Difference between revisions of "Map Editing"

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m (adding some basic pointers to help folks get up to speed from teh stream)
(Release guidelines: typo!)
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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, such as planning your terrain before adding structures, capture zones, etc. etc. will be mentioned.
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Here we will cover:
  
* 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.
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* release guidelines
* Most heightmaps are generated as 4096 x 4096 units in size, using a scaling of 2 metres per unit.
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* terminology
* 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.
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* tools and operations
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* endorsed art and alien art
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* setup and usage
  
AncientDemise's 3h mapping stream will be linked [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7yJzhQj42LE&feature=youtu.be here].
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For streamlined deployment of any new created map, following guidelines are to be obeyed:
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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. There are many reasons to opt for endorsed art only in an map/level.
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Moreover, experienced mappers are already familiar with the quite extensive library of assets in the sandbox2 editor and didn't even had the chance to try all out, let alone dry the ideas of whats possible and at hand.
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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#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.
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Inherent to the way of the development of this mod, some of the key assets may still be missing. On some it is being worked on already, others are yet to receive an artist, maybe just You?
 +
 
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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]]

Revision as of 10:34, 17 June 2018

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. There are many reasons to opt for endorsed art only in an map/level.

Moreover, experienced mappers are already familiar with the quite extensive library of assets in the sandbox2 editor and didn't even had the chance to try all out, let alone dry the ideas of whats possible and at hand.

Endorsed Art

1. Tools

2. Setup

3. 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.

Inherent to the way of the development of this mod, some of the key assets may still be missing. On some it is being worked on already, others are yet to receive an artist, maybe just You?

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