I want to use a large bitmap for both scenery and texture, and having to download the exact same large bitmap twice is a problem i would like to solve.

1) Is it possible to use jpegs in the soldat engine/polyworks or any other map making software (as soldat 1.3.1 can now download jpegs)?

2) Is it possible to somehow use a single directoy to grab both the scenery and texture graphics from?

3) Is it possible to create a non-clipping poly which the player can pass over the top of while remaining visible? (Similar to a sprite scenery graphic, but made from a polygon) This is related to having to download the same bitmap twice, as if i can use my high res scenery background as if it was a polygon, the game would be grabbing the bitmap file from the texture directory and therefore prevent me from having to copy the texture image into the scenery folder.

I'm not too good at explaining this, so extra thanks for any help :)

1. The filetypes .TGA and .PNG are now supported by Soldat 1.3.1 and I think so will the next version of PW. .JPGs are t3h sux.

2. No, and I don't think ever. Just keep both folders open simultaneously while you work.

3. A "Doesn't Collide" that remains in the background is currently impossible (yeah, I know, man... the stuff that could be made!) :-/

Any images up to 255x255 can be downloaded. That's pretty big, considering...

1. jpg should be supported in the next version of PW

2. No

3. no, but would be cool it it would.

Jpg can be good for really big scenery's with a lot of colours but they can't have any thranparancy.

Thanks for your help, it saves me a lot of hassle :)

someone said i should try invisible polys, that way i dont have to use a texture at all.
I can't figure out how to make the polys invisible, how do you do that?
Im also having trouble making the big scenery graphic go on top of the polys but not on top of the player.. (this would achieve the same thing i think)
any ideas?

cut out certain parts and have what you want on top, on top, and vise versa

To make invisible polygons, use "Reverse Visibility" in PolyWorks.

ok, reversing visibility sort of works, heres what happens for me..

[IMAGE]
[IMAGE]

Both screenshots were taken in the same map, i just moved a bit to the right.

The polygons flicker between visible and invisible depending on where they are on the screen, and the polygon edges are remaining visible all the time.

Here is the map file if you want to take a look..
_Arena3_PR113_broken.zip (~3MB)

replace the edge with a blank one if you want...
that would work...

OK thanks, i got rid of the poly edges and most of the flickering polys but any poly that comes into contact with the top left corner of the screen becomes visible! strange. Anyone know a workaround?

no, but i've seen that on boxo's map...

just make a two huge polygons making a square that covers the entire map and then some....it might work. Make it invisible, other than that its just a soldat bug.

About the polygons edges, the best way is to delete the edge file.
Better use a non-official texture and not making the edge file, otherwise people will see these edges. Or just make a transparent edge file if you want to waste time (also the edges slow down Soldat even when completely transparent, which is why I desactivated them in my settings).
You used an official texture (kiwi.bmp) in there, so people will see the edges! They still have the edge file in they folder, unless you told them to manually delete it...
Either choose a texture with no edge, or make your own texture but don't submit the edge file (as you did in your post).

By the way, it looks great. :)