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Author Topic: Newb ?: How do I increase graphic tile size?  (Read 5158 times)

celt

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Newb ?: How do I increase graphic tile size?
« on: June 07, 2011, 11:55:42 pm »

Hiya all.  Greetings.  I'm new to the game and haven't actually played yet, still trying to get it to look right before I dive in.

I have a widescreen (1920 x 1200 native) monitor and I'm starting out with the LazyNewb Pack.  Using that I've sampled the Ironhand, Mayday, and Phoebus graphic sets.  I've always made sure to update the savegame using Lazy Newb when I change graphics.  I've also downloaded and tried (with no luck) Yayo's Oreslam character set (it's quite large), because I thought I saw someone say that the graphics set inherits its size from the character set. 

I've also zoomed in with the mouse wheel as far as I can (always only 2 notches, I believe).  Throughout all this I feel like I'm squinting at the little dwarves, wildlife, and whatnot.  I'd think the tiles would need to be somewhere between double and quadruple the size they are now for it to feel like I wasn't squinting.

Over and over again I keep finding threads describing a "Grid: X" setting in the init.txt file, which is apparantly extinct.  Did nothing replace it?

For extra information:  I've tried windowed and fullscreen (my goal is windowed).  I've bumped the WindowedX/Y settings up and down.  I've changed the character files.  The windows are allowed to be resized.  I've had Blackspace be on and off for characters and graphics.  I've bumped the GRAPHICS_WINDOWEDX/Y settings up and down.  I've had Truetype on and off (thinking that it may be keeping the graphic tileset from inheriting the size of the character tileset). 

All in all, this number of settings creates a LOT of possible combinations.  I've tried a bunch, but apparantly I haven't tried the one I need. ;)   After two days of attempts, with many hours used in each day, I surrender to the forces of the forums.  Please, help me increase the size of the graphic tiles on my monitor.    :'(
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Sidhien

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Re: Newb ?: How do I increase graphic tile size?
« Reply #1 on: June 08, 2011, 08:24:20 am »

Not that I have any idea how to do this, but what happens if you try to increase the tile size with graphics turned off? Is it possible?
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nanomage

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Re: Newb ?: How do I increase graphic tile size?
« Reply #2 on: June 08, 2011, 10:01:33 am »

Not that I have any idea how to do this, but what happens if you try to increase the tile size with graphics turned off? Is it possible?
Yes it is you can scroll the picture closer or further with graphics off and this will result in your ascii font becoming bigger or smaller, respectively.
Apart from this, i've no idea on how to help the OP, unfortunately
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ShinWalks

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Re: Newb ?: How do I increase graphic tile size?
« Reply #3 on: June 08, 2011, 11:56:04 am »

The best way to change the tile sie on the screen is to use a new tileset with larger tiles. The wiki page has tons and tons of tilesets to choose from; I use Cooz 16x16.

Instructions to install and use new tilesets
Tons of tilesets

For those too lazy to read the instructions in the wiki article:

-put tileset image in folder DF/data/art/
-open DF/data/init/init.txt
-set [WINDOWEDX:__] and [WINDOWEDY:__] to the resolution (IN TILES) that you want the winow to be (default is 80x25)
-profit?

edit: oh, you're using nasty graphics :/ I can't speak for the LNP, I'm ascii ll the way :p
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celt

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Re: Newb ?: How do I increase graphic tile size?
« Reply #4 on: June 08, 2011, 12:10:08 pm »


For those too lazy to read the instructions in the wiki article:

edit: oh, you're using nasty graphics :/ I can't speak for the LNP, I'm ascii ll the way :p

Yeah, I might be dumb, but I think I haven't been lazy.   ;) 

I'll try what has been suggested, about turning off the graphics and just using ascii.  It sounds like I'll gain size and probably lose some looks. 

But I'm still interested if anyone knows a way to increase the graphic tile size besides the two clicks of mouse wheel zooming.  And what did happen to the "Grix: X" setting?  Gone?
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Saiko Kila

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Re: Newb ?: How do I increase graphic tile size?
« Reply #5 on: June 08, 2011, 01:01:32 pm »

The best way to change the tile sie on the screen is to use a new tileset with larger tiles. The wiki page has tons and tons of tilesets to choose from; I use Cooz 16x16.

Instructions to install and use new tilesets
Tons of tilesets

For those too lazy to read the instructions in the wiki article:

-put tileset image in folder DF/data/art/
-open DF/data/init/init.txt
-set [WINDOWEDX:__] and [WINDOWEDY:__] to the resolution (IN TILES) that you want the winow to be (default is 80x25)
-profit?

edit: oh, you're using nasty graphics :/ I can't speak for the LNP, I'm ascii ll the way :p

As far as I know there are no tilesets bigger than 18x18, which is indeed too small on 1920x1200. But I use it anyway, because there are no bigger tilesets. Oh and the codepage used as base for the standard tileset in DF has nothing to do with ASCII. It's much bigger than that, so really there's not much difference between that and a graphics tileset. I doubt many of "ASCII lovers" would play DF if it was limited to true ASCII.
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celt

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Re: Newb ?: How do I increase graphic tile size?
« Reply #6 on: June 08, 2011, 03:29:28 pm »

Ok, after more tinkering. . .

I tried turning off graphics, and using the "pure" ascii -   not gonna happen.  I'd rather small graphics tilesets than large-enough character tilesets.  No offense intended towards the ascii people.

Alternatively, I discovered something.  I stretched the window of the game so that it was much larger than my screen size and then zoomed in with the mouse wheel and was able to get a very nice multiplier on the graphics tileset.  Sadly, this puts the the command window off the screen.

So, coming at this from a new angle (but still the same basic question):  Is it possible for me to fake out the program and make it think that I have the window bigger than I actually do, thus allowing me to zoom in so close and still leave the command window onscreen?  I dunno, I'm just taking stabs here.  It looks like such a fun game to play, but I'm anal about getting everything set up.   ;D
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Organon

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Re: Newb ?: How do I increase graphic tile size?
« Reply #7 on: June 13, 2011, 03:29:33 pm »

As a workaround, you can lower your screen resolution while playing DF. Use a lower resolution with the same aspect ratio for maximum quality; it'll always look slightly worse because of the scaling, though. So with your display you could give 1680x1050 or 1440x900 a try.
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MystRunner

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Re: Newb ?: How do I increase graphic tile size?
« Reply #8 on: June 13, 2011, 03:51:32 pm »

Yeah with that large of a resolution monitor your best bet is to adjust it and not the game. for instance the computer I run Dorf Fort on has a resolution of 1280 x 768. I would not go much lower then 1280 I've ran DF on an older machine with 800 x 600 and it was unbearable graphic wise.
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Organon

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Re: Newb ?: How do I increase graphic tile size?
« Reply #9 on: June 15, 2011, 04:12:42 am »

Instead of lowering display resolution, one could also scale the tileset itself. I just tried scaling Phoebus_16x16.png up to 384x384 pixels (i.e. a tilesize of 24x24); with bicubic filtering and some sharpening applied  it looks better than lowering the screen resolution, I think.
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celt

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Re: Newb ?: How do I increase graphic tile size?
« Reply #10 on: June 15, 2011, 10:08:53 am »

Instead of lowering display resolution, one could also scale the tileset itself. I just tried scaling Phoebus_16x16.png up to 384x384 pixels (i.e. a tilesize of 24x24); with bicubic filtering and some sharpening applied  it looks better than lowering the screen resolution, I think.

Ooo, that sounds interesting.  What program(s) did you use for that procedure?
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Organon

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Re: Newb ?: How do I increase graphic tile size?
« Reply #11 on: June 15, 2011, 10:59:01 am »

I used GIMP.

Edit: You can use anything that doesn't destroy the transparency and supports the filters you want to use (bicubic resampling and sharpening for instance). Here's a link.
« Last Edit: June 15, 2011, 11:13:42 am by Organon »
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celt

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Re: Newb ?: How do I increase graphic tile size?
« Reply #12 on: June 15, 2011, 12:42:39 pm »

So, I tried your modification, and oddly:  When the game starts up, the window is much bigger, and the ansi graphics animated scenes are also much bigger.  But when I load up my save and enter the actual game, everything is the same size as when I'm using the 16x16 set.  I verified this by physically measuring a square on my screen and the 16x16 is the same as 24x24.

So there must be a setting somewhere that will allow the gameplay to be as large as the opening animations.  I've tried changing the WINDOWEDX, the BLACK_SPACE, and the PRINT_MODE settings.  I've changed things by themselves and in combos and the only setting that caused any change at all is PRINT_MODE.  I'd started with PRINT_MODE:2D (the default I think?) and that seems to keep the tile size at a fixed proportion, but if I switch it to PRINT_MODE:STANDARD then I'm allowed to increase the tile beyond the norm, but it ends up squashed due to my non-square, 1920x1200 screen.  I need the increase without the tall/thin look.

I'm keeping my eye on this "GIMP/Scale the tileset" solution, and I appreciate the idea.  It seems like there's some Init file setting holding me back.  I've still not heard anyone say what happened to the GRID:X setting mentioned in the wiki.  It seems like that setting would be pretty vital to my situation.  Anyone know?   :D
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Organon

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Re: Newb ?: How do I increase graphic tile size?
« Reply #13 on: June 15, 2011, 01:11:18 pm »

Unfortunately I'm quite new to this game, so I don't have any idea what might be causing your problem. I noticed a curious thing myself while comparing 16x16 and 24x24, namely: When I move the game window while playing with the 24x24 tileset, everything gets a little bit smaller (maybe 23.5^2 per tile). See the screenshot here: http://postimage.org/image/wi0joqn8/
« Last Edit: June 15, 2011, 01:19:13 pm by Organon »
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Nameless Archon

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Re: Newb ?: How do I increase graphic tile size?
« Reply #14 on: June 15, 2011, 01:21:21 pm »

So, I tried your modification, and oddly:  When the game starts up, the window is much bigger, and the ansi graphics animated scenes are also much bigger.  But when I load up my save and enter the actual game, everything is the same size as when I'm using the 16x16 set.  I verified this by physically measuring a square on my screen and the 16x16 is the same as 24x24.
Did you update the save files in your save game, or only the generic files in the main folder?

IIRC, you will get results like you describe if you don't update your saves (the Lazy Newb Pack does this for its users if you accept the prompt). I believe that DF is storing the tileset information somewhere in the save game folders, so you can (theoretically) use different tilesets with different worlds, if you are so inclined.

This is commonly the case for folks switching between same-sized tilesets with an existing world - I've seen it whenever I stop using Phoebus's textures and try out Ironhand or Mayday (and inevitably switch back). Try creating a new world using the 24x24 tileset installed and see if that allows you to create a NEW world with the appropriate tiles. If so, the problem is almost certainly failing to update the savegame, so you have the game "menus" (and any new worlds you might create) using the new tileset, but the old world is still set to use the old tileset until it's updated to use the new one.

That's the good news. The bad news is I don't know how to update the saves, so you'll have to do some homework on that one.

For an example, taking a look at Phoebus's thread (here) shows us that if you don't update saves you don't get the new tiles. If you can figure out what's needed to update a save game, you are in business.
« Last Edit: June 15, 2011, 01:28:35 pm by Nameless Archon »
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