Miscellaneous - prospects for the software. STATE OF THE ART: a new graphical editor for the Spectrum.

<b>Miscellaneous</b> - prospects for the software. STATE OF THE ART: a new graphical editor for the Spectrum.

 STATE OF THE ART v1.2

music by MIDISOFT
(C) VIATOR / AVALON / RUSH I.S.P.A.
_


   More than 10 years have passed since that time,
as the legendary James Hutchby of OCP
released a "ART-STUDIO".
 For 1985 it was a real masterpiece
which became an integral part of SPECCY and
one of the most popular programs for all
its history.
 Over the years much has changed. Most
quality system programs were written in the CIS countries. But, 
oddly enough, nobody dared to engage in serious development in 
the field of graphic editors.  We - a group AVALON - decided to 
fill this gap and make a new step in this

direction. .

 During his work with SPECCY I saw 07.05
graficheskih editors. Most of
They were so primitive and uncomfortable, that does not even 
deserve the attention users. Most qualitative Editor only two - 
this is "ART-STUDIO" and "ARTIST-2". "ARTIST-2" well thought 
out. It introduces many interesting ideas

(To view the image
real, cutting the window of arbitrary shape, drawing ellipses 
and etc.), but due to very sloppy performance

This editor is uncomfortable and rigid.
Interface slows down, all diskriruet, management uncomfortable. 
For these reasons, most of the artists on SPECCY (and I was 
among them) prefer to work in ART-STUDIO.  In the "ART-STUDIO" 
implemented user-friendly interface and all the most necessary 
functions. Previously, it seemed an accomplishment, but

Editors looking for AMIGA and PC, you understand that until the 
ideal is still very far away.  The fact that all versions of 
"ART-STUDIO", even her 128k version is far from perfect. I've 
worked in "ART-STUDIO" enough long to notice that a lot of bugs 
and inconveniences, which It is. One can think of a permanent 
inclusion in the regime of white border'a "MAGNIFY".


 Work was started in autumn 1996,
when PANDA from Cherkassy group ETC, has complained of the lack 
of a normal image editor and asked us to write something 
acceptable in this regard. We, being so kind and naive :-)

- Agreed to take up this hopeless
ungrateful, unrealistic, etc. project. I should say that at the 
start of work on the editor, our group was much more modest. It 
does not include such geniuses and giants of thought as RUFF,

ZNAHAR, and SHADOW. While the project was
doomed to failure because SADMAN and I
were simply unable to complete the entire
the workload. At the moment
all the more real and COOLnee! AVALON has become much bigger 
and more professional. Suddenly, the project received a general 
support and attention. During this time, we received a lot of 
ideas and suggestions from different people, and we can already 
say that this will be massive and ambitious project. The main 
task we set for ourselves - it takes into account all the 
shortcomings of currently existing editors and satisfaction of 
the greatest number of users. At this stage, we are engaged in 
gathering information and trying to find out the opinions of 
all the strongest Artists on SPECCY (SHAMAN, TERROR, KAMIKAZE, 
PANDA, TRANCER, ROM, and others). In addition, I myself a 
professional artist, and, in this case, it is important. We 
will try to get the best out of "ART-STUDIO" and "ARTIST II", 
from the editors for AMMY and PC, but most attention, we

pay at the request USER'ov, so if you have interesting ideas on 
this account, be sure to tell them to us. Obeshayu that 
everyone who contributes useful suggestions will be referred to 
CREDITS. 

 Estimated project name -
STATE OF THE ART-(SOTA) (just do not think that we have 
delusions of grandeur! :-) 

 Next, I present a description of what will be implemented in 
the editor:  _


 1. INTERFACE

 In general, the interface is similar to the "ART-STUDIO",
but the main menu is replaced by pictographic, to save screen 
space. The size of the icons selected 2X2 familiarity and we 
believe the best. Anticipating your questions, I will try to 
explain why we have decided to place the menu top, as in "AS", 
rather than sideways, as in Amiga or pisyushnyh Editors: on my 
personal experience I know that much more have to draw 
pictures, which occupy All 32 familiarity horizontally than all

screen space vertically. On machines with a higher screen 
resolution much rarer pictures, holding the whole thing, so 
placing menu at the side, there is more justified. All

menu items and messages in the editor will be in English. It is 
much more familiar and ekonomnee. Although, if there will be 
many objections, heart attacks and tears, we can make it in 
their own language, but note that the native language for us is 
- Ukrainian :-)! A lot of attention given SetUp'u So, you can 
change almost all parameters - speed arrows acceleration 
factor, etc. Will be well-thought-out shortcuts, presumably: 
CURSOR - movement across the screen in MAGNIFY, EXTEND MODE - 
view the entire screen, SS + keys - Change of INK, ENTER + keys 
- Change of PAPER, Z, X - a change of sprites (animation), etc.


 MANAGEMENT

 Simultaneous control of KEYBOARD:
(O, P, Q, A, SPACE, M (SET), N (RESET));
SINCLAIR; KEMPSTON (to check availability).
If I provide the necessary information, it will be implemented 
by management KEMPSTON and AY MOUSE. Everyone who is interested 
in this, contact me immediately mail (address at end of 
article). Same As owners and printers. None of the members of 
our group has no printer, so we need all the information 
relating to this DEVICE. 

 All changes will be written on
lawsuit in SetUp'e.


2. MAGNIFY MODE

 Most of the time working with a graphical editor artist holds 
in the regime MAGNIFY. Therefore, we try to make it

most convenient. The mode of simultaneous display of real 
windows, but if you wish, you can disable it. See the entire 
screen, not exit increase, by pressing a button.

Window with a fragment of an image in real
format can be displayed to the left (TRUE
VIDEO), and right (INV. VIDEO). In general, then, is no 
division in the MAGNIFY and Normal mode - will not. All 
functions editor will be implemented on a larger scale, which 
is sorely missed by all other GFX EDITORam on SPECCY. True

I must admit that in some cases the editor will probably slow 
down your. Even though I wrote a scaling several times faster 
than in the "AS", but you know that the increase is almost

the entire screen in real time and with limited memory - a 
thing quite slow. If, for example, will draw a circle in the 
regime and will ELASTIC enabled MAGNIFY, then I (or rather 
Z-80A) will have to draw a circle in a buffer and then quickly 
scale the image on the screen. Of course, the Amiga in this 
case it would be enough to change the screen resolution. A 
simple but incredibly useful and convenient feature - it's the 
ability to change the size of a pencil, which is drawing a 
larger scale. By simply pressing Clavey 05.01

You can choose one of five built-in pencil: 1X1, 2X2, 3X3, 1X8, 
8X1 pixels. Profiles LINE and DOTTEN should allow the solid 
lines or through one point. I think the feasibility of 
increasing only 2 and 4 times. Can share their views on the 
matter. When Thus, in 4-x magnification can make a grid that 
separates familiarity, which is also incredibly convenient.

 _

 3. REALTIME MAGNIFY

 Very original idea suggested from the SOI
Groups CRYSTAL DREAM. He advised that the option to make 
REALTIME MAGNIFY, and imennorezhim similar to the effect of 
demuh "RPSG128" and "7 REALITY" - editing an image under a 
magnifying glass. The screen displays all images, which can be 
moved magnifying glass with an eye in the center. The biggest 
advantage is opportunity to see almost constantly

Fullscreen! It is true there are big here
problems with attributes. In my opinion, this
treatment either on the Amiga or the HRC. This
function is almost finished SHADOW.
 _

 4. WINDOWS

 Window Mode WINDOWS, can be specified as a pixel accuracy, and 
with Bound familiarity. Besides all the functions of window 
treatments from the "ART-STUDIO", will be implemented 
thickening, stroke, scrolling may morph the two windows. If not 
let down our math, that will be added to the 3D-rotation. 
Already acting function of rotation around the window

its axis, with the possible displacement of the center
rotation. Not wanted to be abolished function LAST WINDOW, by 
reason of it is always current will be the last window 
selected. You can implement the possibility of choosing a 
window of arbitrary shape, but not so stupid as to "ARTIST-2" 
and with closed lines (CONTINIOUS

LINES). A large number of options for overlay windows: the 
mashing image under the window on the OR / AND / XOR, on the 
mask.  _


 5. SHAPES

 A set of graphical primitives in the menu SHAPES, includes, 
inter alia, drawing ellipses and arcs. It would be nice to 
implement drawing ellipses, not only strictly parallel to the 
horizontal and vertical edges of the screen, but under

any slope. Try to make the possibility of changing the density 
of lines for vector shapes and a pencil that these lines will 
be conducted. Speed work ELASTIC mode if possible be 
increased.  _


 6. UTILITES

 The package will include the editor of several programs 
utilitnyh: FONT EDITOR, SPRITE GENERATOR, SCREEN COMPRESSOR and

others. Apparently, in order to save memory, it is necessary to 
make them loadable (Without leaving the editor, and without 
loss of edited images). 

 FONT_EDITOR

 Are just a few (not all)
possibilities: the existence of a function UNDO, fast scrolling 
characters in all directions, the ability to mark certain 
characters and subsequent operations to produce just above 
them, thickening, stroke, etc. Editing as usual FONT'a, and

UDG characters and any character set
up to 256 characters. I do not know whether to have an
the ability to edit fonts that are larger than 1X1 familiarity? 
In my opinion it is more convenient these characters read from 
the screen, as sprites. 

 SPRITE_GENERATOR

 Excision of the screen sprites, with the creation of tables 
and everything. If we are really want, you can make the function

Compression sprites.

 SCREEN_COMPRESSOR

 LAZY / ETC / RUSH wrote a great compressor screens. He wins on 
average 100-400 bytes on a single screen at the "ASC SCREEN 
CRASHER'a! Additional advantages include very fast decompressor 
and the fact that it does not prohibit interruption in the 
derivation of the figure. Some lamer hands do not reach to 
remove the DI in early DEPACKER'a, and users have to "enjoy" 
decelerating at the moment decompression of the music. Perhaps 
we implement the compression not only of all screen, and 
windows and compression.  _


 7. FILE OPTIONS

 Implemented full disk interface that allows also a quick view
screens on the disk. Originally, I wanted to make a standard 
format for storing files not the usual on-screen files 
(6912b.), and zapakovannye screens without decompression. But 
Unfortunately, time compression was quite significant, and this 
idea, we probably do not realize. Compressed Screens can be 
written as a depakerom, and without it, and then output one 
depakerom all the pictures (as with playing music). Immediately 
I can promise that subverted with disk operations, we

will not, and they will work with all
standard versions of TR-DOS. It's me
Board and all producers soft'a. More
have an idea to make the possibility of suspending the files 
text messages. , and view these messages in the editor. 
Messages can be both in Russian and in English. What, I wonder

Artists worse than musicians? :-) They also
have the right to write comments to their
works! You can make reading the screen with tape, as well as 
the format discs MS-DOS and IS-DOS.

 _

 8. RESIDENT

 Will be implemented to work with the resident,
by which you can hang
to the editor, music, timer, etc.
 _

 9. PALETTE

 Options INK, PAPER, BRIGHT, FLASH merged together. In 
addition, it is possible to quickly change the current 
attributes, using hot keys. Current attributes are permanently 
displayed in a specially designated place in the main menu. 
Very interesting result is obtained when mixing meskolkih 
standard attributes. Thus it is possible get a lot of 
non-standard colors. This is one of the possible ways of 
enhancing sparse palette SPECCY. Many of the resulting color 
(about 128), almost no flicker (not flashing). What is the most 
important is the fact that this possibility appears at the 
lowest cost speed and memory: The screen becomes longer only 
768b, which takes extra space attributes. To obtain FX'a 
multiatributov simply transfer of the termination of 768 bytes 
of attributes. Alternately connects it alone somewhere else. 
Without problems such images can be output even under the 
digitized music, posting pictures of the two 128th screens. In 
this case, the switching screens will leave several dozen

cycles.
 _

 More can be implemented as follows:

 Ability to animate directly in the edit mode screen. Now would 
be no need to use spraytredaktor. 

 When printing text on the screen of their size
can be set from 1X1 to 8X8 familiarity.

 You can try to realize the regime "rubber" of fonts that can 
be scaled pixel by pixel, without loss of quality image. This 
can be done by storing font in the form of (lines, circles), 
then can be scaled only the basic point

for these letters. For obvious reasons, all
curves will always be smooth.
If you need letters are thicker than one
pixel will have to use a fill
inside the letters - it can be quite
tormoznutaya process.

 Maybe you paid attention, as in
"ART-STUDIO" and "ARTIST-2" die with
glitches. Do not believe me? Then try
fill the entire screen texture in which
pixels are fairly thick but
gaps between points. Then try
fill the entire screen has some texture. Well? I know how to 
fill that will work 100% correctly, but still slower than in 
the "AS", perhaps several times. So, apparently, will have to 
make two versions of the fill - one fast, but with possible 
errors, the other slow, but correct. You can also implement a 
function does not fill texture, and a window of arbitrary size. 
Flooded area can be scrolled pixel by pixel in all directions. 

 If a lot of hard work, it will be possible to implement 
functions BLEND. For those who do not knows what it is, 
explain: BLEND - this kind of morph. This means you can

select the start and end objects and
calculate the right amount of phase transformation from one to 
another, and then add the obtained frames at a certain 
trajectory. With this achieved FX'a interesting images which, 
when drawing by hand, consuming incredible

a lot of time.

 Also, I wonder can turn the function FOUNTAIN FILL (Gradient).
With the help it can fill a closed
circuit with a smooth transition from one tone
in another. But what to do when AMMY
using a rich palette for Spectrum'e
have to do with textures.

 You can still try to implement functions formulaic plots. This 
way, I not seen in PiSyuke nor AMMY. I

imagine it like this: user enters
initial parameters (number of segments
number of phases, X1, Y1.Xn, Yn, and so on, and the program 
builds on the formula sinusoids of the arc etc. Fairly easy to 
implement and more complex vector shapes, such as a ball in 
INSULT'e. I am quite clear imagine how to implement it, but not 
sure I'll do it. 

 Of course very useful and convenient would be
Work with knots in "COREL DRAW".
When any image could be
identify key locations (knots), and then moving these nodules 
could be arbitrarily change the shape of the image, but

Again, for the implementation of this regime will require 
considerable investment of time (not CPU, and my!). 

 Almost everything that is in the editors
for "large" machines can be implemented on
SPECCY, but one thing is absolutely not realistic:
There is only one thing in pisyushnom "COREL
DRAW "which is impossible, even with all
their desire and ability, to put into
Spectrum - a turn-based conservation
image. Namely: for example, you are at the beginning of work on 
the drawing have drawn circle, then you have made dozens of 
others Action, written over the range of pile

texts, and so on, and then, in any
moment, you can select the circle and start moving it under the 
rest of the images, remove, or, for example, change its color. 
You can also do as much to UNDO the first step. All this is 
possible because the screen there is not stored in the form of 
sprite as on the Spectrum, but as a sequence of formulas. At 
SPECCY is absolutely not realistic because 3.5MGts and 128K 
insufficient for such a luxury. But not is very upset! Imagine

how long pisyuk rebuilds image
each time bringing it from the very first
action to the last. If the screen
rather complex picture, even
the most feature-rich PENTIUM be terribly
brake. Of course for PC users
this is normal and common, but
We are accustomed to working on SPECCY - it

  an intolerable mockery!
 _

 All this - not a complete list of innovations that will be 
implemented in program. Also there are some ideas that we 
believe inappropriate, and apparently will not engage in their 
implementation - namely, the ability to edit screens the size 
of more than 256 X 192 pixels (this is, of course, very 
convenient, but I fear that we barely have enough memory even 
if the screen is a standard size), built-in editors and 
MULTICOLORnyh BORDER'nyh pictures. Interestingly opinion

users about the need for these functions.

 As an artist, I could not give
due attention to design programs. Hope you like the look of the 
editor. 

 When creating the program, we try
using the most advanced demushnye
coding technology. As possible will
increased speed of all procedures editor. Of course, you may 
appear that all that we want to do in SOTA - execute simple. So 
it is, if to do everything separately, but when you try vlepit 
all in 128kb when you want to put all the procedures with each 
other, and that's when it appears a lot of huge problems. Cool, 
of course, demos roll out an effect on all 128 kb.

We also have to choose the best option in the relationship 
between the rate / MEMORY. Therefore, if you feel that 
something could be done faster, think, and how long it will 
take memory. And so we had to select the memory location to 
which to queue will be the most dekranchirovatsya

 time-critical procedures.

At the moment the interface is written and
some functions, but the bulk of work still ahead.

 Now run over the editor:

   RUFF, SHADOW, SADMAN and I (VIATOR).

 Useful advice given to us:

  PANDA, SOI, IMP, SMASH BAND,

  DIGITAL REALITY, VBI, ROB F.

 All of them huge TNX!

Personal thanks from LAZY ETC
for a great compressor screens!


   Especially we want to get
feedback and specific advice from
following artists:

 KAMIKAZE
 FIL GFX
 Bobov Ivan
 ROM
 TRACER

Programmers:
 Mednonogov Glory
 STALKER
 RST-7
 ALEM
 NICODIM

Groups:
 PETERS
 XL-DESIGN
 OUTLAND corp.
 BLACK SHARK
 NEW
 FLASH
 GOLDEN DISK

Distributors:
 Inforkom
 LOGROSS
 MAGIC SOFT
 etc.