NintendoWare for CTR

LayoutEditor Terminology

This glossary defines terms and describes configurations commonly used with LayoutEditor in alphabetical order.

For details on CTR graphics features, see the CTR manual.


Index


Bounding Pane (Boundary Condition Pane)

This pane is used for performing "hit" checks. Although it has position and shape information, it is not actually displayed.

This is used to determine whether the cursor is located within a specified area.

bcfnt

These files contain font data converted into binary data.

This is used as the display font for text box panes.

The file extension is bcfnt (Binary Ctr FoNT).

These files are generated by Font Converter (NW4C_FontConverter.exe or NW4C_FontConverterConsole.exe).

For details, see the Font Converter manual.

bclan

These files contain animation curves converted into binary data.

The file extension is bclan (Binary Ctr Layout ANimation) for all animation types.

These files are generated by LayoutEditor (LayoutEditor.exe) or Layout Converter (NW4C_LayoutConverter.exe).

bclyt

These files contain layout data converted into binary data.

The file extension is bclyt (Binary Ctr LaYouT).

These files are generated by LayoutEditor (LayoutEditor.exe) or Layout Converter (NW4C_LayoutConverter.exe).

Coordinate System

Manages data in a coordinate system in which the positive x-axis direction is to the right, the positive y-axis direction is up, and the positive z-axis direction is into the screen.

Interpolate Color

This feature specifies the lowest and highest intensity color when applying colors to an image having only intensity and essentially no RGB component.

This feature is used when creating expressions such as tinting the entire screen blue. This is done by using LayoutEditor to set the interpolation color for white and black, then set the blue component for black color interpolation (whether or not the image is an intensity-only image) or darken the image by setting white color interpolation to gray.

Layout Binary Converter

This converter is used to convert layout files to binary files.

The executable filename is NW4C_LayoutConverter.exe. This may also be referred to as NW4C_LayoutConverter or lytcvtr.

For details, see the Layout Binary Converter manual.

LayoutEditor

LayoutEditor is a GUI application for editing layouts and displaying layouts and animations through communication with the Viewer.

LayoutLib (Layout Library)

This library was created to make the layout of images, windows, text boxes, and other items simple and efficient.

Layouts are displayed and animations are played using layout binary files converted from layout files.

Since the Viewer uses the Layout library to display layouts, expressions, and movements displayed in the Viewer can be reproduced as is within games.

Material Color Animation

A material color animation is an animation in which the material color is made to change.

This type of animation includes the animation of monochrome interpolation colors.

Multiple Texture

This indicates that two or more textures have been applied to a polygon. These are also called multi-layer textures.

You can apply up to three textures simultaneously on a CTR system. When a different UV value is specified for each separate texture, it is called a "multi-UV texture."

Multi-textures are set using LayoutEditor.

Null Pane

The null pane is used as the basis for all panes. Although it has position and shape information, it is not actually displayed.

This type of pane is used when doing things like setting parent-child relationships for multiple panes with the null pane as the parent, moving all panes together, or controlling whether the display is on or off.

Pane SRT Animation

A pane SRT animation is an animation in which the pane's SRT (Scale, Rotate, and Translate) array and size are made to change.

Scale corresponds to scaling, Rotate to rotation, and Translate to the display position.

Photoshop Plug-in

This is a plug-in for Photoshop provided by NintendoWare.

Picture Pane

Picture panes are used to display images (textures).

clan

These files are used by LayoutEditor to save animation curves.

The file extension is clan (Ctr Layout ANimation) for all animation types.

clyt

These files are used by LayoutEditor to save layout data.

The file extension is clyt (Ctr LaYouT).

Safety Frame

The Safety Frame is the area in which the image can be properly displayed on nearly all televisions. Images usually take up about 80% of the screen area.

Information that is important to the game must be displayed within the range of the Safety Frame.

For detailed information on the Safety Frame, see the separate Safety Frame Guidelines document.

LayoutEditor allows you to set whether to show the area outside the safety frame using the Tool Environment Setup Dialog.

Text Box Pane

Text box panes are used to display text.

Texture Format

You can use any of the following 14 texture formats handled by the CTR system.

L44-bit luminance
L88-bit luminance
A4alpha 4 bits
A8alpha 8 bits
LA44-bit luminance and 4-bit alpha
LA88-bit luminance and 8-bit alpha
HILO88-bit R and 8-bit G components
RGB5655-bit R, 6-bit G, and 5-bit B components
RGB88-bit RGB components
RGB5_A15-bit RGB and 1-bit alpha components
RGBA44-bit RGBA components
RGBA88-bit RGBA components
ETC1Compressed RGB
ETC1_A4Compressed RGB and 4-bit alpha components

The texture format is specified when using the Photoshop plug-in to save TGA files with attached additional information.

Texture SRT Animation

A texture SRT animation is an animation in which the SRT (Scale, Rotate, and Translate) matrix of the texture displayed in the pane is made to change.

This type of animation can be used to scroll and/or rotate textures by changing the SRT matrix.

Texture Pattern Animation

This type of animation swaps the textures being displayed for panes.

TGA file with Additional Information

This is a TGA file with special information added for NintendoWare.

Although additional information is attached, these files can be used just like conventional TGA files.

TGA files with additional information are created and edited using the Photoshop plug-in.

NW4C TGA

This is another name for a TGA file with additional information.

Vertex Color Animation

A vertex color animation is an animation in which the vertex colors of the four corners of a pane are made to change.

Viewer

The Viewer displays layouts and animations on a computer.

By communicating with LayoutEditor, the Viewer can be used to confirm changes made under LayoutEditor in real time.

Visibility Animation

Visibility animation turns the display of panes on and off.

Window Pane

Window panes are used to display windows.


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