At the rate I'm going, it'll probably be 50 years before I finish my game, but I thought I'd post a couple screen shots of what I've been working on lately.

The working title is . . . (begin drum roll and manly echo voice) A REALLY SPIFFY GAME WITH DRAGONS AND SWORDS AND STUFF. But I'll probably go with a cool acronym ARSGWDASAS!! (hmmm might need a little work)

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I took a break from my current project to work on something I've had on my mind for quite some time. ‎ Affectionately entitled "More Maps, More Problems" or MMMP for short, this is a little side experiment of mine.

I discovered with all the different versions of Diadem of Maunstraut, that game errors and/or slowdown occur when more maps are traversed. ‎ (keep in mind, this was on an older XP machine) It seemed that by the 4th or 5th map the character warped to, it caused a crash. ‎ I have not tried the game with Windows 7.

I made something that I'd like you guys to experiment with yourselves. ‎ 
(I hope it was ok that I used the server Todd)

https://www.swordofmoonlight.com/mmmp_runtime.zip - 35MB
(sorry, runtime only)

This is not a created runtime, but the som file and folders to open it up with the SOM program. ‎ Part of the experiment is to see if you can create a get this runtime from this, and get it to work. ‎ Sounds simple enough, eh?

What this is is 25 maps, all virtually identical. ‎ Each map has one object, one item, one enemy and one event. ‎ Approaching the object (altar) warps your character to the next number map. ‎ The 25th map will warp you to the first map. ‎ Testing the map in the SOM program, I had no problems.... ‎ I could go from map to map to map with ease.

Creating a runtime on my end was a completely different animal though. ‎ I start the game, and it crashes on me. ‎ I tried different compatibilities and got the same results. ‎ I've checked and re-checked everything I made, and I get returned to my desktop a few seconds after I select "New Game".

My question is, do each of you guys have the same problem? ‎ For obvious reasons, if I'm the only one that can't create a runtime from this - the problem is on my end. ‎ If you guys have the same problem, then its more our problem, with SOM in general.

My challenge is to get this working as a runtime, without reducing the numbers of maps. ‎ Feel to find any errors in what I've made that might cause this freeze. ‎ 

I look forward to what you guys will report....

Some screens i took with my camera.

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Alright, I've finally got SoM on my new laptop with minimal problems (at least the problems looked fixed for now...) and I'd like to learn how to make custom map parts, weapons, ect. I don't want to constantly ask people for customs because I'd feel really bad asking for things and not be able to return the favors. I'm kinda hesitant posting this as I'm sure there are plenty of tutorials that could maybe help me. I'm kinda looking for a "for dummies" type of guide(s) on making customs for SoM. I think this is one of the reasons why I left SoM last time too....

I did a few things between building on SOM, one of which was a graphics card driver update, installed a new game, and installed a program called PhysX (to help run the new game)

I'm not sure if it was one of those things or not, but none of the map pieces display in my editor. ‎ (the upper right square that samples what the map piece looks like is either blank/black or stuck on a non-rotatable map piece #1)

I've tried restarting the program.
I've tried rebooting my PC. ‎ 
I've tried reinstalling the TOOL folder.

The map pieces are not corrupt, as test map works fine.... ‎ I'm just flying blind and can't see what I'm placing. ‎ (as I can't remember what each piece "looks" like just from the icon)

Any ideas how I can start seeing things again? ‎ ._.

EDIT: ‎  The solution is at this post. ‎  ( ^ - ^)

I'm just wondering, has there been any physical releases of SoM games?

It would've been a nice addition to my King's Field collection. :)

Here's a link I want to share with you; This is probably the most in depth King's Field article you'll find anywhere.

King's Field

It goes through KF1-4, KFA1-2, the mobile phone games, the Shadow Tower games, Eternal Ring, and Sword of Moonlight. From what I understand, it's not 100% complete yet, but I definitely would recommend it. It's a great read. :)

Here's some of the information I've deciphered about PRF files for various parts.
Hopefully, we'll get a PRF generating program put together that uses this info some day,
but you can play around with things manually for now.

ITEMS:
$4c = Sets "linked pedestal" for this Symbol Item (ie $09 here means
‎  ‎  ‎ this Item is key for Pedestal with $09 at $6a in its PRF)


OBJECTS:
$40-$4B - Collision shape size
$40-$44= height
$45-$47= width (or radius)
$48-$4b= length
Common Sizes:
00000000=none
cdcccc3d=.1
0000803f=1
00004040=3
0000a040=5
0000e040=7

$4c-$4f = probably unused.

$50 = Toggle collision data shape - 00= square 01= round
$51 = Toggle moving 2nd texture (like Fountain) - 00= normal, 01= 2nd texture moves

$52 = Object Type
$00 = normal
$0a = Light Source
$14 = Box
$15 = Chest
$16 = Corpse
$28 = Switch

$54-55 = Loads Flame type animation (no motion)=
FFFF= normal (no flame)
0B00= Wall lamp2 flame
oC00= Floor lamp2 flame
3200= wall of light2
3300= wall of light2
3400= Fountain splash
3700= wall of light3
3800= wall of light4
c401= Floor lamp3 flame

$57 = Controls Flame Type Animation speed
(seems to indicate speed? lower value= slower cycle)
00= Off (Normal)
1E= Flame animation normal speed

$6a = Sets Pedestals Symbol Item (ie $09 here means
‎  ‎  ‎ 'Item with $09 at $4c in its PRF is key)

$6B = XY Adjust setting
‎  ‎  ‎  ‎ 00 = disabled
‎  ‎  ‎  ‎ 01 = enabled

Enemy PRFs:
$00-1d = Enemy's name for Parameter Editor
$1f- 3e = Name of enemy's MDL model
$40 = External texture file setting
‎  ‎  ‎  ‎  00= No external texture
‎  ‎  ‎  ‎  01= Has external texture
$41-4e = External texture's name

Enemy's Behavior:
$60 = A split digit code
First digit= movement mode
0= normal movement (falls to floor)
1= Flying, no walk, turn when idle
2= Flying, normal movement
5= Flying, no walk, no turn when idle (Stone face)

Second Digit= enable editor behavior options
0= normal? (Mantis, Slime, Dragon, Goblin1-2)
1= normal? (Zombie1,kobalt,minotaur etc)
2= normal? (Jellyfish, pixie, Phantom)
3= normal? (Worm, Gremlin, StomeFace)
4= enable avoid (Demon1-2)
5= enable avoid (GillMan,Griffon,Lizardman2 etc)
9= enable defend (Golem4-5,Guardian1-3, LizardMan etc))
‎  ‎  ‎  ‎  ‎  ‎ Example: $22 is a flying enemy that walks and turns when standing idle

$61 = 'Trigger' setting - 00= disable, 01= allow

Enemy's Shape:
$64-6f = collision shape
$64-$67 = Collision/hit cylinder height
$68-$6b = Shadow cylinder radius (forces collision shape to enlarge with it)
$6c-$6f = Collision/hit cylinder radius
Common Sizes:
00000000=none
cdcccc3d=.1
0000803f=1
00000040=2
00008040=4
0000c040=6

Enemy Attack Information:
$80 = Direct attack1 1st hit damage timing
$81 = Direct attack1 2nd hit damage timing
$82 = Direct attack1 3rd hit damage timing

$83 = Direct attack2 1st hit damage timing
$84 = Direct attack2 2nd hit damage timing
$85 = Direct attack2 3rd hit damage timing

$86 = Direct attack3 1st hit damage timing
$87 = Direct attack3 2nd hit damage timing
$88 = Direct attack3 3rd hit damage timing
(Note: Need significant time between hits or won't register ie $5)

$90= Number of Direct Attacks available for this model 00= none, 03=three etc
$91= Number of Indirect Attacks available for this model 00= none, 03=three etc
$92-a5 = 1st direct attack name
$a7-ba = 2nd direct attack name
$bc-cf = 3rd direct attack name
$d1-e4 = 1st indirect attack name
$e6-f9 = 2nd indirect attack name
$fb-10d = 3rd indirect attack name


SND file Sounds in Enemy PRFs:
The bytes toward the end of the file select which sound effects are played during an animation. They are listed in the order of their associated animation's number-name. So listed first would be the 'Idle' sound effect (animation set #00) and lastly would be their 'Getting Hit' sound effect (animation set #20).

Some animation sets use multiple sound effects which are listed in sequence. For example, walking uses two separate 'step' sounds and some indirect attacks (spells) play multiple sounds in a row.

The sound effects are listed in 2 bytes that correspond to the SND file's number-name, but the hex number is reversed so '0A 01' in PRF should be read '01 0A' aka $10A = 266 = 0266.snd

There are two bytes of unknown purpose (maybe playback duration) in between each listed SND.

In the attached picture, some of the SND file references are highlighted. The yellow "d5 00" at the very end is the "animation set #20" 'Getting Hit' sound.
Since this enemy only has 2 indirect attacks, the second-to-last SND (pink "37 03") lists the sound for "animation set #16" which is Indirect Attack #2 and so on.

SoM only recognizes SND files numbered 1023 or lower- which is hex value "FF 03" as it would appear when reversed in a PRF file.

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To add custom map pieces to SoM you'l need to follow these instructions.
Please follow my tutorial on adding custom items to SoM. This process is exactly the same except for the tool commands you type into the command prompt.

The tools are:

x2msm : creates visible data.

x2mhm : creates collision data (this one isnt so easy to figure out.)

prtsedit : the parts editor that adds the map pieces to the map editor.

Okay... So basically if you wanted to create a map piece, save it as an x file as before.
However this time, type in any of the tools listed here for whatever function you wish to use that .x file for.

So lets just say you created a pillar in meta. Saved it as an x file called, say... buns.x in your tools folder, and you've got the command prompt up with your tools folder location.
You'd type x2msm.exe ‎  buns.x

Take your files and place them in the corresponding folders in your data/map folders.
So say if you made an .msm piece it'd go into the msm folder.
Next, you'd open your prtsedit, not in the command editor.

(You might need to follow the attached picture file to follow this properly.)
Look for buns.msm in the msm dropdown list.
Assuming you've downloaded my mhm pack and placed the files in the correct location, select hightem.mhm in the collision data dropdown menu.
Assuming you've downloaded my icons pack, select a random icon of mine.
If you want to overwrite part 0, go ahead. Want to overwrite another? Type a different number, but you cant exceed the maximum. (The number being 1023)

Okay your piece should be available in the map editor.

Important notes

Dont exceed 2000 vertices for a single piece or the editor will crash, and possibly not be able to show in the runtime.
Be careful when creating faces. SoM has given me jip over this, but by copying and pasting the model it seems to negate this.
Creating full blocks are much better for maps. Creating half a block would require creating a corner to join it. Go easy on yourself.
Ive attached a door height template for meta which works with SoM's door stock objects.
The file castlegrass.mhm is for floors.
The file hightem.mhm is for pillars. It can be used for water too as the collision goes further down than normal.

Cheers.
Verdite


NEW: MHM tutorial

So i saw that there wasnt enough info on MHM pieces so ill do a quick guide on how to get it right the first time.

Flat mhm pieces

Providing the outer sections of the mhm piece are untouched (they dont dip, and they dont deviate from the other lines around them) then you can dip the central section easily, but creating a simple plane in the create primitive tab, then go to object > mesh smoothing > and select 2. You can dip the central vertice.
Make sure your sets have this setup. A simple, flat plane. This means that if you follow the rest of this section you'l have no problems.

Elevated pieces

Create a plane, click on move and select the far edge closest to the blue line (the z axis) when loading a piece into SOM the map piece will be facing towards the z axis. (north.) Remember this z axis rule for SOM or you'l have alot more work.
Go to the Y axis in the move panel. Input 45. This is 45 degrees. ‎ 

Create a new primitive. Click on the face (the gray bit) and move it up on the Y by inputting 45 again.
The plane will be at the right level.



Corners

Creating corners was a pain for me, until i realised how simple it was.
> Elevated corners
Create a plane, and divide it by four by using the object > mesh smoothing > and select 2 method.
Click the vertice on the top right, and the vertice in the center. Move them up by inputting 45.

> Corridor corners

This ones probably the hardest for anyone new to metaseq.
Create your corridor. If you want to practice, create a plane and extrude (use extrd) it upwards a good way.
Remove both faces (gray areas) on the z axis. (see pic 1)


Use create, and click on face in the create box. Lower your view so you are click on the four corners of the lowest sections of the box. (red squares in pic)
You'l create a bottom for your box. Now select all, go to selected and click invert.
If your created face isnt there it means you havent clicked on the right object in the obj panel.
Now its quite simple. Simply delete the face on the X axis. Then create a face on the Z axis. (see pic.)



You'l need to manually project your texture onto the faces.

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  Mhm.zip (Size: 2.35 KB / Downloads: 211)
  Icons.zip (Size: 48.02 KB / Downloads: 202)
  door height template.mqo (Size: 1.3 KB / Downloads: 207)

Thought I would make a post for collected addons until we get new customs locked into the official page. I'll try to add new customs posted in the forum to the top post here so they don't get buried with time.


Rabbit Mask Easter helm by Verdite

Airflame Sword by Air Flames Red

Shields from HwitVlf

Rose Items by Air Flames Red

Shackles Item and MQO/MQX model by Air Flames Red

Table scene Object by Air Flames Red

Pedestal Objects and Items by HwitVlf

New menu border by Scott ‎ 

Plant Leaves by God (scanned by hwitvlf) royalty free textures


measuring stick model tool by HwitVlf

Human skeleton for Keynote designed to meet SoM's needs by HwitVlf

Dog skeleton for Keynote designed to meet SoM's needs by HwitVlf

Map Piece swapping tool (use more than 1024 Pieces) by HwitVlf

Directions for testing a map directly (instead of through the Map Editor) by HwitVlf ‎ 

Enemy PRF Editor by HwitVlf.

Map Piece size template for Metasequoia by hwitvlf