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Mapping Tips/Guides / Python code to stitch together many screenshots
« Last post by denilsonsa on November 24, 2023, 05:10:17 am »
As part of the creation of one specific map, I wrote a Jupyter Notebook with some Python code to try to semi-automatically crop and align and stitch screenshots. The code isn't perfect, but worked well enough for my needs. It may require a lot of RAM and a lot of patience if you have too many screenshots.

Here → https://gist.github.com/denilsonsa/2922060be4fcddcf7a4e3745a78b5752 ← here!

This notebook is provided as-is. It requires tinkering to make it work! You need to adapt it to your own needs.

If you want to use it, go ahead! No support is provided. Make sure you have Python on your machine, and you know how to use it. It is wise to use virtual environments to install additional packages. Jupyter is optional (you can just use Python code by itself) but recommended, as it provides a very nice notebook interface that aids with debugging and viewing images.

The provided notebook includes the following functions:

  • load_image() → Loads an image from the disk, optionally cropping a known amount of the image (to remove HUD or the player character). Please adapt it to your needs.
  • diff_images() → Given two images and one (x,y) offset, it computes the amount of differences between those images. While that naïve formula worked well enough for my use-case, you may need to tweak it to your needs.
  • find_best_offset() → Given two images, on initial (x,y) offset, and ranges of X and Y variations, it tries to find the best alignment of those two images. It works by nudging the initial offset around, and picking the best match.
  • compute_all_offsets() → You certainly need to edit this function. I used it to iterate over all my screenshots and compute the offset of each one. If you have a multi-core machine, you may want to try to parallelize this function (which is left as an exercise to the reader).
  • save_composite_image() → Given a list of "layers", writes an OpenRaster image. You may need to tweak the image-loading logic in this function.
  • make_batches() and composite_last_image() → You certainly need to edit these functions. They overlay multiple cropped screenshots onto one larger multi-layer image. I decided to split it in multiple batches to prevent having too many layers at once. I'm also skipping a few screenshots to further reduce the amount of layers.
The end result of the code was an OpenRaster image that can be loaded in GIMP. Afterwards I did some manual cleaning up. Since there were many overlapping layers of screenshots, it was easy to discard one of the screenshots in favor of another (due to different animation frames on each screenshot, or any similar issue).

Enjoy!
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VGMaps Social Board / Re: YouTube channel! (JonLeung1)
« Last post by JonLeung on November 18, 2023, 10:25:28 am »

Time for another episode of "Jon 'N Jason In Japan"!  My brother and I go to Yokohama to check out the giant Gundam and visit the Hakkeijima Sea Paradise, then return to Tokyo to see the iconic Shibuya Scramble Crossing and then dissolve some bears into soup at Kumachan Onsen.
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Gaming / The Nintendo Famicom "Tower Of Power"
« Last post by JonLeung on November 15, 2023, 06:24:31 pm »


As I was setting up a Famicom today, and got the RGB Blaster working, I noticed "hmmm, that looks kind of tall already".  Then I remembered the Genesis "Tower Of Power" and thought, "what if I assemble something tall with the accessories that I have?"  It all physically connects, but I was surprised that it actually works, too!  Now to consider getting an EverDrive for the Famicom just to take it further (though not really higher - and assuming it fits in the convertor).
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Here's my inventory in The Legend Of Zelda: Tears Of The Kingdom now that I've decided that I am done with side quests and duping, so I should probably get back to the story.

I am at over 285 hours.  (I only play, guilt-free, for 91 minutes a day while I am on the treadmill every morning before breakfast.)  I have done very little of the main story, the only major thing I did plot-wise was clear the Wind Temple.  (A good choice, as the Vow of Tulin has been very useful.)

I have done all of the Side Adventures and Side Quests that I can, except for those that require more story progression.  I have also gotten all of the Korok Seeds (more on why it only says "997" later), all of the Bubbul Gems, found all of the Lightroots, cleared 151/152 Shrines (more on the one I'm avoiding later), put up all of the President Hudson signs, and fully upgraded all of the armor that I am able to get at this point.

I actually PREFER more linear Zelda games, but as this is open-world, I figured I would lean HARD into the open-worldness by doing everything I can to become overpowered when I finally get back to the story.  Whoever I choose to be the second Regional Phenomena boss I take on is going to be in a world of hurt.  Actually, I'm guessing every boss will be easy...

Regarding the Materials:

I believe I have all the materials, and if so, you could use this as a checklist.

Yes, I am a "dirty duper".  (I am stil on v1.0.0, a curious happenstance as I travelled to Japan and the day I left was the very day that this game came out, so I didn't even start until a couple weeks later, and had since learned that I should avoid updating.)  I only really used the jump-duping trick, mostly from the front step of my house in Akkala Highlands.  I can only dupe things five at a time, but have gotten incredibly consistent with duping 50 items per minute, even after a long stretch of time.  My most in one go was spending the entirety of one of my daily 91-minute sessions duplicating 4550 Zonaite, which is consistent with my dupe rate.

999 is the maximum for most items, except for Zonaite and Large Zonaite.  At 10,100 Zonaite, I think (and hope) I am set for the rest of the game, I don't intend to personally verify what the maximum is for that.

105 is the minimum number of each material that I have.  I guess I like things to be a multiple of 5 and I also wanted more than 100.  You can see which items I intend to use often, those are duped to 999.  The last item I duped was the Fairy, because I actually didn't know it could be duped just as easily (I assumed it would heal me instantly upon releasing it).  Since I only had one Fairy, technically all 999 Fairies are clones of the same one.

I know I likely don't need all of these items, but I recently became super paranoid that I might accidentally update the game one day, so I figured I might as well go nuts while I can.  Abusing in-game glitches in single-player games is the only sort of cheating I allow myself to do.

As for the Key Items:

You may notice that it says 997 Korok Seeds.  I actually obtained all 1000, but I spent three of them, before I decided to withhold them all from Hestu until getting them all.  I may cash them in soon.  Or maybe keep the limited inventory as a handicap, I don't know.

I have 16 Hearts and two full Stamina Wheels.  You may have noticed that it is odd that I only have 87 Blessings of Light.  Well, it would be 88 after I clear the Kyononis Shrine, the only Shrine I haven't done and am purposefully avoiding for now.  It is the early "Combat Training" one at Hyrule Castle Town Ruins that teaches the Side Hop, Flurry Rush, Perfect Guard, and Charged Attacks.  I have a silly reason for not doing this Shrine - I eventually will, just not right at the moment.  Also might cash in those Blessings of Light, but don't know how soon.

I have four Monster Medals, but not the ones for the Hinoxes and Taluses.  I believe the last one of each that I would need to defeat to earn them require story progression.

I've been playing almost nothing but this since the spring (if you could call avoiding the story "playing"), and am behind on my games (Super Mario Bros. Wonder and the DLC for Pokémon Scarlet come to mind, but I'm sure there are others), so that's why I wanted to document this moment of when I decided to stop duping and beating around the bush and actually start really experiencing Tears Of The Kingdom.  :P
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VGMaps Social Board / Re: YouTube channel! (JonLeung1)
« Last post by JonLeung on November 11, 2023, 10:12:16 am »

New episode of my Japan series is now up; this time it's for Day Four, our first full day in Tokyo.

Gamers might get a kick out of the video game-related food in this one, as it includes the Kirby Café, Pikachu Sweets by Pokémon Cafe, and Artnia Square-Enix with some Dragon Quest and Final Fantasy eats.
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Maps In Progress / Re: Doom2D (1996, PC, DOS)
« Last post by JonLeung on November 07, 2023, 05:31:01 pm »
I messaged you, Jabberwock.  Are these complete, and do you have a screen capture of the title screen?
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VGMaps Social Board / Re: YouTube channel! (JonLeung1)
« Last post by JonLeung on November 05, 2023, 05:15:54 am »

Forgot to mention that yesterday, Saturday, the third episode of "Jon 'N Jason In Japan" was released.

In this one, we ride the Shinkansen to Tokyo, and then my brother seeks out some Pokémon stores.
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Thank you! I didn't play the previous games, but I was lucky to have this one on my Sega Genesis. A game that both looks cool and isn't too hard to play or to map...
Especially with a "walk through walls" Game Genie code. ;D I wish all other games had this one. Such a great convenience for mapping.
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For this month's "Maps Of The Month" featurette, I wish to draw your attention to John Brain's Shinobi III: Return Of The Ninja Master (Genesis) maps.

The Shadow Master has brought back the evil crime syndicate, Neo Zeed.  The heroic ninja, Joe Musashi, sets out to vanquish them (again) so that they will stop threatening the world.  What challenges will this shinobi face this time?

Shinobi III: Return Of The Ninja Master is a solid, action-packed ninja platformer, the kind that comes to mind when you think of Sega Genesis classics.  With all of Joe's ninja moves and abilities, you lay waste to baddies as you guide him through seven varied Rounds, ranging from forest caves to massively tall cliffsides to some facility with some kind of biological horror growing underneath it.  There are also chases on horseback and a surfboard.  All of this is mapped by a Genesis fan known here as John Brain.

So to recognize the effort put into mapping all of this 16-bit ninja action, John Brain's Shinobi III: Return Of The Ninja Master (Genesis) maps will be known as VGMaps.com's Maps Of The Month for November 2023.
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VGMaps Social Board / Re: YouTube channel! (JonLeung1)
« Last post by JonLeung on October 28, 2023, 10:09:42 am »


It has begun!  The first two episodes of my series, "Jon 'N Jason In Japan" are now available!  There are ten episodes in total, a new episode will be added each Saturday until close to the end of the year.

These first two episodes will probably be of interest to gamers and fans of themed attractions, as we check out Dragon Quest Island and Super Nintendo World, both in Osaka.
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