editor features ?

[limner]

hi devs
it is possible to know some of the editor features?
maybe also we (the customers) could post here some features we would more than others.....

We can assume that with the editor will be possible
- edit/create a dungeon like the original Grimrock dungeon with all his features.

i wonder if will it be possibile:
- create new monster (making new models with external tools)
- edit the preesistenting mosters (making, for example, different fire elemental, maybe one more strong than another)
- create new objects like new tipes of chests (models with external tools)
- create new tools with their script functionality (like a lock picker)
- create new layout for tileset on floor/celining, walls, door ecc ecc ecc




I hope other people will add their comments to this topic

[ShottyMonster]

Hi, I am interested in putting together some new models/animations, sound files, textures for walls etc..

will it be possible to do these things? Also if anyone wants to collab when we have a more definitve description of the modding tools available please just pm me on this forum

[petri]

Let's first get dungeons working and worry about the rest later...

[ShottyMonster]

Yes Petri, that would be logical.

[takis76]

Let's first get dungeons working and worry about the rest later...

Petri ,

Because I am making level editor for my game and I know , is very hard to create a level editor and is harder when you have a game already completed and creating the level editor after that , I suggest you to create the level editor with the existing features that the game already have.

When someone creating a game , don't have in mind of creation of the level editor , because is more important the game being completed (That stage was completed) than creating a level editor. Some times when the game complete is not able to have a level editor. But each game or engine have created with some basic editor for levels or maps.

These forums helped me a lot , about my game and what problems I will have in the future. I am creating the level editor parallel with my game and when I have a new idea to add to my editor , I add it first in the game and then add (this idea only) in the editor before go to further developement.

About dungeon crawlers , which are years ago implemented already, I never seen any level editor in any Ishar or in any Might and Magic game or in any original Dungeon Master.
In fact none of the old dungeon crawlers ever had any level editor , and the Dungeon Master's newer remakes inspired to have a level editor and then the Dungeon Master Java.

After years when the technology was improved and more ideas added and the engines was changed then the level editors invented and this add longevity in the game's life.

None of the Westwood's Eye of the Beholder series their engine supported any kind of level editing ever, after making a long of research about level editing in Eye of the Beholder series since 1996 , I realized , I wasn't able to create any level editor in the westwood's original engines and I didn't have any access in their engine , so I decided to create my own engine from scratch what accept level editing capabilities during developement.

Even Dungeon Master community created a new Dungeon Master engines from scratch and Dungeon Master Java was a new engine.

So as you already have created your own engine from scratch and know its capabilities , you are the only who can create the level editor with the existing features.

So I suggest , to create the level editor with current engine features and if there are not modding abilities or new wallsets or new monsters there will be not a problem. The development takes a long time , all people here we are so excited with this game and this is the best dungeon crawler game ever created and people want a lots of things to be added and fast , most people here are not programmers and believe things can be made fast and easy. My opinion is to slowly-slowly make your work. You have the knowledge , and new knowledge will appear in time. (I have created 11 different engines until , arrive in the state I am now).

If I was you , my next step will be a basic level editor with current engine functions. And then I would released updates (Patches) of the game which will be parallel with the level editor and any kind of modding, or portraits, or monsters or any kind of new wishes people want.

Only YOU, are the Michelangelo of your creation , others are guests.

[HaunterV]

Let's first get dungeons working and worry about the rest later...

Agreed.

The thing is probably a headache since I can imagine the game would probably crash if you fell into a pit and there was not a level beneath said pit, so the level editor will probably need to have some sort of fast tester to determine if your dungeon is complete and has a level below every pit.
Either that or have pits with no levels below them end in game over screens.

[takis76]

This happens because everytime you are falling in a pit the game increases the y or the level destination index in the array by 1 so if you are on level 6 goes to level 7 if you are on level 13 goes to level 14.
And if the array size is 13 and everytime the index of array increases when you falling in one pit , then the program tries to go outside of the array and the array index variable takes value 14 so is out of bounds error and the program crashes.

So there will be some if statement which checks if the index is >=13 then index=13 so when you fall in the pit of the level 13 you will arrive again to level 13 and there will not be any out of bounds error.

All programming languages and all programs crashes when an array is out of bounds , this not game's problem , but when the editor creates dungeons in the lowest level of the array , the pit option must be disabled so the adventure maker will not able to create any pits at the botton of the dungeon , because there is no down. , but there is no level editor yet and trying to hack the map you will get the game crash.

[wlcina]

For me it seems to be illogical to create such game first. I think engine for this game was made first, then editor for dungeons and together used to create this nice art. Yep I consider LoG as art.

[takis76]

Either that or have pits with no levels below them end in game over screens.

Is not necessary to see any game over screen , because pits was designed to increase the level index by one and nothing else.
And the designers didn't put any pit at the last level. So if the engine have an error trapping will not allow more downs.
So some other variable as level_depth=13 it will necessary and will check if the level index variable is equals or greater than the level_depth variable then disable all pits (Make invisible) even you put them or make them to return you on the same level.

[ShottyMonster]

I would be quite surprised if this game was created without the use of an editor! I would of thought the logical way to go about creating any game, especially a dungeon crawler would have been to:

1. Create all the game mechanics and test them in a small room
2. Create an editor with a GUI which would allow the devs to easily drop in said mechanics and create maps etc.
3. Create all game assets, artwork etc which would then be imported for use in the editor

(Obviously this is a very dumbed down list, I know it's not that simple in practice so please don't flame me)

I would be quite surprised if the devs didn't have some sort of rudimentary in house editor which they will then felsh out and polish for release as the official editor but thats just my take, call me old fashioned :p