Development < Map, Game, And Unit Development Programs

A Comprehensive list of tools to make Spring content.

• Those that are Open Source are marked with a *
• Those that are Free are marked with a *
• Those that Cost are marked with a *

Image Editing

1. Gimp**
   -> Pre compiled Binary files (or installer files) can be found here: Gimp Website
   -> The DDS plugin for Gimp can be found at http://nifelheim.dyndns.org/~cocidius/dds/
2. Corel Paint Shop Pro*
   -> Jasc was recently bought out by Corel.
3. Corel Draw*
   -> This is Corel's original graphics program. Very easy to work with. I have used an older version of it, and love the photoshop it has.
4. Adobe Photoshop*
   -> The most widely used image editing program ever.
5. Paint.NET*
   -> Basically an expanded version of Paint. Contains many functions such as layers, and is much easier to use then The Gimp.

3d Modeling

1. Blender**
   FREE-> The most used opensource modeler that has its own way of doing things.
   -> Most popular whitin unit makers using this excellent tool.
   -> Get basic usage, advanced, and video tutorials here

NEW: complete documentation 2.49  : here;  : direct download in.pdf recommanded for evry 3d uses

1. Wings 3D**
   FREE-> Probably the most popular modeller for Spring.
   -> Easy to learn modelling and UV mapping environments.
   -> Excellent introduction to using it can be found here.
   -> For help on how to UV map with it just ask around.low poly
2. Anim8or*commercial
3. 3DS MAX*
   commercial-> The most widely used and acclaimed modeling program ever. Used in creation of many games and movies (The Matrix). One of the three major modeling programs used by professionals.
   -> The s3o plugin for 3DS MAX can be found here. NOTE: This is not backwards compatible with versions prior to 7. Also this only exports: broken link fix if possible
4. Lightwave*
   commercial-> A popular modeling program that's been around a long time. One of the three major modeling programs used by professionals.
5. Rhinoceros*
   commercial-> A farely new comer to the world of modeling, uses a lot of nurbs surfaces.
6. GMAX*
   commercial-> Great for learning as it is 3DS MAX v4 without rendering and has game packs for a fair amount of games. It is locked in exporting however there are a few workarounds.
7. MAYA*
   commercial-> The other most widely used and acclaimed modeling program. Used in creation of many games and movies. One of the three major model programs used by professionals.

3d Model converters/Assemblers

1. UpSpring**
   -> Help, information, manual and tips can be found here: Forum
   -> This is the only other way to get files into the s30 file format for Spring other then the s30 plugin for 3DS MAX.
2. S30 <-> OBJ Converter

Sound/Audio Editors and Recorders

1. Audacity**
   -> Audacity is a free, easy-to-use audio editor and recorder for Windows, Mac OS X, GNU/Linux, and other operating systems.
2. GoldWave*
   -> GoldWave is a commercial digital audio editing software developed by GoldWave Inc for Windows. It was first released to public in April 1993, and is similar to applications like the open source Audacity.
3. Sound Forge*
   -> The Sound Forge is an digital audio production suite includes everything you need to quickly get from raw audio to finished master. Use this suite to create and edit stereo and multichannel audio files with speed and precision. Efficiently analyze, record and edit audio, digitize and restore old recordings, model acoustic environments, design sound for multimedia, and master replication-ready CDs.
4. WaveSurfer*
   -> Wavesurfer is an audio editor widely used for studies of acoustic phonetics. Wavesurfer provides basic audio editing operations, such as excision, copying, pasting, zero-crossing adjustment, and effects such as fading, normalization, echo, inversion, reversal, replacement with silence, and DC-removal, but, in view of its scientific orientation, does not offer effects of interest to musicians such as flange.

Scripting And Unit Stats files

Some of the links were broken because the host File Universe moved the files around.Now the links should work.
If File Universe moves AGAIN, just look around in their TA Library and hope that everything is still there.

HAHA OH WOW. The 7 first links are all broken. You will have to search/ask around the forum to find any of those, good luck.

1. Scriptor**
   -> The by far best compiler for your handmade .bos scripts into endless lines of letters and numbers that the TA engine reads. The program is large, easy to operate and with broad error tracing (well, better than the other two alternatives). While other versions of this program sometimes refuse to compile on-off functions, this download is guaranteed to work in every condition.
2. Cobbler*
   -> This is a very simple script compiler that converts your newly written .bos files understood by humans into a hexadecimal .cob gibberish used by the TA engine. Beware, however, that this program may fail to compile some perfectly valid scripts and it doesn't always tell where the alleged error lies either. Parts of the program are in French.
3. Servo*
   -> Rhad's awesome but somewhat buggy animation scripting program. It features keyframed animation script generation from a 3D positioner.
4. Brain*
   -> The Brain is a scripting utility that converts your newly written code rows into incomprehensible hex codes used by the game. This program is in english and can sometimes give you the most wondorous error messages, so it's only recommended as a backup scripting program.
5. UnCobbler*
   -> The first (I think) uncobbling utility. Bad english and brute force approach make this one outdated, but here it is for completeness sake.
6. Excel FBI editor**
   -> Lets you quickly edit all your FBI files in an Excel spread sheet. Made by Maelstorm.
   NOTE: Microsoft Excel is NOT FREE.
   -> Help information, manual, and tips can be found here: Forum
   All links to it which I have seen are broken, if you really need it consider asking Maelstrom nicely.
7. Lazy Scripter dead link * This is a simple yet very useful utility that makes a "blind" script to fit your model. It provides you with just the minimal requirements for a playable unit script, so don't trust it to do all your work for you. A forum thread
8. Spring Poser by knorke A not-yet-so-usefull gadget-widget-unitscript brewage that allows you to "pose" units by moving & rotating their pieces. It can then save the posed position as a list of Move & Turn commands.
9. CEG Browser/Spawn by CarRepairer Spawn particle effects from a menu, ie if you want to reuse effects from another game.
10. piece tree widget Print an ascii view of a units piece hierachy. Might be usefull to create notes for scripting.
11. bos to lua convervator page by CarRepairer Converts .cob scripts to .lua scripts. Thread: http://springrts.com/phpbb/viewtopic.php?f=67&t=23391

Toolbox

A game-mutator with some tools for modding. Contains newest version of some of the above scripts plus others. See forum thread.

Map Creation

1. SpringMapEdit**
   -> Our very own complete map making solution, created by Frostregen.
2. Beherith's mapconv**
   -> The latest map compiler, supports all features of maps while still retaining backwards compatibility with previous scripts.
3. mothers MapConv special*
   -> The normal MapConv does not work for some people. If you are one of them, try this one.
4. SMD Creator**
   -> Maelstroms SMD creator. Has a few bugs, but a new release should be out in a few days.
5. L3DT Large 3D Terrain Generator**
   -> Commercial Map Maker, standard version is free, but pro version requires payment but includes all the tools required to make an SD7 Spring map from scratch.
6. Coordinate helper widget Need to find lots of coordinates, for example to position units? Log the coordinates into a file just by placing markers, no more pen&paper!
7. World Machine Commercial terrain generation software, can output height and diffuse textures.
8. Bryce3D Shareware terrain generation software.
9. Carrara Shareware 3D software.

Documentation and Tutorials

1. S3O file format for Spring***
   -> The above link is to the forum where this is currently being disscused and feed back is being provided. Also includes tips and helpful information.

Misc

• TA2Spring - Automatically adds and converts Total Annihilation unit packs (.ufo files, etc..) into Spring games (requires a base game for the game rules, XTA is recommended, it is probably not properly supported by current Spring)