Charas2 Work in Progress

[Alex]

As i said in the news some weeks ago, i'm working on a new version of he generators.
It's time to present its beta to you, explaining a bit of its techs and concepts.

The actual genreators are based on:
Postgresql for the resources storage;
Mysql for user logins;
Physical image files on the HD for the image data;

The limits of this generator is the use of a double DB system and the physical files storage.
When you generate a resource, the poor server needs to read all of the needed images from the HD, and this may stress VERY MUCH the HD itself.
Moreover, the actual generator is not modular: there are 3 different codings for charas/facegen/battlechargen.

The new one is based on:
Mysql for both user management and resources storage;
Mysql also for the image files data;

This means we will not have a resource file somewere, but the binary data of the image itself will be written within a DB field.
This will not be faster than the pphysical image solution, but it will be much better for the poor serfer's hardware.
And this generator IS modular: i can define resources parameters quicly and easily, so this will be a "global" generator for everything, not only RPGMaking resources. For example, it can be used to produce dogtags in few steps, once you have you basic resources.
Anyhow, i will say more about technical infos lately, if someone will be interested.

Now back on what charas2 is from users point of view.
The will not see great differences between the old and new generator, with th exeption of some new controls available.
In actual generators you can set the transparency of each section and define items rows as ontop or onback.
Well, now you can do this and more for EVERY frame, not "by row".
You will be able to set the transparency for a whole section (body, item, etc.) and to set one of 3 properties for each frame.
These properties are:
t=OnTop
b=OnBack
h=Hidden
So you will be able, for example, not to display the hair resource just in frames 7 and 8, and to make on back in frame 4.

The custom resources system works too, and again it was totally rewritten. I'm still working on the new sharing system.

What is still not present is:
the flash preview;
the 8 charasets image creation;

Now... i know it's only a beta, so DON'T EXPECT IT TO BE FASTER.
I'll do the optimization coding at the end.
I just would like to ask you to try it a bit: the new properties are a bit more difficult to use, so i'd like to have some user's feedback.
You can also try to upload/use some custom resource, just please do not try to share them from there.

When i'll finish it, the result will be a portable generator, that may finally be moved away from the machine it is in now.
Possibily i will release the source code as an opensource project, when it will be ready to be easily installed on generic servers.

Oh, one last important thing! The generator link!
It's here:
http://charas-project.net/charas2

Let me know, and remember you're trying a BETA, k?

[GaryCXJk]

First: HOLY SH**! THAT WAS THE SAME IDEA I WANTED TO APPLY ON FACES.EX!

And maybe in the Charas.EX remake. I'm planning on rebuilding Charas.EX.

Anyway, how about database crashes? Will you occasionally make backups, or are you going to make a special script for it?

Also, the layout looks spiffy, as Don Miguel would say it.

[Alex]

DB crashes are ust something you may prevent with a correct backup policy, it's nothing related to the coding itself.
The layout is almost the same, with the exception of the new per-frame functions.

It's a developer preview, so the layout will be probably changed in future and backup utilities will be added later: what i need now is to be sure it works properly (evenif not looking pretty), and if users will understand that horrible per-frame command bar

[FFL2and3rocks]

O_O

   Awesome... I'm sure most people will be able to find manyways of making new charsets with old resources with these new features! :p

[SMB]

I tryed to do something, and with Body, GFace and Dress I've clicked the "Italian language button"...
All my work gone away!

[GaryCXJk]

OOOOOOHHHHH!!!!

SUGGESTION!!!!

A checker, which checks if a resource has less than 256 colors! Else it won't accept!

And the possibility to delete your own uploaded resources.

EDIT: Never mind the last one.

[Ruler of the Dark]

I tried the new generater and I think it rocks! :p


I can see this making many new possibilities...

[AsakuraHao2004]

Very nice layout! Looks good!

[Alex]

Originally posted by GaryCXJk

A checker, which checks if a resource has less than 256 colors! Else it won't accept!

And the possibility to delete your own uploaded resources.

About suggestion #1, good point.
As tech addon, i explain here why Gary suggestd this.
We're currently working with PNGs, 8 bit.
This means the max number of colors is 256.
We already have unfixable problems if the used resources, all together, require more then 256 colors.
Just imagine a body with 20 colors, face with 50, hair with 80, dress with 100 and item with 60. It would need 310 colors, so the result will be slightly unexpeted.
Good idea, Gary.

About suggestion #2, i miss something...
It's already possible to delete your own custom resources: so you mean the possibility to delete resources already online that were uploaded by you?
If so, i don't think it's a good idea, for 2 main reasons:
1) if someone would create a recolor, the resources would be an "original". What sould the system do with recolors?
2) if you submit a resource and it is accepted, it means you wanted to donate it to the community and the community accepted it.
I don't see any valid reasons for turning back on this, it would be like downgrading a software because someone changed his mind about it...
Let me know your thoughts.

[danilynnarthur]

Hi, had a chance to try out the new Charas system, have a couple questions.

1) Are you saying you can change visibility and opacity now by individual frames instead of by rows?  That layout to me is kind of confusing.

2) Is it possible to do a recolor type thing on the site itself?  Just wondering.  Thanks.  

[WarxePB]

Whoa, that is pretty cool.

How about a "report bad resource" link? For example, say that a certain resource doesn't match up with the base. They could click the link, put in the name and author of the resource, so Alex could remove and/or fix it.
This could be done easily with an email or PM, but I think that would save some time.

EDIT: I like Dani's idea of recolouring, but is that even possible online? If so, that would be really cool, but it's understandable if it's not.

[Alex]

1) Are you saying you can change visibility and opacity now by individual frames instead of by rows?  That layout to me is kind of confusing.

The opacity (transparency) value is applied to the whole set (for example, to items), and is the first textbox value (defaulted to 100).

What you can change by individual frame is visibility (on top, on back, hidden), which are all the others dropdown options after the transparency textbox.

2) Is it possible to do a recolor type thing on the site itself?  Just wondering.

Unfortunatly not. It would need a palette editing tool online, and it would be hard to code and really slow to use. The best choice is still downloading the resource, change the palette and re-upload it.
Sorry.

How about a "report bad resource" link? For example, say that a certain resource doesn't match up with the base. They could click the link, put in the name and author of the resource, so Alex could remove and/or fix it.
This could be done easily with an email or PM, but I think that would save some time.

This is a kooooooooool idea!
Will keep it in mind, it would be VERY useful!

[GhostClown]

This all sounds great, I don't have any questions. But one comment; Great going!

[Alex]

Ok.
I was working on Gary's suggestion:

A checker, which checks if a resource has less than 256 colors! Else it won't accept!

It was not that easy, because it seems i can count only paletted image colors. Moreover, i'm not sure at all it is counting the effective USED colors, but the whole palette itself.
Anyhow, i did some little things:
1) optimization of palettes when you upload a custom;
2) now only png images are allowed, no more jpgs;
3) if the size is wrong (not 72x128) the system resizes the image and alert you that the result may be wrong;
4) if colors count is > 256 it gives you an error;
5) when you upload a custom, it will also say the numbers of colors found (example "Update succesfully done (83 colors resource").

Now it would be great if you can test this.
I'd like to know if this color thing checker works fine, avoiding 24 bit resources.
Thank you!

[VahnGrave]

I can't use it, because the whole site is down, but mystically, gunnar found a way to it...