Nifflas' Support Forum
Level Editing Support => Saira Level Editing Support => Topic started by: Nifflas on September 21, 2009, 01:29:15
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BG uses a fully external level format. This includes enemy sprite sheets, and object and enemy behaviours. It wouldn't have been possible to create the game without that. Now, the editor is not user friendly, or intended for anyone else than myself, and it's very difficult to configure object behaviours as each object is defined with a whole bunch of parameters. Many devices, such as puzzles or sound generators are programmed as Multimedia Fusion 2 sub-applications (which I'll provide the source to). You won't be able to modify those without Multimedia Fusion 2. The main application's source will not be available.
What I'm saying is that level editing will be completely unsupported and not recommended. It will also be very, very difficult, most of the time will be spent using the text editor. I don't expect to see any levels at all with their own puzzle devices and sounds.
Now, don't get the wrong impression. I'd love to be proven wrong!
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Sounds kinda like 'good news wrapped in a bad-news packaging'. :P
So, while level editing will be possible and the editor offers unprecedented freedom, making actual levels will probably be out of skill range for most of us casual users, right?
Even if so, I'm still looking forward to see just how difficult is 'very difficult' ;)
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So, while level editing will be possible and the editor offers unprecedented freedom
Actually, it won't offer that. To modify the puzzles, pda, starmap, and sound module, you will need Multimedia Fusion 2. However, you'll still be able to make a lot without that.
The level editor won't come with the game, but I'll be sure to post it here on the forums among with some warning that it's completely unsupported and unrecommended.
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ARE YOU ASKING FOR A CHAAAAAALLENGE
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Well, my best chance to get somebody to create a good level is to provoke the community and be all like "You'll never be able to do it, it's too hard for you guys, don't even bother to try!" so that somebody will get really upset at my negativism and design a fantastic level that I'll really enjoy playing.
At least, I hope that's what will happen. If I'd just support it normally and go "oh, and feel free to design BG levels", then the same person might just give up when realizing the complexity of the task. I mean, for real, it's too hard for you guys, don't even bother to try :P
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You think a lot more like me than I originally suspected, Nifflas.
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that makes perfect sense lol, very nice logic :3 meh i might try it but im too lazy to buy mmf2 XD
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You could make a tuturial on how to work with it.
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You could make a tuturial on how to work with it.
Or not. :shifty:
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You could make a tuturial on how to work with it.
Or I could spend those months making a game as big as the original Knytt :)
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Yes do that instead please.
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Yes do that instead please.
Seconded. Without a doubt. XD
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I could put together a tutorial for the BG level editor if we can figure out enough of it to make sense. ;)
It could be a community effort, like what we did with the KS editor manual back in the old forum. Although this one looks more challenging, it might still be worth a try. What do you guys think?
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I'm gonna say yes to that too. Extra levels made by people who really know what they are doing will probably be a very good thing!
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I am thrilled that this game will have an editor of sorts, even if it is a bit hard to manage. :)
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What if there wont be a way to install new levels? huh? Did anyone think of that? We learn how to use it and make levels only to find out there is no way to install them into the game :O
Nifflas; Will there be a level installer in the game, like in ks?
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Sorry, in BG you will have to zip your level directory, then the other users will have to unzip that in the right folder. Level editing will not officially be supported after all.
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But you will be able to play custom levels without first removing other custom levels/the standard level(s), right? Because, really, it would suck if you couldn't.
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Yes, of course. Now, custom BG levels will be a bit dangerous to run, as Multimedia Fusion 2 doesn't have the option to disable file writing actions that might be present in sub-applications. This means that the level designer can in theory use Multimedia Fusion 2 to build a virus into the level add-on modules, and there's nothing I can do to prevent it.
By this reason, I might not officially support the idea about running third party levels at all, but that it will still be available at your own risk through using a command line. The level designer shouldn't have a problem creating a shortcut file that runs the program with the right command lines though, I know I have seen shortcuts that manages to use relative paths.