Microdeal
The Sprite Construction
Kit (SCK), according to the packaging, is suitable for 'the easy
design of images suitable for animation', it is said to output 'C',
assembler and BASIC source (the latter is not true), and 'includes a
full manual and example files'. Overall, the selling line is 'Design
animated sequences for use in your own programs'. I received the
review copy because I am a programmer, and thus could judge its
value as such.
The program itself is
quite usable. The screen is split into three windows, a large 'zoom'
window in which editing is done, an 'actual' window in which the
image is built up from six zoom windows, and an actual window sized
clipboard (again in six editing parts). Along the top of the screen
are the sixteen available colours (the program only works in
low-resolution), and these colours can be changed as you wish. A
nice touch is that you can set the colours to those stored in a NEO
or DEGAS picture which allows you to match your sprites to your
picture exactly.
Along the top of the
screen is a standard GEM menu bar. This includes the following
functions: Load a work file, Save a work file, Create a source file
(C or assembler), Touch (load picture colours), Alter Colours, Move
levels, Grid, Clear current object, Mode change, Edit objects,
Sequence, and Go. Some of these are obvious, some not.
I said above that I was a
programmer. Unfortunately, I am not highly versed in the
technicalities of Sprite programming, and to understand and use this
program you have to be. The manual is an abysmal 8 page, dot-matrix
printed leaflet, that has not had a moments thought put into it. As
I read it, it just threw terms
at me (to paraphrase, 'the SCK can work in Level mode or Object
mode. Up to 27 of the levels can be used'). No-one has considered
that the user may not know what level and object modes are, or the
difference between them (from using the program I still have not
learnt, but they are apparently totally incompatible). Software such
as this should TEACH the user. What I as a programmer want is a
package I can pick up, read the manual, use the program, take the
source, and have custom sprites in my program. I want it easy, and
whilst I think that this program could go some way towards that,
more time and effort should have been put into it before it was
released.
Anyway, having thoroughly
confused myself with the manual, I thought that I may find
enlightenment by running the program. The examples show off the
capabilities of the program well, and as I have said, the program is
reasonable (though the method of opening the animation window is
painfully slow and would aggravate over a long period of fine
tuning). The Level/Object difference still did not become obvious,
however.
Having failed to
understand the principles of sprite programming from the program, I
thought I would at least be able to try out the source generated by
the examples, so I selected the appropriate option, and then quit
the program. I showed the created file, and was amazed. All you get
is a large mass of data array definition text. Nothing else. I have
no idea what the format of it is (e.g. is it a byte of colour per
pixel, or a colour plane, or how to alter the width?), or anything
else about it. A check of the manual shows only how to create it,
not how to use it.
As a programmer I am
embarrassed when products that I consider 'unfinished' are made
available as it can only serve to make the purchaser feel that money
was wasted. As I received it (a final version), it is not suitable
for doing the job advertised. Microdeal may be producing a large
number of programs, but quantity is nothing without quality. With
'Backup', I was prepared to put up with the faults because it was
usable and essential but Sprite Construction Kit serves only to make
me think twice when purchasing another Microdeal product. A great
pity if one bad apple should spoil the barrel but then the onus
should be on any company to ensure that the 'bad apples' are pruned
out.
top
