Matrix Games Forums

Hi guys,

Thought I would clue you in on a project I have been working on.

A map editor.

You don't need MS3D or blender or max or tutorials or nuttin. Just my program and a paint editor and you can start making your own maps in minutes.

No knowledge or learning curve required!

What should happen (I am still in development but all the mind bending 3D per vertex math for the program is done - i.e. the hard part [;)]) is that you will edit your own heightmap (which is like a topographic map) in your favorite paint editor and then import it into my program. Using an eyedropper you will select two points on the heightmap which represent real heights (eg hill 212 + sea level). Water will be added automatically for all areas under sea level. You also will be able to select a skymap, which season the map should represent (summer / winter), lighting conditions, etc and of course give your map a name. Then press the Go! button. Approx 1 - 2 minutes later dependng on the speed of your processor, you should have a new map which comes preloaded with base textures and masks. All you will need do then is draw on your masks and then add bling in the scenedit program.

Here is a *very* *very* early development screenshot. I still haven't done the walls code yet but the main terrain mesh and water were generated automatically from the heightmap shown. Hopefully I can get this out to you guys in the near future. There is still a lot to be done, but I wanted to let you all know that soon PCK will have a full map editor to complete the editor suite.

Amazing John!

YES!!!!!

Hi Stridor,

Thanks for all of your work. I hope the finished product is extremely easy to use........for everyone. When I hear, "then you can start adding your masks" it makes me worried about it being too much work in terms of time and skill for us ordinary people to use.

Regards John

Wauuuuu very impressive Stridor, you are a true master of tools! [&o]

But not really sure I'm going to like that map editor, it will give me a lot more work, keeping the MOD overview list up-to-date

Stridor [&o] rocks.

By the way, you can generate height maps from real world map data using MICRODEM:

Page I wrote on using it with Steel Panthers WW2/MBT

ORIGINAL: z1812

Hi Stridor,

Thanks for all of your work. I hope the finished product is extremely easy to use........for everyone. When I hear, "then you can start adding your masks" it makes me worried about it being too much work in terms of time and skill for us ordinary people to use.

Regards John

John

"Masks" are just the graphic elements overlaid on top of one another.

They will be named so you just draw (in black and white they automatically get "coloured/textured" ) what you want on each mask name.

For example

Road_Mask: If there are any raods on your map draw them on there.
Fields_Mask: Any fields? draw them here
Forrest_Mask: Any ....
etc

I have seen your work on the PzIII mods. If you can do that, you can definately do a map.

Regards

S.

Holy cripes!

I've been busy, and never got that map I started completely finished. Looks like things will get hopping once this gets done.

Amazing. Thanks for doing this!

Very impressive - Maybe I'll stop struggling with the walls in Blender now!

Thanks!
Rick

ORIGINAL: Rick

Very impressive - Maybe I'll stop struggling with the walls in Blender now!

Thanks!
Rick

Yeah, this won't replace blender or MS3D for doing new tanks or buildings, but for doing maps I think you may as well not bother with blender or MS3D once this comes out as it will be much much faster, way way more accurate and far far easier [;)]

ORIGINAL: Stridor

ORIGINAL: Rick

Very impressive - Maybe I'll stop struggling with the walls in Blender now!

Thanks!
Rick

Yeah, this won't replace blender or MS3D for doing new tanks or buildings, but for doing maps I think you may as well not bother with blender or MS3D once this comes out as it will be much much faster, way way more accurate and far far easier [;)]

Now your finally starting to talk my language.

I have Paintshop Pro 8 and all the books I could buy on it but it's just sit there all this time. May be time to dust off the material and look at actually using it besides using it to just crop my grandkids pictures......[X(]


MR

Just to give you a taste on how things are progressing.

Dynamic water & hill levels [;)]

More to come ...

Hi Stridor,

Thanks for your reply. I like making maps. I do hope the editor will be as straight forward as you feel it will be.

Games such as Combat Mission and Steel Panthers have been immensely successful, and have enjoyed great longevity. In large part because of the ease of use of the map and scenario editors. One need only look at the amount of user created scenarios made for these games.

ORIGINAL: Stridor

I have seen your work on the PzIII mods. If you can do that, you can definately do a map.

Regards

S.

Thanks for your kind words about my mod making. HoweverI hope a map will not be anywhere near as much work as they were.


regards John

ORIGINAL: Stridor

Hi guys,

Thought I would clue you in on a project I have been working on.

A map editor.f your processor, you should have a new map which comes preloaded with base textures and masks. All you will need do then is draw on your masks and then add bling in the scenedit program.

Here is a *very* *very* early development screenshot. I still haven't done the walls code yet but the main terrain mesh and water were generated automatically from the heightmap shown. Hopefully I can get this out to you guys in the near future. There is still a lot to be done, but I wanted to let you all know that soon PCK will have a full map editor to complete the editor suite.

Dude, I sure hope that you're on the payroll!

PoE (aka ivanmoe)

I think you all know what this image is of [:D]

ORIGINAL: RyanCrierie

I think you all know what this image is of [:D]

One of Stridor's eyes after an all night session of putting together the new map editor[&o]....when he should have been [>:]

Good Hunting.

MR

My Hero! [:)][:D][:)]

Rofl! Nice one, poor Stridor [&o]

I think the replay value of this tool will be huge, it'll mean a lot more maps a lot quicker so we're gonna need a lot more new terrain. Hopefully it'll also mean a lot more people can dabble with mods especially combined with all of the editors, it's going to be amazing, can't wait.

Stridor = [&o]

More mind bending maths.

But coming along.

Now walls work well and so does water. Water "walls" not prevously in the game. Beach landing maps now possible. Plodding away ...

Hopefully I can get forrest painting in at some stage. That will save alot of time as populating forrests is time consuming.