Ryandor.com

Is there a program like dragon that you can tell to put specific tree types in specific areas? Don't like dragons semi random tree placement.

I think I might just manually place trees but id like to have a program that could assist me in this. Is there a program that can allow me to place specific trees in specific locations except using a image mode for latter conversion to static?

Is there a way to set dragon so that one color represets a forest of one kind of tree. Another color another tree kind? Anything like that?

Yes, you can specify the scripts as to what type of trees to place, however, it would be a bit of work. Basically, as an example, you can set a color to place a tree on every single tile of that type, like a special forest tile. You'd then set the item.txt file like so:
01 1000 0000 0000 6143 4095 forest.txt
and the forest.txt file to only one type of tree like so:
//Tree (Grey) + green leaves
1000 0ccd 0000 0000 0000 0000 0cce 0000 0000 0000 0000

The bolded numbers is what sets the number of trees. Think of it in terms of xxxx.x% for that number. I've never tried this though so you might have to play around with the number, but I think that would work.

Of course creating the extra colors for all the evelations you'd have to replace some other colors.

-Ryandor

Is there a way to use dragon in a statics only way?

Like so I can draw the basic map floor with elevations and such. Then make another map for statics only with the special values you mention without it overwritting the base map files you already made?

Remember, that the map and statics are seperate files, you can re-run Dragon to recreate the items scripts at any time. Just use a copy of the map, then just delete it. You'll have a new fresh set of items ready to be froze with DragonSP (which does the actual freezing). Then use the new statics with the older copy of the map. I've done this plenty of times. You can even save some time in the Dragon process by commenting out all the transitions so it doens't waste time recreating those. comment out all the betweentrans*.txt files.

-Ryandor

Ah ok. So does elevation matter with dragon? Does it just places items at what ever level the ground is at? Or does it use the elevation of the map made with dragon9?

Well, it does to a degree. Dragon creates the scripts for the items based on the type tyle and elevation of the land. For example, if you have a forest at z=10, then yes, it will place the tree at z=10 as well.

I'm assuming your making tweaks with WorldForge to fix minor things, but if you change big areas with a new z then you may have buried and floating trees. This doesn't really work too well if you are making huge changes. It's best for when you've already added things like cave entrances, and coastline glicthes, which is something you want to preserve since Dragon will wipe those type of changes, and it's usually quite a bit of work remaking them.

You really should have a nearly finished map before doing playing around with item scripts. By nearly finished I mean that the overall map is complete, with only minor things to go back and fix or tweak (like cave entrances, coastal tweaks, special features, etc)

-Ryandor

Well what I want to do is make the map minus forests and such. Then make a separate static placement map with custom color=static item settings. But from the sound of your reply its not encouraging.

Do you think we might indeed get a larger color base then 256 sometime in the future?

what about SMC and TBC? What do these acronyms stand for? What do they do? Where do you download them? Incapable of placing items? You mean not for static?(in reference to this post http://www.ryandor.com/forum/viewtopic. ... hlight=tbc )

Not with Dragon. It is limited to 256 color, period.
There is only one other alternative that you could do, but it required UOX.

Xuri's worldbuilder can help you place trees of a particular type and area. But it is a completely different server, and I'm not even sure it will work on newer clients at all.

-Ryandor

What about SMC and TBC? What do these acronyms stand for? What do they do? Where do you download them? Incapable of placing items? You mean not for static?(in reference to this post http://www.ryandor.com/forum/viewtopic. ... hlight=tbc )

SMC and TBC are for the map only. It cannot do static placement, or even transitions. It's not available yet, either. Once I get together a package for it, I'll put it up. But for what you are wanting to do, it's completely useless.

-Ryandor

There's transitioning tools that he could use after the fact but I don't know how adaptable to his purpose that is. I also don't remember where I got them or on which one of my harddrives (not plugged in) they are sitting on. Llwelyn Mahr would be the man to ask. He's got pretty extensive experience with them. I never really used them much since they don't do any better a job than Dragon (coasts are every bit as crappy) they do however have their uses when you just want to modify 1 terrain. Tools for both transitions and item placement. I'll dig for them when I get a chance.
While I can admire someone actually being anal enough to want to do that type of detailed placement, unless you have a very tiny map you are going to quickly burn yourself out trying to place all your trees by hand.

Thats why I dont want to do it all by hand. Trying to find the right mechanisms that I need for the affects I want. But being able to place individual trees and plants in specific spots with a overall map image perspective will be invaluable in specific spots.(like the forest maze)

Got a name for the tool you mention?

I'm trying to locate them still. I can't seem to find them. I think I wiped the archive drive that I had them on. If I remember correctly they were written by Senser.

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So whos this sensor fellow? How might I get ahold of him?

hello? Please provide more information.

Anyone have more information they can offer on this?

Not I. Keep in mind many people that were active 2 (or more) years ago, may not be into UO or emu's anymore. Nature of the beast.

That being said, you can check other sites/forums for him. I think at one point Sensor was on the Sphere forums.

-Ryandor

Well the name of this tool could help me track it down or at least give me something to refer to.

Sorry, haven't had any luck finding them again.

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Ja know I'm not even sure what your looking for but I like posting usless data so here have a link to a bunch of uo programs

http://uoidn.uoevolution.sm/files.html

maybe one of these will help O.o

Maybe the item placer is what you need?

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You da man DW. That's it Item placer along with transition maker and uo coast was what I was refering to. Senility creeping in. I see all 3 of them available there.

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I'm useful... now and then....

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I AM THE GOBLIN KING!

*sigh* Theres no instructions at all for "item placer"(or alot of these other programs). When i execute it in a dosshell it tells me

"USAGE: itemplacer <map_path> <x_min> <y_min> <x_max> <y_max>"

Which implies that its designed to place items randomly within a set area.(coordinates you have to get yourself) Though how you specify which item your trying to place who knows. Sure wish these programs came with instructions.

Anyways it doesnt really seem to be at all close to what im looking for.

Really what im hoping for/looking for is a statics version of SMC/TBC. But even the map version of that program seems like its never going to come out. Ryandor said within a few days but 3 weeks latter and nothing. This is getting quite depressing.

You can write your own scripts for it to place what you want. It doesn't really work any differently than Dragon as far as placement. It's just quicker and easier if all you want to do is place statics on an already completed map. If you run it through small areas and run a lot of different scripts you can get some tighter control but as far as placing trees 1 by 1 about the only way you are going to do that is to actually load up an emu, walk the map as gm and place trees, then export your worldfiles and freeze them.

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How do you use it? You mean it works like dragon and can convert image into static placement? I can't script and it comes with no instructions at all so in effect the programs useless to me. Unless someone wrote up some instructions.(I wonder why the original program designers didnt make some basic instructions while they were at it)

Would someone be willing to adapt a version of SMC/TBC to work with statics instead of map?