NES Screen Tool

[Shiru]

I'll think about remapping the key (how about the Scroll Lock?) and indication, although I don't really get the problem with Caps LED - it is like 30 cm from the window on my PC, and I have no problem to see if it on or off without looking at it directly.

'More than NROM' support is already there, but I don't plan to make animation functions, as the tool certainly wasn't designed for such things. I only had thoughts about fast switch between many nametable files, to make multiple screen edit faster.

[infiniteneslives]

Well my keyboard is on a sliding tray so the top portion of my keyboard where the lights are isn't visible 9 times out of 10. My other keyboard doesn't even have lights, probably to conserve power since it's wireless. And the keyboard I'm currently using doesn't have scroll lock and numlock is also out of the question...

I understand why it might be easier to check caps/scroll lock mode. I guess my biggest bother is the fact that my current mode while using your app also affects the mode of every other app I'm currently using on my computer. I NEVER use caps lock so it's difficult to remember to turn it on and off all the time. It become detrimental in Vi when hjkl are used to move the cursor and HJKL modify my code in undesirable ways.

I'm down for holding a key while I select things similar to excel.

[Shiru]

Well... so hold the key - any Shift, and forget the Caps Lock. No changes required then.

I certainly don't want to support keyboards that have no Lock keys, because these keys are standart, and widely used.

[infiniteneslives]

Awesome! works for me

[zlash]

This tool is pretty useful, thanks for your work!

I just have a question: Is there any way to take a shift-selected block from the tileset and apply it as a block to the nametable? I wasn't able to find any other way of transfering tiles from the tileset to the nametable apart of doing it one by one.

Thanks!

[Shiru]

Currently there is no such way. I thought to do it, it won't take much time, but I'm not sure about the logic. Is it OK that operations with copy/pasting graphics will change copy/paste buffer of nametable too? Or a separate key to paste selection from graphics into tileset without change of the buffer is a better idea?

[zlash]

I think that instead of copy-pasting between buffers, when you click on the nametable with apply tiles enabled it should apply tiles according to the selection on the tileset. In the case you have selected only one tile, it would behave like now, but if you have selected a block (and it also could work with discrete selections) all the selected tiles are inserted at the point you click on the nametable. It would work as some kind of "brush".

Does it make sense?

[Shiru]

Great idea, implemented. The file is updated.

[zlash]

That was fast!

Thanks a lot!

[Shiru]

Major update. Now it have built-in metasprite editor. You can create complex metasprites with non-regular grid aligned sprites, various palettes, horizontal and vertical flips. Beware the bugs and inconveniences, though, as currently I don't have time to make another NES game and test the new editor capabilities in real workflow.

[Shiru]

A minor problem with metasprite code generation reported by thefox in another thread is fixed, please redownload.

[Hamtaro126]

I've wished for direct support for using $0F in the palette selection as Black, but use of $0D and $1D is there instead, and we've proven that in any TV using signals, using palettes $0D, $1D, $0E, $1E, $2E, $3E, is not recommended, I am not sure about $1F,$2F,$3F,

Maybe you can turn them blacks to $0F by default, but make a toggle that gives them a warning about TVs not supporting some colors that are Pure Black if re-enabled, Benefiting the Use of $0F on any NES games created!.

[Shiru]

I don't quite get what you are talking about. There is only $0f for black in the editor, it automatically replaces $0d etc to $0f. You simply can't select $0d in the editor, by the exact reason that it would cause problems.

[Hamtaro126]

Oh, Did not notice, Sorry!

That was what I wanted!

[Shiru]

Minor update. Copy, paste, and flip for metasprites, mouse keys in the metatile editor are reassigned: RMB to move sprites, LMB just to select a sprite, LMB+Ctrl to change the origin of coordinates. Import BMP as a nametable now allows to use images of arbitrary size, not larger than 256x240.