Map Editor plans

[lorant]

Couldn't the thumbnail be automatically generated from the map? Either from one of the starting player cameras, or better, using a dedicated camera defined in the map. This way only the map and shapes would be transferred, and the thumbnails could be generated while the player is browsing the server list.

[Shwart!!]

That has the potential for greatly lagging inferior systems.

Shwart!!

[zach]

I wonder if the Map Editor will be stand-alone, or run through Multiwinia. Not that it matters much.

[The GoldFish]

I would expect it to run within multiwinia (as the Darwinia one did), which in many ways is very different (and likely annoying) from other games/editors.

I also think it would be better to have a thumbnail image created by the author, if the author doesn't make it massive and stupid as they're almost gaurenteed to do!

[MaximusBrood]

I also think it would be better to have a thumbnail image created by the author, if the author doesn't make it massive and stupid as they're almost gaurenteed to do!

Added to the fact that the damn things are BMPs
(which makes sense out of a 'lets quickly hack this together' perspective )

[zach]

Well, at least they can be (and most are) 8-bits-per-pixel.

[Icepick]

Thumbnails for maps are restricted to 8 bit and no more than 400x300. The editor wont save one that breaks those rules, so the file size is kept pretty low.

[The GoldFish]

Thumbnails for maps are restricted to 8 bit and no more than 400x300. The editor wont save one that breaks those rules, so the file size is kept pretty low.

Spiffing! I hope the pallete is adaptive...

[V'Nilla]

Am I the only person envisioning playing MW in Defcon's Big World Mode? (Or a map that is identical?)
Maybe not actual size (depending on the MW->Defcon size ratio), but large enough to comfortably fit 4 warring factions while small enough to make long range grenading possible and to make travel times reasonable.

[skull13]

Nobody is stopping you from using Darwinia's editor to make a Defcon themed map

Thats a pretty good idea, actually. (Although, I don't know if its feasible. Just make a world map?)

[RabidZombie]

I would if I had that precision with the landscape editor.

I don't.

[TomCat39]

I was playing with the Darwinia map editor a smidgeon today and I'm assuming the Multiwinia will be much like it.

Maybe I'm just ignorant to the editor but I can't seem to see a way to rotate landscape tiles that are copied. I'm thinking this is about the only way with the editor to make a truly symmetrical map being that we don't have direct control of landscape elevation as far as I can tell. It all appears to be done via seed and not precise raise lower selections type editing. Which is fine if we can rotate land tiles by 90 degree increments.

Is this already possible?

One thing I have noticed while playing is that the maps are pretty uneven no matter how symmetrical the design tries to be. The end result is certain spawn locations are handicapped and others are at an advantage.

Duplicate and rotate seems to be the simplest solution I can think of beyond direct land manipulation on the tiniest scale possible (ie individual triangle manipulation via x,y, and z positioning).

I admit I have only just barely studied the editor and may well be missing some key components. Please inform me if this is the case. And if not, I'd love to see something as mentioned above, implemented in the upcoming editor.

[Edit] Afterthought. 3 player maps would need 60 degree rotation capability (trianglation setups).

[xander]

--==<snip>==--

When you are editing a landscape tile, there is a button on the landscape editing panel labeled "Grid Guide." Click on that, and up the resolution (higher resolution equals more detail). You can then edit the landscape by hand. I agree that a rotate option would be nice, but the grid guide might get you what you want.

xander

[Mini]

I thought they would have the map editor by now aleast....

[TomCat39]

These things take time. Please be patient with IV. It's not easy working all the kinks out for the general masses.