WingNuts and Bolts WingNuts and BoltsThis section details the Graphics menu
When you start a new scenairo you will probably begin with the Graphics item. Here you can import all the graphics to be used in the game.
There are 3 sections to the Graphics. Game Sprites, Background Textures, Background Tiles
Game Sprites are any items not used in the background maps. These include (but are not limited to) explosions, player ships, weapons, turrets, tentacles, bosses and carriers. Usually the bulk of the graphics will be found under the Game Sprites category.
Background Textures are the game textures used to create a map. These are repeating tiles which you can paint onto a map (this is covered in detail in the Maps section).
Background Tiles are are images that lay ontop of Background Textures. These are used to make more static items such as roads and runways. These were not heaviloy used in WingNUts 2.
Use the "New Sprite" button to import a graphic into WingNuts and Bolts. You'll be presented with a standard open dilogue box. You can import a graphic in the following formats:
Once you open the file, you will be presented with WingNuts and Bolts import dialogue
Importing a new sprite.
Here you can name the sprite, designate it's framerate, choose it's animation type and it's category.
The Framerate applies to animated sprites. To create an animated sprite, you need to import all frames of animation. WingNuts and Bolts handles the importing for you. Lets say you have a sprite that has 4 frames of animation. Simply save the files with the following naming convention:
Each frame has a number at the end (but before the file extension). 1 is the first frame in the animation. You can have as many or as few as you want. A blinking light only needs 2 frames, while a walking robot may need 16 frames. The Frame rate field lets you choose how fast or slow the sprite will animate. Because this is sprite animation, 16 frames a second should ideal for most animations.
Animation type lets you choose between Forward loop, See-saw and Reverse loop.
Forward loop runs through the animation counting up, 1, 2, 3, 4, 1, 2, 3,4, etc...
See-saw runs through the animation up and down, 1, 2, 3, 4, 3, 2, 1, 2, 3, etc...
Reverse loop runs through the animation backwards, 4, 3, 2, 1, 4, 3, 2, 1, etc...
The Sprite category allows you to assign the sprite to a category listing. These are not absolute, they are simply guidelines for the person creating the scenario. If you put a sprite under Projectiles and it should be a ground unit, you can still use the sprite as a ground unit, or a projectile.
The options under Show, allow you to inspect the image. You can veiw the composite image, the raw imagine even the alpha mask. Animation lets you view the sprite animating either frame by frame, or automatic. Zoom level lets you zoom into the sprite you are importing.
You add a new texture much like a sprite. Most likely you will want your textures to tile, as they will look very weird if they do not.
Importing a new texture
As you can see in the above image, you only have the option to name a texture. All textures are stored in the texture area of the Scenario file.
The Background tiles function a lot like textures, except they are drawn on top of textures. A good way visualize this is, the background texture is the grass and dirt, and the Background tile is the pavement for a road.
Importing a new tile
Here you can see a tile that is going to be used for a road. You'll notice the double yellow line. Tiles images are split up into 4 sections. AA, AB, BB and BA.
This allows you to paint may different tiles together to acheive different effects. Split tile and Merge tile perform the same function.
To fully understand the tiles, lets look at the road tile.
When we bring the tile into WingNuts and Bolts and splits the tile up into 4 peices like so.
Each sections (AB, BB, etc...) can be placed individually. This lets you mix and match peices allowing for winding roads and other effects.