Difference between revisions of "Map Editing"

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This is a placeholder page.
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==Introduction==
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Map making is a complex topic. Numerous artists send work hours down the so called "pipeline" to produce an actual map.
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To make the topic easier to understand it is good to familiarize with the tools needed before actual hard work is being done.
  
It will eventually detail the basics of map editing, such as where to get [[Sandbox 2]], how to load MWLL's assets & pre-fabricated assets (prefabs) into the editor and ways of creating terrain. Some tips & tricks will be mentioned.
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Here we will cover:
  
* '''''Save your map often and create backups!''''' This is '''critical''' in case your working version becomes corrupted.
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* release guidelines
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* terminology
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* tools and operations
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* endorsed art and alien art
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* setup and usage
  
* Plan your maps before you actually begin making them. Have a good idea of how the map will ''flow'', that is, how players are likely to interact with the terrain, buildings and/or capture zones you intend to place. You may want to run your draft map/terrain past other players to help refine your design.
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For streamlined deployment of any new created map, following guidelines are to be obeyed:
* Make sure the path of the editor shortcut you use ends with the command switch -mod mwll, otherwise it will not work properly. Place this switch at the end of the file the shortcut points to.
 
* Most heightmaps are generated as 4096 x 4096 units in size, using a scaling of 2 metres per unit.
 
* Hold down the right mouse button to rotate the camera on spot. Holding down the middle mouse button lets you slide the camera side to side & up and down. Holding both the middle & right mouse buttons enables you to zoom in and out. You can also use the scroll wheel for finer control and the Speed value near the bottom of the Sandbox UI changes the sensitivity of camera movement.
 
* To load MWLL's prefabs into the editor, go to View > Open View Pane > Database View, click the Prefab Library tab and locate mwll_assets.xml. They will then appear under the Prefab section on the right-hand pane.
 
  
AncientDemise's 3h mapping stream will be linked [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7yJzhQj42LE&feature=youtu.be here].
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==Release guidelines==
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[[Maprelease|Map Release Guidelines]]
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==Terminology==
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The CryEngine itself has become an branch of the gaming industry and sort of an milestone. There are some common names for things we encounter and deal with therein. In the [[Level_Design_Terminology]] section we list the basics.
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==Endorsed Art==
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Endorsed art, or, assets that exist in the game already. Optimized, tested and familiar objects that work. Compact map download size. Least overtime to map completion. Most MWLL maps use existing assets accessible via the Sandbox2 Editor without needing external art or external tools.
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[[Old Art|Endorsed Art]]
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1. [[Old Art#Tools|Tools]]
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2. [[Old Art#Setup|Setup]]
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3. [[Old_Art#Specifics|Tutorials - Videos/Documents]]
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4. [[Old Art#Art_creation|Art Creation]]
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==Alien Art==
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By the sole nature of this mod, it depends of an certain pool of assets that share little in common with the original game. These assets are typically imported into the Sandbox2 Editor. Maps that have extensive use of external or alien art/assets are TC_LostHope and TC_UrbanJungle.  
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Here we will deal with importing assets that are not already in the Game and the Sandbox2 editor. Those that are ''Alien'' to the installed files
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[[New_Art|Alien Art]]
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1. [[New_Art#Tools|Tools]]
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2. [[New_Art#Setting_up_the_system|Setting up the system]]
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3. [[Asset_creation|Test Flight]]
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4. [[New_Art#Tutorials|Tutorials]]
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{{Navbox Mapping}}
  
 
[[Category:Mapping]]
 
[[Category:Mapping]]

Latest revision as of 17:46, 12 December 2023

Introduction

Map making is a complex topic. Numerous artists send work hours down the so called "pipeline" to produce an actual map. To make the topic easier to understand it is good to familiarize with the tools needed before actual hard work is being done.

Here we will cover:

  • release guidelines
  • terminology
  • tools and operations
  • endorsed art and alien art
  • setup and usage

For streamlined deployment of any new created map, following guidelines are to be obeyed:

Release guidelines

Map Release Guidelines

Terminology

The CryEngine itself has become an branch of the gaming industry and sort of an milestone. There are some common names for things we encounter and deal with therein. In the Level_Design_Terminology section we list the basics.

Endorsed Art

Endorsed art, or, assets that exist in the game already. Optimized, tested and familiar objects that work. Compact map download size. Least overtime to map completion. Most MWLL maps use existing assets accessible via the Sandbox2 Editor without needing external art or external tools.

Endorsed Art

1. Tools

2. Setup

3. Tutorials - Videos/Documents

4. Art Creation

Alien Art

By the sole nature of this mod, it depends of an certain pool of assets that share little in common with the original game. These assets are typically imported into the Sandbox2 Editor. Maps that have extensive use of external or alien art/assets are TC_LostHope and TC_UrbanJungle.

Here we will deal with importing assets that are not already in the Game and the Sandbox2 editor. Those that are Alien to the installed files

Alien Art

1. Tools

2. Setting up the system

3. Test Flight

4. Tutorials