Dev tools: MAPeD-SPReD [win/linux]

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0x8BitDev
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Dev tools: MAPeD-SPReD [win/linux]

Post by 0x8BitDev »

Hi all!

I'd like to share with you the new NES development tools I developed for myself, but maybe they will be useful to someone...

MAPeD-NES/SMS/ZX/PCE - Game maps editor
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The main features are:
  • - tiles drawing\composing tools
    - building a game map using 2x2 or\and 4x4 tiles
    - tiles patterns manager
    - data optimization tool
    - several game maps in one project
    - detachable UI
    - entities editor
    - tile properties editing ( can be used as collisions data etc )
    - palette per 1x1 tile support ( MMC5 )
    - import tiles and game maps from images*
    - export to NES: CA65/NESasm / SMS: WLA-DX / PCE: CA65/PCEAS/HuC / ZX: SjASMPlus with wide variety of options:
    • - 2x2\4x4 tiles
      - column\row data order
      - RLE compression
      - modes: multidirectional \ bidirectional scrolling, static screens switching
      - attributes per 1x1\2x2 tile
      - tiles properties per 1x1\2x2 tile
      - level topology options
      - entities
      - etc...
    - built-in Python script editor for writing custom data export scripts
    - export to the JSON format
    - export to SjASMPlus ( ZX Spectrum assembler )
    - easy data conversion**
    - etc...
* Smart import of images with checking of duplicate CHRs/blocks/tiles and flipped CHRs with automatic palettes applying.
** You can load any platform project into any MAPeD editor with automatic data conversion. So it's easy to adapt graphics and data when creating a cross-platform project.

It's almost all-in-one to make a game levels and export all necessary data.

SPReD-NES/SMS/PCE - Sprites editor
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Some features are:
  • - handy drawing mode
    - group operations on sprites
    - sprites data packing ( 1/2/4 KB ) and optimization
    - 8x16 mode support
    - images import\export
    - export to NES: CA65/NESasm / SMS: WLA-DX / PCE: CA65/PCEAS/HuC(PCX)
    - built-in Python script editor for writing custom data export scripts
    - NES <-> SMS data conversion*
    - etc...
* You can load a NES project into SMS editor and vice versa.

The main purpose of the SPReD development was the need to convert prepared images into a NES/SMS compatible format and manage CHR data. Each sprite can has its own CHR bank, but when you export your project, you can pack all graphics into a set of 1/2/4 or 8 KB (SMS) banks.

NES/SMS/ZX/PCE: Assembly/C sources of various tilemap renderers ( multidirectional scroller, bidirectional scroller with dynamic mirroring and CHR bank switching (NES), simple static screens switching ) and of simple character controllers are also available.

More details and the tools sources:
https://github.com/0x8BitDev/MAPeD-SPReD

Compiled executables, example projects files and compiled NES/SMS/ZX/PCE samples:
https://github.com/0x8BitDev/MAPeD-SPReD/releases

[UPD] The latest development build can be found here.

[UPD] Documentation is available for both MAPeD and SPReD ( Main Menu -> Help -> Quick Guide or F1 ).


Some screens:

Image

Image

Image

Image
Last edited by 0x8BitDev on Thu Apr 07, 2022 1:47 am, edited 18 times in total.
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nesrocks
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Re: Dev tools: MAPeD, SPReD

Post by nesrocks »

Sounds great, I'll test it soon! By the way, there is a tool called MapEd Pro. So this is unrelated?
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0x8BitDev
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Re: Dev tools: MAPeD, SPReD

Post by 0x8BitDev »

nesrocks wrote:Sounds great, I'll test it soon! By the way, there is a tool called MapEd Pro. So this is unrelated?
Never heard about it. ))
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Re: Dev tools: MAPeD, SPReD

Post by rainwarrior »

I've seen quite a few map editors go by the name "maped" over the years. ;)
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koitsu
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Re: Dev tools: MAPeD, SPReD

Post by koitsu »

^ Yup. Pick a different name please, even if it's just something as minute as putting "x" on the end. Honestly, you want something that people can search for in a search engine and find relevant results for -- so in this case, unique is good. (Please do not let his last line de-rail the thread, thanks.)
0x8BitDev
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Re: Dev tools: MAPeD, SPReD

Post by 0x8BitDev »

koitsu wrote:^ Yup. Pick a different name please, even if it's just something as minute as putting "x" on the end. Honestly, you want something that people can search for in a search engine and find relevant results for -- so in this case, unique is good. (Please do not let his last line de-rail the thread, thanks.)
Actually, the full names are MAPeD(NES), SPReD(NES)... So, the only thing I can do is rename the thread name :)
Last edited by 0x8BitDev on Tue May 07, 2019 12:30 am, edited 1 time in total.
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koitsu
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Re: Dev tools: MAPeD, SPReD

Post by koitsu »

Those are the names of the actual executables? They have parenthesis in them? This is a very strange naming convention that I know of no one using except maybe Stephen Wolfram and Wolfram|Alpha. The concern lies with the names of the program themselves, not with the name of this forum thread.

Edit: yup, they sure do.
Capture.PNG
0x8BitDev
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Re: Dev tools: MAPeD, SPReD

Post by 0x8BitDev »

koitsu wrote:Those are the names of the actual executables? They have parenthesis in them? This is a very strange naming convention that I know of no one using except maybe Stephen Wolfram and Wolfram|Alpha. The concern lies with the names of the program themselves, not with the name of this forum thread.
Nothing special, the Windows allows such naming, so I used it.
0x8BitDev
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Re: Dev tools: MAPeD, SPReD

Post by 0x8BitDev »

nesrocks wrote:Sounds great, I'll test it soon! By the way, there is a tool called MapEd Pro. So this is unrelated?
I've taken a look at the MapEd Pro thread. Cool features list! I hope that is a great tool.

Just in case, I want to clarify one thing. I do not compete with anyone, I just made my tools public. :)
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Re: Dev tools: MAPeD(NES), SPReD(NES)

Post by FrankenGraphics »

Looking forward to try these out in a while! Looks really neat.
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Re: Dev tools: MAPeD(NES), SPReD(NES)

Post by NOOPr »

Do you plan to support other OSes?
Tried to run on Linux with wine and mono but none worked...too bad
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Re: Dev tools: MAPeD(NES), SPReD(NES)

Post by Banshaku »

@NOOPr

From the error message, it's because the app uses somewere specific win32 things in shell32 or something like that and mono doesn't like that (maybe file related, need to check the code and error again). If those would be removed, there is good chances that it would work.
0x8BitDev
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Re: Dev tools: MAPeD(NES), SPReD(NES)

Post by 0x8BitDev »

NOOPr wrote:Do you plan to support other OSes?
Tried to run on Linux with wine and mono but none worked...too bad
Sorry, I did not plan to support other OSes... I just do not use Linux.
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Re: Dev tools: MAPeD(NES), SPReD(NES)

Post by tepples »

In that case, I am unable to provide feedback on these tools.
0x8BitDev
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Re: Dev tools: MAPeD(NES), SPReD(NES)

Post by 0x8BitDev »

Banshaku wrote:@NOOPr

From the error message, it's because the app uses somewere specific win32 things in shell32 or something like that and mono doesn't like that (maybe file related, need to check the code and error again). If those would be removed, there is good chances that it would work.
There are a few potentially platform dependent things: pngcs.dll ( the third-party library used in the SPReD(NES) ) and file_associations.cs ( the tools write to registry ). Try to comment out these dependencies.
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