World Builder 2.0.5 Problem

In Ag's World Builder 2.0.5 program I am having a problem getting Front End X to recognize my tutorial. I am down to Step 21 and Step 22 in the World Builder documentation.

In Step 21 you are to copy the various Tutorial directories into the modules directory of your ToEE installation. This I have done. I now have a directory called modules\ToEE and modules\Tutorial in my ToEE installation directory.

In Step 22 you are required to start Front End X which will automatically recognize the copied modules\Tutorial directory and its contained files. Quoting:

Launch the ToEE Front End. You will notice that a new module has appeared (called "Tutorial"). Select it, click the start button, and agree to install the module (you'll need 300MB of disk space to do it).
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I have followed these steps to the letter (presumably) but when I start Front End X 2.2 all that shows is my installation of modules 5.7.2 and 5.8.0 from Circle of Eight in addition to the original ToEE installation.

Any help in resolving this would be appreciated.

 

Thanks for the reply Gaear and I thought it might be something like that—the documentation for World Builder being based on the older style Front End and Front End X not recognizing such techniques.

Since I should not follow Steps 21 and 22 of World Builder is there somewhere where it explicitly explains just how to go about it? In reading Step 8 of the manual of Front End X it states that I need a TFM file and explains what is in the TFM file. What it does not do is tell one how to go about creating a TFM file.

Since I am using far, far less than a normal installation of a new mod (i.e. 5.8.0) I believe the TFM will use only those files created according to the World Builder documentation. That would be page 7 of the World Builder PDF I created. And oh yes, I will be backing up using Front End X. I have already gone so far as to back up my entire ToEE installation to anther hard drive. It took up quite a bit of space too.

If Ag would be kind enough as to take the World Builder PDF file I created and update it I would gladly recreate the file. I believe the PDF file as presently deployed has commenting turned on. If not it takes only a moment to change it. It would likely be beneficial in the World Builder documentation to have a section devoted to creating TFM files. Otherwise one will get lost in trying to figure it out and be turned away.

BTW. I found buried within the numerous files the FNT file used for the Scurlock font throughout the game. I now understand why the Scurlock out there on the Internet is not the same as used in the game. Where ever the designers obtained the font they used a derivative—style 48. In the typography world this is quite common and I don't know how many different styles I have for Bauer-Bodini. I seem to recall there are presently over a hundred different styles. As soon as I can find a font conversion program I can afford I will be changing it over to a TTF file. I also found and adapted the image below.

 

Already been to that thread and read each and every post, no luck. I did a search of the entire board using the string "TFM" and struck out. Everything I did find deals with taking a delivered package (a new module which would be a TFM package) and unpacking it using Front End X. Nothing with creating a TFM from scratch. Backing up an already installed module, yes. Creating a backup (which is what a TFM is) from an uninstalled tutorial, no go. What we may have is a question of what came first, the chicken or the egg?

Just how do you folks create a packaged module? Some program has to create the TFM file. Do you take a program, such as perhaps WinZip, create the ZIP file and then rename it TFM? I see that WizGeorge had the same question this past February with no final response listed.

I would love to learn how to create a module but without the basics I am lost. I have a slew of other questions, basically graphical in nature, that I would like to ask.

1. What would be the best program for creating overland maps? Photoshop does not really work well on 2D images faking 3D programs.
2. CorelDraw has a very good selection of fill patterns and their toolset is very good for 3D imaging. Problem then is that you have to export it as a raster image and import the same into Photoshop. And forget Illlustrator—imo it is trash.
3. What is the maximum pixel width and heighth of an overland map?
4. Can I use PNG images instead of JPG images?
5. How about relative scaling? I could easily end up with a house 100' tall for use by a 5' tall dwarf. <g>
6. Or should I say pooh on it all and play the game?

I did take a look at Ted's blog but there was nothing about creating a map on it. His blog did make for good reading though and I saved to my list of favorites. Having something saved to my favorites is a but thing as I keep it limited.

I know you folks are busy and do appreciate all your efforts, but I wish there were some better tutorials on the basics. Ag's World Builder is a blessing but we need to update the manual to work with Front End X.

 

Thank you Sir!!! That helps immensely. I am trying to get hold of Ranth just now as he seemed interested last year in redoing the WB manual to reflect TFE-X. It will be posted in the WB Tutorial Questions thread.

I want to get the determination of whether to post the PDF manuals to the Internet or not so I can clear my plate.

Oddly enough I had problems getting World Builder to recombine some of the maps. And it was not because the size of the map as some of them were only fifty or so tiles. Three of them are the interiors of Mother Screng in the daytime at 156 tiles each. The Hommlet exterior went just fine while the Temple exterior was a nightmare that had to be done in chunks. I'll manage and thanks for the help.

Meanwhile I am going to play with CorelDraw as the vector drawing tools in it are superior to those of Photoshop. CorelDraw's snap to an item and ability for proportional scaling just can't be beat. Then I'll port it over to PS.