myvgaspec:

[ccexplore]

Somewhat recently there has been some interest in using the extended graphics feature in DOS Lemmings/CustLemm.

[ccexplore]

To get around myvgaspec's pickiness about what BMPs it will accept (so that no one's stuck with only example.bmp), I've now uploaded BMPs for the original vgaspecX files, in the 24-bit BMP format that myvgaspec requires:

http://www.geocities.com/guestlevels/myvgaspec/original_vgaspec_bitmaps.zip

When editing those bitmaps, remember that the 7-color maximum still applies, so be sure to stick to only the colors already used in the bitmap.

Oh, and skip the spec1.bmp file for now.  Well, try it and you'll see why. I'll hopefully have the problem fixed and release a v0.2 sometime tomorrow.

[edit:

[ccexplore]

I've found and fixed the problem associated with spec1.bmp.

[JM]

Is this to help people create their own VGASPECx.dat ?

[JM]

I know it is now. This should help me create mine I've dreamed of making my own extended graphics.

[JM]

http://www.geocities.com/jmjm0052005/JMVgaspecX.zip

I just edited the beast of a level terrain and removed all the trees. Who likes it?

[Shvegait]

This is quite cool, guest! The only thing, of course, is that levels created by this aren't exactly the easiest to share, but there's nothing really you can do about that (at least, I don't think so ).

I guess, what I should ask is... is there any way to change what .dat file the special graphics level point to? (Somwhere easy in hex...?) And, if so, does the file name have to be VGASPEC#.dat...?

[ccexplore]

This is quite cool, guest! The only thing, of course, is that levels created by this aren't exactly the easiest to share, but there's nothing really you can do about that (at least, I don't think so ).

I guess, what I should ask is... is there any way to change what .dat file the special graphics level point to? (Somwhere easy in hex...?) And, if so, does the file name have to be VGASPEC#.dat...?

Well, right now with CustLemm, you still have to copy the levelset you want to play to levelpak.dat, so it's just a few extra steps to copy the VGASPEC# files.  So for distribution, what you can do is to name the VGASPEC# files you will be distributing to have similar names to the levelset, so that the user can put the files in the same directory amongst other people's custom VGASPEC files without overwriting one another.

I can certainly change CustLemm to look for any name (well, 7 letters or less) plus a single digit.  But then you'll also have to keep multiple copies of CustLemm around.

As for changing which .dat the level points to, well the level stores the info that picks the "#" part of "vgaspec#.dat".  What I can do later tonight is to release a set of blank levels that covers # from 0 to 9.

[Timballisto]

Whoah!  Man!  We've been trying to do what that program does for years!  Thanks a lot!

Oh, and in a way you can also create your own styles.  Just create bitmaps of pieces and stick them all in the same folder.  You can then put them into levels and make one!  Sweet!  This is the answer to cheapo's lack of the original game feeling.

[JM]

The program rules!!
Take a look at the download I put up there

[Mindless]

I've found and fixed the problem associated with spec1.bmp.  Turns out it's actually a false alarm caused by a bug in the routine that verifies whether the compression is doing the right thing, causing it to sometimes think it found a discrepency when in fact there's none.

Since it's literally a one-line fix and there are no new features, I'm making the version 0.11 rather than 0.2.  Download here:

http://www.geocities.com/guestlevels/myvgaspec/v0_11/myvgaspec_v0.11.zip

Actually, by version number standards, 0.11 is newer than 0.2 since it would be the 11th minor revision. Bug fixes usually go under the third revision section (eg. 0.1.1)

[ccexplore]

Hehe, ok thanks.  Clearly I don't understand how version numbers work.  

[Timballisto]

Um, I'm running this on a 98.  I got the welcome box, but right after it says "are you sure you want to quit?".  If you say no it brings up the same box again.

[ccexplore]

Ok, I think (hopefully) I know what the problem is.  I'll release a fix within the next hour.

Thanks by the way, you will be credited for discovering this problem.

[ccexplore]

Um, I'm running this on a 98.