err, ok

// if you need to stop the camera from following the character...

// just put this line somewhere in the code

cameratracking = 0;

// this makes it track the player entity again

cameratracking = 1;



// if cameratracking == 0, then you can mess with the xwin and ywin

// setting xwin & ywin moves the top-left position of your screen in relation with the map



// thus, if you keep repeatedly calling this (presumably in a hookretrace)

xwin = entity.x[player_entity] - (imagewidth(screen) / 2); // note that player_entity is not a system variable :(

ywin = entity.y[player_entity] - (imageheight(screen) / 2);

// you would get some sort of cameratracking

// in any case, you can set xwin and ywin to anything

// so think about it and use it to suit your needs

EDIT: stupid me, I forgot about code tags being not supported here

Quote:Originally posted by CrazyAznGamer

err, ok

// if you need to stop the camera from following the character...

// just put this line somewhere in the code

cameratracking = 0;

// this makes it track the player entity again

cameratracking = 1;



// if cameratracking == 0, then you can mess with the xwin and ywin

// setting xwin & ywin moves the top-left position of your screen in relation with the map



// thus, if you keep repeatedly calling this (presumably in a hookretrace)

xwin = entity.x[player_entity] - (imagewidth(screen) / 2); // note that player_entity is not a system variable :(

ywin = entity.y[player_entity] - (imageheight(screen) / 2);

// you would get some sort of cameratracking

// in any case, you can set xwin and ywin to anything

// so think about it and use it to suit your needs

EDIT: stupid me, I forgot about code tags being not supported here

I found that earlier and something didnt click, perhaps it did now...

HookRetrace("Overlay"); is what I am using......

inside of overlay would I redefine the window variables listed above?? :)

You'd put that code in your Overlay function. HookRetrace makes whatever function is supplied as its argument get hooked, and called every instance that the map is rendered. When someone says in a hookretrace, what they actually mean is your function that is called by HookRetrace(). So every time you draw the map, you'll want to correct the camera coordinates. xwin, ywin, and cameratracking are builtin variables, which you can use in your hooked function.

Experiment more, even if you're slightly confused by the process! Fiddle around, since it's better to only ask for help when you actually need it. Try doing what you think would work first, and then if it doesn't, we can help you out more effectively.

I've also given you topics to look up in the documentation that explain the various things you're interested in addressing. Read and research them! If you don't understand something after you've read it, ask, and be specific about what you don't get. Try looking at demos too, of course, they're often caked with nifty stuff.

Nothing personal, just seems like you're a little reluctant to try things out for yourself. :D

Hmm... Actually though, it makes me wonder, maybe a tutorial on using the Hook functions could be written...

Ok Ive messed with this for about an hour now and not one thing has changed at all.

Here is the exactsituation:



When walking down, once the camera scrolls to that certain point, it will stop scrolling, but the overlay covers up whatever is under it...I need it to continue scrolling up so I can see where im going....

also if I walk into a town where they enter from the south border, I need the camera to be set so that when they show up, theyre not covered by the overlay.

Ive messed with the camera variable stuff for a long time now, and everything ive done hasnt done ANYTHING. Not a single change....

if I remember correctly, Kildorf did this

// uncatchcam!

//  Demonstrates how to "uncatch" the cam: the screen will continue on scrolling when you

//  near the edge of a map, so the player is always in the middle of the screen.

//

//  This isn't really "drop-in"able... you'll have to take a look at the source and figure

//  out exactly how it will work with your other stuff, especially retrace code.

//

//  Yet another mostly useless map trickery from Kildorf.

It was in a news post sometime back not too long ago.

Actually, I'll put it as a little function for you to use (adapted from Kildorf's code, of course.)

void uncatchcam() { // call this inside a hookretrace or somethin'

	int img, nx, ny, ex, ey;

	

	int scrx = ImageWidth(screen);

	int scry = ImageHeight(screen);

	

	ex = entity.x[p] + (entity.hotw[p]>>1); ey = entity.y[p] + (entity.hoth[p]>>1);

	

	if(ex < scrx>>1 || ey < scry>>1 || ex > curmap.w - scrx>>1 || ey > curmap.h - scry>>1) {

		img = duplicateImage(screen);



		// clears the screen

		rectFill(0,0,scrx,scry,0,screen);

		

		nx = 0; ny = 0;

		

		if(ex < scrx>>1) nx = (scrx>>1) - ex;

		else if(ex > mapx - (scrx>>1)) nx = mapx - (scrx>>1) - ex;

		if(ey < scry>>1) ny = (scry>>1) - ey;

		else if(ey > mapy - (scry>>1)) ny = mapy - (scry>>1) - ey;

		

		blit(nx,ny,img,screen);

		freeImage(img);

		

		blitEntityFrame(((scrx-entity.hotw[p])>>1),((scry-entity.hoth[p])>>1),p,entity.frame[p],screen);

	}

}

I'm not gonna pretend that the code is completely understandable at this point. However, I will point out that >>1 (which is bitshifting integers 1 to the right) is the same as dividing by 2, and that the "p" variable would point to the player entity (though you should rename it and adapt it to your own uses). This code isn't perfect, and I *anticipate* that the line with the blitEntityFrame() isn't needed (comment out that line and test it for me if you want, as I'm too lazy to mess with Kildorf's code XD)

EDIT: Note that he says it's not drop-in-abble. It's not. :( But the quick hack above *hopefully* should work nevertheless.
For most purposes, I would actually just make the map larger though. I mean, that versus using the function above XD.

EDIT2: Note to self and everyone else: camx and camy CAN'T MOVE the screen off of the map!

Arkhan - im pretty sure that xwin and ywin are made to
be limited so that the map can never be offset enough that you
would see the void beyond.

What I would do is simply use a different set of variables :)

just make yourself 2 global vars called xoffset and yoffset
then RenderMap(xoffset,yoffset,yourmapimg);
and replace the code that u have now to modify the values of xwin and ywin to modify these 2 (xoffset and yoffset that is)

Yeah I dont want the box to go up top. Thats wanged out. :)

Ill just make the map longer......its probably less work in the long run...