Joe's Arenas (Mods, Tweaks & Notes)

[JoeBlo]

This is a thread that I will place all my little arena tweaks, notes and hows to\'s as I discover/ Learn them, others can add other things they work out, learn, etc to help out along the way

Question: how to move the location where objects are placed in the practice arena, such as the creates, blocks, etc

Answer when you \'AddExtra gmf objects (not in the arena.py) their location is set in their own gmf, not in the arena.gmf, or the python, but that objects own gmf.

so find the section(s) like this

Code: [Select]

*NODE_NAME   crate01
               *TM_ROW0 1.000000   0.000000   0.000000
               *TM_ROW1 0.000000   1.000000   0.000000
               *TM_ROW2 0.000000   0.000000   1.000000
               *TM_ROW3 0.572541   0.103332   7.858184

TM_ROW3 is the X Y & Z axis of the objects location, first column of numbers is the X, second the Y and last column the Z

change these vales for the object (in both the RIGIDBODY and GEOMOBJECT) recompile and you will find the objects have been moved :-D

[Madiaba]

Nice thread, Joe.
 

TM_ROW3 is the X Y & Z axis of the objects location, first column of numbers is the X, second the Y and last column the Z
 
change these vales for the object (in both the RIGIDBODY and GEOMOBJECT), recompile and you will find the objects have been moved :-D

If the GEOMOBJECT has also a RIGIDBODY section below, the RIGIDBODY x,y,z coordinates 'over-ride' the GEOMOBJECT x,y,z coordinates. So it doesn't really matter what they are, the RIGIDBODY section dictates the final say...

[JoeBlo]

ah thanks Mad, I just worked down the GMF and changed it all for X,Y,Z for the that Node Name

[philetbabe]

Nice thread, Joe..

fully  agree

[JoeBlo]

Resizing the Combat Zone Arena - Part 1

Arena Collision

after you decompile box.gmf

ok once we are open you will find the to section is the skins and textures of the arena but we will come back to those later, there is quite a lot of it to pass by but find this part

Code: [Select]

*OBJECT_LIST

this is what you need to edit

Code: [Select]

*NODE_NAME arena_collision

is the first object... so no what to edit..

Code: [Select]


*MESH_VERTEX 0 -12.7 -2.264982 -12.39729
*MESH_VERTEX 1 12.7 -2.264982 -12.39729
*MESH_VERTEX 2 -12.7 -2.264982 13.0027
*MESH_VERTEX 3 12.7 -2.264982 13.0027
*MESH_VERTEX 4 -12.7 13.73502 -12.39729
*MESH_VERTEX 5 12.7 13.73502 -12.39729
*MESH_VERTEX 6 -12.7 13.73502 13.0027
*MESH_VERTEX 7 12.7 13.73502 13.0027

this part here... each vertex is a point and the 3 columns behind it are the coordinates (8 points makes a cube :-D)

the first column is the X axis

second column is the Y axis

third column is the Z axis

this object is only the collision for the arena so its up to youi what you pick for it but remember to keep the - signs if there is one

so if we make the arena half the floor size it would look something like this

Code: [Select]


*MESH_VERTEX 0 -6.45 -2.264982 -6.2
*MESH_VERTEX 1 6.45 -2.264982 -6.2
*MESH_VERTEX 2 -6.45 -2.264982 6.5
*MESH_VERTEX 3 6.45 -2.264982 6.5
*MESH_VERTEX 4 -6.45 13.73502 -6.2
*MESH_VERTEX 5 6.45 13.73502 -6.2
*MESH_VERTEX 6 -6.45 13.73502 6.5
*MESH_VERTEX 7 6.45 13.73502 6.5

notice the second column is untouched ? that is only the height of the arena if you want to change this to half the size also it isnt done the same

Code: [Select]


*MESH_VERTEX 0 -6.45 -2.264982 -6.2
*MESH_VERTEX 1 6.45 -2.264982 -6.2
*MESH_VERTEX 2 -6.45 -2.264982 6.5
*MESH_VERTEX 3 6.45 -2.264982 6.5
*MESH_VERTEX 4 -6.45 6.5     -6.2
*MESH_VERTEX 5 6.45 6.5     -6.2
*MESH_VERTEX 6 -6.45 6.5     6.5
*MESH_VERTEX 7 6.45 6.5     6.5

notice -2.264982 wasnt changed ? that is the floor so unless you intend changing the height of it dont touch the first 4 vertex's otherwise you will have robots driving above or inside the floor

[Naryar]

^^ I will not read this... I must find by myself!

[JoeBlo]

thanks for the.. err support Naryar

[Naryar]

You're welcome XD

[SpyGuy]

Good work on figuring that out, Joe.  Knowing Mad, he'll put that to use somehow with one of his arena ideas.

[JoeBlo]

How To Copy Arenas For multiple Skins

step 1, find the arena in the arenas folder you want to make a copy of

right click the folder and click copy and rename it something different for example "myarena" make a copy of the .py file also and rename it the same name as the folder

open the .py file in notepad (I would advise Python if your editing it but not necessary since were only changing names)

find a section like this

Code: [Select]

name = "Combat Arena"
    preview = "box/box_preview.bmp"
    game_types = ['DEATHMATCH', 'BATTLE ROYAL', 'TEAM MATCH']

    def __init__(self):
        Arenas.SuperArena.__init__(self, "Arenas/box/boxarena.gmf")
ok the Combat Arena is the name that will appear in game, change this to what ever you want

the sections box is the name of the folder you just named, so put the same as what you previously named the other folder

using my previous example it should look like this

Code: [Select]

name = "My New Arena"
    preview = "myarena/box_preview.bmp"
    game_types = ['DEATHMATCH', 'BATTLE ROYAL', 'TEAM MATCH']

    def __init__(self):
        Arenas.SuperArena.__init__(self, "Arenas/myarena/boxarena.gmf")
ok now go into that new copy of the arena and skin all your images how you want

next rename all the images something different, so say intead of "box_outerfloor" call it something like "theouterfloor"

once you have done that for ALL images grab a decompiler for the GMF

I strongly recommend Serges one for arenas, its easy to use just open up the decompiler and find the arenas GMF, its inside the new arena folder you made. then it will appear for you to save the decompiled file name it anything you want.

go through the top section of the GMF in notepad,

find sections such as this

Code: [Select]

*BITMAP    oct_sawblade.bmp
change the name of it to what ever it is you renamed the file too, such as

Code: [Select]

*BITMAP    new_saw.bmp
once you have done that for all of the file names, grab the re compiler and recompile the GMF to the original location of the arena GMF

*note make sure you add the extension .gmf when saving with the decompiler

Hope that helps 

[ACAMS]

Why is this not in the tutorials section?
 
EDIT: why do you not have a Photoshop How to, since you are so good at it??????

[JoeBlo]

this is the in the tutorials section ?? It was Mads idea for me to make this topic (he even named it lol)

also I barely use photoshop lol I use Fireworks, Photoimpression, Paint (yes) in a 3 way mixture to make my splashes and such, usually just a bit of photoshop for backgrounds, you just get custom brushes for that 

[Mr. Apocalypse]

Wow. Thank you. That first part on it's own helped. I was wondering how this worked since I'm now trying to use the Combat Zone as the practice arena.

[JoeBlo]

try just replacing the practice arena gmf with the combat zone ? it will load the player 1 start point from the GMF for the robot

all objects can be moved about in the GMF (first post)

[Mr. Apocalypse]

Yeah. I know. I'm just taking it small steps at a time.


The obstacle objects are up in the air, and your first post helped me try to figure out what I had to change to make the obstacles work.

[JoeBlo]

ah very good 

[G.K.]

I don't know where better to put this, how do I create low walls from an arena that is like the combat arena?

[Madiaba]

It's all in the gmf, GK.  Just decompile it and edit the geomobject's xyz parameters.
Reposition them below in the Rigidbody section.
If you need help, just say so..

[JoeBlo]

I don't know where better to put this, how do I create low walls from an arena that is like the combat arena?

first you have to change the collision easy enough, find the collision section

Code: [Select]

*MESH_VERTEX    0    -12.700000    -2.264982    -12.397295
                *MESH_VERTEX    1    12.700000    -2.264982    -12.397295
                *MESH_VERTEX    2    -12.700000    -2.264982    13.002705
                *MESH_VERTEX    3    12.700000    -2.264982    13.002705
                *MESH_VERTEX    4    -12.700000    13.735018    -12.397295
                *MESH_VERTEX    5    12.700000    13.735018    -12.397295
                *MESH_VERTEX    6    -12.700000    13.735018    13.002705
                *MESH_VERTEX    7    12.700000    13.735018    13.002705
the middle column (Y Axis) is the one you want to look at, -2 is the floor top and 13 is the top of the walls so changing that to something like

Code: [Select]

*MESH_VERTEX    0    -12.700000    -2.264982    -12.397295
                *MESH_VERTEX    1    12.700000    -2.264982    -12.397295
                *MESH_VERTEX    2    -12.700000    -2.264982    13.002705
                *MESH_VERTEX    3    12.700000    -2.264982    13.002705
                *MESH_VERTEX    4    -12.700000    2    -12.397295
                *MESH_VERTEX    5    12.700000    2    -12.397295
                *MESH_VERTEX    6    -12.700000    2    13.002705
                *MESH_VERTEX    7    12.700000    2    13.002705
at this stage im not sure with this arena whether the top collision will come into play ? but I dont think the arena has one? anyway find this..

Code: [Select]

*NODE_NAME    glass walls
        *NODE_PARENT    arena_display
        *NODE_SHADEVERTS    0
        *NODE_TM
        {
            *NODE_NAME    glass walls
            *TM_ROW0 1.000000    0.000000    0.000000
            *TM_ROW1 0.000000    1.000000    0.000000
            *TM_ROW2 0.000000    0.000000    1.000000
            *TM_ROW3 0.000000    -2.264983    0.302705
        }
        *MESH
        {
            *TIMEVALUE    0
            *MESH_NUMVERTEX    8
            *MESH_NUMFACES    8
            *MESH_VERTEX_LIST
            {
                *MESH_VERTEX    0    -12.750000    -0.000001    -12.750000
                *MESH_VERTEX    1    12.750000    -0.000001    -12.750000
                *MESH_VERTEX    2    -12.750000    -0.000001    12.750000
                *MESH_VERTEX    3    12.750000    -0.000001    12.750000
                *MESH_VERTEX    4    -12.750000    11.999999    -12.750000
                *MESH_VERTEX    5    12.750000    11.999999    -12.750000
                *MESH_VERTEX    6    -12.750000    11.999999    12.750000
                *MESH_VERTEX    7    12.750000    11.999999    12.750000
and change the 11.999999 to the same number as the collision

ounce your done I think you will need to add a zone to eliminate robots that fall out or (a much better way) add the python coding for it
 

[G.K.]

Thanks.

I have noticed though that the combat arena has a ceiling. Is there any way to remove it?