Showcase v0.6 Released October 11th, 1997 ----------------------------------------- Programmers ----------- Anime FX [animefx@famvid.com] Guy From Nebraska [not available] Contents -------- * Introduction * Key Features * What's New * What's Missing * Credits Introduction ------------ Showcase is coded in Visual Basic 3. Windows 3.1 or Windows 95 is required. I created this program to allow ROM translators/editors to design 8x8 sprites faster and much more accuratly then doing it on paper with and with a calculator. You draw them, and get the hex values with the press of a botton. It has been tested, and will work with any ROM, and from any system. I have included sample files that you can use if needed. If you use Showcase to help you on your projects, please mention Showcase somewhere in your documentation. Have fun! Key Features ------------ * Save/Save As/Open - The format I used will allow you to convert your old notepad typed character data to .sho files easily. If you have files that look like this: 00111100 01100110 01100110 01111110 01100110 01100110 00000000 saved as a .txt file or whatever, simply open it in notepad and do the following: 0011110001100110011001100111111001100110011001100110011000000000 "your comment about what you have made goes on this 2nd line" ..then save it as a .sho file All I did was backspace everything so that it was on one line as opposed to 8 having seperate lines. Below your long line of 1s and 0s you can write any comments you wish, this will appear in the "user's comments" box when you open the file in Showcase. When you are done save the file as WhatEverYouWant.sho, and then open it in Showcase and it will convert it and allow you to edit it or vew the hex values. *Clear - This will simply clears everything you have done, including hex values and comments. *Add Rows - Not necessary, but if you would like to see the total bit values for whatever row. you can click on the "+" sign to the right and then Showcase will tell you. *Hex Values - Gets the entire Hex Values for each row and lines them up in the box. Each value is seperated by a space. Anyways, you can copy everything and then search for it in Ultra Edit-32, if you use Hex Workshop then press "Trim", and that will take out all of the spaces for you. *User's Comments - Allows you to write comments about what you have made. This is useful especially if you are doing muliple translations, want to have the characters bit location handy, or have a japanese character and want to remember its meaning. What's New ---------- [ Showcase v0.6 ] Everything is new.. it is the first version! Coming Soon ----------- * More features * 16x16 and other sizes * Support for more layers * Multiple Colors (currently black and white) * Built in Front End * Other stuff (suggestions are appreciated) What You Will Need ------------------ You will need a mouse! Showcase is designed to run on Windows 3.1 or Windows 95 on any speed computer. If you have problems running Showcase then you might be missing a file or two. You will need to have "VBrun300.dll" in your windows/system directory, and the .vbx files that have been included. Credits ------- * Thanks to J3d! of De-Jap Translations, the program was originally based on his "8x8 font replacement method", and all his other documentation. * Thanks to RPGe for working hard on FF5e. It is there work that has inspired me to become involved with ROM translation. Currently, I am working a translation to Dragon Quest 5. * Huge thanks to Guy From Nebraska, without him this program would not be possible! * I also would like to thank my friends who have always been there for me (in real life, and in the emu scene).. Its been a blast, and things are going to get much better in the future. End --- If you have any questions, comments, suggestions, or have info on how to calculate 16x16 without drawing out seperate tables, etc then please send me an e-mail: animefx@famvid.com Please no ROM request.