OVERVIEW
Based on Volcov Commander v4.5, this shell includes everything that player and modder needs. It includes all tools for editing Blood that can be run directly from filemanager. With this shell you can easy work with Blood files by clicking on it without any "load dialogs".
The most important thing - this shell also support working in sub-directories. No matter where you store your files - just click on it and it opens in associated program.
The shell is designed to work in DosBox, but should work in pure DOS too (preferable FreeDos release). Install process is pretty easy, see instructions below. Basically, this program is adapted for mod developers, but can be used by players for easy map or addon start, demo playing or even listening midi music and Blood RAW sounds. See list of features below.
WITH THIS SHELL YOU CAN DO EASILY
- Run addons/maps without BAT/COM/EXE files (if it's not really required for proper working). You may just select INI or MAP file in filemanager to run Blood.
- Quickly edit MAP files in MAPEDIT without need of selecting map in load dialog.
- Edit QAV and SEQ files quickly just by selecting required file in filemanager.
- Playback DEM files in Blood.
- Listen MID and RAW files (if you have sound enabled).
- Play Blood with different CFG files.
- Extract data or even generate RFS script from RFF archives.
- Add data from RFS script to BLOOD.RFF or SOUNDS.RFF.
- Add files to RFF archives.
- View and edit KVX models.
- Run CRK (patch) files.
Additionally, you can view PCX, GIF, JPG and BMP images and listen WAV and VOC sounds.
UPDATES IN CURRENT VERSION
- Problems with "complicated" BAT files has been solved - the shell now uses external COMMAND.COM to parse BAT files. This means no more stuck after CALL command and environment size problems.
- Updated QAVEDIT tool that have tile selection limit up to 6143 instead of 4095. It also does not required alpha's rff archives to work.
- Updated SEQEDIT tool that have much more interesting features than old one. Please see SEQEDIT.TXT for more info.
- New KVX extension is supported. Those files is voxel models you can view and edit directly from this shell.
- New CRK extension supported. Those files contains patch info and can be applied via patcher tools such as Multi-Patcher that included with this shell.
- QAVSND tool has been replaced with XQAVED that have advanced features such as ability to set priority for sound.
- You can now create new files. Press [F2], then [F5] or just type "FILE".
- You can now listen RAW files.
- You can now view/edit ART files in differnt directories, not only in Blood's root directory.
- You can now play SMK files, w/o sound currently.
- You can now select play Blood with selected CFG file in filemanager.
There is also some cosmetic changes such as custom font, mouse cursor and dosbox scaler is added.
INSTALLATION AND LAUNCH
- If you use DosBox, please mount Blood dir as root of HDD drive. Preferable drive letter is "C". If you use pure DOS, please place blood game files in root of HDD drive.
- Place VC dir and VCBLOOD.BAT in Blood directory.
- Run VCBLOOD.BAT in DosBox or DOS.
Note that you does not really need use VCBLOOD.BAT every time, instead you may use VC.BAT placed in VC directory and can delete VCBLOOD.BAT to keep Blood folder clean.
ASSOCIATED FILE EXTENSIONS BY DEFAULT
Here you can see table with asociated extensions. In diffirent ways you can run file with diffirent tool. VC allows [Edit], [View] and [Start] file. You just need press needle key (see below) for running file in associated Blood tool. For 3rd mode (ENTER) you may also use Double Mouse click.
For example MAP files: you can edit (key F4) it with MAPEDIT or play (key ENTER) in Blood.
| EXT. | EDIT [F4] | VIEW [F3] | START [ENTER] |
|---|---|---|---|
| QAV | XQAVED | BARF | QAVEDIT |
| SEQ | SEQEDIT | BARF | SEQEDIT |
| MAP | *MAPEDIT | MAPEDIT | BLOOD |
| RFF | BARF | BARF | BARF |
| RFS | {INTERNAL} | {INTERNAL} | BARF |
| ART | EDITART | ARTEDIT | SELECT F4 OR F3 |
| KVX | SLABSPRI | BARF | SELECT F4 OR F3 |
| DEM | BLOOD | BLOOD | BLOOD |
| INI | {INTERNAL} | {INTERNAL} | BLOOD |
| RAW | AB PLAYER | AB PLAYER | @RFF OR AB PLAYER |
| SMK | SMACKPLY | SMACKPLY | SMACKPLY |
| MID | DOSMID | DOSMID | @RFF OR DOSMID |
| CFG | {INTERNAL} | {INTERNAL} | BLOOD |
{INTERNAL} - Internal commander's text/hex editor.
When editing MAP files (key F4), CFG file (F4MAP.CFG) from VC directory will be copied. There are 320x200 screen resolution to avoid 3D mode bug (when pointer on wall, but sprite appear right around player's face) and sound enabled, so you probably want to edit that CFG first if you have problems with launching mapedit in this mode.
Also you still can use view (key F3) to run MAPEDIT with your CFG file.
ADDITIONAL NON-BLOOD RELATED EXTENSIONS
| EXT. | EDIT [F4] | VIEW [F3] | START [ENTER] |
|---|---|---|---|
| JPG | LXPIC | LXPIC | {EMPTY} |
| PCX | LXPIC | LXPIC | {EMPTY} |
| GIF | LXPIC | LXPIC | {EMPTY} |
| BMP | LXPIC | LXPIC | {EMPTY} |
| CRK | {INTERNAL} | {INTERNAL} | MPATCH |
You can easy add support for other files by editing VC extension, editors and viewers options in configuration menu or directly editing VC.EXT, VCVIEW.EXT or VCEDIT.EXT in any text editor. See Volcov Commander help (key F1) for details.
USER MENU (KEY F2)
The real power of VCBLOOD is file manager, but there is also special user menu you can call any time to get quickly in game or tools.
The menu and features pretty good explained in VCBLOOD.TXT that comes with this shell. It is strongly recommended to read this file. You may also get help by typing "README" in VCBLOOD's command line.
PRE-INSTALLED TOOLS FOR BLOOD EDITING
- MAPEDIT - Tool for creating new maps (see also PMAPEDIT patch).
- QAVEDIT - Tool for creating new weapon animation. (updated version!)
- SEQEDIT - Tool for creating new monster animation. (updated version!)
- XQAVED - Tool for managing sounds in QAV animations.
- ARTEDIT - Tool for editing art files (Monolith).
- EDITART - Tool for editing art files (Ken S.).
- SLABSPI - Tool for editing voxel models.
- BARF - Tool for creating new and edit old RFF archives.
When you start VCBLOOD first time, it automatically asks you to install these tools. If you not installed it that time, press [F2] to open user menu, then [F2] again to select "Edit Blood", then press [F8] to install them.
3-RD PARTY PROGRAMS
These tools also helps to work with Blood files, while others are essential for the VCBLOOD system.
- LXPIC - Allows to view PCX, GIF, JPG and BMP images.
- LGEDIT - Simply text editor.
- DOSMID - Simply MIDI player.
- QSCROLL - Show the contents of file and allows smoothly scroll it by line or pages.
- PKUNZIP - Well known utility for unpack ZIP archives.
- MPATCH - Utility that works with CRK patches.
- NICE - Loads graphical cursor for mouse.
- SMACKPLY - Plays SMK video files.
- GNUCHCP - Loads custom fonts.
- AB - RAW Player, can also play other sound formats.
- STRINGS - Used in some BAT files.
CONTACTS
Any suggestions and comments are welcome in Blood related Discord channel: https://discord.gg/a84k4wQ
You may also send e-mail to the author: baitd@yandex.ru