The NGLE Manual
Changing
Object Colours
By Wayne
Scales
Instead of using flipmaps to
change the colour of objects we now can change the colour by
scripting a Parameter= command and using a flipeffect
to activate it. We can also vary colours between bright and
dark, like a pulsing effect. In this tutorial we will see
how to do that. The ColorRGB= command will be used to
create your desired colour.
Here is the syntax we'll use to edit the objects colour
attributes.
Parameters=PARAM_COLOR_ITEM, IdParamList, ColorType
(COLTYPE_...), ItemIndex, Index1ColorRGB, Index2ColorRGB,
SpeedChange
Description of
fields
IdParamList field= This is the number we type to
specify the "Parameters=PARAM_COLOR_ITEM" in the trigger
window of NGLE.
ColorType (COLTYPE_...) field= We have a choice
between flags here to specify what action you want the
object to take. Here are the possible flags:
COLTYPE_SET_COLOR= This is a command simply to change
the colour of the object.
COLTYPE_SET_PULSE= This flag only can be used with
the Index1ColorRGB field.
The engine will light the
object up and down continuously. A lot of experimenting is
required here. The max lighting the engine goes to is 255,
255, 255 so you would not have that value for the
Index1ColorRGB field.
COLTYPE_SHADE_COLORS=
This shades colours from first colour (Index1ColorRGB) to
second colour (Index2ColorRGB) and vice versa.
You can set the speed of
shading by typing a value in SpeedChange field.
ItemIndex field= The
objects ID goes in this field, telling the engine which
object you wish to edit. It can be found simply be clicking
on the oject in NGLE in the yellow frame. Look here if you
are unsure.
Index1ColorRGB field=
Here you have to type the ID of the ColorRGB= command that
you will use with this parameter. The ColorRGB= has to be in
same [Level] section where you place the
Parameters=PARAM_COLOR_ITEM command.
Index2ColorRGB field=
If your COLTYPE_ requires two colors, you have to type the
IdColor of the ColorRGB= command.
SpeedChange field= If
you use a COLTYPE_ requiring some dynamic effect (like PULSE
or SHADE) you can type this in the SpeedChange field the
number of frame for each cycle.
Rememeber that 30 frame = 1
second. So if you want to pulse from dark colour to light
colour every two seconds you could type 60.
Remark: the valid
range for speed is min: 1 max=255 (about 8 seconds)
Now i will show you the
ColorRGB=command used with the Parameters=PARAM_COLOR_ITEM
command.
It can also be used for many
other things too.
Here's the syntax:
ColorRGB=IdColor, Red, Green, Blue
Descriptions of
fields
IdColor field= This is
the ID number to identify this command from another
ColorRGB= command.
Red field
Intensity of Red. You can type value between 0 and 255
Green field
Intensity of green. You can type value between 0 and 255
Blue field
Intensity of blue. You can type value between 0 and 255
Now we are ready to start scripting these commands. We
will create our colour first. ColorRGB=1, 0,190,255.
Here we have a nice light blue affect. You can also have a
look in paint to get a very specific colour you wish to
create.
That's it for the colour,
just a lot of experimenting to get a nice effect.
Now we will script the Parameters=PARAM_COLOR_ITEM. Here is
one i made which simply changes the colour of the object to
the ColorRGB= command above.
Parameters=PARAM_COLOR_ITEM,1,COLTYPE_SET_COLOR,24,1,IGNORE,IGNORE
Notice the ItemIndex field. It has 24, which is the ID of
the object I use in my case. You will change this to your
desired one. The 1 next to 24 corresponds to the ColorRGB=
command that we scripted above. Notice how there is also a 1
in the IDColor field of the ColorRGB= command.
In the Index2ColorRGB field i typed IGNORE because you
cannot have two ColorRGB= commands for this field as it's
just changing the colour once! And we also don't need
anything in the speed field.
That's the scripting done so
now we will have to set a flipeffect triggering the
Parameters=PARAM_COLOR_ITEM= command. Notice how that
command has a 1 for its ID so we will trigger
Parameters=PARAM_COLOR_ITEM,1
Now trigger this and test it
out! Here is the result you will get on your specified
object. Experiment with some of you own commands.
Pulse
effect
Here is my own command which you should
study:
Parameters=PARAM_COLOR_ITEM,2,COLTYPE_SET_PULSE,24,1,IGNORE,60
This time we have a 2 in the IdParamList field and when
triggering this we will use Parameters=PARAM_COLOR_ITEM ,2.
Getting the idea now?
I have set the last field to
sixty so it will pulse up and down for 2 seconds. And the
result:
This is a really cool effect
as you could use this to simulate the shadow of a swinging
object, like a large pendulum swinging by, or you could
create a wacky colour for some fictional world. I will let
your imagination take over from here.
Shading
I have added anothe ColorRGB
command= to this as it will shade from one to the other and
vice-versa. Here it is:
ColorRGB=2, 45,255,158
(again notice the 2 for the IDColor field)
Here is the Parameters=Param_COLOR_ITEM= command.
Parameters=PARAM_COLOR_ITEM,3,COLTYPE_SHADE_COLORS,24,1,2,60
So you will trigger this
parameter by selecting a 3 in the
Parameters=PARAM_COLOR_ITEM window.
Also the 2 has been added to this command to the
Index2ColorRGB field to use with the IDColor field in the
ColorRGB=command. I can't emphasis this enough because if
wrong values have been entered here it will not work.
This is a really cool effect also! For example you could
make a pipe and once you press a button steam is emitted
because the pipe has become red hot.
Here are the effects of this command.
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