[XP] Window Message Mod

[ThallionDarkshine]

Did you try renaming the file and changing the filename in the script?

[Heretic86]

Yep.  I also uploaded a bad version, I used __END__ on the newer version of the script and left the old one working as a result of messing with it.  Same DL Link...

[ThallionDarkshine]

I know, I put the __END__ in the old version and it still worked fine for me.

Have you used any of my other scripts that required a dll before? If so, have they worked for you?

Try copy+pasting the dll into your system32 folder (found in the Windows folder of your hard drive).

[Heretic86]

Tried that too.  Usually the dlls either go in system32 or in the same folder as the executable.  But I did try in system32 as well, still no go.  And no, havent tried any of your other scripts that need dlls, but others have had dlls and they worked.

[ThallionDarkshine]

I rebuilt and reuploaded the dll. Maybe it will work now???? If it doesn't work, I'll tell you what to do to achieve the same effect without a dll.

[Heretic86]

I dont get why it still dont work.

Any performance issues doing it the "other" way, without the dll?

[ThallionDarkshine]

Yeah, it might cause some lag, I'll try it out.

Edit:

Performance actually isn't that bad. That says a lot, I'm testing this on my laptop w/261 Mg of ram.

Here's how to do it:

Go to line 357. Delete it or comment it out.
Next go to where it says:

overlay_grad.call

It should be around line 361, depending on whether you deleted or commented out the other line.
Change that line to:

self.contents.overlay_grad(i[2], c1, c2)

Finally, go to where it says:

class Bitmap

After that line insert this snippet:

def overlay_grad(rect, c1, c2)
  rect.width = [rect.width, self.width - rect.x].min
  rect.height = [rect.height, self.height - rect.y].min
  (0...rect.width).each { |x|
    r = c2.red * x / rect.width + c1.red * (rect.width - x) / rect.width
    g = c2.green * x / rect.width + c1.green * (rect.width - x) / rect.width
    b = c2.blue * x / rect.width + c1.blue * (rect.width - x) / rect.width
    c = Color.new(r, g, b)
    (0...rect.height).each { |y|
      c.alpha = get_pixel(rect.x + x, rect.y + y).alpha
      set_pixel(rect.x + x, rect.y + y, c)
    }
  }
end

And that's it.

Edit2:

And... Update to version 2.0. This version includes many awesome new text animations, all of which are created by adding each letter to a separate sprite.

This update also includes the coolest animation yet: letter bounce. Just check it out! It's animation number 17, and in my opinion looks amazing!

[Heretic86]

That worked.  Not sure why the dll didnt work for me.  This could also be advantageous in getting these effects to work in other areas.  It is definitely way more eye popping than just making text Bold or other font colors, and probably one of the most unique message scripts I've seen yet!

++Level Up!

[ThallionDarkshine]

Thanks heretic, and did you check out the new letter animations? I think they're the coolest yet.

Edit:

Update to version 2.1.
This version includes a few new enhancements, including one that has been in the script from the very start but was never documented. These features are: waiting for a certain length of time (or until the accept button is pressed) while the letters are being added and allowing colors both with gradient text and the \c command to be specified by hexadecimal. Oh, and two more animations have been added: variations of the bounce and float ones.

[Heretic86]

I loved the individual character rocking animation instead of rocking the whole word, and both are kick ass by themselves!  The letter by letter float is by far the best one yet!

But alas, Im thinking to myself if I'd ever use this.  The script by itself, probably not, but some might.  I think what will probably happen is that other scripters would probably merge the awesomeness included here into other existing message systems.  Hence why I recommended doing something totally new that I had not seen done yet, as repeating other work is a waste of time, and this hopefully has not been for you.  Its new and it is beyond cool. 

My favorite Message System so far has been the various flavors of Wachungas MMW that a number of us have taken a crack at improving.  So all this amazing work on the new features is not in vein because it adds the potential to add new and very impressive features, and that is not a waste of time by any means.  The other Message System I was thinking of is my Timed User Input (TUI) because it isnt really a Message System at all, but an overlay on top of existing Message Systems that allows Messages to be displayed in scenes that you normally can not display messages without modification to the scene scripts.  Holy run-on sentence Batman!  When I get some time, probably this weekend, I think I am going to take a crack at implementing features from both MMW and TUI (which needs a gooder name) into the Pseudo Message Window portion of TUI.  The ability to display Weapon, Armor and Item Icons I think would benefit TUI greatly, but your Animated Text can add an incredible level of pizaz to displaying rather boring looking windows.

What I think you ought to take a crack at, if you aren't still doing what I do and dreaming up every possible feature, is to see if you can implement what you have here into the Non SDK (I despise the problems that script causes) version of MMW that LiTTleDRAgo did to be compatible with Blizz-ABS.  MMW-Ex.  By doing so, your modifications are going to get a LOT of attention!  Or, you could try it with another Msg System if you so desire.  Its really all up to you, but its what I suggest.

So, questions. 

Any luck with Warpy Wavy stuff?

Font Sizes.  I havent tried, but is there any foreseeable issues with dynamic font sizes?  Oooh, hey, that could be another cool feature!  Something like \+ \- to just change Font Size in the middle of displaying text!  That could be way cool too!  Dammit.  I hate having no inner monologue and always thinking out loud.  Oh yeah, on Font Sizes, if we were to deviate from the Default Font Size, would the Animated Text still work as expected?

[G_G]

Just wanted to say nice job Thallion. :3

[ThallionDarkshine]

@heretic
I will probably try to combine this script w/ others. However, at the moment i'm still working on information display/formatting.
Edit:
I have started working on porting the animations features to multiple message windows. During my work I noticed several errors/inefficient pieces of code. I will be working to correct these once the animations feature has been completely ported (I have a few more things to do).

@game_guy
Thanks, i feel like this is the only script i really ever worked hard on (other than the ATES).

Edit:
The port of the animation feature to MMW is complete. I will work on porting the gradient text feature, but for now it's just animations that I've ported.


Edit:

And everyone, I am proud to announce that I fixed the dll problem. The new version is uploaded and now users with Windows XP Professional will be able to use it properly.

[Ranquil]

Dead topic is dead, I know. However, I'd very much like to use this script but I'm having a problem.
The same problem Heretic86 had.

Except mine won't go away by editing the script how he was advised to.


A Heretic86 first said, I too had the error message about the dll. Then I tried to correct the script as he was adviced to and now it showed another type of error message, hooray!
I'm using Win7 64bit, no SDK or any conflicting CMS'.

[Ranquil]

Dead topic is dead, I know. However, I'd very much like to use this script but I'm having a problem.
The same problem Heretic86 had.

Except mine won't go away by editing the script how he was advised to.


A Heretic86 first said, I too had the error message about the dll. Then I tried to correct the script as he was adviced to and now it showed another type of error message, hooray!
I'm using Win7 64bit, no SDK or any conflicting CMS'.

Epic bump is epic.

[Terv]

Posting your version of the script and the error message you get would be a good beginning.

[Ranquil]

Posting your version of the script and the error message you get would be a good beginning.

As I said, I got the same error message Heretic86 got. I copied the script from the first post.

[KK20]

Did you edit the script correctly is basically what Terv is asking. Paste what you have.

[Ranquil]

A miracle has happened! I, a person who has no earthly idea how to use RGSS, managed to correct the script and make it work! I'll tell how it went just in case someone points me out a better way to do it or something lol.



When using the script in its original form, an error message popped up whenever an event called the Message command, saying this:

Script 'dis ebin message mod' line 366: RuntimeError occurred.

LoadLibrary: overlay_grad.dll

Heretic86's error message said something about line 321 though. The script was apparently changed after that.

Then, I did exactly as ThallionDarkshine instructed him to do. Now as soon as I launched the game on test play, it said this:

Script 'dis moar ebin message mod' line 539: SyntaxError occurred.

Obviously I commented the wrong line then. I tried commenting the most probable line that was causing an error, the already mentioned line 266, which said:

overlay_grad = Win32API.new('overlay_grad.dll', 'overlay_grad', 'liiiiiiiiii', 'b')

And voilà, now it works! Let us rejoice and celebrate!



On a side note, the code to change the speed of how characters are drawn in the message doesn't work. I had to adjust the default rate in the script itself to make the rate faster. Looks like I'm not changing the speed during the game as an effect then...

[WhiteRose]

A miracle has happened! I, a person who has no earthly idea how to use RGSS, managed to correct the script and make it work! I'll tell how it went just in case someone points me out a better way to do it or something lol.

I'm glad you got it working. Thanks for posting and letting us know - I'm sure it'll come in handy if anyone else has the same problem some day.

[ThallionDarkshine]

Alright, i think i have found the issue with the dll that i created for this script. For some reason, the compiler i used created a flawed dll that didn't work on windows xp professional. So i switched compilers and now it should work for everything. I think the new version of the dll is uploaded atm, but i am testing it now.