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Post by The Final Rune on Feb 15, 2005 13:36:56 GMT -5
My Map Editor Guide is finally complete.
You can now download both the document and the accompaning save file.
Get them HERE.
Please go over both and let me know what you think!
My Map Editor Guide is never going to be 'complete' to my satisfaction and it occurs to me that no matter how hard I try, I won't answer everyone's questions and how to concerns. So, in an effort to help as many as possible I'll leave this thread open to address any map editor qeustion my guide doesn't answer.
Need a how to for something specific? Can't figure out how to create a shape? Having trouble with the textures? Or need advise on map editor based dungeons or cities? I can answer your questions here, so feel free to ask me anything.
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Post by The Final Rune on Mar 7, 2005 17:10:48 GMT -5
I know everyone is patiently waiting for me to finish (and screaming for me hurry up), and I promise (and I so rarely promise anything) that by March 26th (my birthday by the way) I will have a finished guide, along with a save file with all the maps described within the guide available for viewing and editing. For those of you who don't have a file transfer device, keep checking the domain for when Doan gets it put up here with pics for all (the one's that need pics anyway) the maps described. Sorry for the delays everybody.
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Post by The Final Rune on Mar 24, 2005 13:00:44 GMT -5
Jeez, I'm a tard! I created this thread twice!
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Post by WarDragon on Mar 24, 2005 13:15:00 GMT -5
I especially can't wait
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Post by The Final Rune on Mar 26, 2005 11:20:59 GMT -5
You can download the guide by clicking the 'download it' in my signature.
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Post by Neo Samurai on Mar 26, 2005 11:31:20 GMT -5
Thanks, TFR.
I'm gonna read it later and play around with the Map Editor to try out the tips and tricks you gave us. Thanks again!
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Post by Deleted on Mar 26, 2005 18:31:49 GMT -5
This is awesome. I'll read it when I get a chance.
edit: I read ALL of it, and it is quite informative. I'll test some of the more advanced stuff out soon. I'm looking forward to the Cave/Dungeon and Town/City parts a whole lot. I've encountered a glitch before that you didn't mention when I was making a lake (+) with an island (=) in it, do you know what I'm talking about? If not I'll write up the easy solution to it I found.
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Post by The Final Rune on Mar 28, 2005 11:30:12 GMT -5
This is awesome. I'll read it when I get a chance. edit: I read ALL of it, and it is quite informative. I'll test some of the more advanced stuff out soon. I'm looking forward to the Cave/Dungeon and Town/City parts a whole lot. I've encountered a glitch before that you didn't mention when I was making a lake (+) with an island (=) in it, do you know what I'm talking about? If not I'll write up the easy solution to it I found. I think you are refering to how if you make a negative area and try to create a positive area on the same marker nothings happens.
If that's the case than I know what you are talking about, and a warning will be added in the next release.
If that's not what you are talking about then please tell me everything in detail.
And thanks for the feedback!
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Post by Neo Samurai on Mar 28, 2005 13:38:38 GMT -5
I noticed that some of the steps were equal to the same coordinates (127,127). I had a similiar post in your topic on the pavilion. You can't place a piece of land over the same point as one that is already there without editing it. I ended up improvising and finding the point, and I did out well.
You're guide has helped me a lot with making maps. I pretty much understand making them now.
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Post by The Final Rune on Mar 28, 2005 16:47:45 GMT -5
I posted an answer to this at the pavilion so you'll have to go there to read it. But to find it yourself I suggest reading the controls section again because you missed something important.
EDIT:Whoa! I just realized I can modify other peoples posts in here! Wow man the power is like going to my head.
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Post by Deleted on Mar 28, 2005 18:37:57 GMT -5
It sounds like we're talking about the same thing, but this is what happened to me:
So, to make a lake in a piece of land you pretty much have to use a (+) terrain with - height. I did that. Then I made an island in the lake with (=) terrain with + height. I wanted to put down another marker to make the lake look better (less of just a plain oval), so I put another marker with (+) terrain with - height around it. The island disappears in that case, even though it's set to (=). What I found was that in a situation like this, whichever terrain marker is put down last will be most dominant. The easy/simple solution was to go to the 3 or 4 terrain markers for the island and the lake, copy/delete/paste-on-the-same-spot each pointer in the order I wanted. So, when I did that to the two lake pointers and then to the two island pointers it worked how I wanted it to.
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Post by The Final Rune on Mar 28, 2005 18:46:11 GMT -5
I understand your description, but I want to make it clear for those who don't.
In section 5. Basic Terrain Design I mention in style six of beach creation that order is extremely important.
Jimmy is right when he says the last land piece takes highest priority. So, when working with negative land heights always create the negative areas first unless you are trying to 'cut away' a piece of land. In that case build the piece you plan to cut first.
I'll be sure to add more about this in my next release.
Thanks Jimmy.
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Post by Neo Samurai on Mar 29, 2005 0:15:05 GMT -5
I just read your post on the pavilion, TFR. Man, I feel real stupid right now . Thanks!
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Post by The Final Rune on Mar 29, 2005 9:50:38 GMT -5
Here is a quick list of what I've got planned for the next release.
- Complete entries in the City/Town/Village Map Design
- Dam/Sewer/Well Desgin Ideas - thanks Tinbok
- City Walls/Fortification Desgin Ideas
- - ?? -
[/li][li] Complete entries in the Dungeon/Cave Map Design - Cavern Feature Design Ideas
- Mountain Pass/Path Design Ideas
- - ?? -
[/ul] [/li][li] Add Custom Map Ideas and How To - Floating Continents
- Jungle Maps
- - ?? -
[/ul] [/li][li] Complete entries in the Definition Reference [/li][li] Add a VFX Features on Maps section [/li][li] Add a Using All 12 Units of Height in Advance Terrain Design section [/li][li] Grammatical fixes and corrections for the whole document [/li][li] Reworked and revamped map design exercises, featuring a new section just for map design examples [/li][li] More detailed and informative descriptions of techniques and features of the Map Editor [/li][/ul] That's about all I can think of right now, but as more ideas develop, more will be posted. The ?? represent stuff I'm either trying to figure out or places where more ideas are needed, or both. [/color]
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Post by Neo Samurai on Mar 29, 2005 13:40:56 GMT -5
Hey. Here's an idea. How about futuristic-looking cities, if you've attempted that?
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Post by The Final Rune on Mar 29, 2005 15:40:44 GMT -5
Hey. Here's an idea. How about futuristic-looking cities, if you've attempted that? Using the map editor? Even I think that's a stretch. I suppose you could create a future looking landscape with roads and such, but city design might be tough. Hmm, I'll think about it some and see what I can come up with.
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Post by Dungeon Warden on Mar 29, 2005 19:02:56 GMT -5
There is a map in Beginner mode that looks like a city. Couldn't you use that idea to make a futuristic city as well. How did they do that city anyway?
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Post by The Final Rune on Mar 30, 2005 16:50:28 GMT -5
Yeah, there are a couple that resemble city layouts. I guess if you used a supersized car or truck object as a vehicle and made bid giant sized builedings it would seem pretty modern city like.
That aside, I've spent the past two days tryin to create a 'Jungle forest using the map editor. Previously I'd always made my forest/jungle scenes in the dungeon editor, but this is proving to be promising. I should have it worked out (along with a few others) within a week or two.
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Post by The Final Rune on Mar 31, 2005 19:07:04 GMT -5
My most recent attemp at creating a map using all 12 units of available height in the ME. It's rough and in need of polish, but now that I better understand how to do it, it's just one more thing that'll be included in the next release.
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Post by WarDragon on Mar 31, 2005 19:16:34 GMT -5
I do like your faq guide now i can do things i haven't been able to do before. Yea how did they creat a city or that futuristic map.
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Post by Neo Samurai on Apr 1, 2005 19:25:10 GMT -5
I actually tried creating a modern city, but gave up. It was difficult for me to create it, but after seeing TFR's guide, I believe it won't be as hard now.
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Post by The Final Rune on Apr 2, 2005 10:14:58 GMT -5
If you check the images in my save file you'll notice every place in the guide has a corrisponding image, plus, do a test play and you can explore my sample continent in an airship and see a working volcano.
The trick to designing a modern landscape is understanding scale. If your sizes look real, you'll successfully fool the player.
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Post by The Final Rune on Apr 9, 2005 11:32:56 GMT -5
New contents update!
- Developed new beach design technique!
- Figured out how to convey illusion of height in a mountain area using texture and enviroment weather!
- Learned to use all 12 units of height with style!
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Post by The Final Rune on Apr 11, 2005 19:41:33 GMT -5
Learned neat new trick to making forest dungeons. God, sometimes I gotta just sit back and bask in my own greatness!
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Post by Neo Samurai on Apr 11, 2005 20:58:49 GMT -5
The same goes for me. Being the leader of my own dark army (btw, smurf is the only one in it so far, so start signing up), I feel a great sense pride. Anyway, I can't wait to see your new guide.
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