Map editor eye candy support

[KarenRei]

Well, I'm ready for the first release of the map editor with eye candy support. I'm going to need a little bit of help from someone who can build on Windows before Roja can use it, obviously.

 

Problem: The map editor uses two separate interfaces -- one for Windows, and one in GTK for Linux. GTK exists for Windows, but it's not being used here. There are two options to make the eye candy support work in Windows.

 

A) Make Windows use the GTK version. Entropy recommended this one. This would mean that any future changes that I make to the editor actually effect Windows users in the same way that they do Linux users. It's also probably easier to do.

 

Less desirable, but still an option, is for some Windows user to implement the interface-related code of eye candy for the existing Windows interface.

 

Once that's done, we'll need a windows build for Roja to play around with, so she can then get back to me.

 

Here's a quick tutorial that I made for Roja to try out once it's ready.

 

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Pre-usage notes:

A) This is new code. It may not be completely stable, so saving often would be a good idea. Let me know if you find a crash, and if you do, let me know how to reproduce it. I'll fix it ASAP.

Many options for the effects that have sliders come up don't do anything yet. I'm going to work on that next, as well as on the "not yet implemented" effects (portal, bees, waterfall)

C) Message me with any changes to this that you want made. This is, after all, the first version of it

D) I need to work a bit more on obstructions, so if you see leaves pass through some things, don't worry.

 

1. Load "map2.elm"

2. Head over to the Forest of the Fall -- 318, 347. You'll see lots of columns.

3. Click on the "eye candy" button on the toolbar (a "flower" shape, fifth from the left)

4. Click the "create" button on the toolbar (black arrow with a spark at its tip). A dialog box will pop up, letting you choose an effect.

5. Pick "Fire". New options will appear.

6. Move the mouse around the screen. Let it sit in one place for a minute. You can see what the effect looks like.

7. Try changing the scale. Look at how the fire looks.

8. Move it up to the top of the column (insert/delete to raise/lower)

9. Place a fire on that column. Then place a fire on top of each column.

10. When you're done, change to a different toolbar command (say, 3d objects). It will stop placing effects.

11. Let's go back to eye candy. You'll notice the boxes that indicate the centers

of the effects reappear.

12. Right click on one box. The effect goes away.

13. Left click on another box. You pick it up. You can now place it and even place copies of it. When you're done, change toolbar buttons, as usual.

14. Delete all of your fires.

15. Let's add a "blowing leaves" effect to cover the entire Forest of the Fall. In eye candy mode, create a new effect and choose "Leaves". Adjust the density of the leaves if you'd like, then click "Ok". You will be in the minimap.

16. Your first click will place the center of the effect. Each additional left click will place a boundary. You can also left click to pick up and drag points or even the whole effect. Right click deletes points. Right clicking on the center deletes (and cancels) the whole effect. So, start by placing the center about two thirds of the way from the lower left corner of the forest to the upper right corner. You'll see it appear.

17. Now, place new points (remember, you can drag them). A good strategy for this area is to place "corner" points (since the forest is roughly square), then add one extra point on the west side and one on the south side. Play around with it; you can match the shape of the forest pretty nicely.

18. When you're done, press 'm' to leave the minimap.

19. You're not quite done. You'll see the info on the bottom of the page. On effects that you can configure the height with insert/delete, and may eventually be able to rotate or whatever you want if there's an effect that needs it. Left click (anywhere except the toolbar) when you've got it the way you want it.

20. Now press 'm' to look at the minimap. You'll see the perimeter of your effect, only fainter. This just shows you where it is. To remove or modify it, you'll need to (as usual) find the little white box on the map and left or right click it

21. You're done! Save the map and try it out in EL. If you want, try fireflies over Morcraven Marsh/map7.elm (they show up all the time in the map editor, but in the game, you'll only see them at night).