Pre-render effects

I was thinking about how using certain effects can really improve graphics (eg: glow or blur) and how I could use them on static objects such as GUI health meters to make them look 3D/better, but I realised quickly that it causes major and unnecessary lag and requires people to have Pixel Shader 2.

I don't see this feature coming any time before 1.0 but I would really like it if we could add effects (permanent) inside of the picture editor.

This would allow us to blur/glow/emboss/etc our graphics without the client needing Pixel Shader, or creating a drop in FPS. Is this possible?

Hey Jayjay you know how semi-transparent things were represented in old games?

<img src="http://caoimhin.mooo.com/upload/1216226387.jpg">

Yep a grid i dont think that would be pretty.

Also the glow effects you can have in most every graphic program like Photoshop or Gimp, Picture Editor should be simple only to correct the graphic for game.

The thing is that Construct can apply these effects itself, why force someone to out-source their work from Construct if they don't have to? Even though some practices are better (eg: using more advanced graphic editors, using other programs to make 3D games) it doesn't mean we have the right to totally shoot people down for wanting to (Well, Scirra/Ashley does because they/he created the program and have a right to decide what is too much work for them to try and implement).

Isn't the saying "People who say it cannot be done, shouldn't interrupt the person doing it"? because about 2 years ago if somebody said "A guy named Ashley is going to make the best 2D game maker in the world and make it free on top of that!" I wouldn't believe them, and yet, Construct is in a very usable and promising stage of development.

EDIT: My saying isn't actually a good argument/closely related to using effects, what I meant was that if Ashley does decide to implement the effects into the picture editor, people shouldn't say that it can't/shouldn't be done

Well programmers should add in options a feature that disables the Pixel Shader effects or change them with effects that dont require good hardware its really up to programmer of the game.

Well programmers should add in options a feature that disables the Pixel Shader effects or change them with effects that dont require good hardware its really up to programmer of the game.

That isn't what I mean, I am talking about being able to add the effects and then save the resultant sprite mainly so that there is less lag during the rendering of the application. The fact that people without Pixel Shader will be able to see them too is just a bonus/side effect.

EDIT: Ok, before this turns into a "i'm right, your wrong" argument. You are correct in saying that people can apply these effects outside of Construct's picture editor or with an external program, and I am just asking Ashley if in the future he would consider allowing people to apply the effects inside of the picture editor.

EDIT: Ok, before this turns into a "i'm right, your wrong" argument. You are correct in saying that people can apply these effects outside of Construct's picture editor or with an external program, and I am just asking Ashley if in the future he would consider allowing people to apply the effects inside of the picture editor.

Woah woah woah... woah man, you cant apply just these effects in picture and then its the same like the pixel shader effect, they created them for a reason.

Like for ex. Soften

http://www.mediafire.com/?noio9dzyjom click 1 & 2 to switch box position

We have two circles, one have soften effect other is with already applied effect in picture editor. And yes you could do it with alpha channel but you dont control the effect so swifly like in pixel shaders, you can disable the effect in events and the object is not changed like in pre-made effects, so if you want to change states "with soften and without" you have to make another animation/object or whatever not just "disable effect".

Woah woah woah... woah man, you cant apply just these effects in picture and then its the same like the pixel shader effect, they created them for a reason.

Like for ex. Soften, we have two circles, one have soften effect other is with already applied effect in picture editor. And yes you could do it with alpha channel but you dont control the effect so swifly like in pixel shaders, you can disable the effect in events and the object is not changed like in pre-made effects, so if you want to change states "with soften and without" you have to make another animation/object or whatever not just "disable effect".

1.) Yes I know they were created for a reason, they were designed to be used with dynamic or changing objects and to be used in a way that doesn't abuse them or lag a persons computer to death

2.) That is not my goal, I am talking about static objects which are constantly in the effect state and are not meant to be modified. Such as a HUD (Heads Up Display) or GUI (Graphical User Interface). Basically I am asking for the ability to use the effects which are related to art like blurs or distortions

EDIT: Just saw your example and yes, that is how it would look if you print screened the object, but by doing it inside the graphic editor it could probably blur into transparent and work fine

1.) Well thats just Consequences from low specs computer.

2.) Okay i got you, let's see if scirra is going to make Construct the new Graphic Editor.

It's a good idea, but I think its fairly low on the priorities list. As mentioned, you can use other graphics editors to pre-process your images for the time being, so we're probably better off spending our coding hours on bug fixes and such, but it'd make a nice addition for post-1.0. By the way, some effects can't be used in the picture editor (like Additive and all other blends, because there's no background image when you're using the picture editor).

i WANT to say that construct is designed such that people who do not have a strong skill in programming can develop games such as artists who focus on the art aspect of game development and therefore construct should have a more fleshed out animation editor but then i thought about it some more and realized that if they are focused on art, they must already have familiarity with their own program of choice for art

oh the irony lol

I suggest as an alternative to just do the effect in the layout and capture a screen of it, then paste that into the picture editor and crop it.

At least then you're still within Construct.

(Delayed response FTL, but whatever, sue me.)

Yes, that would work for some effects but if people want things like feathered edge effects that can not be printscreened, then they should use a program like Photoshop or its free clone Paint Dot Net (http://www.getpaint.net). I'm really only asking because I thought it would be nice if Construct could have a few simple effects for people who don't want to use m/any different programs to make their simple games or prototypes.

Some sort of "outer glow" effect like in Photoshop would be nice... especially if you could change the opacity, spread, and width at runtime... would make for some awesome laser bullet effects, or even thruster exhaust etc.

~Sol

One way to look at this is from the resources point of view.

Adding effects like this would save some storage, but would also take up some ram.. possibly a lot of ram, processing power as well.

One way to look at this is from the resources point of view.

Adding effects like this would save some storage, but would also take up some ram.. possibly a lot of ram, processing power as well.

I think you misunderstood my idea, those reasons are why I want to be able to add Construct effects to the image itself before runtime (during editing), so that the effect is only used once and ram/gpu power is saved.