet another great piece of contribution from you lately.

[sunl]

Ye Dino overdid a bit to show off feature. I think this will probably be best for mini repeatable images or something in a level. Anyways finnish spa today so will think about it later ))

[ville_j]

It is kinda cool that you can create this kind of graphics in levels with this tool, but I'm not sure if it has much casual use. Or well at least not for me because I play with low details and a custom lgr anyways. It's a bit sad that some people abuse the graphics so that you end up disabling those features and then can't enjoy nice things that this tool might allow. Would be really helpful if could change all the graphic settings quickly in-game. So dunno if I'll ever get to see these new graphics since I haven't been bothered to see the dino levels or even half-pack levels with their visuals. But don't get me wrong, very nice idea, tool and contribution anyways!

[kuchitsu]

kuchi =D Very concern, visual thing might be used in unpleasing way. We must be careful not to let it happen!

If you want to laugh more, I can add that I'm also concerned about the increased use of advanced tools such as those offered by SLE recently. Stuff like latest Jappe2 and Ramone levs approaches a point where the design is not "human" at all anymore and therefore doesn't attract me much. It is great that modern editors allow creating all kinds of complicated things in a much faster way, but it is worrying how in the process some kind of "soul" is being lost and the levels are becoming too non-elma-like and "mechanical" to my taste.

What can I say, I'm very passionate about visuals in Elma, so I tend to have all sorts of strange and strong opinions about things. But just so that I don't sound like a total weirdo who is fixated on some minor imaginary problems, I would like to point out that I also nominated both Jappe2 and Ramone for designer of the year.

[sunl]

Thanks to help of Sla's 32-bit computer, managed to compile 32-bit-compatible version: https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B5wqB ... 0FHRjg5b0E

Might be a bit out of date from 64-bit version as need Sla to compile for me )))

Added to top

[Lousku]

Well kuchi I'm suar theer is room for many types of visuals. I mean who would go through the trouble of using an extra program to add a visual thing to their lev if they don't like the style? And if they like it, then what's the problem? :P Just weird.

[Sla]

Ill thank again sunl due to his big patience to guide me through the steps to make a 32bits version. Genius!
Finally tried the program and i just still cant believe the images and colours generated inside a level with Default.lgr. Revolutionary.

[sunl]

Hi everyone!

FancyPic VERSION 2 is out!

Now zoom-independent, supporting much larger images (more pixels), scaling of images

Just requires a quick 2-minute patch to your lgr files. Please follow instructions


How to patch your lgr files to be FancyPic2.0-compatible (adds the 256 palette colors as special images to be used to draw any custom picture):
1) Download LGR_Utility
2) Run LGR_Utility
3) Select folder -> elma/lgr
4) Press ***FancyBOOST*** button. (it will make a backup of your original lgr files)
5) You are done! Download Ctrl+F4 download "girla.lev" on EOL to test to see if it works now (reload lgr by restarting elma or opening a different lgr)
(or just download default.lgr, or find your lgr in this folder or this zip file).

[sunl]

Smaller patching .exe without LGR zip/unzip for the internet impaired

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B5wqBC ... lVQaHdLWlk

[Sla]

Possible to convert new colours images to textures so we can texturize polygons on SLE?

[sunl]

Not really because picture and textures are separate in elma code. Also there's a maximum on the number of textures you can have. However, tiling the pictures should be exactly identical to using textures (e.g. http://elmaonline.net/statistics/level/371570)

At the end of the day, it doesn't matter if the fancyboost uses pictures or textures because it looks the same.

Tldr: you can make the same effect just using the pictures

[Lee]

Do the images have to be as big as they are? It really limits creativity.

[sunl]

You mean the 150x150 picture size? It was a compromise in size between background tiling and image detail. Generally you should be able to mask out the extra part. I'm not entirely sure I understand the question though.

[Lee]

I would like to be able to fill in a smaller space without the image spilling into the sky around it due to its size.

For example:


If it was 50x50 it would be more useful.

[Sla]

I agree with Lee but whatever you do sunl, please let your boosted lgrs idea intact so all levels previously made can work on all lgrs (olds and news). I made new pack with a lot of details with those pictures. Ok, atleast it my request.
Thanks for improving Elastomania graphics like no one!

[sunl]

Unfortunately at this point it would be too confusing to have multiple version of boosted lgrs because they wouldn't be consistent with each other. That being said, here's a workaround that will usually fit your needs for simple images. Possibly in the future I could further improve boost patch to have many many useful masks and keep just the most important 16 colors to use as textures or something (due to limitation on number of textures). To be honest, I didn't realize the full potential of manual editing of zz picture files when I released this program

Using Flat.lgr (http://elastomania.wixsite.com/-sla/lgr), open your level at 1.00x zoom in an editor, OR screenshot your polygon in elma.
Example screenshot:


Crop and edit your polygon to desired look. Consider thickening the edge of your polygon by a few pixels for optimal quality or to preserve original polygon (see next step)


Throw your image through the fancyboost.exe program. Re-insert your original outer polygon if you want to preserve the exact shape
http://www.kopasite.net/up/0/lee.lev
Result:



Of course this won't work with default ground unfortunately but I think it can work around some of the issues you are facing

[Lee]

This is what I had in mind if had 92 additional textures

It makes much smoother images at the cost of 164 colours. Many of the colours are similar, eg. loads of greens and blues, so it's really not that bad.
Consider merging this texture/mask LGR with your fancy boosted LGR to create the ultimate Default LGR.
Tribute to Mawane

[sunl]

Yeah will maybe consider it this summer . Depends if community interested in it too ofc

[ROKKEBOL]

Depends if community interested in it too ofc

According to the half and repeat levelpacks this fetture should be in demand imo.

[Sla]

Of course we are interested. New and amazing things can be done at the moment and if you improve them it will be even better and revolutionary. Only thing im afraid of is having multiple programs/lgrs types and not being able of see this kind of graphics everywhere. Positive changes are welcome anyways.
Thanks!

[Kopaka]

I would like to be able to fill in a smaller space without the image spilling into the sky around it due to its size.

For example:
http://kopasite.net/up/i8u5s2w1dm84vce/die.png

If it was 50x50 it would be more useful.

Can't you just use a sky texture with lower distance to cover the parts of the blue texture that you don't want to see?

[sunl]

No because the sky texture won't move a different speed from the ground, but it will move at the same speed.

For example this is a sky texture background: http://www.recsource.tv/r/jkclrwsohb. It's not the same as normal sky experience.

[Lee]

Here's what's possible with extra textures/masks. Click images for larger size.






I've barely even scratched the surface. What you see is really just 2 extra masks, one smaller than MASKLITT and the other a smallish circle (used in image 3 to create the muddy ground). Of course the final version would have at least 50 masks, with varying shapes and sizes.
Last image was made with Paint, and then imported into SLE.

Final point: I think it's about time the Default LGR was updated with more choice for creativity. I know some mans will make amazing things.

[Bjenn]

Just scrolled through topic, sick o,o

[Schumi]

is that 3rd picture an actual LGR? or just art?

[sunl]

3rd picture is viable simply by using a small mask square with white/black texture.

This are really sick pictures Lee! We'd need to kinda collect pictures like this to figure out what exactly to put in the ultimate lgr. Starting next week I have more time and we could look into it

[sunl]

Moving discussion to here: http://mopolauta.moposite.com/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=9671

[Lee]

is that 3rd picture an actual LGR? or just art?

These are all playable levs with same LGR.

[Sunshine]

added fancyboosted default.lgr to elmaonline.zip