Water layer corruption in PVRZ+TIS file

[Roberciiik]

Hello,

I am trying to introduce a new area graphic for one of the old mod. I have prepared all files for classic engine (files were created for oBG2 in mind). And after installation those files (ARE, TIS, WED, BMPs, etc.) in WeiDU installer it works well in oBG2, but broken on EE games. When I exported the TIS file as a PVRZ-based TIS file for that location, I've got weird corruption of the water layer. I really don't know about internals of ARE related files. So could anyone help me to figure out what is going on here?

Expected (oBG2) :

TIS on EE:

TIS+PVRZ on EE:

Thanks!

Edited August 12, 2023 by Roberciiik

[Acifer]

You need to convert the tis file (before creating the pvrz files) to the overlay version of the EE.

@argent77 released a wonderful tool for this process:

https://github.com/InfinityTools/tis2ovl/releases/tag/1.0

Here is a brief explanation of this tool:

https://forums.beamdog.com/discussion/comment/1098742/#Comment_1098742

[Roberciiik]

This is awesome! The issue is terrifying, and the solution provided by @argent77 is truly wonderful!

Here is the PVRZ result:

Although there are 1-pixel artifacts related to zooming, but as I understand these are because of the EE engine issue. 

Thank you both for help!

[Acifer]

Looks great!
Did you convert the tis-file back and forth from the pvrz version? This would increase the horizontal lines, so you should avoid that.

However, you can never completely avoid these artifacts.

[Gorionar]

Try also converting the texture overlay tis to pvrz, which is used for the location.

[Roberciiik]

I did the conversion only once. I simply took the TIS and WED files for oBG, then run tis2ovl with WED parameter (it produces updated TIS+WED file) and I opened it in NI, next I exported it as PVRZ-based TIS.

@Gorionar How I can convert the texture overlay TIS to PVRZ? And what file exactly is the texture overlay: I have only one TIS file and I think it is converted to PVRZ with above steps.

[Gorionar]

If I'm not mistaken, you are updating the RoT mod.

http://www.simpilot.net/~sc/dltcep/index.htm

Look for a file: WTPOOL.TIS, WTPOOLN.TIS,  WTPOOLNR.TIS, WTPOOLR.TIS and WTSEW.TIS.  These are texture overlays that mimic water and stuff.

And yes, a night location can also have its own overlay.

 

Edited August 13, 2023 by Gorionar

[Roberciiik]

Yup, you are right - it is Region of Terror, and here are my changes so far.

So you are saying that I should generate PVRZ for all WT*.TIS files? I thought that they are from the base game and do not require modifications. I can see that new RoT area adds only WTPOOLNR.TIS for oBG2, so should I try with this one or with all of them? And you are referring to running the tis2ovl tool or generating PVRZ or something else?

 

[Gorionar]

Honestly, I don’t know how the overlay system works in EE. Try both methods first and see what happens.

[Roberciiik]

OK, I've tried this solution, in fact with no difference. First of all, there is no WED files for WTPOOl.TIS etc, so I can't use tis2ovl tool (but it seems to be redundant because these TIS are very simple). I generated PVRZ however, but the line corruptions are still present on BG2EE. Thanks anyway, it was good idea to check it, unfortunately with no luck.

[Weigo]

Hello all. I had exactly the same problem with the lines at BGGO. The problem is that the system that reassembles the map from the PVRZ snippets has a bug. The lines occur with the overlays. In the code is somewhere an error that just here is assembled offset by 1 pixel. Beamdog already had this problem, because they made the 64x64 tiles a bit bigger. At the edge 64x66 or 66x64 and in the middle of the PVRZ file 66x66. I had to correct all that by hand with BGGO and that's why I've been sitting with it for over 4 months.
If you have any questions about how the Wed file works with its overlays and doors, you can ask me.

@Roberciiik

You don't have to convert the wt*.tis files for the overlays to pvrz format. The v1 files are sufficient.

[Roberciiik]

@Weigo Nice workaround for that issue!

It seems that this functionality could be automated. If I understand correctly, a tile should be extended with 1-pixel line copied from neighbor tiles, is that correct? Maybe it could be a nice addition to tis2ovl done by @argent77.

[Weigo]

Unfortunately, it is not that simple either. Otherwise I would have finished months ago.
1. is the PVRZ 1024x1024 of a continuous card => no problems with the 64x64 tiles
2. if one of the border parts on the left or right side of the map is smaller than 1024 width or height => for the corresponding part you have to add +1 pixel on each side that is smaller than 1024.
3. doors, waters: if the pvrz is only 64 wide, then the heights must be 66 pixels per part or vice versa.
3.1 If the PVRZ is larger than 64, then all parts are 66x66
4. accordingly, the coordinates must also be adjusted in the tiv v2, there are the x, y coordinates of the individual tiles in the PVRZ image.

The whole thing is wild as a bird. It will certainly be hard to automate this. That's why it takes so long for me, because I have to copy all the overlay parts (doors+waters) in by hand.
 

Edited August 22, 2023 by Weigo

[szef]

I did as written here ;), it doesn't quite work (tested in BG2EE and PSTEE). 

Tis2ovl and tis > pvrz works, but the water has the same "rhythm" on the surface - the squares just bobble the same way.

Some test:

Help!

Edited April 14 by szef

[Acifer]

You should try to change the "movement type" in the overlay header of your wed file to "Alternate rendering (2)".