How does the level editor work?

buckmana · Post by **buckmana** » Sat Oct 13, 2007 11:31 am

I've been studying this on and off for a while now.

And the only thing I've learned how to do is draw rooms.

Since I'm not certain of the Drakan terms, I'll use the words I learned in Tomb Raider level editing.

The things I think are necessary to create a level are:

Rynn start point.
Arokh start point.
Inventory items (I'd be using the Runeblade, Dragon Armor, Attimar's Dagger, Magic Arrows and Energy bow). Although I'm not exactly certain, I think I know the procedure to make this items indestructible.
End of level trigger.
Doors between rooms.
Ridges and other landscape features.
Sky objects (I imagine this means the horizon).
Construction of caves.

My idea for my first level includes a cave as the starting point. It's nothing spectacular, just a test to see if I can do it.

But I have no idea how to do any of this. I've fiddled with the buttons for ages and haven't worked it out.

What I need is a step-by-step tutorial to learn the basics, so I can understand the procedures needed to create my own levels.

AXE · Post by **AXE** » Sat Oct 13, 2007 12:25 pm

I have not made a lvl in years, but this is a quick note for you.

The level has a main layer, which you need paint a texture onto. This layer, has vertices which you can then change heights, so as to have hills etc. You can join layers together by matching there vertice heights, if not matched you will see gaps and flaws.

You require a start point, placed just above your layer, otherwise your Rynn will fall to her death on startup. Maybe a Arohk start point too. There objects need be in the lvl, and linked to the start points, one of the tutorials tells how to do object links.

Also a weapon object needs placed, with links. A warning here! Too many objects will slow down the renderer and make frame rates slow on old machines.

A sky is nice, and will need use special skycommon database, cause Duncan made some nice sky textures. Ahh did you figuire out databases and dependancies? My first level took me about 6 months, and is called The Hill. Trial and error, if you checkout the lvl, you may find my fish flying through the air!

Keep a backup of your databases, cause you may corrupt yours, then it will not match ours when try to play. This can not be told till u share the lvl, and it is seen to be incompatable, then, you get start all over again, hehe[8D] This may happen a few times!

Arokhs Twin · Post by **Arokhs Twin** » Sat Oct 13, 2007 12:28 pm

The level editor is quite complex and there isn't a great deal in the way of tutorials. However you could try searching Planet Drakan and also check this link as a good starting point.
http://www.surreal-news.com/showthread.php?t=2678

AXE · Post by **AXE** » Sat Oct 13, 2007 12:29 pm

Ah, another note, follow step by step the given tutorials, they do explain the basics to make the level, including water, objects, weapon pads etc.

buckmana · Post by **buckmana** » Sun Oct 14, 2007 1:41 am

I've been avoiding the Surreal forums and Planet Drakan.

First, the Surreal forums info is often out of date and the links are broken.

Second, whenever I tried to download something from Planet Drakan, I get this message about having to pay for some kind of subscription. I'm a bit annoyed about this, because, in my experience, except in the cases where copyright is involved, everything on the internet is free.

But this site (http://balder.prohosting.com/drakaned/) gave me some useful information.

It appears all I need is that tutorial on making caves and I'm good to go!

AXE · Post by **AXE** » Sun Oct 14, 2007 2:48 am

Caves are made by simple landscaping techniques. Place a new layer above the original one, and then adjust the vertice heights, to make opening of cave, and a close at back. Keep your edges at the same height as the original layer. Texture it!, Then make another layer above this cave layer One layer is the inside, the other the hill above it all. Expect to make a few layers, like 50 or more in a lvl.

All the tutorials of off Balder site, have been included within the Gold pack! Read the Landscaping one.

Also the forums, maybe very old, but the topics and threads are still there even though the links are dead. If you require more indepth files, then you need browse like we have on Andres ftp server, which there is a link to of off the link page here, and my web.[8D]

buckmana · Post by **buckmana** » Sun Oct 14, 2007 8:02 am

I've seen your website, but am unclear as how to access the Gold Pack download.

If I'm interpreting what you're saying correctly, you make the cave as an "inside" room and then connect it to an "outside" room.

AXE · Post by **AXE** » Sun Oct 14, 2007 2:30 pm

Stop thinking in a box shape, rather a landscape. As an example open up some of the other Multiplayer lvls within the editor, some of the original ones even. Check them out in the 3d mode to get to a cave, then look at how the layers are made over it.

Tink of this, one layer for the ground, one layer for the water, one layer for the roof of the cave, one layer to cover the cave in a hill. thats 4 layers. The hill is actually a small underground island inside a volcano, so ther is another layer above the hill, which is the roof of that cave, which then has another ground layer etc, etc. With the editor, relative height is infinate.

AXE · Post by **AXE** » Sun Oct 14, 2007 2:34 pm

The Gold Pack, can be downloaded of off my ftp server, via the ip number link, that I keep updated, on the front page.

buckmana · Post by **buckmana** » Mon Oct 15, 2007 12:09 am

I tried to use the 3D Preview option a few times. And this is how it works for me:

Small objects only (weapons, effects, etc). As soon as I ask it to show me a level, the 3D window crashes and dumps me back to the editor.

<b>BLASTED WINDOWS XP!!!!!!</b> [:(!] [:(!] [:(!] [:(!] [:(!] [:(!] [:(!] [:(!] [:(!] [:(!] [:(!] [:(!] [:(!] [:(!] [:(!] [:(!] [:(!] [:(!] [:(!] [:(!] [:(!] [:(!] [:(!] [:(!] [:(!] [:(!] [:(!] [:(!] [:(!] [:(!]

I tried to access the FTP server, but it kept knocking me out. Given that username and password were supplied, I tried to use LeechFTP to access it.

De Profundis · Post by **De Profundis** » Mon Oct 15, 2007 11:16 am

You can't load the 3d view when there's anything on the map that contains animations (such as Characters) when using XP. Probably part of the reasone levels aren't made much these days.

Arokhs Twin · Post by **Arokhs Twin** » Mon Oct 15, 2007 6:30 pm

Try this page, there is a patch that may help. http://www.arokhslair.net/downloads.html

buckmana · Post by **buckmana** » Tue Oct 16, 2007 9:01 am

Well, it stopped the 3d viewer crashing.

Unfortunately, it didn't appear to do much more then that.

All I see is a paintbrush and a grey screen.

[V] Maybe these programs were never mean to function under WindowsXP........

AXE · Post by **AXE** » Tue Oct 16, 2007 12:37 pm

Runs just fine for me under XP, I have a ATI radeon graphics card! Any Gforce card has issues! Do you have one?

buckmana · Post by **buckmana** » Tue Oct 16, 2007 1:00 pm

I'm using an nVidia GeForce 6600 LE.

I'm really hoping to get this working, since the last 3D game editor I was using has a really weird ongoing fatal flaw that I've been unable to rectify. It forced me to give up working with it.

And you know what? I think it was caused by WindowsXP! [:(!] [:(!] [:(!] [:(!] [:(!] [:(!] [:(!]