Tutorial #1.2 - FPG files

Alright, now to start on the FPG file for our starwars game. Firstly we'll use the default palette used by DIV. So go to palette/open and select the file DIV.PAL. This will load the palette. If you want to have a look at it then go to 'show palette' on the palette menu.

Now we need to create the FPG file itself. Go to the File menu and select new. Give the file the name 'starwars.fpg' and save it to the base directory of DIV (eg c:\div rather than the default given) to make file access easier.

Now click save and up should come your new FPG window. This is where all our graphics are going to be kept. So now we have the proverbial empty box, which we'll fill with graphics.

Start by going to maps and selecting new. Up should come a 'default size' properties box. In this we shall select the size 640 x 480 and click OK. This should present you with a blank map on the screen. Naturally at this point it's empty, so to start drawing we should double click on it.

This will bring up an empty screen with your drawing area. Select the spray tool and select the smallest size brush. Now give the map a spray of white all over to give the effect of stars. You may also want to throw a few specks of grey in for a bit of colour :)

Close down the drawing area and get back to the small 'preview' map. Now drag the small 'preview' map into the FPG window that we made earlier. Let go and a properites box should pop up. Select the graphic as number one (it should be already, but check to be safe) and rename it as 'night sky background' and click OK. The graphic is now stored in the FPG file.

Now, create another two graphics. Make them both 50 x 50 in size. The first should be an asteroid. Make it by giving a heavy spray or two with the spray gun at its largest brush setting. The second should be your space shuttle. Make it an awful looking blue triangle for now. It's unimpressive I know, but graphics are superficial at this point in time!

Drag both graphics into the FPG box and save the asteroid as graphic number 2 (renamed to 'asteroid') and the space shuttle as graphic number 3 (renamed to 'space shuttle'). Now we are ready to continue with the hard job of programming, but before that I need a well earned break, so I'll continue this later in Tutorial #3!

This tutorial is ©2000 Fore-go gaming.