D-Day Editor
User Guidelines v1.00
Editing the Map: Tools Toolbar
Most important functions accessible from the Menu
File - Revert to Saved (CTRL+R)
Edit - Undo (CTRL+Z), Redo (CTRL+Y)
Entity Base - How to use the System Window
What do you need for a MultiPlayer level?
There are 3 main parts of the D-Day Editor.
Here you can check a preview of your map. You can move or rotate the camera freely, edit the shape of the map or place/edit entities on the fly. Camera movements will be described below and map editing will be described further on in the Toolbar Section.
You can move, rotate or zoom with the camera without any limitations, using the mouse and/or the keyboard. The controls are the same in the Editor as in the game, but in the Editor you can move the camera to any position desired. Opposing to that, when you're in game mode you have limitations applied to the level of zoom and to the angle of the camera (panning).
Zooming with the
camera
You can zoom the camera whilst
turning the wheel-button of your mouse. If your mouse don't have a wheel, you
can still zoom with holding the CTRL key and pushing the LEFT MOUSE BUTTON
(later: LMB): moving your mouse upwards will zoom in, moving your mouse
downwards will zoom out. You can continue adjusting the zoom level as long as
you keep the CTRL and LMB pressed. You can access this function with the '+'
and '-' keys of the Numeric Keypad, too.
Rotating the camera
You can rotate the camera by pressing and holding the middle button of your
mouse. Now you can rotate the camera clockwise by moving your mouse right or
rotate the camera counter-clockwise by moving your mouse left. If your mouse
lacks a middle button then you can get the same effect by pressing and holding
the CTRL and the RIGHT MOUSE BUTTON (later: RMB) together, or holding the CTRL
and using your LEFT and RIGHT CURSOR keys.
Moving the camera
You can move the camera by moving your mouse-pointer to the edge of your
screen. You can achieve the same thing when using your cursor keys (LEFT,
RIGHT, UP, DOWN).
You have buttons for the different tools on the Toolbar, just like many other auxiliary functions. You can customize your Toolbar by dragging the different toolbar items and placing them wherever desired. You can turn on/off the toolbar and its items from D-Day's menu, reachable via the VIEW menu item.
This part of the toolbar is used for File Operations in the Editor. You can access these functions from the FILE menu item.
New File (CTRL+N)
You can create a New Map with this item. Note, that with creating a New Map, you are discarding your current map! When you create a New Map, you have to enter the size of the map: the map's size must be (n*32)+1 (currently only 65, 129, 257, 513 and 1025 are acceptable). The New Map is filled with the default tile and its tile-set contains only the basic tile-set of the game.
Open File (CTRL+O)
You can open a map with this item. Please note, that when opening a New Map you discard your currently open map. You can also choose the option "revert to saved": you can load the last saved state of your actual map or find any other maps you recently worked on. All these functions are accessible via the FILE menu item.
Save File (CTRL+S)
You can save your current map with the help of this item. If this is the first time you're trying to save the map, then clicking on this item will bring you up the "Save As" dialog.
Save As . (CTRL+A)
You can save your current map with this tool and also give it a different name. The "Save As" dialog will be brought up, where you can name your map and save it to the desired location.
You can reset your View to North, East, South or West. It's particularly useful if you feel that you've lost your sense of direction.
Break linear generator
If you use the Linear Generator (see Linear Generator section) in Entity Placement Mode, you can break its editing using this function. It means that with your next click, you'll use a new Linear Generator.
NOTE: You must always finalize the line you are ready with!
Top view
This function will set the camera that you'll have a top-down view of the level.
Toggle Grid
This will display the Grid in the editor window. When used for the first time, you must double-click on it.
You can randomly resize and rotate objects with this tool. It's very useful when you want similar items to look a little bit different. For example, building a forest with only 2-3 tree-types becomes very easy with this tool.
The first part is the random rotation tool. Just check the axis you want to use for it then press the random rotate tool.
The second part is the random resize tool. Enter the minimum (first one) and the maximum value (second one) and press the random resize tool.
You can use these items to move the camera to special positions.
Zoom Selected Entity
This let's you zoom in to the maximum on the chosen entity. If you selected more than one entity, the camera will try to approach them so most of those entities would be visible on the map. If you zoom in too much, the camera won't approach the entity but zoom out from it.
Default Camera
Resets your actual view to the default camera.
This is the menu where you can switch on/off all the elements and effects in the editor window.
Entities on terrain
This function visualizes or removes the entities on the level. It could be very useful when you want to edit the terrain but don't want to displace/move the entities.
Water
This option let's you display water on/off. When you switch it off, you have access to the terrain below the level of water and you can edit it.
Shadow
This tool switches the shadows on/off. When switched off, you'll gain a good amount of frame-rate (therefore we strongly consider editing with shadows turned off) and you'll have a better view of the whole map as shadows can obstruct your view on many occasions.
HP-bars
All units that possess Health Points (HP) have an HP-bar. This function let's you switch these bars on/off - very useful feature if you want to have a good view on an area densely populated with units.
Mount Points
Switches the mount points of vehicles and buildings on/off. Mount points are the areas where your infantry will be placed after it mounts (enters) such entities.
This toolbar contains the different tools to create your map. With these tools, you can edit the landscape and also edit the entities.
It can be accessed from the menu, too, look for it under the MODE menu item.
This tool is used to format the landscape. You have different brushes inside: you can choose it from the Terrain Map Editing window. You can also select the shape of the brush.
You can use the tool by moving the brush to the desired area and pressing the LMB.
If you use the tool with RMB then it will do the inverse function (for example sinking an area instead of raising it up).
You can have 3 shapes to the tool
You can adjust various properties of your brush.
This tool can be accessed from the menu, located under the MODE menu item.
This tool is used to place entities on the map. When you choose this tool, the Entity Base List will be displayed to you. From that list you can choose which Entity you want to place, just simply place it on the desired location.
You can edit the properties of an Entity by double-clicking on it, but this option is not recommended.
Right clicking on a
selected entity will pop up a list of options:
(note: this feature works with all the following tools as described
below)
The following 4 functions only have their effect in the Editor, not in the game!
It can be accessed from the menu, too, located under the MODE menu item.
This tool lets you select entities on the map. You can select multiple entities by holding the LMB and moving the mouse, or add entities to your selection with holding down the SHIFT key. A previously selected entity can be deselected if clicked while holding down the SHIFT key: all other entities remain selected. If you click on a selected entity, it can be moved (like using the Move tool), but only inside the map.
This tool can be accessed from the menu, too, located under the MODE menu item.
You can move entities with this tool. Pressing the CTRL key will let you select the axis of the movement. Pressing both the CTRL and the SHIFT keys let's you move the entity vertically. Vertical movement is mostly used in the game as camera movement.
NOTE: The only way to place deployed entities outside the border of the map is with the use of the Move tool.
It can be accessed from the menu too, located under the MODE menu item.
You can rotate entities with this tool. Pressing the CTRL key will let you select the axis of the rotation.
This tool can be accessed from the menu too, located under the MODE menu item.
You can resize entities with this tool. Pressing the CTRL key will let you select the axis of the scaling. If you screwed-up the scaling, you can reset the entity to its original scale using the Random Scale tool of the random toolbar: set both the minimum and maximum values to 1.
You can open the different lists from the View menu item.
You'll find all the entities available under this panel. All the entities are grouped regarding their function. You can view the entity bases by double-clicking on them.
This list will show all the entities placed on the map. All the entities are grouped like the entity bases. You can edit the entities by double clicking, but you can make only small-scale modifications (e.g.: change its actual HP).
You can start to save an optimized map and textures of your current map. The Editor will do this automatically once you try out this level.
NOTE: Without optimized files, the map/level is not functional!
Load your last save in with just one click of a button.
Undo/Redo.
1, Terrain editing only supports 1 undo phase and has zero tolerance with redo (it's not possible to redo a previously undone operation).
2, When placing down entities you'll have access to as many undo/redo operations as you need.
Switches the Entity List window on/off.
This is where you can consult some settings of your level. These settings can also be changed from here.
The Property Window
will let you consult/modify the following items:
Size - You can check the size of the map (not changeable)
AmbientColor - You can set the color of the environment, click on the appropriate (.) button to have access to bring up the color-panel.
AmbientIntensity - You can set the intensity of the environment color:
o 0 - none
o 1 - normal
o 4 - very intense
DirLightColor - You can set the color of the Sun. Clicking on this tab will bring you the color-selector panel.
DirLightDirection - This tab is used to set the direction of the Sun with X-Y-Z coordinates.
DirLightIntensity - You can set the intensity of the Sun (please check AmbientIntesity described above)
LevelDesc
o Name - The name of your level (this will be displayed everywhere)
o HQLimit - Sets the number of HQs to occupy to be victorious.
o TimeLimit - Sets the time limit (if any) of the map - it'll define how long a Conquer game will be.
o CTFTimeLimit - Sets the time limit of the CTF game.
o Players - Sets the maximum number of players. (from 2 to 8)
PlaneAltitudeModifier - Used to set the flying altitude of the planes:
o - default altitude
o - very close to the terrain
o - at maximum camera zoom out
ReinforcementInterval. - Used to define the frequency of reinforcements.
CTF ReinforcementInterval. - Used to define the frequency of reinforcements in CTF mode.
WaterEnable - Used to switch water on/off. If water were switched off on a map, the game would be a lot faster. Use this panel to create dried-out seas or riverbeds etc.
WaterLevel - Sets the level of water on the map: it could be a negative value or 0, too. 0 is the sea altitude.
WeatherType - The choice of weather is done clicking on this tag: Sunny, Rainy and Foggy. Nevertheless, light parameters must be set to fully beneficial from these effects!
WindStregth - The wind's intensity is set from here.
This menu let's you try out your map. It's important to mention, however, that only maps close to completion should be tested - please see the section "What do you need to create a MultiPlayer level?" for more information on this issue.
Entities, such as roads or wires will be placed on a line with this tool. The Linear Generator always needs to be finalized: click on one of the entities of the LG (small flags). Open the property window of the entity - use the RMB on it and choose Open - and check the Finalize checkbox. The entities of the LG (the little flags) can be moved, doing so the generated object will change shape (bend, will become longer/shorter).
IMPORTANT: Always make sure that you have only one entity selected when using the Finalize command - if you have more than one entities selected using this tool, the Editor will freeze!
IMPORTANT: Consider saving before using LG as this tool doesn't have an Undo Option built in!
You must set these locations properly as starting units acquired in the Management will appear at those points. Different types of units will appear at different start locations, if you set these values. For this you need to assign them in Groups, using the team setup (1 - Group 1, 2 - Group 2). See the sections below for more information.
Sets up the support waypoint: teams will have their support units (air recon, air strike) starting from this location and their artillery guns will fire from this position. Planes need to entities to be placed:
Entry - this is where they'll appear and fly towards the map. It's good to have it outside the map. If placed on the map, planes will spawn from nothingness, causing a weird effect.
Exit - this is where they'll disappear. It's good to have this entity outside the map, too.
Deploy - Starting position of reinforcements, they'll move towards Arrive from there.
Arrive - Arriving position of reinforcements, which defines also the base of the player.
Sys_camera - Every player in the game will have a camera setup at the start of the game. This default camera can be set up by this entity.
HQ - These HQs must be captured in Conquer Mode: each HQ must have a certain amount of Mission Points attached to it so that players can acquire reinforcements.
CTF_base - For CTF Mode you need to set up the location of the flags (one for each side). These flags must be captured and returned to your base, but their locations can be elsewhere then at the teams' bases.
Please read on for a more in-depth description of how the Editor should be used!
After finishing the terrain you need to set up the following parameters, preferably in the following order:
Startlocations(System/Startlocations): The team is
taken into account.
There are 2 groups: Group1, Group2.
The maximum number of Start Locations (SL) is 14. Group1 starts with team 1 and
goes on, Group2 starts from the biggest number (maximum 14) and continues
towards 1.
The number of SLs for the 3 most common map-types:
2 players - exactly 2
4 players - minimum 4, maximum 6 (could be more if wanted)
8 players - minimum 8, maximum 14
Why more SLs than the number of players?
There are two explanations for that. (The following examples are based on a
4-player level)
In the first case the two Groups use each other's SLs (e.g.: Cauldron map). In
this case the number of SLs must be equal to the number of players, so 4 in our
case. (Note: There may be more, but it is considered for advanced users only).
In the other case, there are no common SLs (e.g.: the 2 opposing armies are
facing each other, like on the Frontfield Battle map). Group 1 is on one side
of the map and Group 2 is on the other. Both sides need 3-3 SLs because it
should be avoided that in case of a 3 vs. 1 situation two opponents start
closely.
StartLocations should have a camera associated to them (System/sys_camera) and they must be named: Team1 has Camera1, Team8 has Camera8.
Deploy, Arrive locations: During play, units arriving as reinforcements will be spawned at the deploy area and will move onto the arrive location. Group1 has 1 to 7, Group2 has 8 to 14 (so in case of a 2-player map an Arrive1 and an Arrive8 is mandatory). Name should reflect those associations, such as: Team1 Arrive1, Deploy1.
Supports. (System/Support_wp): Artillery, ReconEntry/Exit, AirstrikeEntry/Exit must be set on the map. The team must be set to the adequate group (1 or 8). If there are more than 2, the game will choose randomly from the available numbers.
HQ flags (System/HQ): They shouldn't be renamed and their respective name and team should stay as defined. Group1MP and Group2MP values set the amount of Mission Points each group will gain holding on to the HQ.
CTF_base (System/ctf_base): the team is important here: 1 is defined for Group1 and 8 is used for Group2.
View/Objects/LevelDesc: (your entered values will replace X)
a. HQlimit: Conquer mode, "Conquer X HQs" rule
b. Timelimit: "Conquer most HQs in X minutes"
c. CTFTimeLimit: time limit in CTF mode
d. Players: Maximum number of players (2-8)
View/Objects has a ReinforcementInterval_Seconds variable: this is the frequency of reinforcements in Conquer mode.
View/Objects has a CTFReinforcementInterval_Seconds variable: this is the frequency of reinforcements in CTF mode.
The screenshot below demonstrates how teams and entities should be named on a 4-player map:
Abbreviations used on the above screenshot:
Numbers design the adequate teams.
Colors design to which group they belong to:
The grey outline designs the area off the map, where only Deploys are located.
HQ flags can be placed anywhere on the map.
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