I should probably mention that there are a few notable restrictions at play here.
One of which is that the maximum object size is theoretically 7 x 7, though it's normally much smaller. If the object has any real height to it, you'll never be able to make it 7 x 7. The object editor will throw up a "Range Check Error" which is code for, "F*ck you, this object won't work and I'm deleting all of your sh*t immediately giving you no option to save it. LOL".
Also, anything peepable is a challenge. If you have a building that guests can actually enter, it's best to leave the entry way block the way it was OR start the custom object 4 units up so they can walk "under it". You can (and I have) done this with objects that I knew I was planning to convert going in where I built the top half before the bottom half, but to go back and convert something like that later on is a nightmare and will remain a nightmare unless they create some type of reverse cut away view option or the tile inspector has a "delete everything under this base height aside from "surface" option.
For example... you all might remember this screen.
Both sides of the door on that bumper car building are now single objects. The one on the right is 5 x 1 because it can only go back 1 unit before the bumper car ride starts. You an actually see the cars behind the brown poles in the yellow building's windows.
On the left side, it's 7 x 2 and includes some of the path which is no longer peepable and doesn't have to be because there's another path section right in front of it that is. I couldn't go 7 x 3 because of the location of the queue (that you can clearly see inside the building).
All that said, the section where the doorway is is unchanged. I didn't convert it because it's not worth wasting a large scenery slot on and it would need to start 4 units up so guests could go through the door. The game basically sees everything you convert as a solid wall, so if you have a porch or something and guests walk through it, it won't look right.
The final major restriction (aside from the general height limit) is the glitch factor. The taller it is, the more likely it is to glitch. If it's one unit deep, you'll be fine (so with a 7 x 1 object, you're golden), but once you add extra units of depth you start taking a risk. At that point you can still split them up and stack them, but it's easier if you don't stack these objects and can just set the clearance height to be higher than you really need.
One good thing, is that you can take advantage of isometric view. If you have a canopy, window, door... whatever that's actually in front of the square you selected but doesn't protrude beyond the leftmost and rightmost tile of the object then the game doesn't care. You can include that in your object.
For example... this is what the objects for that tram depot look like.
The sign appears to "stick out" but it doesn't really. It lines up with the rightmost part of the object (or the leftmost in the other object). It looks like a mind f*ck, but why cut it off when it'll just mean I have to line it up with tremendous precision to avoid a glaring black line?
See the little white "lamps" on my light object? They're 1/4 tile end caps set like 5 units behind the object in each direction covered up by the pot object. They don't break the vertical plane, so they work perfectly and it's now a 1x1 object. That object wouldn't have actually been possible WITHOUT converting it because you would see those terribly placed end caps when you rotated the view.
So, in short... this comes with limits, but it also creates some cool opportunities to cheat the system. Being able to take anything in front of the object that doesn't break the vertical plane and isn't visible from the reverse side (usually doors, signs, windows and trim) or making shit that you would never be able to make (like those bulbs) are the biggest pros. Dealing with peepability, glitching and range check errors are the biggest cons.
One good thing, is that you can take advantage of isometric view. If you have a canopy, window, door... whatever that's actually in front of the square you selected but doesn't protrude beyond the leftmost and rightmost tile of the object then the game doesn't care.
Doing things like this might explain why you're getting glitches. For example, if a peep is in front of the tile where you said the object was, but behind where it's supposed to appear, then the object is going to be erroneously drawn behind the peep.
That's not to say you can't ever do things like this, but I suspect the glitches you're experiencing are not inherent to the game.
Each map element corresponds to a tile. The base height and clearance height correspond to the lower and upper bounds for the sprite in world space - and so long as all the pixels in that sprite fall within this bounding cuboid, and no other objects occupy the volume, it shouldn't glitch.
Oh no, I'm not doing it in any instance where a peep would walk in front of the object. It's basically only good for things that are right up against the building anyway but technically one square ahead... like molding, doors, overhangs over the doors windows, things like that...
I'm honestly really not getting any glitches. I only have 2 objects that glitch. One can be fixed by placing an object over it, the other might need tweaking (or a well placed dummy object).
Oh, I see. Yeah, that's not going to cause glitches. It was the comment about peeps walking inside buildings that I was thinking about - I thought you had put the floor and the ceiling as one sprite.
Bill, you know about hitting the "H" and "V" keys to remove the base land and vertical land before screen capturing your desired building? If not, you'll find it much, much easier to prepare the object you desire to create before transferring it into the object editor.
28 Comments
Coasterbill Offline
I should probably mention that there are a few notable restrictions at play here.
One of which is that the maximum object size is theoretically 7 x 7, though it's normally much smaller. If the object has any real height to it, you'll never be able to make it 7 x 7. The object editor will throw up a "Range Check Error" which is code for, "F*ck you, this object won't work and I'm deleting all of your sh*t immediately giving you no option to save it. LOL".
Also, anything peepable is a challenge. If you have a building that guests can actually enter, it's best to leave the entry way block the way it was OR start the custom object 4 units up so they can walk "under it". You can (and I have) done this with objects that I knew I was planning to convert going in where I built the top half before the bottom half, but to go back and convert something like that later on is a nightmare and will remain a nightmare unless they create some type of reverse cut away view option or the tile inspector has a "delete everything under this base height aside from "surface" option.
For example... you all might remember this screen.
Both sides of the door on that bumper car building are now single objects. The one on the right is 5 x 1 because it can only go back 1 unit before the bumper car ride starts. You an actually see the cars behind the brown poles in the yellow building's windows.
On the left side, it's 7 x 2 and includes some of the path which is no longer peepable and doesn't have to be because there's another path section right in front of it that is. I couldn't go 7 x 3 because of the location of the queue (that you can clearly see inside the building).
All that said, the section where the doorway is is unchanged. I didn't convert it because it's not worth wasting a large scenery slot on and it would need to start 4 units up so guests could go through the door. The game basically sees everything you convert as a solid wall, so if you have a porch or something and guests walk through it, it won't look right.
The final major restriction (aside from the general height limit) is the glitch factor. The taller it is, the more likely it is to glitch. If it's one unit deep, you'll be fine (so with a 7 x 1 object, you're golden), but once you add extra units of depth you start taking a risk. At that point you can still split them up and stack them, but it's easier if you don't stack these objects and can just set the clearance height to be higher than you really need.
One good thing, is that you can take advantage of isometric view. If you have a canopy, window, door... whatever that's actually in front of the square you selected but doesn't protrude beyond the leftmost and rightmost tile of the object then the game doesn't care. You can include that in your object.
For example... this is what the objects for that tram depot look like.
The sign appears to "stick out" but it doesn't really. It lines up with the rightmost part of the object (or the leftmost in the other object). It looks like a mind f*ck, but why cut it off when it'll just mean I have to line it up with tremendous precision to avoid a glaring black line?
See the little white "lamps" on my light object? They're 1/4 tile end caps set like 5 units behind the object in each direction covered up by the pot object. They don't break the vertical plane, so they work perfectly and it's now a 1x1 object. That object wouldn't have actually been possible WITHOUT converting it because you would see those terribly placed end caps when you rotated the view.
So, in short... this comes with limits, but it also creates some cool opportunities to cheat the system. Being able to take anything in front of the object that doesn't break the vertical plane and isn't visible from the reverse side (usually doors, signs, windows and trim) or making shit that you would never be able to make (like those bulbs) are the biggest pros. Dealing with peepability, glitching and range check errors are the biggest cons.
saxman1089 Offline
You just blew me away with those end-cap lamps. That's totally ingenious and I love it!
historyfreak92 Offline
I do remember the wing coaster i just hoped i didnt offend you by asking how this park is!
X7123M3-256 Offline
Doing things like this might explain why you're getting glitches. For example, if a peep is in front of the tile where you said the object was, but behind where it's supposed to appear, then the object is going to be erroneously drawn behind the peep.
That's not to say you can't ever do things like this, but I suspect the glitches you're experiencing are not inherent to the game.
Each map element corresponds to a tile. The base height and clearance height correspond to the lower and upper bounds for the sprite in world space - and so long as all the pixels in that sprite fall within this bounding cuboid, and no other objects occupy the volume, it shouldn't glitch.
Coasterbill Offline
Oh no, I'm not doing it in any instance where a peep would walk in front of the object. It's basically only good for things that are right up against the building anyway but technically one square ahead... like molding, doors, overhangs over the doors windows, things like that...
I'm honestly really not getting any glitches. I only have 2 objects that glitch. One can be fixed by placing an object over it, the other might need tweaking (or a well placed dummy object).
X7123M3-256 Offline
Oh, I see. Yeah, that's not going to cause glitches. It was the comment about peeps walking inside buildings that I was thinking about - I thought you had put the floor and the ceiling as one sprite.
][ntamin22 Offline
I can't wait to right-click on this park and accidentally delete the entire thing
nin Offline
QFT
bigshootergill Offline
Bill, you know about hitting the "H" and "V" keys to remove the base land and vertical land before screen capturing your desired building? If not, you'll find it much, much easier to prepare the object you desire to create before transferring it into the object editor.