The long awaited B2s Editor is finally here (Redux) ;D. Here's how it works: There are 2 zips in the download, Designer, and Server. Unzip the Server into your "tables" folder and run the registration tool (As Administrator in Windows 7). The Server runs the Backglass, and the Designer creates it. The Server is what communicates between the table, and the Backglass. Backglasses created with a lesser version of the server will not work. Your server version has to be at least 1.0. If the Backglass was created with a higher version of the server, you will need to upgrade the server files only. If the Backglass was created before 1.0 it will need to be recreated from the B2s file (if the author included it).
To play: The table name, and .DirectB2s filename must match!! (Example)
Atlantis.vpt
Atlantis.DirectB2s
These must match and be in your "tables" folder.
Change this line in your table script:
Set Controller = CreateObject("VPinmamecontroller") to Set Controller = CreateObject("B2S.Server")
Add this at the end, it will keep VP from crashing..
Sub Tablename_Exit ' In some tables this needs to be Table1_Exit
Controller.Stop
End Sub
This file is hosted with the permission of the creator, Herweh. Thank you.
(He's also a member here so any bug reports should go to him).
From Herweh:
B2S Backglass Designer installation and version info
Current version of the designer is 1.1.
You need the 'Backglass Server' version 1.1 or higher to run emerging backglasses.
If this is the first version you're installing please follow the installation instructions below.
If you have an older version already installed, please overwrite the older files with these newer files.
Installation:
The B2S backglass designer requires .NET Framework 4 installed on your computer.
If it is not installed, it can be downloaded from
www.microsoft.com http://www.microsoft...&displaylang=en
Unzip all files and use the included folder structure.
I.e. I have installed the designer in folder 'C:\Games'. After installation I start the designer in 'C:\Games\B2S Backglass Designer':
Start the 'B2SBackglassDesigner.exe' Press F1 for the manual or doubleclick the CHM help file. Maybe there is no text on the right because of an OS security option. If this happens rightclick the CHM help file and click on 'Properties'. Maybe you'll find the following text on the 'General' tab:
"This file came from another computer and might be blocked to help protect this computer". Click on the "Unblock" button.
Please follow the manual from the starting chapter 'Introduction'.
You're ready to create 'directB2S' backglasses.
Pretty important to me:
You get no award for being that one with the most uploaded low or medium level backglasses. Try to create awesome backglasses with an authentic and a fantasy mode.
Test your backglasses before uploading them.
Please read the manual. I spent many hours writing it so IMHO it's worth reading it.
There is a chapter called 'Some interesting tips' in the manual. Some very helpful tips.
Tips:
After you made your first steps in the 'B2S Backglass Designer' here are some very useful tips for cool designing:
You're able to open two or more backglasses projects simultaneously
For a perfect comparison between two or more backglass projects you can open two or more projects simultaneously. Just open a project and then open a second project and you get two tabs at the designer's bottom.
Use the 'Lamp filter'
Import or open a backglass file or project and show the illumination frames. What you see are so much white frames laying over another. Looks like a bit too much stuff. Use the lamp filter and select just a subset of all these frames.
Use the CTRL plus SHIFT key
Although you are using the lamp filter sometimes two frames are laying over another or are overlapping each other. If you want to activate the currently not clickable frame just press and hold the CTRL and SHIFT keys. When holding this keys you're selecting the second frame in the layer order.
Use the right mouse button
Although you are using the lamp filter and the CTRL plus SHIFT key a lot frames are laying over another or are overlapping each other. Click with the right mouse button on the frame and you will get a wonderful context menu to select a single frame.
Use keys '1' to '5' to set the intensity
Normally you change the intensity with the 'Intensity slider' of the 'Illumination tool window'. With the keys '1' to '5' you are able to change the intensity with only one keystroke.
Use keys 'O', 'R', 'G', 'B', 'Y', 'M', 'P' or 'W' to set the dodge color
The dodge color is a sometimes pretty heavy light effect beside the intensity. Normally you choose it with a combo box. To do some very fast effect testing use the 'first letter color keys' to switch it on or off.
Name some lamps with the same name
In an animation involved lamps need a name. This name doesn't need to be unique. The idea is lamps with the same name act like a group. You are able to switch a complete group on or off with just one command.
Lamps or scores apply some values of last selected
The lamps and scores are applying some of the values of the currently or last selected one. In combination with a set lamp filter it's very easy to add a lot bulbs without too much keyboard hits.
Don't forget the history window
Yes, I know, the UNDO and REDO functionality is not complete. But already now it is a great help because a lot UNDO functionality is already included. Especially the sizing and moving of score or illumination frames can be perfectly undone.
Cashed images at the server
This is a bit technically but not too difficult to understand. During the startup of the backglass the B2S.Server is generating some cached images. Up to two images of a type are pre-rendered and cached and are pretty fast accessible therefore. The server is doing this for the two images with the most illumination and with minimum 300,000 pixels square illuminated.
I have done this at 'SORCERER' and added some nice frame illumination to the main type. It doesn't matter since always the whole image will be pre-rendered and cached.
Use the log files of the running backglass
Use the backglass server log functionality to examine the output of the ROM. Enter a log path and activate the desired log file. To log with a perfect start at zero: Save your logfile settings, stop the table, delete the already written logfile(s) and restart the table. At this backglass start the logfile(s) are still switched on and are logging. Let the logfile(s) be written, stop the table once again. The logging is switched off automatically at the next start to prevent the writing of endless logs.
Use the VP table script code for a deeper dive into the table
Have a look into the VP table script code. Look for 'SolCallback' and the lamps code. 'SolCallback' joins solenoids to some methods of the script code and very often you can understand just a bit of the code. Sometimes there are some table author's comments at the lamp code.
Don't add too much stuff
Really important to me: Don't add too much stuff in one backglass. Very often a bit less is more, more for the cab running the backglass to get no performance issues and more for the viewer of the backglass.
I.e.: Resize your background image in the designer to a resolution between 1024 x 768 and 1920 x 1080. Do no use 900 illumination frames. And so on.
... to be continued ...
