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Mac Mod Managers (MCM3 and MacMod)

aikidorat
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aikidorat Senior Member

aikidorat

Posted
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All mac users:

just opening this up for discussions, seeing how the managers are supposed to be posted real soon.

What I'd like this topic to be:

- discussion on ways to improve the programs - Ie, what do you use, what dont you need, what do you like, not like, etc.

- discussion on which bmps are not mac-friendly. We know that 536.bmp is not (a fix is in the works), but what others gave you problems?

- general questions on why we did what we did, if you want to know.

- etc.

BUG REPORTS:

I'd prefer that bug reports for MCMMM be emailed to me first, and not posted here. I can respond to my email address a heck of a lot faster than checking this topic. And, no one else can understand the hack of a code I used to bring MCMMM to ya, so no need to waste their time. smile.gif

Brian can post how he wants to handle bug reports, but I'd prefer they be directed to him.

Thanks, and looking forward to comments, suggestions and, of course, commendations!

biggrin.gif

enjoy!

dave

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The only reason for time is so everything doesn't happen at once

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Guest Germanboy

Guest Germanboy

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I would like to say many many thanks to both of you for doing this. I have to agree with many of the other posters. If you had made it shareware, I would gladly pay for it. Keep up the goodn work.

Cheers,

Andreas

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bsoplinger Member

bsoplinger

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Colin got a copy of CM MacMod from me and has been having some troubles and from helping him I think there are a few guidelines that would apply to both of the managers that I should mention.

First, you want Quicktime 4 installed and you wanted to have chosen the option to set it to deal with non-Macintosh file types. Its been awhile since I've done the install, but I do remember being asked during the instillation process about setting these items.

If you haven't, open the QT control panel and make sure Quicktime Exchange is enabled.

You'll also want to make sure you have file exchange enabled.

With both of these things enabled, either StuffIt or ZipIt should decode the PC .bmp files as something that's recognized as a PC picture file. This will allow drag and drop to work with CM MacMod and will allow selecting those files for use with either mod manager.

If you do have GraphicConveter, there is an option under General:Misc to "configure file exchange" and "use file exchange/IC config" and these can be used to tell your mac what to do with graphic files from the PC world, including .bmp files. You can also use graphic converter to convert 'bad' .bmp files by using the convert more option and selecting the .bmp and choosing the icon/preview choice and making sure that the Save:Misc save file type setting has "GraphicConverter" chosen. You can also just delete the entire folder and re-unstuff/unzip them once you've setup your machine like I've described and restarted.

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bsoplinger Member

bsoplinger

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<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by gibsonm:

I only hope CM will work under the OS X Public Beta.

<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

I don't think there's any chance of that. CM uses ATI's old proprietary 3D API, RAVE. OS X will only support OpenGL I think. I know it won't support RAVE.

I do seem to remember the developers mentioning that moving to the OpenGL API was in their plans, so perhaps CM 2 will.

[This message has been edited by bsoplinger (edited 09-04-2000).]

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bsoplinger Member

bsoplinger

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I had an email exchange with someone asking about using the mod managers and thought I'd put excepts here as it might be info that hasn't been covered, or was in the past but Mac users ignored it because they couldn't apply mods.

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>

I do have a question downloaded the Madmac 2 mods and after viewing them in Quicktime picture viewer I do notice that there is a pink dot and dots in certain parts of the image, e.g. like an alpha channel around the pictures and in certain areas of the pictures like the wheel spoke areas.

When I copied one of the mods the Tiger tank to be exact there was some of this pink color in the wheel spokes and so I then tried and down loaded a second Tiger tank 3rd party mod and looked at those pictures in the Quicktime viewer, again the pink spots around the wheel well area.

…

Is there a way of correcting this ?

<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

I'm going to explain these pink areas in Photoshop terms, although I'm sure the same info is available with other graphics programs also.

If by pink, you mean what I'd call purple, use the eyedropper tool to pick it and check the RGB values. If you see R:255, G:0, B:255 that's the color that Combat Mission uses as a mask. The mask is used by the program for areas that are transparent or don't count. For example, a tree would basically be round and the outside of the circle would all be purple, allowing the ground beyond or other trees to show through when drawing that particular tree image on the screen.

Hope I made myself clear there. So what that means to you is that purple areas are normal and expected in a lot of the pictures, especially with round or irregular shaped things like wheels, trees, most terrain, etc.

That's the quicky answer to "what are the funny looking purple/pink areas I see in the mods?"

(I used tree as an example because 536.bmp in the first MDMP was bad and had values of 252:2:254 which explains why if you download the MDMP-1 for PC and apply it you will see odd purple splotches. MadMatt included a corrected version in MDMP-2)

[This message has been edited by bsoplinger (edited 09-04-2000).]

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aikidorat Senior Member

aikidorat

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Or, you can use Graphic Converter. I forget the values in that, but I will add them to this post later.

or, use GC to open up a bmp that works, use the color picker to pick the purple/pink value, and then use those values to set the color..

ok, here they are:

either: 100% magenta

or:

Hue Angle: 300 degrees

Saturation: 100%

Value: 100%

(edited as I thought someone had said there was a problem with the file, but there wasnt (in the game). Jumping the gun as usual. )

smile.gif

dave

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History is made at night

[This message has been edited by aikidorat (edited 09-04-2000).]

[This message has been edited by aikidorat (edited 09-05-2000).]

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bsoplinger Member

bsoplinger

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Let me second Dave's request about bug reports. Emailing me directy will get a response much faster than posting in this or a new thread.

If it seems to be a general problem I'll sumarize what steps I took with you and post it here as general info for everyone as I've done before.

B

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bsoplinger Member

bsoplinger

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Here's 2 little programs to set file types for people who are having problems with PC graphic files.

To make them QT files:

http://www.albany.net/~oplinger/PC%20BMP%20to%20QT%20BMP.bin

To make them GraphicConverter files:

http://www.albany.net/~oplinger/PC%20BMP%20to%20GraphicConverter%20BMP.bin

These were made with FileTyper, a great little utility. You can drop individual files or folders of files onto them. They will only decode 1 level deep.

I'll be including these as part of my next release.

[This message has been edited by bsoplinger (edited 09-05-2000).]

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Grim Member

Grim

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Hi guys,

I just want to add my thanks for all your efforts. I just installed MDMP2 completely painlessly taking only a few minutes. These mod apps are a miracle of modern technology!

Only one request - perhaps put the bit about enabling Quicktime Exchange in the Readme. (Or maybe I just can't read!).

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aikidorat Senior Member

aikidorat

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Grim,

we're also looking at putting it up on the CM site where you download the managers.

Also, I found a small bug in MCM3 - when trying to revert a Graphics 10,11,12 or 13, you can only revert to another file named Graphics 10, 11, 12 or 13. The option to revert to a 'backup' file is broke.

I've already fixed that, but wont be releasing the next version until I clean up the code some and add some other features. Probably a couple of weeks, as I intend to play a bit.

Seeing how this thread isnt getting too much traffic, I'm assuming both programs are working as intended.

Either that or no one is using them.

dave

------------------

History is made at night

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aka_Deadline Senior Member

aka_Deadline

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Well I have installed Madmatts Mod 2 using the Mac Mod Managers and the results are

Fantastic and the Mac Mods are very easy

to use.

I had some concerns over some color issues

(pink alpha spots ) but this was explained and clearly identified by both Dave and Brian.

Again mac users if you have not downloaded

the Mac Mods and Loaded Madmatts 2 Mods, then you are truly missing something..

.it makes CM look fantastic.

Thanks for your help guys smile.gif

Deadline

------------------

"My honor is Life both grow as one, take honor

from me and my life is done."

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Marty Member

Marty

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I downloaded the MDMP2 pack and both Mod Managers. They all unzipped fine and all configurations seem correct - however, I can't get either Mod Manager to work.

First off, I don't think it is a problem with either program since everyone else is doing so well. rather it is a problem with my computer recognizing the files. The symptoms are:

1. If I try to drag the MDMP2 .bmp files over the running CM MacMod program, the program does not accept them as drag and drop they just snap back into the MDMP2 folder.

2. If I open the MDMP2 folder in MCM3 the program will not let me select any of the files. It gives me an error message like:

"13390.BMP can not be selected because it is not a PICT or BMP file." Since I can't select any of the files I never get to the "Convert" function.

3. If I click on one of the bmp files in MDMP and then check it with the "File/Get Info" routine it tells me the files are Windows BMP graphic files.

4. If I doubleclick one of the MDMP2 bmp files I get an error message "that the file can't be opened because the file that created it is unknown."

5. If I drag one of those files over Quicktime PictureViewer or GraphicConverter, the program opens fine and shows the picture.

6. In the File Exchange control panel, the PC bmp format is set to use GraphicConverter.

Does anyone have an idea as to what the problem is?

TIA

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Marty Member

Marty

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Ok! Please disregard all above - I finally have the Mod Managers working. While reviewing the earlier messages for the fourth time I noticed a line in one of bsoplinger's texts that I missed previously. I have all of the File Exchange entries correct but that didn't seem to make much difference. What did, however, was the line I missed about converting bad bmp's to good bmp's. There is just something about having to convert a Windows file to a Windows file, so I can use it on a Mac, which leaves me speechless!

biggrin.gif

Many Kudos to the developers of both Mod Manager programs! These are really excellent. I sat entranced watching all the pretty little pictures flit by. I could almost feel the personality changes affecting my computer as CM tried on the new accoutrements.

Let' s Rock and Roll!

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aikidorat Senior Member

aikidorat

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Marty,

Glad you got the files working, and that this message board was able to help out. That's what it's for.

Another, less desired, option would be to use GC to convert the bmps to picts. Creates another folder of picts but it works.

and, just a reminder to everyone - you do NOT need to remove the "-" from the face textures (at least for MCM3), as the program does it anyway.

Enjoy!

dave

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History is made at night

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jdmorse Senior Member

jdmorse

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<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by aikidorat:

Or, you can use Graphic Converter....to open up a bmp that works, use the color picker to pick the purple/pink value, and then use those values to set the color..

ok, here they are:

either: 100% magenta

or:

Hue Angle: 300 degrees

Saturation: 100%

Value: 100%

<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Thanks for info Dave. Got around to playing w/ GC. The Saturation was at 97% for several Tiger versions. Cleared up right away.

For other Mac users, if you do not have Graphic Converter, GET it. It's shareware and easily available.

To get rid of those dots, open bmp w/ GC, use sampler/eyedropper icon to read the color, select the color and adjust the proper numbers per above. Then use paintbucket icon to change that portion (place over area and click) save and close. Viola. Reload into the Graphics w/ MacMod Or CM modmaker and there you are. Even I did it and that's saying alot.

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"The first thing we do, let's kill all the lawyers"

-- King Henry VI, Part II, Act 4, sc.2, l.86

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aikidorat Senior Member

aikidorat

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great on the texture fix!

Can all you mac guys do me a favor? For textures that need to be fixed, can you email me the FIXED texture(s), and a description (which mod it came with, etc)?

I'll contact CMHQ about posting the fixed bmps so others dont have to do it. Hopefully we can have a page that provides all the fixed files.

Dave

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History is made at night

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aikidorat Senior Member

aikidorat

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*****MCM3 v1.1 almost ready to rumble*****

MCM3 v 1.1 is almost ready for release. You're gonna love the new features:

- better file navigation: popup menus allow you to access any number of mod folders within the selected folder. Great for switching out the different tiger mods for example. Have a folder for each mod, located in a Textures folder (or whatever you choose), then use the menu to select the mod you want to convert.

- support for text readme files in the folders. Read the authors notes from within the program

- support for jpg preview. If the mod author includes a jpg screenshot showing the mod in the game, you can now view it from within MCM3.

- ability to enlarge the preview to full size by clicking on the preview.

- added in abilty to copy picts from resource(either full resource or selected)

- added in default selections to CD-Rom and MCM3 folder, to aid in the file management.

- created new Readme with pictures and better instructions. Big file, but walks you through the process.

Other things fixed and modified as well, too many to mention (almost a complete recode from V 1.0).

Look for it soon. Hopefully within a week, depending on the last round of testing.

Thought I'd tease you a bit, and see if there are any last features that anyone thinks needs to be added.

Later

dave

------------------

History is made at night

[This message has been edited by aikidorat (edited 09-18-2000).]

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