John's ZT1 Projects

[Fern]

From Jay:

The metri's ".ani" files have "dir1 = allo" instead of "dir1=metri". Also, its animation files are using animals/allo/allo.pal instead of animals/metri/allo.pal. The gsawfish's ".ani" files have "dir1 = sawfish" instead of "dir1=gsawfish". Also its animation files are using animals/sawfish/sawfish.pal instead of animals/gsawfish/sawfish.pal. The checkers indicate this, although in a different way.

As for what the checkers show:

jv_gsawfish.ztd
***** Error: animals/sawfish/icsawfis/icsawfis.pal is not in ztd.
***** Error: animals/sawfish/lssawfis/lssawfis.pal is not in ztd.
***** Error: animals/sawfish/plsawfis/plsawfis.pal is not in ztd.
***** Error: animals/sawfish/sawfish.pal is not in ztd.
* Efficiency: animals/gsawfish/icsawfis/icsawfis.pal not used, so not needed.
* Efficiency: animals/gsawfish/lssawfis/lssawfis.pal not used, so not needed.
* Efficiency: animals/gsawfish/plsawfis/plsawfis.pal not used, so not needed.
* Efficiency: animals/gsawfish/sawfish.pal not used, so not needed.
* Efficiency: animals/gsawfish/surfthrsh.wav not in uca, so not needed.

Results From Configuration Checking (2022-04-26 checker version):

gsawfish.uca date: Thu Oct 17 16:49:30 2019
*** Warning: No cPrefIconID in [f/Characteristics/Integers] section.
*** Warning: No cPrefIconID in [y/Characteristics/Integers] section.
*** Warning: Action stand is in BehaviorSet, but is not in Animations.
*** Warning: Sum of family, genus, and animal id/type values are < 0.
* Efficiency: Line pair with 2nd being 'v=0' not needed in [cSuitableObjects].

jv_metri.ztd
***** Error: animals/allo/allo.pal is not in ztd.
***** Error: animals/allo/icmallo/icmallo.pal is not in ztd.
***** Error: animals/allo/lsmallo/lsmallo.pal is not in ztd.
***** Error: animals/allo/plmallo/plmallo.pal is not in ztd.
* Efficiency: animals/metri/allo.pal not used, so not needed.
* Efficiency: animals/metri/icmallo/icmallo.pal not used, so not needed.
* Efficiency: animals/metri/lsmallo/lsmallo.pal not used, so not needed.
* Efficiency: animals/metri/plmallo/plmallo.pal not used, so not needed.
* Efficiency: animals/metri/dig.wav not in uca, so not needed.
* Efficiency: animals/metri/hunt.wav not in uca, so not needed.
* Efficiency: animals/metri/huntror.wav not in uca, so not needed.
* Efficiency: animals/metri/roar.wav not in uca, so not needed.
* Efficiency: animals/metri/roar2.wav not in uca, so not needed.
* Efficiency: animals/metri/snort.wav not in uca, so not needed.

Results From Configuration Checking (2022-04-26 checker version):

metri.uca date: Fri Jul 08 21:18:42 2022
*** Warning: No cPrefIconID in [f/Characteristics/Integers] section.
*** Warning: Action to_sleep is in BehaviorSet, but is not in Animations.
*** Warning: Sum of family, genus, and animal id/type values are < 0.
*** Warning: cIsJumper is not 0, but there is no 'jump_high=' action setting.
* Efficiency: 'cLaysEggs = 0' is not needed and can be removed.

[johnztmaster]

See, that's super useful. I must be using an outdated version of the checker, as it only tells me this:

 

Quote

 

D:\Zoo Projects\ZT1 Design\Current Projects\Green Sawfish\animals>C:\ZT-utils\checkuca.exe gsawfish.uca gsawfish\texts\1033.txt

*** Warning: Sum of family, genus, and animal id/type values are < 0.
Green Sawfish description:
Cannot be used in original Zoo Tycoon: cKeeperFoodType (10) is not 0 to 5.
Minimum happiness needed for chance of breeding: 98.
Liked foliage:
 Divercate Tree Coral (MM), Feather Duster Worm (MM), Fire Coral (MM)
 Red Gorgonian (MM), Sargassum (MM), Sand Dollar (MM), Sea Cucumber (MM)
 Sea Star (MM), Seaweed (MM), Sea Grass (MM), Stove Pipe Sponge (MM)
Liked rock:
 Small Ocean Floor Rock (MM), Medium Ocean Floor Rock (MM)
 Large Ocean Floor Rock (MM), Medium Coral Formation (MM)
 Large Coral Formation (MM), Isle Rock (MM)
Number of animals allowed per exhibit: 1-5 with 20 squares each.
A suitable exhibit for 2 of this animal has 40 squares containing terrain of:
 40 Salt Water
using 7 Stove Pipe Sponge (MM) most liked plant
and using 24 Small Ocean Floor Rock (MM) most liked rock.
Other liked items:
 Giant Pacific Clam (MM), Treasure Chest (MM), Deep Sea Diver Statue (MM)

D:\Zoo Projects\ZT1 Design\Current Projects\Green Sawfish\animals>PAUSE
Press any key to continue . . .

 

 

I wasn't aware there was an update in 2022 and will amend it.

 

I am now recoding all of the .ani files. The .pal files is something I'm meant to use ZT Studio for right?

 

The metricanthaaur still will not show up in the game menu

[Fern]

Jay and I do not use Studio.

Nor did you post the update for us to look at.

[Fern]

From Jay:

 

Quote

 

Quote from: johnztmaster

The .pal files is something I'm meant to use ZT Studio for right?

 

Yes, ZT Studio can create ".pal" files when images are loaded. It is okay and even preferable if people use ZT Studio to load their images, since it allows making things with fewer ".pal" files than Zoot, APExp, or APE. But because I have an old computer and ZT Studio does not work on old computers, I do not have any experience with it. Therefore I cannot help with that.

However, the Metricanthaaurus is currently using the same ".pal" file as ZT's Allosaurus. If this is just a stat change, then it is not necessary to include the graphics in the ".ztd". Instead, the ".uca" can link directly to ZT's graphics by using "m = animals/allo/m", "f = animals/allo/m", and "y = animals/allo/y" in the [AnimPath] section.
 

 

Quote

 

Quote

The metricanthaaur still will not show up in the game menu

 

Another reason the Metricanthaaurus does not show up in ZT's purchase menu is because the "cNameID = 19000" line is missing from the [m/Characteristics/Integers] section. When that is added, when the ".ani" files are corrected to use the correct dir lines, and when the ZT image files are corrected to use the correct ".pal" files, the Metricanthaaurus does show up in ZT's purchase menu. The previous versions of the checker programs did not check if a cNameID line exists. However, I updated the uca2post checker program so it will also give a warning if the cNameID setting does not exist and I have released that update.

There is a free and open source program called WinMerge that makes it easy to compare two text files. I used it to compare your metri.uca with CC's allo.ai. That showed me that allo.ai has a cNameID line while metri.uca does not. Although it probably does not matter, that also showed two other things that I recommend changing, just to be safe. allo.ai has "cHelpID = 5094" while metri.uca does not have a cHelpID line. I recommend adding "cHelpID = 5094". allo.ai has "cGeneralInfoTextName = ALLO_GENERAL" while metri.uca has "cGeneralInfoTextName = metri_GENERAL". Since "metri_GENERAL" is not in a ".dll" file, I recommend changing "metri_GENERAL" to "ALLO_GENERAL".

As for checker programs, there are multiple programs. In the checker results that were given, "Results From Configuration Checking (2022-04-26 checker version):" and below are from the uca2post checker program. Although that version was created in April, it was still being tested and was just released recently. For the results that were above "Results From Configuration Checking (2022-04-26 checker version):", those are from a checker program called checkztd. That is still being tested. I am working on it so that it will work by right-clicking on a ".ztd" file.

[johnztmaster]

19 hours ago, Fern said:

Jay and I do not use Studio.

Nor did you post the update for us to look at.

 I am happy to share the updated files but I wasn't sure if it was appropriate to do so right away.

 

It looks like the problem for me with .pals -- and this is my fault I concede -- is I have been trying to work without using APE for the last few years to avoid errors; I am coding ucas directly from ai files so that I can get more used to that. but I am also copying the files of the original animals. A lot of guides for recoloring (such as Jordan's Uber Tutorial) use APE as a reference, and APE codes those files for you so the animal's unique pal is already established. but since I am working without APE that is not done ahead for me. so I probably need to edit the .pal files -- I assume I should try a hex editor for this? Is there a guide for that available? or should I return to using APE and just create new uca files to avoid errors?

 

Quote

Another reason the Metricanthaaurus does not show up in ZT's purchase menu is because the "cNameID = 19000" line is missing from the [m/Characteristics/Integers] section. When that is added, when the ".ani" files are corrected to use the correct dir lines, and when the ZT image files are corrected to use the correct ".pal" files, the Metricanthaaurus does show up in ZT's purchase menu. The previous versions of the checker programs did not check if a cNameID line exists. However, I updated the uca2post checker program so it will also give a warning if the cNameID setting does not exist and I have released that update.

Tell Jay thank you, because fixing the Characteristics/Integers did the trick - it is now showing up in the menu just fine. It is of course identical ingame to Allosaurus but I can, once I understand the pals better, recolor it properly. I did edit the anis as previously mentioned. After testing ingame and seeing it in the menu I made the HelpID and NameID changes suggested too.

 

I will absolutely look into WinMerge, that sounds like a really helpful program for my needs.

 

Here are 3 animals where I edited anit files. The sawfish still causes a runtime error and the Sand tiger shark is not in the menu. The anis should be good as should the NameID... I was hoping it'd be the same issue as the Metri but seems different after all.

 

Thank you both again Fern and Jay!!! All the help is appreciated.

 

Also hoping tomorrow to show screenshots of multiple projects as I am working on cleaning up quite a few others too, old APE creations

jv_metri.ztd jv_gsawfish.ztd jv_Sandtiger.ztd

[Fern]

From Jay:

7-zip says jv_Sandtiger.ztd is in Rar5 format instead of zip format. So ZT would not be able to read it. The checkers show there are still ".ani" problems and wrong ".pal" file links in the other 2:
jv_gsawfish.ztd
***** Error: ".ani" dir1 setting of sawfish is not in ztd.
***** Error: animals/sawfish/icsawfis/icsawfis.pal is not in ztd.
***** Error: animals/sawfish/lssawfis/lssawfis.pal is not in ztd.
***** Error: animals/sawfish/plsawfis/plsawfis.pal is not in ztd.
***** Error: animals/sawfish/sawfish.pal is not in ztd.
* Efficiency: animals/gsawfish/icsawfis/icsawfis.pal not used, so not needed.
* Efficiency: animals/gsawfish/lssawfis/lssawfis.pal not used, so not needed.
* Efficiency: animals/gsawfish/plsawfis/plsawfis.pal not used, so not needed.
* Efficiency: animals/gsawfish/sawfish.pal not used, so not needed.
* Efficiency: animals/gsawfish/surfthrsh.wav not in uca, so not needed.

Results From Configuration Checking (2022-07-12 checker version):

gsawfish.uca date: Thu Oct 17 16:49:28 2019
*** Warning: No cPrefIconID in [f/Characteristics/Integers] section.
*** Warning: No cPrefIconID in [y/Characteristics/Integers] section.
*** Warning: Action stand is in BehaviorSet, but is not in Animations.
*** Warning: Sum of family, genus, and animal id/type values are < 0.
* Efficiency: Line pair with 2nd being 'v=0' not needed in [cSuitableObjects].


jv_metri.ztd
***** Error: ".ani" dir1 setting of allo is not in ztd.
***** Error: animals/allo/allo.pal is not in ztd.
***** Error: animals/allo/icmallo/icmallo.pal is not in ztd.
***** Error: animals/allo/lsmallo/lsmallo.pal is not in ztd.
***** Error: animals/allo/plmallo/plmallo.pal is not in ztd.
* Efficiency: animals/metri/allo.pal not used, so not needed.
* Efficiency: animals/metri/icmallo/icmallo.pal not used, so not needed.
* Efficiency: animals/metri/lsmallo/lsmallo.pal not used, so not needed.
* Efficiency: animals/metri/plmallo/plmallo.pal not used, so not needed.
* Efficiency: animals/metri/dig.wav not in uca, so not needed.
* Efficiency: animals/metri/hunt.wav not in uca, so not needed.
* Efficiency: animals/metri/huntror.wav not in uca, so not needed.
* Efficiency: animals/metri/roar.wav not in uca, so not needed.
* Efficiency: animals/metri/roar2.wav not in uca, so not needed.
* Efficiency: animals/metri/snort.wav not in uca, so not needed.

Results From Configuration Checking (2022-07-12 checker version):

metri.uca date: Wed Jul 13 04:37:08 2022
*** Warning: No cPrefIconID in [f/Characteristics/Integers] section.
*** Warning: Action to_sleep is in BehaviorSet, but is not in Animations.
*** Warning: Sum of family, genus, and animal id/type values are < 0.
*** Warning: cIsJumper is not 0, but there is no 'jump_high=' action setting.
* Efficiency: 'cLaysEggs = 0' is not needed and can be removed.


As for ".pal" file creation, although I used a hex editor to edit a ".pal" file for one animal, most people do not use that approach. There are many different ways to recolor animals, and I cannot say which approach is best. All involve recoloring in a graphics program in some way. In some cases it is trial and error; in some cases it is recoloring a single image; in some cases it is recoloring everything.

[Fern]

Jay has released the latest update of the animal checker. The link can be found here http://www.ztcdd.org/DD/index.php?topic=14.msg56351#msg56351

[johnztmaster]

Sorry for the long wait for an update!! I have been trying to re-learn ZT Studio, ZT Checker, etc. and I took a vacation... stopping at the Denver Zoo definitely motivated me to keep working.

 

I found the solution to my previous recolor problems, so I will now be using APE to create the new animal, recolor, and then code a new UCA file from scratch to eliminate the errors, instead of bypassing APE entirely.

 

Through this process, I now have screenshots with 4 of 5 animals previously mentioned... in the tank, you can see the Sand Tiger Shark and Green sawfish fully recolored. They still need some tweaks but I am finally making progress... we also have a Primate Complex, featuring two (hopefully soon three) new animals all compatible with the ingame orangutan. I unfortunately found out only a few days ago that usermade animals cannot use the ingame toys. I would love to fix this but I know it will be difficult and possibly not worth time...

 

Metricanthasaurus was also recoded but I have not recolored or edited it yet beyond that. I am mostly on a primate kick right now.

 

I have been doing a lot of tests and am confident I will soon have multiple releases to show :)

 

Thanks again to Fern and Jay for so much help here.

 

[VNDragonV2]

Nice job dude. The green sawfish oddly reminds me of the Onchopristis I made for ZT2 haha.

[(Designer)Zarawatto]

5 hours ago, VNDragonV2 said:

Nice job dude. The green sawfish oddly reminds me of the Onchopristis I made for ZT2 haha.

 

Omg I just noticed this Onchopristis was made by you! 🙀🙀

 

Spoiler

 

I'ts gonna be definitively included in my ancient seas pack! 🦈🦈