Evolution

[BrianZ111]

Thanks.

BTW, does anyone know what file type custom sound effects have to be? I know I'm not nearly that far along, but I want to start collecting things now. It'll give me something to do when the inevitable frustration with something sets in, lol. Plus, the more that's unique, the better the course experience, right?

They are WAV files.

[ADC]

Thanks, BZ

So, the libraries are coming along. It's Saturday. Hurrah. I do have a question, though. It's about the number of libraries for a game. Most of the time I see custom libraries these days, there's between three of four new ones for that course. I'd like to make as few libraries as possible, just to keep where they are in the Architect window condensed. I guess I'm wondering how many textures are too many for one library. Currently, I have 18. This is fairways, greens, and tee box, bunkers, beaches, and the blends for the rock faces. I plan on starting my rough blends later this evening.

I expect there'll be between 25 and 30 textures by the time I'm done. I'm also trying to get new sounds made via Audacity. My planting will be from the Pebble Beach, Cypress Point, and maybe Glen Haven and Coos Bay libraries, so I know there'll be about four to five libraries in all. I don't want to have more than six libraries at all, especially when you all have most of them, anyway.

I suppose the real simple question wold be, are 25-30 textures too many for one library? And, how many libraries in total do you think is too cumbersome?

[BrianZ111]

I can answer the textures per library question. The max is 24. You can add more but after 24 the library creator won't let you scroll any further to set the properties for them. This why I had to do 4 new libraries for The Ridges. I ended up making about 90 textures with all of the different blending I did on that course.

[SteveHorn]

Alex! I know a lot of people don't like more then 7 to 9 libraries max, but it doesn't matter to me because I compress all but stock libraries with each course I save. Takes me about a minute to add a course to the course manager know matter how many libraries there are.

[ADC]

I'm unfamiliar with compressing libraries with the course. How does that work?

I also wanted to give you guys a heads up on something coming up here. In two days, Microsoft is ending support for Windows XP, which is my operating system at the current time, as my vista computer died in February. I find it ironic that Microsoft is ending support for the one and only OS that has never given me any trouble.

I will be switching over to Windows 7 as soon as possible. But it might be a few weeks to find the $100 to burn on it. All my files are backed up, though, including everything I've done for Pebble Beach. The Cloud is a wonderful thing.

This is another part of the reason I haven't been in a rush to get physically building this course. I want to take measurements with Google Earth through out, and until I get an OS with security on it, I'm not comfortable having the pc's wireless connections turned on. So, I'll basically be going internet dark until then after Tuesday. It's not worth being targeted by stuff I can't protect the laptop, our only computer, from.

So, where am I at with all this? By this time, I'm off to a strong start. The plot is ready for work, and I'm itching to start shaping those cliffs. My library images are 80%, but I can work on this offline in GIMP. I also tried to put way too many images into one file in the Library Creator, so I'm going to separate them out, probably by main course texture, sounds and cliff/ocean blends. BTW, does anyone know why when I open a saved .tlb file, the pictures won't show up? It indicates there's a texture to be edited or deleted, but there's no picture, and none in the Architect, either. I suppose I'll just have to make a final copy of everything at once.

The last thing I'll really need my online capability for is collecting sound clips. And then I'm going to find some way to stay busy at home without internet, lol. Thank goodness the Architect comes with a pretty wonderful game as well.

I'm excited by the progress I see on the other courses.

Alex.

[BrianZ111]

Did you move the files or change the name of any folders in the directory path? The library creator finds the image files by the full path name they are saved in. So if anything changes in that path it won't find it anymore. It's a pain, I pretty much can't open any of my library creator files anymore without doing a bunch of work to recreate the directories the files were originally in when I made it. I wish it used a relative path from where the library creator file is.

[ADC]

Yeah, I'd be changing it so I'd know what version I was on. That effects the library, then? Basically, you're saying it'd work if I just kept the same library name every time?

[BrianZ111]

No I meant the actual image files. Changing the library name (the .tlb file or the .clb file when you compile) should be OK.

For example if you have a texture at C:\Golf Design\Textures\fairway.bmp and then you change it to C:\Golf Design\Images\fairway.bmp the library creator won't be able to find it anymore. The .tlb file stores the full path of the file to find it, it doesn't save the image in the .tlb itself. That only happens when you compile to the .clb file.

[SteveHorn]

Alex! When you have a new course installed and decide to keep it you can open the course manager and hit the compress button. This opens all the things you can compress with a course. At the very bottom is a list of libraries for that course. If you want to include them in the course file all you have to do is put a check beside each library you want to be included automatically. Then hit the ok button and it will compress all those items together in one course file. This is a larger file then a normal course file but it can save a lot of time.

[ADC]

Hey, everyone.

So, I've been lurking, lol. It's cool to see that quite a few old members have come back, and are even cranking up the architect again. And I officially can't wait to play Bryce's Ultimate 18. Pine Valley 15 is my favorite hole on my favorite real life course, and I've always thought it'd be a fantastic opener. Liking your brainwaves.

I've got a confession to make. I really haven't gotten much done this past month. There's been an increase of real life duties that have kept me from the architect. When I have had time, I've found it more enjoyable to play the game than work on a course. I guess its discouraging. I can see what I want in my minds eye, but haven't gotten it to work into anything I'm pleased with.

A couple of quick questions. First, though, I want you all to know how much I value your experience. You've all made this game last so long. Thanks for the gazillion courses to play.

To my questions.

One: do you all find it easier to work drawing terrain objects first, and then working the terrain after the whole course is drawn? I thought this had a tendency to massively increase detail? I guess I'm a little lost, as my methods aren't working, and I'm looking for some explanation to why you all do it you're ways.

Two: When it comes to blends, how much do you all find to be too much? As I was building my new Pebble Beach libraries, I realized that I was out thinking the architect. As much as we can add a seemingly endless array of blends, the simple fact is, break points will never be able to cross. Essentially, a course is a pattern of circles that get together to form a whole. I had a blend for the Cliffs of Doom that looked really good, but when I dropped them, the computer didn't like having so many break lines on so steep an incline. It looked jagged, and harsh, with dark lines at the separations. I wonder, what would a better approach have been? Plus, I had a heck of a time getting beaches laid. Pebble Beach has several beaches, but none of them run the whole length of the cliffs. They are appropriate on the 4th and 10th, but no where else, and in the Architect, I could figure out how to make that work yet. Seems like it was whole length of the cliffs on every hole, or obvious separations between the rock faces and the beach.

Another thing is the complexity of texture blends. I guess Cypress Point Club and Glen Haven are good examples to compare and contrast. All in all, it seems like Cypress Point has about half the blends that Glen Haven does. Glen Haven is brilliant for the contrasting whites and greens. Cypress Point can almost seem dull in comparison. But it's not. Just simpler. Both courses work. So, what are the advantages of simple of complicated?

I guess my questions can really boil down to this. Is dropping shapes first easier? If so, does the complexity of the libraries you're using run up detail and memory very fast? Is the only way to find out how new blends work simply trial and error? If so, any advice on how to lay textures along and around terrain faces in such a way that the architect doesn't seem to "hate?"