Gonstruct explained a bit.
 

I did a quick search on the forums on Gonstruct but i did not see any thread that really tried to help and explain how to use gonstruct. (i forshadow some other thread links)

What does Gonstruct really let you do? how?

Basically Gonstruct the main and big difference is that it offers layers. Everything else is the same. The layers work just like the ones in photoshop simply showing over the bottom layer under it. Or some may understand it more as if it was your old retroprojector back in school.
http://pechinchas.no.sapo.pt/foto1.JPG

The sheets used on retro projectors work the same way. If you take a marker and make a tree. Then you take a second clearsheet and put it over it, what ever you draw on that second sheet or "layer" will show over the bottom one. It will not effect the bottom layer at all.

So in gonstruct AT the moment you get a limit of 4 layers.

Layers 0, layer 1, layer 2, layer 3. They are all like their own clear sheet for a retroprojector showing in order. Highest number ontop.

WARNING: if you use 4 layers or more, the CLient WILL Bug out in this current version.

Converting your tileset to Gonstruct:


Here is an example of a level completed fully in gonstruct from maloria. The red circles represent spots that wont have to be extra tiles in a tile set or have to go over and do with an image so it doesnt show back ground.

http://img14.imageshack.us/img14/1244/42667391.png

You see on the right all the pink around the tiles. Basically the pink in game is going to be invisible thus letting the tiles SHOW OVER other tiles. All the tiles that are transed will be layer 1-3 beacause they will need back grounds to replace the pink that will be gone in game and in the editor.

To make a Tileset Gonstruct friendly First someone has to go in and paint all the backgrounds around the detailer tiles pink. as seen in this image. Only keep the parts of the tiles that you want to keep of course.

http://img33.imageshack.us/img33/2982/81855196.png

Once the backgrounds are all painted that same pink color all over. You need to get a program that will allow you to make a certain color transparent. In this case i will show Paint Shop Pro, Pro photo X2.

NOTE: when you make a new layer the first top left tile gets pasted all over that layer. To save you some trouble simply make that first tile 100% pink so its transed and wont cause any annoying problems.
http://img130.imageshack.us/img130/4887/84377667.png

First step open the tileset image
Second step click Image > Pallet > Set pallet transparency.

http://img27.imageshack.us/img27/1196/35689181.png

Then set the color to pink and thats it, save!

http://img5.imageshack.us/img5/2444/62443043.png


Now in the Gonstruct i'll show you my settings. When you click "show a list of tilesets" it should look something like this. It seems if you have another tileset infront of the one you want. Even if you select it as main, it will still bug out. So its best to just delete every other tileset. (as far as i know)

In the "preferences" it seems not having graal set as the folder can bug your editor as well.

http://img683.imageshack.us/img683/4185/47844153.png
http://img28.imageshack.us/img28/7504/59777599.png


Now how to use the layers? There is not really any correct way to use layers as long as it looks nice. Here is how i have used them to create a few levels without taking too much time.

Getting started:

Adding removing viewing layers:
To add layers you click the small plus sign beside the number witch shows your current layer. The minus sign is to delete the top layer. The box with a check mark is to toggle the layer invisible or not. This will show you witch tiles are on that layer its pretty helpful.

WARNING: if you open a second level the previous levels layer will show the same no the next but its acutally 0. So you need to click it to change it and its back on track. Everytime you switch levels you need to do this.

Heres how i like to do it as a general guide line.

Layer 0 = Dirt, grass, water, chairs, bushy grass.
Layer 1 = the smallest grass borders
layer 2 = the second taller grass borders and cliffs.
layer 3 = all the grass/dirt/water detailers and trees.

you may find situations where you need to wing it in many cases.

Here an example its kinda messy and i dont know if it will help but i will post it anyway.

layer 0 = background not highlighted but grass dirt water etc
layer 1= orange
layer 2 = blue
layer 3 = purle
http://img27.imageshack.us/img27/91/81551251.png

KNOWN BUGS:

1. do not go over 3 layers or you will see its not going to work right when you try to upload it online in RC
2. If you try to copy paste something from one edtior to another editor, it will crash.
3. If you highlight something and drag it out of its spot, what ever that is in your bottom right filling tile will replace it and cause problems. (not somuch a bug but can be VERY confusing with layers when its in the middle layers.)

http://img246.imageshack.us/img246/8515/47429899.png

4. possible problem if you dont set your folder as graal.
5. having a tileset above the one you want to use.
6. if you open a second level the previous levels layer will show the same on the next layer but its acutally 0. So you need to click it to change it and its back on track. Everytime you switch levels you need to do this.
I am sure ive made some spelling errors, i will edit again later.

In the end is it worth it?
yup!! :D very convenient!!!

Hmm, more than 3 layers don't work right in Graal? That's odd!

I agree.

The layers also cause the file to be bigger and cause a bit more lag ingame as well.

I think the next versions of graal will better support layers, I maybe wrong though.

Well Stefan has implied that it would be very easy to add the ability to draw layers over players, but I've never heard more than that about it.

And ya, each layer is basically another level stored in the same file so it will increase the file size a lot. However, any idea what kind of bugs layers > 3 cause? Because Graal's theoretically supports infinite layers, by NW format and by script. Is it just not drawing layers over 3?

Also, you should add in the cons of using layers. Specifically the lack of support on the official editor tools, that will pretty much delete all layer data and break the levels if used to edit anything.

Layer 3 itself is fine, its adding layer 4-5 and up.

When i was editing my level in the forest i tried to upload a level with 5 layers total (0 -1 -2 -3 -4 )

The Level kind of bugged and was showing tiles from a previous save i made with that level. It was pretty wierd but basically it wouldn't let me upload any updates with 5 total layers. IT would bug the level instantly on upload in RC.

Nice post. Will +rep when I can.

Wow, that is stupid. Surprised that nobody caught that.

Not sure what else it is supposed to do. I guess you should choose a fully transparent tile as default tile when working on upper layers. Incidentally, I suppose selecting non-opaque default tiles needs to clear the default tile display before drawing the new default tile on top.

I cannot actually reproduce this.

Edit: Oh, fry fixed it after the last release. Too bad.

Lets say you have two levels open. Your first level is set to layer 0 and your second is set to layer 1.

In the second level if i copy a tile while im on layer 1, then i click the tab for the first level and paste. The layer will show 1 but its acutally pasting it on layer 0.

didnt care to read because of the hug images, but, i guess, great work!

would be great if the images could get cut off some, u dont need to show all of the screen, for example.

what if i want you or who ever to see the whole images?

is really not that bad :P, all you have to do is scroll down like once or twice more. Plus it saves you from clicking!

I also noticed I circled the trees as layer 2 but they are acutally layer 3.

You can do them on the same layer as the tall border grass if you just put the linking tile on layer 1 so it shows under the tree.

Should be pointed out that Stefan has said he's fixed most (if not all) tilelayer related errors in his version of v6, he's been going off and on Maloria quite a while to debug it.

Nice tutorial jer. You should make a video of this tutorial.

I'd like to see how to add opacity to a tile like dusty did with the shadows in his tileset. Could someone please explain that too.

More of a Photoshop/Paint.NET/GIMP technique than Gonstruct and I'm sure there are MILLIONS of tutorials which tell you how to change the opacity of a layer, fill bucket or paintbrush/pencil. This can't be done in paint.

Opacity isn't currently supported by Graal. You'll have to wait for v6.

I don't even have a server or even gold, this is just for messing around in the editor.

Well in that case I accomplished it via creating shadows black, on a separate layer, and making the layer 33% opaque, I believe.

Or you can go the route of just filling it with an opaque bucket fill. Using layers makes it easier to control what you're doing though without messing with other colors on the tileset. Also easier to control the transparency as once you fill it with an opaque bucket fill you have to fill it back 100% and then redo the fill if you mess up.

Why is it that every time i try to put down a tile in layer 0 it disappears?

Do you happen to have tiles over it on a higher layer?

Usually i have grass over it. I don't know how to get rid of the grass though.

select a transparent, non-blocking tile and double click it before you create a new layer.

This thread should be stickied. Nice work!

Thanks :D

Or simply flood fill the layer with the transparent tile. :oo:

I always make all my layers at once so I usually do it my way.

That doesn't work for me on gonstruct for some reason :/

Well it might not be a super popular thread but glad it helped some people.

Hello!

Does this level work online too?

I think Maloria made use of layers. Not sure about the specifics.

Yes.