New Mario Paint Adaption

[Ford Prefect]

Hi folks,

I didn't visit this forum for about a month because I moved houses and don't have an internet connection at my new home yet. But this gave me time for a big project I planned to do almost since I started to use the Mario Paint Composer:

As we all know, the MPC needs a lot of ressources, looks rather ugly and has a bunch of bugs. The guys at unfungames don't care much about that. I mean, look at version 2: They added some instruments, but the bugs remain the same. The massive need of ressources is probably due to the fact that they don't really program the MPC, but use some I-use-only-mouse-clicks-to-develop-some-crappy-application-tool. (I think they use the Adobe Director - formerly known as Macromedia Director - but I'm not really sure about that.

So, what needs to be done is a new Mario Paint adaption in a decent programming language. And that's what I'm currently developing. Here's a first screenshot of the application I call "Advanced Mario Sequencer":



A lot of functions are not implemented yet, such as the scrollbar, deleting notes, flats and sharps, playing the song, setting the song speed and file storing, and that's what I'm currently working on. It's hard to guess how long it will take until there's a first fully functional version, because I always have much stuff to do for university and thus have little time for working on the AMS.

Planned features are:
- SoundFont management (this is already implemented, look at the screenshot)
- infinite song length (well in fact, this will be limited by your RAM )
- importing MPC songs (this has low priority, but I guess it will be quite practical)
- an animated mario who hops on the chords - just like in the original game
- more notes per chord (I think 10 notes per chord will do, but theoretically I could also allow an infinite number of notes per chord)
- the window will have a standard width/height ratio, so it will fit perfectly in a youtube video

When I'll have finished it, the Advanced Mario Sequencer will be available for MacOSX PPC / Intel, Windows 2000 / XP / Vista, and probably Linux.

If you want, you can post some suggestions for this new Application here; I'll consider implementing them if they are not too tough to do. I hope I'll have a first final version till the end of this year. You can also post your opinion about this project, I'm interested in what you think about it.

Cheers,

Ford Prefect

[eataninja]

Keep working on this. It looks really good.

[_]

Planned features are:
- SoundFont management (this is already implemented, look at the screenshot)

YES YES YES! Axelrod777 really wants a soundfont importer in MPC.

- infinite song length (well in fact, this will be limited by your RAM )

This'll surely help. Always a good feature.

- importing MPC songs (this has low priority, but I guess it will be quite practical)

Yes, I hate having to do the whole text file business.

- an animated mario who hops on the chords - just like in the original game

That'll be a cute little feature. Looking forward to it.

- more notes per chord (I think 10 notes per chord will do, but theoretically I could also allow an infinite number of notes per chord)

KSAHDL:JSDLAJSKD YES!

- the window will have a standard width/height ratio, so it will fit perfectly in a youtube video

Awesome sauce!

Overall, I'd say this looks pretty good so far. Keep at it!

[Guru]

CRAZY AWESOMENESS!!! I can't wait for this!
But I think you may get mixed views about this. While I fully support the idea, I think stretching the note limit per chord is stretching the rules a little too far. But then, it's no worse morally than using a soundfont, right? XD

As far as suggestions go, I really think the current save feature needs work. It's all too easy to overwrite your songs :/

So keep at this, sir! Can't wait for it!

[AdolfoBaez]

Just give it some kind of low A glitch or in other words, a way to cut the length of notes without lowering the volume bar, I think most composers agree that it´s one of the most useful (accidental) features, as for the notes per chord, I think 5 is fine, that´s why dickspeed exist.

[PhantomTaco]

Please keep a low-A-glitch-type feature in it, but not necessarily the same thing.

Anyways, this looks fantastic. But I'm not exactly sure why the background is purple. If you could do it, it would be sweet if you somehow made it look like the original Mario Paint (the buttons at the bottom could be assigned different things like soundfont management and such).

And one more thing: I don't know if anybody else has this problem, but when I minimize the Mario Paint window or go to a different window, clicking still makes notes on Mario Paint. Does that make sense?

[Espeon]

OMG....
Can't freaking wait

[eataninja]

Nov 18, 2008 14:14:22 GMT -6 PhantomTaco said:

Please keep a low-A-glitch-type feature in it, but not necessarily the same thing.

Anyways, this looks fantastic. But I'm not exactly sure why the background is purple. If you could do it, it would be sweet if you somehow made it look like the original Mario Paint (the buttons at the bottom could be assigned different things like soundfont management and such).

And one more thing: I don't know if anybody else has this problem, but when I minimize the Mario Paint window or go to a different window, clicking still makes notes on Mario Paint. Does that make sense?

I hate that. Makes composing so much more annoying...

And I agree with everyone else. The low A glitch should stay in somehow. It really helps, especially with soundfonts.

[Guru]

Yesh! How could I pass over the fact that no matter how many windows you place on top of Mario Paint, you can still place notes! That is so annoying and you would have my most sincere thanks if you could fix that intolerable hitch in the system.

[blueheat127]

Nov 18, 2008 17:31:09 GMT -6 @eataninja said:

Nov 18, 2008 14:14:22 GMT -6 PhantomTaco said:

Please keep a low-A-glitch-type feature in it, but not necessarily the same thing.

Anyways, this looks fantastic. But I'm not exactly sure why the background is purple. If you could do it, it would be sweet if you somehow made it look like the original Mario Paint (the buttons at the bottom could be assigned different things like soundfont management and such).

And one more thing: I don't know if anybody else has this problem, but when I minimize the Mario Paint window or go to a different window, clicking still makes notes on Mario Paint. Does that make sense?

I hate that. Makes composing so much more annoying...

And I agree with everyone else. The low A glitch should stay in somehow. It really helps, especially with soundfonts.

I know, seriously. Why the bloody hell would it do that! If you make a new Mario Paint Composer, you have to fix that. I'm really looking forward to this, and hope you pursue it to the point where it is finished before Spring. But, take your time nevertheless.

[RehdBlob]

Man, this OWNS my attempt at trying to do this...

Anyway, I think I'll help give suggestions: Maybe add more spaces for different instruments? I'll post pictures of some extra notes sometime.

[_]

If you can make the colours match the original Mario Paint, that would be awesome.

Here's some HEX colours ripped straight from the ROM for you:

Music Sheet:
Background: #c8e8e0
Lines: #000000
Blue Dots: #a6c6b7
Orange Dots: #f49915

[lih]

Keep the 5 note limit the same please. Working around that is half the fun. But everything else in this looks amazing, I can't wait until this is finished!

[Ford Prefect]

- importing MPC songs (this has low priority, but I guess it will be quite practical)

Yes, I hate having to do the whole text file business.

Well, It'll have decent store / load dialogs like you know them from most other applications. The point is, I won't use the MPC file format, because it sucks. I'll store my songs in a xml-format, this'll make it easier to store song speed and the used soundfont. But this means that you cannot open MPC files in the AMS unless I code an import function for them, and that's what I meant with this feature.

But I think you may get mixed views about this. While I fully support the idea, I think stretching the note limit per chord is stretching the rules a little too far. But then, it's no worse morally than using a soundfont, right? XD

I knew that there will be folks who rather like to keep the 5 note limit. I myself don't like to work around that limitation, but perhaps I'll set the limit to 6, which is the maximum of what I need to have most the time.

Just give it some kind of low A glitch or in other words, a way to cut the length of notes without lowering the volume bar, I think most composers agree that it´s one of the most useful (accidental) features

I'll have to think about this. It's not easy to recreate a feature that was originally a bug. I thought about having special "stoppers" for each instrument which you can set anywhere to stop that specific note right there. They could look like the original instruments in gray colors, for example. But I'll finish the normal features first before I work further on this.

Anyways, this looks fantastic. But I'm not exactly sure why the background is purple. If you could do it, it would be sweet if you somehow made it look like the original Mario Paint (the buttons at the bottom could be assigned different things like soundfont management and such).

I've never been good at graphics and GUI design. But I'll have a look what levus' original colors will look like, thanks for ripping them off.

And one more thing: I don't know if anybody else has this problem, but when I minimize the Mario Paint window or go to a different window, clicking still makes notes on Mario Paint. Does that make sense?

Yes, this seems to be some "feature" of the application the MPC was build with. Don't worry about that, the AMS will not capture your mouse clicks if the window is not in the foreground.

I'm really looking forward to this, and hope you pursue it to the point where it is finished before Spring. But, take your time nevertheless.

I have two weeks holiday around New Year, I think this will be the time when I'll have a first stable version.

Anyway, I think I'll help give suggestions: Maybe add more spaces for different instruments? I'll post pictures of some extra notes sometime.

Well, I think 19 instruments are enough, especially if you use alternate soundfonts. But if I somewhen want to add more instruments, this would be only a minor change in the code.


I can try to have the note editing frame in the middle look pretty much like the original Mario Paint Sequencer, but the controls just have to look different. For example, the scrollbar will be somehow like the one in Excel: The moving bar in the middle will grow thinner and thinner as the song length grows. There is hardly an other way to do this when you have a variable song length.

I'll post more screenshots to enable you giving continuous feedback on my progress.

[Cat]

I seriously can't wait to see the finished product!

[_]

Just let me know if you want anymore HEX Colour codes. I can rip them for you.

[theEvilGrimace]

Nov 19, 2008 5:35:03 GMT -6 Ford Prefect said:

I'll have to think about this. It's not easy to recreate a feature that was originally a bug. I thought about having special "stoppers" for each instrument which you can set anywhere to stop that specific note right there. They could look like the original instruments in gray colors, for example. But I'll finish the normal features first before I work further on this.

I think that'd be much better than having rest notes. It'd also be wonderful if they didn't count to the note limit.

A few other suggestions:
Dynamics
It needs a revamp imo. Why do we start at full (ff) volume? Perhaps you could increase the range of the sliders so that it starts at a mezzo forte, and has plenty of room to move on either side.

General
-Change tempo slider to a text box. I hate sliding around to find that perfect number.

-"Checkpoints". Add a feature that saves a location in the file for quick playing, that way you don't have to skip around to find the part you're lookin' for.

Just a few ideas

[Tojso]

Are you going to attempt to program the arranger from V2 once you get save songs working?

Also, on the subject of saved songs, will you be able to edit the file by just opening it?
-(May not be very useful, especially when you get all those other awesome features implemented.)

Good job with what you've already accomplished and good luck with what is left!

[Colin Comard (Delay)]

Nov 19, 2008 18:04:00 GMT -6 theEvilGrimace said:

Nov 19, 2008 5:35:03 GMT -6 Ford Prefect said:

General
-Change tempo slider to a text box. I hate sliding around to find that perfect number.

Ooh, that's a good one. EXCEPT! keep the slider and allow, like in the original mario paint, to change tempo mid song, so that you can do speed-ups and slow-downs. And when you unclick it, the tempo stayes the same but the slider resets back to the middle so you can do it again later. Obviously this wouldn't be useful for dickspeed songs.

[Espeon]

Hmm I'm thinking you should add the low A as a normal note.