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Thread: Would anyone be interested in a editor where you created maps in bitmap format?

  
  1. #1

    Default Would anyone be interested in a editor where you created maps in bitmap format?

    Hi all,

    I have created a working map editor for DK2 where it converts a bitmap image into a DK2 map, so one can use paint to create and edit maps, which is considerably faster then the official editor. I joined this forum and created this thread to gauge interest in this sort or editor.

    Here is a map I created in considerably less time that it would take in the official editor.

  2. #2
    Awakening Game Master Metal Gear Rex's Avatar
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    Default Re: Would anyone be interested in a editor where you created maps in bitmap format?

    Sounds interesting, but how precise can you be with paint or something? I can't imagine myself personally having as detailed a touch with a bitmap as I do with the normal editor. Though, one definite use I could see for such is creating perfectly symmetric maps, like the one you've shown. I can definitely see a rising increase of skirmish and multiplayer maps if this gets into the hands of the common mapmaker.

    Do you mind sharing it on the forum? It seems a bit silly to only make a thread talking about it but not actually releasing it if it's fully functional as it stands.
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  3. #3

    Default Re: Would anyone be interested in a editor where you created maps in bitmap format?

    I still need to add command line arguments and compile the program and make sure all the libraries are there. But in the mean time you can try it out yourself and I will run it through the program if I am unable to complete it by the time you are finished.

    Take this and copy it in a bitmap image you have created (any size), make sure the bitmap has the border that the template has. The terrain types are in the same order as the official editor, impenetrable rock, rock, dirt, water, lava, gold, gem. Then on the next line hero floor, hero wall and unclaimed mana volt. Then next line are dungeon harts next claimed floor and next claimed wall (all in the colours you would expect). Then in the corner is a unclaimed portal.



    Another thing, I forgot to mention is that I have another program that works the other way around, loads in a map and produces a bitmap.
    Last edited by Dark Light; February 27th, 2014 at 18:39.

  4. #4
    Beetle Ecarus's Avatar
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    Default Re: Would anyone be interested in a editor where you created maps in bitmap format?

    How will you make the editor diferences between one room and other of different keepers? For example, if i want to make a lvl where 3 keepers starts with a claimed torture chamber, one for each one, how the editor knows if the torture room is of the blue keeper, green keeper or red keeper?

  5. #5

    Default Re: Would anyone be interested in a editor where you created maps in bitmap format?

    Quote Originally Posted by Wyrmcast View Post
    Did you reverse engineer the format of the level files? Or how did you get it?
    Yes, it's not that difficult the format is quite simple.

    Quote Originally Posted by Ecarus View Post
    How will you make the editor diferences between one room and other of different keepers? For example, if i want to make a lvl where 3 keepers starts with a claimed torture chamber, one for each one, how the editor knows if the torture room is of the blue keeper, green keeper or red keeper?
    Colours, there is a map file (bitmapmapmap if you will) that maps colours to room or terrain. RGB 255 0 0 to Red Torture Chamber, 0 255 0 to Green Torture Chamber etc. for example. That or either I will, for more uncommon rooms, have multiple pixels for a room. With the current program you can create any room, but you might not be able to differentiate between them so to be honest you might want to create the map and then use the official editor for rooms (you can have room, but as I said you might not be able to differentiate between them, so dungeon heart, portal etc. is easily differentiated). After all the aim of the bitmap editor is for repeated sections, so with paint you can copy and paste sections of the maps, right click to have a different block etc. But for rooms you can do it easily in the main editor, so while you can do that in paint you might as well do it in the official editor. The only reason why you would want to do it with the bitmap editor completely is if you wanted to remove the need for the official editor entirely, and while I could do that with aforementioned solutions I would only do it if there is enough demand for this (this is the extended version, not the version that I posted about earlier)

  6. #6

    Default Re: Would anyone be interested in a editor where you created maps in bitmap format?

    Quote Originally Posted by Wyrmcast View Post
    Well I didn't think that you just had to reverse the map files for the terrain, and not the variables, globals files etc. So I see your point.
    Yeah, I only need one file for the base of the program, although I don't think that the other files are too complicated either.

    And by the way, if anyone is interested in the program that converts maps to bitmaps, just ask.

  7. #7

    Default Re: Would anyone be interested in a editor where you created maps in bitmap format?

    It does sound interesting, for sure. Especially in cases where someone may construct larger maps, it can save a lot of time. I tried to vote for Yes, but it wouldn't let me. Firefox currently hates me. This and some other random things have been giving me issues lately. I think I need to reinstall Firefox

    Now if only someone could reverse engineer the official editor to fix it's bugs and missing content, lol. Though I know that's easier said than done. I've tried a few years back

    Side Note: Time flies. I didn't realize it had been so many years since my last post. Had to remake my account, lol
    Last edited by Solar; March 14th, 2014 at 01:51.

  8. #8

    Default Re: Would anyone be interested in a editor where you created maps in bitmap format?

    I agree with you there. If I had the time/knowledge, I'd take a stab at a new unofficial editor, but it's been so long since I've done any real scripting, I'm too rusty.

    As for my account, I think I last posted in '09 or '10, but I'm unsure. Either way, it's been a while, so it's no surprise or loss that I had to remake my account. I still had my old avatars saved on my hard drive =P

  9. #9

    Default Re: Would anyone be interested in a editor where you created maps in bitmap format?

    Yeah sure, I'll remove all the random console outputs and post it here when I have a chance. And no I am not wanting to make money off this, I just didn't want to spend loads of time for something that no one really used.

  10. #10
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    Default Re: Would anyone be interested in a editor where you created maps in bitmap format?

    While waiting, here is also a partial implementation (getting there, but slowly) based on the work of mainly werkt. I have identified a few unknowns already. And I plan to discover most of them, it should be too hard with a hexeditor when comparing the changes done by the official editor. I of course accept any help I can get . The code:
    https://github.com/tonihele/OpenDung...ls/convert/map

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