[RELEASE] Campaign map editor alpha 0.5 - Huge terrain editing improvements!

[Klofkac]

Find download in attachment.

D2kEditor05.zip

 

CHANGELOG:

Fixed: Map image is saved properly
Added: Program accepts map filename as parameter
Changed: New icon (by dato 2000)

Major terrain editing improvements:
- Selected tile block is drawn under mouse cursor when editing a map
- You can Drag&Scroll map while holding right button in terrain editing mode
- Fully functional Undo&Redo feature: you can undo/redo as many steps as you want (use Ctrl+Z, Ctrl+Y).
- Added "Select&Copy" feature: you can select area on a map with mouse (press left button and drag) and then place that area somewhere in map or even in different map. You can choose to select area with or without structures (structures are not drawn on the selected block)
- Added "Block key-presets" feature: This will let you draw cliffs and borders MUCH FASTER!!!
  Each key on keyboard (1, 2, 3, 4, Q, W, E, R, T, ect) has its block preset. Instead of selecting tile block from tileset of from a list (like in Shai-Hulud editor), you just simply press key on keyboard and select tile which you want. The layout of keys and their tiles is logical and intuitive (hopefully).
  Press key multiple times if there are more "versions" of the block.
  There are four preset groups: rock-sand cliff, sand-sand cliff, rock border, dunes border.

  Look at the layouts in attached images:

 

- Keyboard shortcuts were changed and there are several new.
  All old letters/numbers shortcurs now work with Shift (Shift+R for selecting Rock, Shift+2 for 2x2 block etc)
  New shortcuts: Shift+C for Select&Copy mode, F1-F4 for selecting key-preset group
  Num2, Num4, Num6, Num8 for moving block on map (useful when you want to move it beyond up or left map border or when it is too big)
  "`" (the key under Esc) for quick select of Sand/Rock/Dunes according to current key-preset group

 

Enjoy and please let me know about any bugs and comments and of course your experience!

[Cm_blast]

On 5/2/2015 at 10:12 PM, Klofkac said:

Find download in attachment.

D2kEditor05.zip

 

CHANGELOG:

Fixed: Map image is saved properly

Added: Program accepts map filename as parameter

Changed: New icon (by dato 2000)

Major terrain editing improvements:

- Selected tile block is drawn under mouse cursor when editing a map

- You can Drag&Scroll map while holding right button in terrain editing mode

- Fully functional Undo&Redo feature: you can undo/redo as many steps as you want (use Ctrl+Z, Ctrl+Y).

- Added "Select&Copy" feature: you can select area on a map with mouse (press left button and drag) and then place that area somewhere in map or even in different map. You can choose to select area with or without structures (structures are not drawn on the selected block)

- Added "Block key-presets" feature: This will let you draw cliffs and borders MUCH FASTER!!!

  Each key on keyboard (1, 2, 3, 4, Q, W, E, R, T, ect) has its block preset. Instead of selecting tile block from tileset of from a list (like in Shai-Hulud editor), you just simply press key on keyboard and select tile which you want. The layout of keys and their tiles is logical and intuitive (hopefully).

  Press key multiple times if there are more "versions" of the block.

  There are four preset groups: rock-sand cliff, sand-sand cliff, rock border, dunes border.

  Look at the layouts in attached images:

 

keys.pngkeys2.png

- Keyboard shortcuts were changed and there are several new.

  All old letters/numbers shortcurs now work with Shift (Shift+R for selecting Rock, Shift+2 for 2x2 block etc)

  New shortcuts: Shift+C for Select&Copy mode, F1-F4 for selecting key-preset group

  Num2, Num4, Num6, Num8 for moving block on map (useful when you want to move it beyond up or left map border or when it is too big)

  "`" (the key under Esc) for quick select of Sand/Rock/Dunes according to current key-preset group

 

Enjoy and please let me know about any bugs and comments and of course your experience!

 

I just did a quick glance a looks awesome. Using a single key to swich among the 4 "lef-side-mountain" instead going in the "open tileset" is a good thing.

 

Now, if you create a new map every square of sand isn't the same anymore, that's great.

 

How about adding a blue square when I choose "rock"?

Example, I create the outline of a zone, now I want to paint inside, so I choose "4x4 - rock"  but I mess up and painted a bit over the edge. (imagen)

 

 

With the blue square it would be easier to avoid messing up like this.

 

Also, although the undo option is there, if you choose rock and left click over a zone (drawing a line for example), the undo feature will consider the line drawn as lots of clicks. Would be good if with a single undo I could reverse my last drag.

Edited October 22, 2019 by Cm_blast

[FunkyFr3sh]

nice :)

 

Why are the tiles not separated in the tile selection dialog btw? Would be cool if you could select them without choosing the size on top, just having it automatically selecting the whole tile.

 

Another thing would be filling a whole area with spice/clear ground by selecting it and then hitting a button to auto fill

 

A right click context menu would be cool after selecting an area (copy/paste/cut/fill)

 

I have been patching map editors for another old westwood game from 1996 (red alert 1), maybe you can take some idea from these editors too:

http://funkyfr3sh.cncnet.org/files/ra/edwinHighRes.zip

 

edwin is a pretty straight forward editor, you should take a look at it :)

[Iran]

Any chance you can release the source code or put the project on github?

[Adriano]

This is VERY well in general!

- Fully functional Undo&Redo feature: you can undo/redo as many steps as you want (use Ctrl+Z, Ctrl+Y).

And special thanks for this!

[FunkyFr3sh]

Any chance you can release the source code or put the project on github?

he did, but it's delphi. Might be possible to compile it with lazarus with some luck

http://github.com/jkoncick/D2kEditor

[Adriano]

Klofkac, another wonderful option that you add (in 0.4 ver.) and I would like to say thank you:

Added: "Mark impassable tiles" feature: you can now see which tiles are impassable or infantry-only.

 

Earlier it needs to run the game and to look at infantry and vehicles on the part of map.

 

I have an idea. May be to add the same colour crosses to window "Tile block selection" too? Sometimes it is not easy to understand -- is impassable (as you call it) the tile or not. As at the picture below: 

 

 

There is check-box "Show Grid" in "Open tileset" -> "Tile block selection" window. May be to add check-box "Mark impassable tiles" (or something like this)?

 

IMHO, it will be great! If it possible.

It allows to create extremely varied landscapes for different maps.

And it allows to choose different tiles easy in "Tile block selection" window. 

 

And this is possibility to create complex way to the base. It will be possible to create complex landscape defence for own or enemy base.

Edited May 3, 2015 by Adriano

[D2k Sardaukar]

Nice work, Klofkac! The small tile preview is a huge improvement and the pre-set groups make things also a lot easier.

 

There is one small problem, when I 'drop' sand (for example) and move the cursor the complete map goes white and back to normal. Like it is stuttering.

 

This only happens when the program is maximized. This is on Win7 64bit 1680x1050.

 

Also when the program is maximized the bottom information is cut-off, see attached image.

 

[Adriano]

 

- Fully functional Undo&Redo feature: you can undo/redo as many steps as you want (use Ctrl+Z, Ctrl+Y).

Perhaps, will you made menu item "Edit" with "Undo", "Redo" and something else?

[Klofkac]

Now, if you create a new map every square of sand isn't the same anymore, that's great.

Haha, that was fixed years ago along with the right-edge-cutoff rendering fix. Too bad it was not updated on D2k+ download page so people used the wrong version.

 

How about adding a blue square when I choose "rock"?

Example, I create the outline of a zone, now I want to paint inside, so I choose "4x4 - rock"  but I mess up and painted a bit over the edge. (imagen)

Dibujo.PNG

 

With the blue square it would be easier to avoid messing up like this.

I indeed wanted to add this, but it seems a bit trickier to implement: in the blue square there is drawn currently selected block, but in this case you paint random rock tiles. Making it transparent was also problem for some reason, but I will eventually try. However even Shai-Hulud does not have that so it was not a priority.

 

Also, although the undo option is there, if you choose rock and left click over a zone (drawing a line for example), the undo feature will consider the line drawn as lots of clicks. Would be good if with a single undo I could reverse my last drag.

On the other hand, if you are drawing some area and you accidentally draw rock where you don't want it (this is exactly the case shown in your image), you can undo the last wrong move instead of undoing everything and drawing all the area again.

 

nice :)

 

Why are the tiles not separated in the tile selection dialog btw? Would be cool if you could select them without choosing the size on top, just having it automatically selecting the whole tile.

I was actually thinking about the solution to make map creating faster for very long time. I wanted to implement a feature, which would fully automatically create cliffs or borders around rock or dunes, or a feature, where you draw the border simply with mouse and the editor itself places proper tiles. But that would be extremely hard to implement and also potentially very buggy, so I rejected this idea and wanted to make something easier to implement which would still significantly help with mapping.

I also thought about separating the tiles in tileset window (exactly as you suggest), but then I got better idea about making Block key-presets. With it, you practically need to open tileset window only for tileset-specific blocks such as "decorations", infantry-only blocks, bridges and so on. So I decided that separating tiles in tileset window is not needed (actually Shai-Hulud provides something very similar) and to save my work.

 

Another thing would be filling a whole area with spice/clear ground by selecting it and then hitting a button to auto fill

 

A right click context menu would be cool after selecting an area (copy/paste/cut/fill)

 

I have been patching map editors for another old westwood game from 1996 (red alert 1), maybe you can take some idea from these editors too:

http://funkyfr3sh.cncnet.org/files/ra/edwinHighRes.zip

 

edwin is a pretty straight forward editor, you should take a look at it :)

I looked briefly at edwin and it seems it is official editor which comes with the game. It has certainly better appearance and possibilities, but I noticed that placing blocks in Red Alert 1 works quite differently than in Dune 2000.

About the context menu, I don't think it is really needed at all. Why to complicate things when they can be simple? I think that current behavior is simple and straightforward - you select area and then you can immediately place it.

About filling area - maybe I could do something here.

 

Nice work, Klofkac! The small tile preview is a huge improvement and the pre-set groups make things also a lot easier.

 

There is one small problem, when I 'drop' sand (for example) and move the cursor the complete map goes white and back to normal. Like it is stuttering.

 

This only happens when the program is maximized. This is on Win7 64bit 1680x1050.

 

Also when the program is maximized the bottom information is cut-off, see attached image.

 

d2kmapeditorbugtaskbar.png

I know about the status bar cut-off, it is probably general bug of Delphi or the Windows status bar. I struggled to fix it anyhow but I gave up.

About the "stuttering" - for me everything works perfectly, can you describe what you do more in detail? I am developing it with a machine with WinXP and 1366*768 screen and I have no problem.

 

Perhaps, will you made menu item "Edit" with "Undo", "Redo" and something else?

Sure I can add it, but who will use it? Using keyboard shortcuts is easier and faster :)

 

[Cm_blast]

Haha, that was fixed years ago along with the right-edge-cutoff rendering fix. Too bad it was not updated on D2k+ download page so people used the wrong version.

I see, I'm new in this editing thing, so didn't know about this =(.

 

Anyway, if you create 32x32 map the sand is random, but if later I use the "set map size" to increase it to 52x52 all the new sand isn't random anymore. Would be nice have this fixed too. 

 

What about the option to show separated events?

 

For example, if in the mis editor there is a 3-unit spawn, in the map editor you can see the square indicator (S3), that's OK; But if later I adda 32-reinforcements in the same place, the editor only will show the R32

 

Is possible add something so you can see if there are more than 1 event in the same square?

 

One last thing, this more optional. Would be possible adding other languages to the editor?

 

For example, If I'm writing the spanish text.uib I often doubt how exactly the building is called. The translations in dune 2 and Dune 2000 were slightly different. "Industria ligera - Dune 2", "Fábrica ligera - 2000". But because in english si "factory" I tend to translate it to "factoría".

 

All mean the same, but is better "fábrica" how it should be named; with the editor in spanish will be easy to have the names at first sight in case of doubt.

[D2k Sardaukar]

 

...

 

I was actually thinking about the solution to make map creating faster for very long time. I wanted to implement a feature, which would fully automatically create cliffs or borders around rock or dunes, or a feature, where you draw the border simply with mouse and the editor itself places proper tiles. But that would be extremely hard to implement and also potentially very buggy, so I rejected this idea and wanted to make something easier to implement which would still significantly help with mapping.

 

...

 

I tried to make automatic maps (here result), but also got stuck on the borders. If you look closely to Dune 2000 maps, almost nowhere are the rock edges straight, they always make a bend or something which is very difficult to implement.

 

I can't seem to reproduce the flickering now. Perhaps the reboot after a long time fixed it.

[Hunoa]

Hello again guys,since D2K toolkit topic is archived at the moment so i let myself ask,why mission editor crashes when i try to open it to add some behaviour to the modded AI i added for myself in several campaign missions.
Last nickname: Devasta(helped mvi to find several values in winhex in dune missions 5-6 years ago,when i was 13-14,now im 19).
Best regards.

Huge Post Scriptum:
Possible Plans to do:
The bronze and yellow campaign(smugglers and mercenaries) maps so you may use it later to program some more superior stuff or if i get help i think i can edit behaviour of AI itself.
I thought of 2 fractions were always allied like in Red Alert 3 but instead of 2 v 1 like in RA3 it would be 2 v 3 or 2 v 2,depending on map.
Shortest story:
Smugglers hire Mercenaries to help them to counter the invasion of Ordos,Atreides & Harkonnen and eventually counter back to annihilate them,but their money last only to last mission where you are left 1 v 5 with base already prebuilt on huge terrain.

[Gruntlord6]

Updated download on D2K+. When I get time I'll do a news post.

[Adriano]

One thing is very interesting for me. What is CONCRETE ?

Is this a building? Or attribute of tile?

Is it possible to make concrete before game?

[Klofkac]

Good news! I am now releasing alpha 0.6 pre-release.

This release contains all new features which I made so far, but it's still not a complete alpha 0.6.

The main reason is that I need to get first your feedback about errors/bugs as well as suggestions. So please test carefully if everything works as expected. I made a bunch of cool new features which I believe you will really like.

 

Find download in attachment (exe only):

D2kEditor06pre.zip

 

Changelog:

Added: "Mark tiles" option also to Tileset window. Buildable tiles are marked there too.
Added: "Edit" menu with Undo and Redo options
Added: Press TAB key to switch between Structures and Terrain mode
Added: "Show unknown specials" feature
Added: If more events (Reinforcements etc) are placed in one tile, additional markers are dwawn next to that tile
Added: If mouse cursor is moved over Reinforcement or Spawn marker, list of units is displayed. Works in Structures mode.
Changed: Minimap is updated after you finish painting of sand/rock/dunes/spice, because rendering was very slow.
Added: "Fill area" feature: works with sand, rock, dunes and thick spice.
       - You need to double-click into a tile inside area you want to fill.
       - If rock, dunes or thick spice is selected, area made of sand tiles is filled.
         (Recommendation: Draw a border with Thin spice and then fill the center with Thick spice)
       - If sand is selected, area made of tiles which are not sand is filled.
Added: "Test map" feature: you can now launch and test your map directly from the editor!
       Requirements:
       - You need to have modified version of Dune2000.exe, which supports mission launching.
         (It is distributed along with Mission launcher)
       - Dune2000.exe must be in parent directory of the directory where the map is saved
       - Counterpart .mis file must exist and there must be no map errors (missing Worm Spawners etc.)
       How it works:
       - Added "Test" menu with two options "Quick launch" and "Launch with settings"
       - "Quick launch" simply starts game with last settings
       - "Launch with settings" opens a window where you can set Difficulty, Mission number, Side you want to play as etc.
       - Mission number and Side is detected from map name's last 4 characters (like A4V1 - A for Side, 4 for mission).
       - For map names not having this name pattern you need to set them manually.
       - Before launching, map is saved into temporary file (TESTMAP.map) which is actually launched.
       - Original map is not saved. Don't forget to save!
Added: "Create empty .mis file" feature: Creates .mis file with default settings, no events, no AI. Useful when creating new map.

 

Enjoy!
 

[Adriano]

Good job, Klofkac! I like it.

Would you like to explain me, what does it mean: R12, H1 on the map? I mean NUMBERS here: 12, 1.

I suppose, R is reinforcement, H is harvester.

[Cm_blast]

Good job, Klofkac! I like it.

Would you like to explain me, what does it mean: R12, H1 on the map? I mean NUMBERS here: 12, 1.

I suppose, R is reinforcement, H is harvester.

in this other thread he explained overall

http://forum.dune2k.com/topic/26931-release-campaign-map-editor-alpha-04/

 

Mainly R is for reinforcements, H-Harverster, S-Unit spawn, M-Reveal Map, T-Unit in Tile.

The number is the number in the mission editor. So if I Have:

1 - Mission win

2 - Message

3 - Reinforcement

then, in the map editor will apear R3.

 

This is very usefull. In some maps I have like 40 events. Is really easy searching "that" reinforcement which I mess up.

 

In case you place 2 Harverster in the same reinforcement the editor said "R".

 

Anyway, I just give a first try to the new version and filling the terrain is a good idea. Mainly placing all the spice just drawning the outline and then double clicking with thick spice. ¿Could be possible doing the same with the normal thin spice? Not always I want a big thick spice. Sometimes, for example, I place a 9x9 thin spice and then just 15 with thick spice but all the rest as simple thin spice.

[FunkyFr3sh]

Added: "Test map" feature: you can now launch and test your map directly from the editor!

Nice :D Another guy did the same with his his map editor (i think it was a red alert 2 editor)

 

Btw, the code supports loading skirmish games too (in this case you don't need to have a .mis file), to enable the skirmish mode you simple need to remove the "MySideID=" key, it will then load the map from the maps folder (not mission folder like in singleplayer mode)

 

Starting locations are numbered starting from the top left going to the bottom right

 

Skirmish example: http://funkyfr3sh.cncnet.org/files/d2k/spawn-skirmish.ini

 

Oh, that reminds me I gotta fix the "-Window" parameter, might be useful for testing too :D

[D2k Sardaukar]

Fill does not work for me, I made the edge of a cube with spice and double clicked in it, nothing happens besides one spice tile is placed. Did you upload the correct version it says in the bottom toolbar alpha 0.5?

[Cm_blast]

Fill does not work for me, I made the edge of a cube with spice and double clicked in it, nothing happens besides one spice tile is placed. Did you upload the correct version it says in the bottom toolbar alpha 0.5?

 

Doesn't work with "thin" spice.

work with rock, dunes, sand and thick spice.

[Klofkac]

Actually, in almost all official missions, there are thick spice areas surrounded by one-tile-wide border of thin spice. So I assumed that filling area with thin spice is rather not needed and made it possible only for thick spice. If you really need fill feature for thin spice then I can add it.

[Klofkac]

Added: "Test map" feature: you can now launch and test your map directly from the editor!

Nice :D Another guy did the same with his his map editor (i think it was a red alert 2 editor)

 

Btw, the code supports loading skirmish games too (in this case you don't need to have a .mis file), to enable the skirmish mode you simple need to remove the "MySideID=" key, it will then load the map from the maps folder (not mission folder like in singleplayer mode)

 

Starting locations are numbered starting from the top left going to the bottom right

 

Skirmish example: http://funkyfr3sh.cncnet.org/files/d2k/spawn-skirmish.ini

 

Oh, that reminds me I gotta fix the "-Window" parameter, might be useful for testing too :D

Hmm, that seems interesting, but I'm rather not going to implement all the GUI for setting skirmish parameters (or maybe adding support for it at all). Testing is mainly needed for campaign maps, which is also the primary purpose of the editor.

Also I have question whether there are any more possible spawn.ini settings for campaign maps, than Mission launcher (or my editor) already uses.

[FunkyFr3sh]

Skirmish/online maps do now also support pre placed buildings and .mis scripts, so i thought it might be nice to have :)

 

SP mode keys:

 

TextUib= (load a custom text.uib file)

RandSeed= (random number which is used as base for the random number generator of the game)

GameSpeed= (This setting will override the gamespeed saved in dune2000.ini)

Scenario= (filename of the map without the extension)

ScenarioName= (the name of the map, this is only used for the statistics)

WOLGameId= (the Id of the game, this is only used for the statistics)

MySideID= (the house of the player)

MissionNumber= (this number decides which in-game briefing is shown, set it to 0 if there is no briefing)

DifficultyLevel=

 

that's all for SP

[Cm_blast]

I think the "fill with sand" option is overdoing a bit.

 

Example: I have this test map.

 

If I choose "sand 1x1" and double click in the area with the Ordos units/buildings, the program delete EVERYTHING, just because some dunes are conecting with that area, conected by spice, conected by vehicles, conected by random tiles, etc... (of course, all Ordos are deleted as well).

 

This can be a problem, if someone is thinking "mmm... I don't like this spice field, no problem, I just fill ti with sand and redraw it again", he can delete more than expected because of this.

 

Oh, look at this. Original Ordos Level 9. Look at the shredding of the map trying to fill the Harkonnen Area

Overdoing.wmv