I'm creating new level designer, who will contribute?

Anything to do with GTA1/GTA2 modding (tools, scripts and more).
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ALPINE
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I'm creating new level designer, who will contribute?

Post by ALPINE »

Greetings.

I have an idea to create new GTA2 level designer. Details will be later when I'll get working prototype. Shortly, it will be vector-based, you edit vectors and data will be rendered to GTA2 square blocks array as shown on illustration:

Image

You draw graph of roads, choose number of lanes and program renders it to array of blocks. Just like vector graphics editor renders vector drawings to raster image (which is array of square pixels). And editing process is much easier than creating map in official low-level block-based editor.

But I really don't have much time to do it. I only can implement fundamental functions of level designer, and I need someone to fill it with game-specific data that will be stored separately in scheme files. For example, on road cross (graph junction) there is a lot of different textures used (corners, sides with pavement borders etc), block have different arrow data for traffic and so. In illustration above, 4-lane road crosses with 2-line road. So, intersection covers 4x2 area and in scheme file you need to write something like this:

Code: Select all

938/0/D   939/0/LD   936/0/LU   938/180/LU
938/90/D  936/90/D   942/90/U   943/0/UR
First number is texture index, second is texture rotation, and letters for traffic directions (L=Left, D=Down and so.). This is just an example, real scheme file will be different, don't start working now. I'll give all examples and instructions how to write it and try to make this job as easy as possible. If not possible, I'll try to make assistant tool with, for example, texture picker and hotkeys to generate this scheme file easier and faster than typing it in notepad.

This schemes must be written for any possible junctions type: 2-lanes vs 2-lanes, 4-lanes vs 4-lanes, 4-lanes vs [6-lanes without grass divider], 4-lanes vs [6-lanes with grass divider] etc. And for any crossing types: T-shaped, X-shaped or L-shaped turns and for any directions. With optional alternative textures (standard gray or Russian brown or Redneck brown). It sounds like huge amount of work but it's not very hard. I mean, you don't need any programming skills to do this, you need only time that I don't have.

Same schemes will be needed for other map elements: bridge footways, buildings, zones. Some buildings types has slopes and skews on rooftops and it should be written to scheme file. Also I think it can be useful to make some presets like "standard" buildings like car shop or just beautiful objects copied from original GTA2 maps.

Scheme files must be created for script objects too, they will contain template lines of code that will be used to build script for the map.

In result we will get very user-friendly GTA2 level designer. But without schemes it will not be able to provide beautiful map like at illustration above and only will render flat squares with same texture without corners and even without traffic.

So. Who is interested in this project? As soon as I see potential contributors who are ready to work on scheme files, I'll start coding. Project will be free and open source and will be published to github. I write on C and use GTK+, but it isn't really matter.

Thanks for your attention 8-)
.4LPINE
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Re: I'm creating new level designer, who will contribute?

Post by Cuban-Pete »

Looks like nobody wants to help... [sm-53]

For what it's worth, I do like your illustration.
"Mmmm, your eyes are so beautiful."
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ALPINE
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Re: I'm creating new level designer, who will contribute?

Post by ALPINE »

I'm busy for next 2 weeks anyway, so I will start after 2 weeks. Maybe when working prototype (only for roads as shown in illustration) will be released someone will try to use it and decide to participate.
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Re: I'm creating new level designer, who will contribute?

Post by paul »

Why not look into building into existing GTA2 map editors? Maybe have it work like factorio railway planner/tool.
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Re: I'm creating new level designer, who will contribute?

Post by T.M. »

I had similar plans before when i was making the Epic GTA2 Map Editor, but didnt really have time for it either... could speed up map making a lot.
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Re: I'm creating new level designer, who will contribute?

Post by paul »

Is Epic GTA2 Map Editor on github? Perhaps he could try adding it there.
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Re: I'm creating new level designer, who will contribute?

Post by T.M. »

paul wrote:Is Epic GTA2 Map Editor on github? Perhaps he could try adding it there.
Nope its not, but maybe it will be some day... although, i would rather like to rewrite it, since its a mess :D There are however few nice functions for reading/writing the files for GTA2 maps.
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