Evo to MTM2 SIT files

EmceeMart · Post by **EmceeMart** » Sat Jun 28, 2003 9:30 am

(by Winterkill)
To do what I did with my track (importing into MTM2) requires a trick you are not in a position to exploit just yet, and I must admit there is a fair bit to know and the learning curve is not instantaneous, familiarity with and the ability to edit .SIT files is also a required skill - but only at a very basic level. The "trick" is in using a utilty that Phineus has developed, it will convert the "boxes" (models) portion of an Evo1 .SIT file into the MTM2 variety, which can then be pasted into the .SIT file produced by Traxx.

Could we have more details please? Is this utility available yet?

wint · Post by **wint** » Sat Jun 28, 2003 10:12 pm

I''ll be back.
In some hours, with the basics. [(-:]

EmceeMart · Post by **EmceeMart** » Sun Jun 29, 2003 1:45 am

Thanks Wint

In the meantime I've been looking at the differences between the Box information in the MTM2 and Evo SIT files and I can see what to do. They are very similar - I'm guessing it's simply a matter of removing the superfluous Evo information then cutting and pasting into the MTM2 file. Seems like a straightforward task with just a few models... but if there are lots of models a nifty script would be a great help (I'm assuming that is what Phin has come up with).

My cogs are turning (with the help of a little lubrication) and I am now wondering if you can plot a main course in Evo and paste that info into an MTM2 SIT? Bearing in mind the points difference between the two games it would have to be a fairly simple course. I intend to try it over the next 15 mins. Looking forward to your reply.

Wint · Post by **Wint** » Sun Jun 29, 2003 3:28 am

Here ya go: the <a href=http://mtm2.com/~trackville/tracked3/boxconvert.zip>box converter</a> along with a "readme" (at this point is just enough for Emcee and would likely leave most others puzzled - it's just a temporary version so don't distrubute everywhere across the net yet, hehe). I'll try to post more info soon so the whole process makes sense and flows smoothly.

>> "and I am now wondering if you can plot a main course in Evo and paste that info into an MTM2 SIT? "

If memory serves corectly - the data is identical, if so then yes. I'm scrambling to find my notes about all of this SIT stuff and put it all together! Until then... good luck!

Post by **Phineus** » Sun Jun 29, 2003 3:53 am

> at this point is just enough for Emcee

. . . and anybody else familiar with mtm2 sit files and the evo1 game.

Your instructions look clear to me.

edit. In case there's any doubt, the utility is an ad hoc tool used to convert evo1 sit file box info into a cut and paste version that can be inserted into the box portion of a mtm2 sit file - which is one of the primary obstacles to a straight change over.

ps. Malibu350 does not use this.

Malibu350 · Post by **Malibu350** » Sun Jun 29, 2003 9:25 pm

It's true that I don't use this, and that's by choice, stifles the creativity ya know hehe...
but necessity is a whole 'nother story... :o)

Wint, your explanation was very clear and to the point, perfectly written... my results were 100% on the first try... thx, and thx for the program phin!

EmceeMart · Post by **EmceeMart** » Sun Jun 29, 2003 10:35 pm

Thanks WK.... your readme is clear and concise. Thanks for the proggy Phin.

It's true that I don't use this, and that's by choice, stifles the creativity ya know hehe...
but necessity is a whole 'nother story... :o)

Mal, you're a masochist.... I bet you'd rather use Winterkill's "2 pixel torture" rather than Slice60 [:)]

A lesson learned re plotting a main course in Evo for pasting into MTM2:
It certainly looks like it will work (as long as the points count remains within MTM2 limits) BUT your course must keep clear of the map edges. I found that TrackEd3 likes to "cross the boundary" too easily if you stray too near the edge of the map.

Post by **Phineus** » Mon Jun 30, 2003 12:34 am

> I bet you'd rather use Winterkill's "2 pixel torture" rather than Slice60

It's true; he does [rofl]

Malibu350 · Post by **Malibu350** » Tue Jul 01, 2003 1:11 am

sshhhhuussshh! don't go givin my secrets away

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Tue Jul 01, 2003 4:23 am

What was the question?????

I seem to have dug myself a big hole here.

The original intention was to utilise TrackEd3 (Evo1 Editor) for use in MTM2. Lured at first by Winterkill's tasty bit of bait about how he got his models in Wake Up so perfectly positioned.... got me thinking, what other info could one utilise by cutting and pasting into an MTM2 SIT file?

Seemed to me that plotting a course in TrackEd3 (for cutting and pasting into the MTM2 SIT) would be a simple task.... and it certainly seems to work.

BUT, but, but...... I realised that what I really needed was a Traxx file to make it be of any use... i.e for plotting "extended courses (2 & 3)".

It works for sure (as WK comments above, the data is identical)...

Thing is:

#1 your track has to be pretty near complete

#2 there seems no way of converting a POD to a Traxx file to improve/refine/edit

That is of course, if anyone knows something that I don't. (waiting for email overload [:)])

Following this so far?

is there such a word as "spamelicious"?[:)]

Post by **Phineus** » Tue Jul 01, 2003 4:44 am

> What was the question?????

Something about the meaning of life.

> I seem to have dug myself a big hole here.

Aye, ye have.

> Seemed to me that plotting a course in TrackEd3 would be a simple task....

True, but is plotting a course the most difficult thing to do in traxx? Seems to me we save the acrobatic tricks for the tough stuff.

> BUT, but, but...... plotting "extended courses (2 & 3)

Can you not just paste three times?

> #1 your track has to be pretty near complete

Yes.

> #2 there seems no way of converting a POD to a Traxx file to improve/refine/edit

I started with an mtm sit, same as you'd do with a trk file. The terrain is the tough part.

> That is of course, if anyone knows something that I don't.

You start with mtm2, import to tracked3, go to work on the sit, the terrain is as you left it.

> is there such a word as "spamelicious"?

Not in my kitchen.

[(-:]

Wint · Post by **Wint** » Tue Jul 01, 2003 5:53 am

I'm glad the doc worked out, but I need to add a prologue and epilogue. ;)

>> That is of course, if anyone knows something that I don't.

Of courses Emcee, I do. I've made a lot of progress, I have the framework in place, but the sections titled "methodology" and "syncronization" haven't been written yet but are the very ones you are interested in! See here: viewtopic.php?p=10757

As for your dilemma: paste your course data into your MTM sit file along with the box data converted by phin's ute. Then clone that sit with Traxx, generate extended courses, write a pod. Extract the complete course data and past it back in your SIT file, make a pod and mount it.

As soon as I can get the book written the entire process, start to finish, will make easy sense, I'm covering every aspect and every issue and I'm wishing I'd have done this sooner, hehe.

>> Not in my kitchen.

Ah, that would be the Utility Muffin Research Kitchen right? (future sotw hint)

ch_2005 · Post by **ch_2005** » Tue Jul 01, 2003 11:42 am

to convert an mtm2 pod to a txx file you open the pod in winpod and extract all the files. Make sure this is to the same place as traxx looks. The goto traxx and import tracked track. Then goto the world directory and hit the sit of your track.

EmceeMart · Post by **EmceeMart** » Tue Jul 01, 2003 12:59 pm

"to convert an mtm2 pod to a txx file you open the pod in winpod and extract all the files. Make sure this is to the same place as traxx looks. The goto traxx and import tracked track. Then goto the world directory and hit the sit of your track."

This is the kind of information I'm looking for (thx ch_2005)

"As for your dilemma: paste your course data into your MTM sit file along with the box data converted by phin's ute. Then clone that sit with Traxx, generate extended courses, write a pod. Extract the complete course data and past it back in your SIT file, make a pod and mount it."

This is the kind of info I am trying to avoid! I read it once, twice, thrice.............. and repeated it word for word to the missus, consquencially she is still in bed trying to recover (I think it was the "mount it" bit that took her over the edge).

"methodology" and "syncronization" ---- my brain hurts

"Something about the meaning of life." yep... I know where yer coming from Phinny.

my brain still hurts.

EmceeMart · Post by **EmceeMart** » Tue Jul 01, 2003 1:23 pm

[ch_2003]
to convert an mtm2 pod to a txx file you open the pod in winpod

or PODVIEW (provided by TRI)

and extract all the files.

Yes... I'm with you up to now.... with Podview it's a matter of specifying the original paths when extracting.

Make sure this is to the same place as traxx looks. (i.e. making sure you specify the ART and MODEL paths when setting Traxx PREFERENCES)

Yup (same as above)

Then goto traxx and import tracked track.

more info needed here (I'm a Traxx 1st grader)

Then goto the world directory and hit the sit of your track.

Hit it? What, with a big stick or baseball bat?

I don't mean to come over as ungrateful --- ch_2003 your info was by all means very useful and I appreciate it. I hope other folks looking in can make some sense of what we are all yapping on about by way of our explainations to each other.

I intend to work on this with your added input (that makes my "backburner" projects 356)

sit hitter · Post by **sit hitter** » Tue Jul 01, 2003 1:46 pm

Podview >> Load pod >> extract all files

Traxx >> File menu >> Clone TrackEd Track >> load .sit

lean back >> blink twice >> exclaim boisterously >> calm the missus

[(-:]

-wint

EmceeMart · Post by **EmceeMart** » Tue Jul 01, 2003 2:49 pm

"Traxx >> File menu >> Clone TrackEd Track >> load .sit "

THAT's the li'l bit of info I needed - thx Sit Hitter (?[:)])

"lean back"

I did... and fell

"blink twice"

I blunk

"exclaim boisterously"

I always do

"calm the missus"

workin' on it... but it's 10.30 a.m here.... oh what the heck [:)]

Malibu350 · Post by **Malibu350** » Tue Jul 01, 2003 8:35 pm

any ideas what would cause traxx to hang?

I created a pod from the TE3 sit file then did a test run in mtm and everything worked perfectly, so I extracted the pod files again so's I could finish it up in traxx but traxx refuses to open the sit file, it just hangs there waiting for a ctrl/alt/del... now I've done this dozens of times so I know my procedure is correct, my only guess would be that TE3 is adding or subtracting somthing to the sit that traxx doesn't like?

tips, leads, suggestions, ideers, money needed

Post by **Phineus** » Tue Jul 01, 2003 8:50 pm

I shoud really wait for the expert to answer, but my guess is you're not supposed to open the TE3 sit but copy the box content to an mtm2 sit.

Malibu350 · Post by **Malibu350** » Tue Jul 01, 2003 10:25 pm

I wasn't very clear on that.. I didn't create a pod directly from the TE3 sit file exactly... first I copied the box info from the TE3 generated sit file into the mtm sit file then created the test pod from that and the other nessesary files from the original mtm track pod. the track pod runs fine except the backdrop is missing, I tried removing the backdrop line fom the sit file but traxx still refuses to load it