Co-op map editing in realtime.

[Akumu]

I've played Saurbraten (Cube2) and one of its features was the Co-op map editing which I loved.
I think its possible to add this feature to spring.
Give each player a modified Bumblebee and let the editing begin.

. New map: Just a flat piece of land of the chosen size.
. Random map: Empty map with random height mapping.
. Load map: Load an existing map.
. Save map: Save the current map.

Modified Bumblebee:
. Map deformation tools.
. Tree/Rock building tools.
. Texture spray tool.
. Iron spray tool.


I am by no means able to program this or anything like this.
So I'm hoping other people like this idea and maybe someone can make a little map editing mod.

[zwzsg]

It's possible, yeah.
- CA has some terraforming tools.
- There's some widget to dump the heightmap.

Personnaly, I once edited the map Small Supreme Battlefield with lots of commander explosion, then used my own custom savegame system to save the heightmap.

[bobthedinosaur]

animated gif or it didnt happen, z

[zwzsg]

[hunterw]

. Map deformation tools.

possible

. Tree/Rock building tools.

possible, but you can't see the true results in-game as you place them

. Texture spray tool.

impossible

. Iron spray tool.

possible, but you can't see the true results in-game as you place them

[Forboding Angel]

. Tree/Rock building tools.

possible, but you can't see the true results in-game as you place them

False. Featureplacer.

[AF]

Go try the feature placer mode in EvolutionRTS, it lets you draw features onto the map ingame.

[==Troy==]

I recall CA having a new texture for terraformed piece. Add some engine code to dump the final texture and it should be possible.

[Beherith]

Troy, what your suggesting costs way more than an engine dump imo.
Recalc mipmaps for a map square (1024*1024) takes ~500 ms cpu time.

But I do like the coop map editing idea, even though Im much more partial to external editing tools (as no brush can beat the flexibility and power of world machine).

[==Troy==]

Well given I have only visual experience and some basic common sense (which never works for anyone), the CA way of changing the texture was done for all players, it can be used to paint the texture while online with different players.

After everyone is done the map can have some "compile" time, where everything is stored and correctly packaged. I dont see why not?

[CarRepairer]

Well given I have only visual experience and some basic common sense (which never works for anyone), the CA way of changing the texture was done for all players, it can be used to paint the texture while online with different players.

After everyone is done the map can have some "compile" time, where everything is stored and correctly packaged. I dont see why not?

CA's terraform 1.0 simply used a ground decal, just as is used by any building. But when the block or trench was finished building, the unit would disappear and the decal would slowly fade away.

Terraform 2.0 works on a different principle. The unit is created the instant you issue the terraform command rather than when you actually build it. So it would be almost game breaking to apply the decal there. You'd issue a terraform command somewhere and the enemy could know where you issued the command if they have sight of it before your constructor even reached it.

[TradeMark]

Could someone explain why would 16 players join in a map and start editing it, like whats the goal of it?

[Forboding Angel]

Well riverdale's featureset was done by both me and willk. We spent about 2 or 3 hours on it iirc, and it looks freaking awesome.

[==Troy==]

Could someone explain why would 16 players join in a map and start editing it, like whats the goal of it?

Its actually very common for games with collaborative editing/creation.

Cube2 has about 20% of the server population which is in coop editing modes (checked it about a year ago with 12 samples at prime times).

Tribes2 has about 80% of remaining population jerking off in coop editing mode.

I personally see little benefit to the creativity and input spring gets from regular contributors, but collab editing is a popular activity in the games that support it.

[TradeMark]

OH, i thought this was going to be some sort of gameplay thing... like http://nonoba.com/chris/everybody-edits.swf which is total stupidity when everyone can edit the map xd

IMO Spring maps arent big enough to really need this feature... Forb for example could not needed it at all if there was automatic feature placer etc, doesnt really need more than 1 guy for placing features... and if you need more, i think theres too many features then :D

[Kenku]

OH, i thought this was going to be some sort of gameplay thing... like http://nonoba.com/chris/everybody-edits.swf which is total stupidity when everyone can edit the map xd

IMO Spring maps arent big enough to really need this feature... Forb for example could not needed it at all if there was automatic feature placer etc, doesnt really need more than 1 guy for placing features... and if you need more, i think theres too many features then :D

Meh...

1)I doubt an automatic feature placer would look anything as nice as maps like EvoRTS riverdale
2)Its not so much a need for mapmaking as another tool people can use to make maps. For that matter, it would make cooperative map making far easier.

[CarRepairer]

Yet another thread where Trademark craps all over new ideas that make Spring better. I recommend ignoring him, except in cases where you must correct misinformation.