I recently started playing Trigger Rally, and modifying track mywise.
Wrt the second, I'm impressed how easy and intuitive it is, even without reading the howtos and, I would like to know (possible improvement proposal): The images to be used:
1. What file extension can be used?
2. Do they have to be squared?
3. How big can they be? (px).
4. Can transparency be used? In order to reduce info to be processed. Wrt foliage image.
1. Is it possible to use different image for different types of vegetation? (If not, I think it could be interesting for future releases).
2. That image has to be “digital” (black or white) or can be “analogical” (like height images)? (Another interesting feature, if the first).
1) As far as I know png and jpg are possible.
2) Yes, and they need to be powers of two.
3) The biggest I managed so far was 4096, if I remember correctly. But the loading times on weak systems are greatly impacted by larger images.
4) No, transparency isn't an option. (It would actually lead to larger file sizes.) For the final game they are normally compressed and stored as jpg files. (Even png gets converted by a script.)
5) You can't have more than one greyscale image for vegetation. (Shades of grey define local density.) I really recommend to use the very brief map reference to understand the values!
6) Thank you for reporting the broken links. I will try to fix them.
I'm not sure what videos/cars you refer to. If you link an example I maybe can answer this. (There is a second game from the same programmer using the same name but a totally different code base.)
Last edit: Onsemeliot 2021-02-17
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One more question about images/maps.
If horizontalscale=1, what represent a px in meter?
An about the other TR, I read it is based on JavaScript (https://www.moddb.com/games/trigger-rally/images/main-menu#imagebox). I suppose it is not compatible.
Thanks very much for your answers.
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If horizontalscale=1, what represent a px in meter?
I have no clue. I never tried to find this out. But It would surprise me if one pixel would be one meter. I suspect this would be pure coincidence.
I suppose it is not compatible.
Yes, I think it is totally rewritten code. But Jareiko has abandoned this newer game a long time ago and to my knowledge nobody has picked up the code for further development.
If you would like to refer to this comment somewhere else in this project, copy and paste the following link:
I have o couple questions about images of foliage in the game.
Firstly I notice, that some trees from .png files have displayed horizontally stretched.
I ques, it's happened in cases, when height of image is much greater then width.
How It's with it? ...
I had trimmed some transparent areas in images with a tall trees to get minimum total "weight" of my track. And then I saw scratching.
Maybe this problem was discussed yet, but, sorry, I can't find that thread since I visit forum in summer.
Secondly I want to ask Is It possible to make foliage in game not "transparent" for a vehicles?
Resistance of tief grass and bushes it's okay to make by terrain properties in t.png, but It's really need make possible big trees to hit in.
So, maybe It's possible to add in 'foliageband' or 'roadsign' tags option of 'transparency' to pass through It?
Hi Xandr, unfortunately the game engine can only handle square foliage images. So, if you want to keep the proportions of the original image you need to add a transparent area on both sides until you have a square image file.
We have defined a rigidity.xml map in the data folder that defines for each sprite how solid it is. A value of 1 means that it is impenetrable. We do use that for trees. Grass and bushes do have lower values. We need to define each vegetation and street sign sprite in this XML file in order to get this behaviour.
Unfortunately I can not alter the way the engine works. I attempt to learn programming with C++ right now but I am just at the beginning of this venture.
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I had to make images of foliage square as you say, and now they displayed correctly.
But. I couldn't find rigidity.xml file!
To no mistake I ask my friend (who working with improving handling of vehicles in T.R.) to help find this file on his computer, and he didn't find rigidity.xml too.
We both use Linux (Debian), so operate with zip-archive 'data.zip'. But inside It and in any other place on game folders there Is no rigidity.xml .
Trigger Rally was installed with aptitude.
And in "default" version of game all foliage already was transparent for a vehicles.
Can I ask you for help with syntax of rigidity.xml and folder where It should be placed?
If you would like to refer to this comment somewhere else in this project, copy and paste the following link:
Sorry, it has been very long since we did make a new release. I had forgotten that there is a lot of stuff not yet included in the last released version. If you want to work with the new features (like vegetation with rigidity) I fear it is necessary to compile the game from the source for the development version you can find in our git repository. There is also a BUILDING.txt file you can follow to do so.
Or you wait for the new release. But I am uncertain when this will actually happen. It might be wise to do soon because there have been many additions also to the maps and events in the mean time.
Last edit: Onsemeliot 2024-01-02
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Well, I guess that compile the game Is to complicate for me. So I prefer to wait...
And lead my track to an acceptable compromise at last.
Maybe, my friend can achieve some results in compiling. Unexpected he try to change speed-counter visualization but not success.
I read few treads about possible new futures of T.R. Improving of foliage visualization on curved ground, add to tracks bridges and tunnels, graphic menu - all that great and very wishible to set game to new level.
If you would like to refer to this comment somewhere else in this project, copy and paste the following link:
Hi everyone.
I recently started playing Trigger Rally, and modifying track mywise.
Wrt the second, I'm impressed how easy and intuitive it is, even without reading the howtos and, I would like to know (possible improvement proposal):
The images to be used:
1. What file extension can be used?
2. Do they have to be squared?
3. How big can they be? (px).
4. Can transparency be used? In order to reduce info to be processed.
Wrt foliage image.
1. Is it possible to use different image for different types of vegetation? (If not, I think it could be interesting for future releases).
2. That image has to be “digital” (black or white) or can be “analogical” (like height images)? (Another interesting feature, if the first).
On the other hand.
On https://trigger-rally.sourceforge.io/tutorial.htm the link to “reference guide” (XML) is broken.
On the main page, “making new cars” is broken too.
And finally: I've seen videos of TR Online. The tracks and cars used there, are usable on TR desk? Are they somewhere on the net?
Great job, thank a lot.
1) As far as I know png and jpg are possible.
2) Yes, and they need to be powers of two.
3) The biggest I managed so far was 4096, if I remember correctly. But the loading times on weak systems are greatly impacted by larger images.
4) No, transparency isn't an option. (It would actually lead to larger file sizes.) For the final game they are normally compressed and stored as jpg files. (Even png gets converted by a script.)
5) You can't have more than one greyscale image for vegetation. (Shades of grey define local density.) I really recommend to use the very brief map reference to understand the values!
6) Thank you for reporting the broken links. I will try to fix them.
I'm not sure what videos/cars you refer to. If you link an example I maybe can answer this. (There is a second game from the same programmer using the same name but a totally different code base.)
Last edit: Onsemeliot 2021-02-17
Hi again.
One more question about images/maps.
If horizontalscale=1, what represent a px in meter?
An about the other TR, I read it is based on JavaScript (https://www.moddb.com/games/trigger-rally/images/main-menu#imagebox). I suppose it is not compatible.
Thanks very much for your answers.
I have no clue. I never tried to find this out. But It would surprise me if one pixel would be one meter. I suspect this would be pure coincidence.
Yes, I think it is totally rewritten code. But Jareiko has abandoned this newer game a long time ago and to my knowledge nobody has picked up the code for further development.
...Hi everybody!
I have o couple questions about images of foliage in the game.
Firstly I notice, that some trees from .png files have displayed horizontally stretched.
I ques, it's happened in cases, when height of image is much greater then width.
How It's with it? ...
I had trimmed some transparent areas in images with a tall trees to get minimum total "weight" of my track. And then I saw scratching.
Maybe this problem was discussed yet, but, sorry, I can't find that thread since I visit forum in summer.
Secondly I want to ask Is It possible to make foliage in game not "transparent" for a vehicles?
Resistance of tief grass and bushes it's okay to make by terrain properties in t.png, but It's really need make possible big trees to hit in.
So, maybe It's possible to add in 'foliageband' or 'roadsign' tags option of 'transparency' to pass through It?
Last edit: Xandr 2023-12-29
Hi Xandr, unfortunately the game engine can only handle square foliage images. So, if you want to keep the proportions of the original image you need to add a transparent area on both sides until you have a square image file.
We have defined a rigidity.xml map in the data folder that defines for each sprite how solid it is. A value of 1 means that it is impenetrable. We do use that for trees. Grass and bushes do have lower values. We need to define each vegetation and street sign sprite in this XML file in order to get this behaviour.
Unfortunately I can not alter the way the engine works. I attempt to learn programming with C++ right now but I am just at the beginning of this venture.
Thanks, Onsemeliot.
I had to make images of foliage square as you say, and now they displayed correctly.
But. I couldn't find rigidity.xml file!
To no mistake I ask my friend (who working with improving handling of vehicles in T.R.) to help find this file on his computer, and he didn't find rigidity.xml too.
We both use Linux (Debian), so operate with zip-archive 'data.zip'. But inside It and in any other place on game folders there Is no rigidity.xml .
Trigger Rally was installed with aptitude.
And in "default" version of game all foliage already was transparent for a vehicles.
Can I ask you for help with syntax of rigidity.xml and folder where It should be placed?
Sorry, it has been very long since we did make a new release. I had forgotten that there is a lot of stuff not yet included in the last released version. If you want to work with the new features (like vegetation with rigidity) I fear it is necessary to compile the game from the source for the development version you can find in our git repository. There is also a BUILDING.txt file you can follow to do so.
Or you wait for the new release. But I am uncertain when this will actually happen. It might be wise to do soon because there have been many additions also to the maps and events in the mean time.
Last edit: Onsemeliot 2024-01-02
Thanks for information.
Well, I guess that compile the game Is to complicate for me. So I prefer to wait...
And lead my track to an acceptable compromise at last.
Maybe, my friend can achieve some results in compiling. Unexpected he try to change speed-counter visualization but not success.
I read few treads about possible new futures of T.R. Improving of foliage visualization on curved ground, add to tracks bridges and tunnels, graphic menu - all that great and very wishible to set game to new level.