Map Editor Tips, hints, questions here

[Guest DarthMaulUK]

Please post any question you have in this thread.

 

Keep your question in a constructive manner so its easier to get a response from those who do know what they are doing.

 

DMUK

[Kallath]

1. Why is the Deathstar in all the space maps for nonskirmish? Is it some sort of placeholder for when the Deathstar is at those planets? Similar question for all land structures (turbolasers, for example).

 

2. Why isn't 'waterfall' an object? I see waterfall topspray in 'temperate,' but nothing else.

[The_Eradicator]

Can anyone create a tutorial? i just dont get anything... AOE3 map editor is way better

[Darth_Torpid-PG]

1. Why is the Deathstar in all the space maps for nonskirmish? Is it some sort of placeholder for when the Deathstar is at those planets? Similar question for all land structures (turbolasers, for example).

 

2. Why isn't 'waterfall' an object? I see waterfall topspray in 'temperate,' but nothing else.

 

1. It's a marker for where the Death Star appears in a tactical game if it is in orbit. Every sandbox/galactic conquest space map needs this marker.

 

2. Waterfalls are made using the track/road system. The object is an emitter to simulate the spray.

[Darth_Torpid-PG]

Can anyone create a tutorial? i just dont get anything... AOE3 map editor is way better

 

 

Unlike AOE3, this editor is only for map creation. All scripting is done in XML and LUA. The story/tutorial document included in the mod tools can show give you some ideas on story/tutorial scripting.

[swphreak]

I'm with Eradicator. I just want to make space maps. Don't care for any of this scripting stuff. The GB/CC Map Editor (Scenario Editor) was far more simpler.

[Patrickj64_ak]

its not that hard to create a skirmash space map. just be sure to start a new one by going to file/new space, it seems to load just the things you need for a space map that way.

[swphreak]

its not that hard to create a skirmash space map. just be sure to start a new one by going to file/new space, it seems to load just the things you need for a space map that way.

 

I get that far, but notihng happens. I can't even do anything when I do New land. I was really hoping for a simple Map Editor, not some mumbo jumbo complicated program that can do everything but make simple maps :/

[popcorn2008]

Me personally, I like it. Reminds me a lot of the Generals map editor so far.

 

But, quick question for anyone, in an urban enviorment is there an easy way to make ramps? In other words a ramp to get from a high level to a low level? One tool that seems to be missing...

[yodasoda2187]

I get that far, but notihng happens. I can't even do anything when I do New land. I was really hoping for a simple Map Editor, not some mumbo jumbo complicated program that can do everything but make simple maps :/

 

Yeah, I agree. I have no idea what I'm doing or even how to get started.

[wedge2211]

I can't get theplayable map bounds for a space skirmish map to be any larger than (0, 0) to (5000, 5000), even when I increase the space width and space height values extremely. The playable space I'm left with seems really cramped from the moment I put the first asteroid resource pad in it...any way to get the map size to be bigger?

[swphreak]

Upon further button mashing, I think I figured some of it out. When I use the following settings: Map Type-Space; Faction Owner-Branched; Player Mode-Multiplayer; Players-6; Map Levels-6; Space Width and Height-10000; Shift Map Horz/Vert-0; Left, Right, Top, Bottom-400.00.

 

What settings should I be using?

 

And by randomly pushing the button to the left of the ruler button, I figured out that's how you place objects, and the pencil button cna be used to move the object.

 

Stay tuned to see if it actually works!

 

Question: Is the background of a new space map supposed to be blue? Or will it go away in the game?

[Darth_Torpid-PG]

Me personally, I like it. Reminds me a lot of the Generals map editor so far.

 

But, quick question for anyone, in an urban enviorment is there an easy way to make ramps? In other words a ramp to get from a high level to a low level? One tool that seems to be missing...

 

Most of the guys that did urban maps here imported height maps into the editor and then edited them. I think they used Visio to create the height maps to get simple circle and square shapes. I didn't actually make any of the urban maps, so I'm not sure how they got the nice neat ramps For natural settings, however, you can create steps using the leveling brush, then use the smoothing tool (center button) to smooth it into something more organic.

[zac naloen]

Question: Is the background of a new space map supposed to be blue? Or will it go away in the game?

 

At the top of bar theres button called nature, in there is a list of all the objects in the game. In there you can find all the different backdrops.

 

 

*edit, got the tab name wrong*

[Darth_Torpid-PG]

SHIFT key to place objects on the map. Space backdrops and land skyboxes are placed in the NATURE tab of the editor - there are two drop-boxes to set the two layers.

[Patrickj64_ak]

ok...start a new space map and in the map context information box do this

map type=space

faction owner=rebel or whatever i guess

player mode=multiplayer

number players=2

map levels=5

map name=whatever you wish

 

then go down to the space dimensions and change the space width to say 20000 just becouse we want some space..lol it will automatically change the height too.

 

hit OK.

 

now you got a big emty box

in the left pane clik on SPACEPROP and pick a backdrop like alderaan, its the first one.

with it highlighted move your curser over the big emptybox on the right and hit shift key and then leftclik mousebutton to drop. if you got a mousewheel you can zoom in and out with it now to see the borders or your map with alderaan in it.

hold the right mousebutton to scroll around your map.

 

the rest of everything else is pretty much like that for a space map.

 

i hope i dont get in trouble for a big post but lets go ahead and make it playable.

 

in left pane scroll down to starbase and pick the skirmash empire and rebel bases and put them in the map the same way you did alderaan.

take note that things will fade in and out on the map.

 

make sure to put in some spacebuildable mineral_extractor_pads around your map too

 

now goto marker in the left pane and find player_0_spawn_point_marker and place it next to the rebel base. in the left pane towards the bottom is "player owner", make it rebel. now do the same with the empire but use the player_1_spawn_point_marker.

 

ok you just made your first map now just fiddle around and add whatever you want like some astroid fields and whatnot.

 

good luck.

[Wildcat']

I am using 3DS Max 6 ( I haven't upgraded likea lot of others...possibly a lucky move since these tools only work with 6) and there are no animation tools are there? The exporter is meant for the sole purpose of having static objects for use in maps?

 

edit: This is a question on the model exporter but is also related to map objects (just to be clear)

 

never mind. Seems there are animation tools.

[Kallath]

DarthMaulIUK

 

Thanks for answering my quesitons. I bolded because I'm not sure you'd see this in all the clutter.

 

I read somewhere that the 'tracking' or whatever isn't something that can be manipulated in the current version of the editor (obviously not, since you can't click it). Will this feature ever be included?

 

Also, another question: why can't the space map textures be changed? The 'texture' menu isn't accessible when you make a space map, so I can't put the image of space in the background. Is this a bug or is there another way to import a texture?

 

Thanks!

[Orao]

For space texure there is no painting. You have to go to environnement tab and then you play with skydomes. If you want to add the planet in the background go to spaceprops and look for planet object you want to add.

[Kallath]

Thanks. Yeah, I got the objects down well enough.

[darthsabatino]

now goto marker in the left pane and find player_0_spawn_point_marker and place it next to the rebel base. in the left pane towards the bottom is "player owner", make it rebel. now do the same with the empire but use the player_1_spawn_point_marker.

 

 

What if you are doing a 8 player map, how would you do the spawn point markers?

[Patrickj64_ak]

one for each player.2player=2spawnpoints , 6 you would use 6 spawnpoints. i only see 7 total spawnpoints in my editor . theres some info in the Map Editor Walkthrough document. that came with the map editor but it use's a land map as an example.

[fortune faded13]

everytime i load a land map i made every structure explodes...

and yes i did the "Starting Object" thing. i cant find out why.

please help?

[swphreak]

Player_0 is player 1. I managed to successfully make a space map. It was friggin huge, but worked.

 

Do you have to use both the player position and spawn things? I did and it worked fine.

[darth james]

You need to use the Player_X_Spawn_Point_Marker and the Player_X_Position_Marker once per side (you need at least 4 total per side) and make each one Empire or Rebel(This would mean you need a tolal of 32 markers in a 8 player game!). If you only put Player_0_Spawn_Point_Marker and Player_0_Position_Marker for the Rebels with Player_1_Spawn_Point_Marker and Player_1_Position_Marker for the Empire, then player 1 must be rebel and player 2 must be empire.