Yet Another Editor Thread

[DrZettl]

So far I've managed to find my way around the editor quite well.

 

I have a few issues and a few tips.

 

Issues:

o What are the little pink dots for? I'd have thought they were some sort of snap align doohickeys, but I really don't know.

o Is there anyway to snap objects like the constructors? Ie: you make a wall with a window/door hole. You can then drag in the frame and it'll snap into place since constructors do that. But it'd be nice if the actual door could do that too.

o Can you put down spawn points for your units? If so, how.

o How do you flag NPCs as friendly? I saw the diplomacy_id but I can't figure out how to use it.

o Is there any way to resize an item (ie: map piece) after creating it?

o Is there any way to move objects/parts/etc with the cursor keys? Mouse control is a tad fiddly sometimes.

 

Tips:

o I've found that I get cruddy performance in the editor if I have the grid turned on. Having the grid off is crappy too since you can't see the map bounds. So the solution is to turn down the grid size (Preferences/Map Options/Grid Interval).

o Turning on the 'Snap to active floor' options also helps you know what you're working on.

[Biggles]

I thought the pink dots were snap thingies too.. but haven't figured out how to get them to work,

 

Setting deploy points is actually very easy. They are a waypoint. I think you can just right-click on the map and add a deploy point or a waypoint.

 

Moving objects.. not sure if you can do it with the keyboard, but you can place it roughly with the mouse and then use it's position property to adjust it's location precisely.

 

I don't 'think' you can resize a map after creation

[DrZettl]

Has anyone figured out how exactly the terrain spot priority works?

One would assume that a higher number would overlap a lower number. Either that or lower overlaps higher. Well, these rules seem to hold... but randomly. Sometimes a texture spot overlaps one, then another texture spot overlaps the other.

[DrZettl]

I don't 'think' you can resize a map after creation

Well, just found out a way you can do this.

Select your entire map (or part of it). Right click and choose Create New Template From Selection. It then offers you a new item size, which can be larger or smaller than your current item. Wait a bit and you'll have a new copy of your map.

 

The only problem I've found is that it doesn't copy over the texture layer (and there may be a way to do this still).

[Cpt. Barbossa]

I think the pink dots are there to show if something like a window or ladder is connected to a wall or floor. That may be important for the game's physics engine. That's just a guess, but I can't think of any other reasonable purpose.... :roll:

[Biggles]

I've seen them refrred to as AI markers. So maybe they indicate functions to the AI. For example... One on a bush may be there to let the AI know it can hide.

[damocles]

o What are the little pink dots for? I'd have thought they were some sort of snap align doohickeys, but I really don't know.

As said before, they seemt o be used by the AI for navigating the map.

 

o Is there anyway to snap objects like the constructors? Ie: you make a wall with a window/door hole. You can then drag in the frame and it'll snap into place since constructors do that. But it'd be nice if the actual door could do that too.

Alas there doesn't seem to be any method of snapping models. Only constructibles.

edit: forgot to mention - when you move a door, window, table or any other object as part of a group with a wall or floor (or other snap-to constructible) the objects will move in set steps like the walls etc. This can be used to your advantage. Under the templates tree is a branch called examples. If you open up the windows and doors examples, you can select the walls, frame and door that make up the door set, copy them, load up your map, paste them in and move them as a group. They should then be perfectly aligned. Same can be done for stairs and any other object you can find in those examples. (a very useful button for this is the "back" button. It will load your previously loaded map, so you can load the examples, sleect, copy, hit back and paste )

 

o Can you put down spawn points for your units? If so, how.

~The easiest way I find to do this is to add the waypoints panel to your tree view panel, then open up the deploy branch and drag the various deploy flags into your map. You must have the deply hero flag in there for the other flags to work properly.

 

o How do you flag NPCs as friendly? I saw the diplomacy_id but I can't figure out how to use it.

Haven't looked into this yet.

 

o Is there any way to resize an item (ie: map piece) after creating it?

Walls and other constructibles - no. Furniture and other map objects - yes. In the properties window is a sizeX, sizeY and sizeZ property. Simply set them to what you need. EG 2 in all three properties will double the size. Be careful though, it may mess up the pathing - I tried doubling a set of stairs and the men refused to use them.

 

o Is there any way to move objects/parts/etc with the cursor keys? Mouse control is a tad fiddly sometimes.

Yes - hold an alt key and use the arrow keys and page up/page down for discrete movements.

[DrZettl]

Why would you use the Intermediate Floors and Intermediate Solids layers?

[damocles]

If you create roofs that are at the 2-1 slope instead of 1-1, normal solids won't be able to fill all the gaps, you need intermediate solids to do so.