Luis, 2008-06-02, "HPL Level Editor milestone 1: It's aliiive"

[Luis]

Hi there, this is Luis, writing my first work log entry. In case you didn't know, I'm the other coder here at Frictional, and it was about time I dropped
by here and say something about work.

In case you didn't know, I'm the other coder here at Frictional, and it was about time I dropped by here and say something about work. While Thomas works hard in the new HPL2 engine, I myself am having a lot of fun making a brand new map editor, with the intent of making map creation much simpler. It's on a very much early stage, but it's advanced enough to proudly show some screenshots of it right now (open them in seperate windows to see in original size)

Here you can see the basic layout



A little glimpse on the View menu and the static objects toolbox




More nicer stuff coming soon

[WindexGlow]

You guys might want to update this; you don't have much of a name in it!
http://tour.frictionalgames.com/

Suggestions:
-Able to create doorways, or other impressions into a selected object. Maya refers to this as "Booleans"
-Real-time rendering using HPL2
-Able to set accustion range of lights and various other properties (including flickering perhaps?)
-Object Editor (Slick interface allows you to define the properties per object, pretty much anything found in the new .ENT filetype)
-GUI interface for scripting (this is probably the second biggest thing you can do to encourage modding)
-Ability to start player anywhere on the map
-Console that can help debug scripts (current HPL scripts simply won't work if you don't do it right)
-Ability to spawn objects using console
-Vertice manipulation
-UV editor that repeats a texture evenly across all selected objects. Include a way for UV to wrap around curved objects?
-Ability for objects to be shown in the level editor scripted (aka: a giant pendolime swinging), sounds playing, and so on

Can you tell us some of the confirmed features this level editor will have? Will it be a direct substitute for Maya/3dMax and other major modeling programs?

AND AHA, I KNEW IT.
Luis 12:16 AM Posting New Thread in Work Log

I know what you're doing..
PM I sent the other night..I knew something was up!

[Luis]

Hehe, well, I'll post feature updates in next milestones. Right now I can give away a little overview on the thingy. Basically, you will have a set of premade objects available as building blocks, and maps will be made out of these. If you want, you can add new objects via creating them in any 3D modeling package able to export to the used format, but it should be possible to create a map without having to do so.
So in conclusion, all you would have to do is select objects from the set and place them all around the world. As you can figure, this can't in any way substitute Maya or 3DSMax, but will make the map creation process a lot simpler.

[WindexGlow]

So in a sense you'll simply be dropping room templates?
Or will the rooms still have to be custom made, it's just objects (chairs, desks, ect) will be placeable?

[Luis]

I guess you could go with room templates if you have the models for those, but the editor would also let you build your own room by placing walls, floor and ceiling.

Updates are coming soon by the way

[TheLight]

This is brilliant.

So I suppose Frictional Games will have to make a "Map Creation" forum?

[Naked? No]

IF they release the editor that is.

[TheLight]

I forgot about that.

Wouldn't it be good though if it is released?

[Naked? No]

Yes, it would be very useful for modders! Using the map editor will simplify modding drasticly!

[Guyra]

Well, it's no doubt a tool being made for the developers use, but it would've definetly been cool if they released it for download, or something.