[Tutorial] Layer Properties & Icon description

[Don Vecta]

Okay, I've got what does the number 12 icon and the 28 icon!

12. Add palette rotation to certain areas.
Options. No, Red Palette. Color Palette.

This function causes the areas designated with the color 128 0 0 (a dark maroon color) to rotate in either a red pulsating style or a colorful rainbow palette. This is useful to make animated colorful billboards or danger areas without using your animated layers.
Number 12 indeed needs a 8-bit fpg. And to make a proper 8-bit palette, let's follow the next steps.

1) Create a fpg at 16-bit.
2) Add your layers as normally, save.
3) Extract your layers in .bmp file type and make sure the area you need pulsating has this range color.
4) After testing and/or putting the areas with this RGB 128 0 0 scheme, SAVE your .bmp (tip using photoshop: save it with the SAVE option, not with the SAVE AS, this is obviously if you didn't add extra layers or alter you .bmp file but only in the color).
5) DELETE the layers inside your fpg and substitute them with the .bmp files you just modified. Save.
6) Then convert your fpg into 8-bit. Top menu. FPG > convertir a.../convert into... > FPG 8 bits (blahblahblah). Save and test.

If everything goes well, the areas you colored as 128 0 0 will be pulsating in a gamma of red and black with the Red Palette tab on or in oscillating rainbow colors with the Color Palette one.

If not, then go back to step 3 (skip 6, your fpg should be already on 8 bits) and try again, extract your layers and see if your .bmp files are not corrupted, remember, must be .bmp at 16 bit color.


The 28 goes next. and it's a big explanation too.

[Don Vecta]

28. Breakable layer.

Yes, CajNatalie will love me for this one cuz yes, it IS possible to make breakable areas to move on, just like the Trailer cabin in SOR2's stage 2-2 or the glass in the doors of the SOR2 8-1 stage.

However, I do afraid that won't be possible to recreate this layer break ups... at least not in this build. Read below why.

Okay, first of all, this layer can be animated, that's why you can keep it . It's gonna disappear anyways.

Now, this is tricky since, unfortunately, this feature it's also bugged. But I'll describe it anyway.

1) This layer must be visible at the end of your stage.
2) This ONLY works when you cleared all your enemies and move to the next stage.
3) The layer trigger must be in a range of 50 pixels horizontal and 40 pixels vertical.
4) It triggers only if your character passes through the layer's range in X, Y and Z, missing that range, the character will ignore the point and move on.
5) Works only with the exit options default, jump and diagonal. Walking to, unfortunately, it is bugged and won't trigger the point. Instant exit obviously makes no sense.

Within these conditions, it is possible to do it, however, since the character will walk straight (or diagonally) in front of him/her after the fight it's over, it's gonna be erratic to reach this break point.

Thus the only feasible solution by now to make this feature work properly is to set up a collision map that puts your characters in a straight line to the break point, therefore able to break the layer when they have cleared the enemies and walk straight to the exit. Mind you, the characters must be already inside the range within the map while you are still controlling them since they ignore collision properties as soon the battle it's over and walk through them, thus will ignore the break point.

Another solution is to make it with the horizon lines of the stage all close together (maybe simulating a fight inside a catwalk or a sewer pipe) and when the scene's over, the characters will walk straight to the break point (maybe a fence, a wall, a glass compartment, a car, lol).

[CajNatalie]

It's good to finally know how that damn option works.
I wouldn't be able to use it in the SoR2 truck without having the characters being able to break it even at the bottom of the screen, but when I do all the rescaling I'll give it a try.

[Benny26]

That's some top work Don

Real shame about the Walking To exit though. Like you say, It's kinda next to useless for most mainstream stages and scenes

A good victory for SoRMaker knowlage though.

[JoyJoyfulRabbit]

yeah

Breakable layer... I put the wall on the road-to-carpark level instead of gate to make it based on SOR3D.

[Don Vecta]

Also a kind reminder, in the end there can be more than one breakable items as well, say a wall, one of the pieces could be broken or a set of barriers or dunno.

[Iceweb38]

Just found out about this tutorial, great work guys!

[charco]

Just used this trick. Very cool and has added to the city lights on my rooftop

[CajNatalie]

For Number 15, I think it should be made more clear that this number is 'Max Enemies on Screen' once any Round 2+ enemy is triggered.

In fact that's the simplest and best way to say it.

Number 15 is 'Max Enemies on Screen' once a Round 2+ enemy tries to appear.

And the 'Less Than' option will ignore anyone set to 'Boss' (said numerous times elsewhere IIRC).

[CajNatalie]

6. Background Reflections(?)
This appears to be one of the many cryptic properties. It seems to dictate whether or not you can see your reflection in the background, as if there was a window there. However, whether this is on or off doesn't seem to change anything. I believe that the scene must fulfill certain parameters in order for this property to function, perhaps a scene with no other layers other than the main layer and transparent windows. This is another one that someone could probably help me with.

I've discovered how to make this work, but your reflective background needs to be small, to avoid glitchy shading.

Set this option to Yes, and your reflective background's layer to Transparency 75%.
As you walk by, you will be reflected in it. As long as the window is SMALL, there will be no noticeable glitches.
If you're trying this with a big window, then you're going to have a blatant weird dark boxes of shading around the character as you walk by.

Make sure you do full testing whenever you attempt to make a reflective piece of scenery. If you see shading glitches... it's too big, so don't bother.
So pretty much any reflective window needs to be no bigger than a character, to minimise glitching (or the ability to notice the glitch).

[Don Vecta]

A very curious and important details regarding icon 7: doesn't work on any kind scroll right type; it will be greyed out and put in default as No. So no, you can't cast shadow or reflection in right scrolling scenes (I honestly don't know why). :-/