Polka - Suggestions for the future
Very cool tool Mr Wolfy dude 
This is the kind of tool that was really missing !
Since it's written in Blitz just like the Vscreen Level Editor, it would be cool to have some inter-connection between both tools, file format wise.
What is the format of those PPR files ?
A nice addition would also be the loading and conversion of SC5 gfx
I don't see any benefits in MIF tho (I base my opinion on info from the msx faq).. to me MIF is more a format for real images, rather than tiles using pattern-mode. The MSX faq states that MIF is done for msx2/2+/g9k .. well, Polka is pretty much meant for MSX1, since screen 4 is identical to screen 2 except for the sprites..
Different formats for palettes etc. could be an issue.. however, when saving a palette from Polka: 'raw' is how it's stored in vram, 'asm' is a nice line with dw stuff, and 'bas' is a matter of merging. *If* I make a 'load palette' button in a next update, then I'll require 'raw' vram-style palettes, 32bytes..
So.. uhm.. sorry, but MIF is not on the todo list unless someone gives me a *real* good reason.. Keep in mind it's crosss-developing we're talking here.. several benefits of MIF -I've nothing against MIF by itself- are relevant for generic MSX-usage with bitmap images, but not really at this place.
Different formats for palettes etc. could be an issue.. however, when saving a palette from Polka: 'raw' is how it's stored in vram, 'asm' is a nice line with dw stuff, and 'bas' is a matter of merging. *If* I make a 'load palette' button in a next update, then I'll require 'raw' vram-style palettes, 32bytes..
Wolf_ you application is very cool -I'll surely use it-. One thing is that I don't get the way to make these BASIC and ASM exports... it's necesary to fill the entire tile block to export in other format than ppr?. Or I'm doing something in the wrong way?.
For the moment I'll suggest BMP import, beacuse with that tool you merge all the posibilities of any image editor with Polka. Any way is a great tool, perhaps a little blocky (talkin' about the design of the window), but very usefull... and the scroll up/down, flip h, flip v and rotation tools are cool!, and the ASM export too!!
For now, I'll test it for a game I'm designing right now. If any bug is found i'll report it. For the moment, congrats Wolf_ for your contributioon!!!
One thing is that I don't get the way to make these BASIC and ASM exports... it's necesary to fill the entire tile block to export in other format than ppr?. Or I'm doing something in the wrong way?.
I don't see the issue here ..? o_O
You can always save patterns, palettes and colortables in raw, asm or basic (==raw + header) .. and if you didn't design something yet, then you get a bunch o' zeros
For the moment I'll suggest BMP import, beacuse with that tool you merge all the posibilities of any image editor with Polka.
And is that BMP prepared for the sc2/4 limits? Or do you expect to load any BMP, and try to get the best conversion/reduction out of it? Like I wrote above in another reply, the tool was made to let you draw and think in the whole sc2/4 culture. If people want bmp/sc5 converters then I wonder if people are interested in a 'drawing tool' anyway..! Why not simply make a converter and let everyone draw in Photoshop instead? Personally I couldn't imagine me pixeling sc2/4 gfx in Photoshop
Again I tell you that your app rocks and I'll use it. Just that I've been working with Photoshop since 8 years and I'm very confortable with its interface and tools.
And the export thing it's just about clicking the ASM button, or I must do something more?.
Thnx and keep on working
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