Epic GTA2 Map Editor (0.6.6602) Beta

[Sektor]

If you leave it as char then next menu could give a choice between player or bot since you need to use a different command to create players. Creating players isn't needed since there are only 6 of them, just editing existing player positions would be fine. Characters aren't used in most multiplayer scripts and when they are they will need orders and more complex code that is best typed manually. The most important thing is to be able to place cars and weapon generators.

[T.M.]

Hmm, good idea, players arent that important since you create them once. I will put them under Char menu.

[BenMillard]

Placing generic objects can be quite useful as well. Especially the TOWER objects, footballs, barriers, then park benches.

[T.M.]

Thats what the "Object" means, suggestions for better name? I cant think of anything short name for it :/

Maybe i should add "Powerups" or something? and then "Map objects" ? But are weapons really powerups?

[elypter]

i would divide objects in the following categories:
COLLECT
MOVING COLLECT
visible objects
invisible object

each of these with the options:
startup
mid-game
generator

[T.M.]

Most invisible objects are in "Objects" group now, other invisible objects are LOWER_LEVEL etc, but those i am planning to put on the "Other" group.

I forgot this MOVING thing totally, good catch! Also makes me think i should add Collectibles group or something, could "Powerups" be good name for them?

Generator also good catch, i will add new menu for Object group to choose between "normal" and "generator", and only the type "normal" will open new menu for create or declare etc.

This is how it looks now:


Edit: is this good?

[elypter]

I like this categorization but i would not add another group for moving and not moving collectibles. I would add it to the line of collectible and map object, so you don't have to click through such many layers. The other layers are ok.

[T.M.]

I know, but i dont see other way of doing it.

Your suggestions would add menu group: [ Moving Collectible | Static Collectible | Moving Map Object | Static Map Object ]

Now it looks like this:


It gets quite deep though...

[elypter]

ah ok i see. when you also divide map objects by static and moving another layer is needed.

[T.M.]

OH wait, you meant like this?


Could be done, but it doesnt save much more space, just one line.

Maybe i could make it autohide the menu to show only the first menu if my mouse isnt hovering over it? would solve the space problem nicely.

[elypter]

no, it was this i was thinking about too:
[ Moving Collectible | Static Collectible | Moving Map Object | Static Map Object ]
i just did not think about Moving Map Object and Static Map Object as 2 different things

[T.M.]

Hmm, i think "Static" and "Moving" isnt very good, unless you know what they mean beforehand. I was thinking if "Static" and "Dynamic" would be better?

[Shrooblord]

Hey TradeMark,

I must say I love the feel of your program. It's slim, nicely styled, the interface is good and the graphics are pretty stunning. I have to admit, yes, I did just create an account just because of this topic, but no, I am not spamming, nor am I jumping right into it, bumping everyone from their business without even looking what it was all about. I've been reading some of the pages (mainly the first and last few), or scanning them if I didn't read, so I've got a vague idea of what's going on.

The reason I was writing this post was because I was curious about the current status of the editor. Those screenshots you keep showing, they're your version, right? The ones with the nice graphics like that spherical object selector a few pages back? I saw you were working mainly on scripting, menus and such. What was your plan about the rest of the editor? What I mean to say is, what will you have to have finished before you start working on the 'editor' part of the editor? How long will it take approximately to get to that state?

Don't get me wrong here, I'm not intending to invade or be pushy in any way. Even as I'm writing this I realise it may seem so, but this is not the case. I'm just curious, like I said before. I'm currently working with the DMA's editor as main map making editor and your editor as Zone Editor, but since I've seen what it's capable of doing, I can't wait to see more. Well, I can, but, you know, figure of speech. I really think this program already has much more potential than the original editor, especially since it solves the annoying compatibility problems. For example, just now, the green arrows on the roads have stopped working on my roads, so I have to just check every little piece of it by hand to see where the problem lies if I find any. I've got used to that now, but it still is a pretty annoying problem.

Anyway, not trying to haste you or anything. I can keep myself happy with the DMA editor and a simpler MIS editor for now; GTA2 is a pretty awesome game and even better if you get to mess around with it. Keep up the good work!
Shrooblord

[Sektor]

I think TradeMark has a groupie

[T.M.]

Hey Shrooblord, thanks for your kind words!

The "editor" part of the editor is coming after i finish the Script editor. Since the DMA map editor already can edit maps, there is not that big a rush to make the same thing in my editor. I am aware of the problems with the DMA editor, but it will take a while for me to start doing the map editing part of it. For example: i have to write map compression code (or use B-$hep's one if he gives it... ).

The script editor is coming well along, i will probably make a public release of it in a month. You can get the current version if you want to help me with testing it as well. Adding me on the messenger is probably the best way to proceed if you want the current version.

[Shrooblord]

Hey Shrooblord, thanks for your kind words!

The "editor" part of the editor is coming after i finish the Script editor. Since the DMA map editor already can edit maps, there is not that big a rush to make the same thing in my editor. I am aware of the problems with the DMA editor, but it will take a while for me to start doing the map editing part of it. For example: i have to write map compression code (or use B-$hep's one if he gives it... ).

The script editor is coming well along, i will probably make a public release of it in a month. You can get the current version if you want to help me with testing it as well. Adding me on the messenger is probably the best way to proceed if you want the current version.

Ah, the infernal Messenger. Yes, I would like to help you test it, but there's a little problem with Messenger on my computer; as in, it won't work. Period. I've contacted Microsoft and forums and friends... nothing works. Point is it isn't even always the same problem. Too bad then.

But map compression code, if I get it right, is the same thing that the DMA editor does when you save as compressed? I also noticed the game can't handle maps that aren't compressed. Now, the point of mentioning that: your editor saves over my map when I edit zones with it. This doesn't seem to change the compression, though, as the game handles the map just fine. So, if I get it right, your editor already does something with map compression, doesn't it?

I know you'd probably have thought about that already, but I thought it might be worth mentioning. I might be just completely missing the point though.

[T.M.]

Well, the messenger isnt that important, but it saves a lot of bug fixing time when i can send a test version immediately if some bug happens on your side. Contact me on forum PM if you still want the current version.

But map compression code, if I get it right, is the same thing that the DMA editor does when you save as compressed? I also noticed the game can't handle maps that aren't compressed. Now, the point of mentioning that: your editor saves over my map when I edit zones with it. This doesn't seem to change the compression, though, as the game handles the map just fine. So, if I get it right, your editor already does something with map compression, doesn't it?

The zones are saved in a different place of the GMP file, which has nothing to do with the actual map block data, no compression is made with zones.

[T.M.]

Great news guys, i made the map compressing work yesterday, and even greater news is that it actually compresses the maps better and faster than DMA editor. DMA editor takes about 1 minute(!) to compress a map. My algorithm takes about 150 milliseconds! There is also a slight size difference in output size too: bil.gmp raw data about 1kB smaller, but when its 7zipped, the size difference to DMA compression is huge: 24kB smaller!

I tested and GTA2 opens it nicely, i am stunned it actually worked this well, i am waiting to find bugs, but so far none.

Script editor is still not ready, but its nice to see that i can soon make the map block editor too.

Oh, and i also made GMP Optimizer directly in my editor as well.

[Shrooblord]

Wow, nice work!

I had a remark about the editor itself though, regarding the menu. If I select an option in the dropdown menu (at the top), the 'V's won't appear on the option I selected. This is very confusing since the option may be very well turned on, but I wouldn't be able to see which options were and which weren't. Also, it doesn't remember the options I checked or unchecked from last time, but I assume you on purposely hadn't put this one into it just yet.
Anyway, so far for my 'complaints'. Otherwise, great editor!

[T.M.]

the 'V's won't appear on the option I selected.

Yeah, those "tics" doesnt work yet (only shows the default option selected there), been a long time in my TODO list... i am planning it to remember the settings when you press "save settings" button or something.

Thanks for your 'complaints', more complaints appreciated!