Dragon Age Toolset Wiki - User contributions [en]

Level Editor Tutorial

2009-11-13T21:23:00Z

Thewig: /* Building your room (Interior Level) */

=Building your room (Interior Level)=
How to create/lightmap a [[Level]] for use in an Interior [[Area]]:
Objective: Following along with this tutorial, you should be able to create a simple room from scratch in 10 minutes or less

This was lifted from a posting by St4rdog http://social.bioware.com/forum/1/topic/8/index/150840
It needs some additional formatting love, but is as good starting place for people to create usable interior levels

File > New > Level > Room Level

* Create a player start. Click flag icon next to lightmapping icons > click anywhere on ground. This is the starting location for the pathfinding algorithm. Make sure you place it somewhere where you expect to be able to walk.

* Click on "New Area" in top-left list > Object Inspector in bottom-right > Layout Name > anything under 8 characters no spaces or strange characters.

*Right-click in 3D view and select Insert > New Room.
*Click Models (blue box) in the Palette in the top-right. These folders contain everything such as floor tiles/walls etc to build your rooms.
*Enable Grid Snap with the magnet icon to make sure they line up.
*The "prp" folder contains things like beds/barrels to clutter your Level.
Hint: Use [[DATool]] (3rd party tool downloadable at http://social.bioware.com/project/41/ )to browse through these quickly to find the floors/walls you
want.

Note: If you get "Cannot spawn models into the selected parent object" when trying to place a model then you don't have "New Room" selected.

==Adding lights==

* Right-click on "New Room" in top-left list > Insert > New Light

* Move it up off the floor a little. In Object Inspector > "Color
Intensity" 2 or more > "Light Type" Point - Static (lc) > Choose
any bright color.

*Copy and paste. In Object Inspector >"Light Type" Ambient - Baked (this light stops your shadows being pitch
black) > Choose a dark blue colour and keep the Color Intensity under 2/3.

Note: I'm not sure what the mix of Baked/Static light is supposed to be. If you just put a Baked + Ambient it complains about not having Static, but if you put a Static + Ambient it seems to work fine, but the wiki says Static is the most expensive.

==Rendering Lightmaps==

*Press the Render Lightmaps icon (you need ActivePython 2.5 installed to default location). When it's done click the Display
Lightmaps On/Off icon in the top-left to refresh the results.
*Uncheck the "View Models Fully Lit" icon in the lop-left. You should see shadows from any objects you've dropped in.

note: Lightmap-atlas messages might appear the first time you render. That seems normal.
Sometimes re-rendering the lightmaps messes them up badly when Display Lightmaps On/Off is on. It doesn't seem to use the latest lightmaps. Try pressing Display Lightmaps On/Off a few times to update it. If they're still messed up sometimes one of these fixes it (don't know which)unloading/reloading your Area or Level/changing your Area's layout property/posting your Level to Local.

==Exporting==

*Press the Do All Local Posts icon to the right of the lightmapping icons. It will export the name you typed into the "New Area" "Layout Name". If there's a complaint about walkable/player start then delete your old start then place a new one on a flat area.

*Save your .lvl file. It's not used by the game and the name/location doesn't matter. Only the exported/posted files are used.

==Using this in an Area==

File > New > Area > Any Name

*In the Object Inspector > Area Layout you should get a "..." box (make sure it's Checked Out) > click then select your "Layout Name" which should now be there.

* Now you have a pretty level lightmapped level inside an area.

=Building your terrain (Exterior Level)=
How to create/lightmap a [[Level]] for use in an Exterior [[Area]]:
Objective: Following along with this tutorial, you should be able to create a simple terrain from scratch

File>New>Level

* Choose Terrain (Landscape) Level and then click Next

* Accept the default values for the purpose of this tutorial and click Next and then click Finish. You can learn more about what the different terrain options do at the [[Level editor]] page.

You should now see a flat, dark piece of terrain. To move around you hold down the mouse wheel. If you want to rotate the view press the Alt key while holding down the mouse wheel. You will want some light so you can see what you're doing, so it's good to generate a light source next.

==Lighting:==

* Right click on Terrain World to the upper left and choose Insert>New Light. This will spawn a light source in your area.

Now that the terrain is lit we can modify it.

==Modifying Terrain==

The [[Terrain mesh]] tools allow you to modify the terrain by changing elevations, smoothing edges, flatting terrain, or painting textures.

==Water==

Doesn't work yet so don't worry about it.

==Placing Models==

* Click the blue box in the Palette Window to access the models that come with the game. The [[Model list]] shows pictures of many of the models available.

* The [[Model]] page has more details on how to work with models.

Tip: I had to change the Snap Options to make the models go where I wanted them. The settings I use were 0.10 for Snap to Grid and Snap Z Size. I also had to turn off Enable Snap to Surface whenever I wanted to change the vertical position of something (like creating the second floor of a building). Enable Snap to Surface is not applied globally, so once you turn it off and position an object vertically, turning it back on will not move that object unless you select it (or have it selected when you turn it back on).

==Adding Vegetation and Wind==

The [[Vegetation]] page includes a list with pictures of the various plants available for placement. If you do not see the plants once you place them with the Scatter Object Tool then you may need to adjust your SpeedTree Rendering Distance Selector. This is a drop-down that you will see in the Tool Bar. It lists the distances at which plants will be visible. I set it to Very Far and left it there.

Each level can have one active wind object in it. The location of the wind object doesn't matter. The wind object defines how wind behaves on this level, which is used for such things as flapping banners and swaying trees.

Image:Level editor wind object.png

The Wind Object may be found by right clicking on Terrain World and selecting:

Insert>New Wind Object

==Pathfinding and Obstructions==

The pathfinding process lays down a grid of points that are marked "accessable" if they can be reached from a pathfinding start spot via passable terrain. This is essentially a flood-fill algorithm.

You must create an Exportable Area before you can generate any pathfinding data.

* Click on the purple + in the tool bar. This will open an Area Properties window. The [[Level editor]] page has moire details on this process, so I will just keep these steps very basic.

* Name your Exportable Area in the Layout Name field of the Area Properties window. The name of an exportable area layout is limited to seven characters. BioWare uses the following naming system:

** Three-letter prefix that describes the region or plot the layout is for. For example, "ost" for Ostagar and environs.
** Three-digit number that uniquely identifies the layout within that region. Increments of one hundred are commonly used for major areas to allow sub-regions to be grouped together.
** A single character identifying variants of the layout. For example, a "d" suffix for the "daytime" version of an exterior layout. "d" is also often used to mean "default", for areas where day and night are irrelevant (deep in a cave, for example).

* Define your walkable area. Do this by clicking the Define Area button in the Area Properties window. The green box must include any areas that you want players to be able to walk. If you click in a corner of the level the green box will appear there. You can then expand it by dragging the corner.

* Close the Area Properties window.

Now that you have your exportable area you can generate pathfinding data.

* Place a Starting Point in your level. I found that pathfinding does not work if you place the Starting Point before you have an Exportable Area. To place a Starting Point click on Setup Start Point in the tool bar.

* Record the name of your Starting Point by clicking on it and looking at the name in the Object Inspector. Do not change the name - changing the name can prevent pathfinding from working.

* Click Exportable Area Properties in the tool bar to open the Area Properties window. Put the Start Point name in the appropriate field and close the window.

You should now be ready to generate pathfinding data by clicking on the Generate Pathfinding for Active Area button in the tool bar.

==Converting Levels into Areas==

Click on Do All Local Posts. This can be found in the menu at Tools>Export>Do All Local Posts

Your level has now been converted and can be used to make an area. The [[Area tutorial]] will walk you through what to do next.

[[Category: Tutorials]]

Creature

2009-10-19T19:56:51Z

Thewig: /* Packages */

== Autobalance ==

Autobalance dictates the difficulty of the creature by scaling the creature's abilities to the Adventure Level that is required for the creature. The designer chooses a category and the game engine will then balance the creature appropriately. A 10th-level gimp will be more powerful than a 1st-level gimp but will still be relatively interesting for a 10th-level adventurer to fight (whereas fighting the 1st level creature with a 10th-level character would be boring).

Note: If you choose Do_Not_Autobalance, the creature will come into the world exactly as implemented in the creature editor (i.e., without spells and such because the package system does nothing for them, see below).

== Packages ==

Package dictates the creature's theme and affects the creature's difficulty by customizing its repertoire of capabilities.

The packages are used to dictate what kind of spell/talent lists you want your creatures to have. You do not explicitly give spells or talents to creatures; the system decides which ones are appropriate for it to have based on difficulty settings (Difficulty) and the Package. While Packages are not intended to influence the difficulty of a creature (that is what Autobalance, above, is responsible for) different spell lists will be more or less powerful depending on the situation. A healing package, while useful in a group, would make for a weaker one-on-one opponent than a bloodmage package. Generally you choose the Package to fit the theme of the creature.

If you do not select a package type, you can set abilities explicitly by using the "Skills", "Spells" and "Talents" fields. These fields are only available when a package has not been set.

== Appearance ==

To add new appearance types to the game you'll need to edit some [[2DA]]s generated from the [[APR_base.xls]] file.

See also: [[Morph]]s

== Inventory ==

Each item can have the following properties set:

*Slot - Sets whether the creature has equipped the item. "Not equipped" leaves the item in the general inventory, "Main" puts the item into the creature's main hand, and "off-hand" puts the item into the creature's off hand.
*Set - Items that are part of a set are meant to be given as a group. !!This is handled in the giving/taking script?!!
*StackSize - how many copies of this item are present in a stack
*Droppable - a checkbox that indicates whether the item is dropped when the creature is killed
*Stealable - a checkbox that indicates whether the item can be stolen from the creature

For automatically-generated treasure, see the [[treasure system]].

== Perception ==

Values are:
*PerceptRngLng
*PerceptRngMed
*PerceptRngShrt
*PerceptRngMonster
*PerceptRngPlayer
*PerceptRngCrowd
*PerceptRngLargeCreature
*PerceptRngDefault

== "Plot" markers ==

Icons can be shown floating over the heads of certain creatures to draw the player's attention to them and indicate that they've got some sort of plot importance. To toggle the "plot" icon, use the script function

<code>
WR_TogglePlotIcon(object oCreature, int nActive);
</code>

in the "[[wrappers_h]]" include file.

== Variables ==

{{Variable table start}}
{{Variable table row| AI_* | || See [[AI]] }}
{{Variable table row| AMBIENT_* | || see [[Ambient behaviour]] }}
{{Variable table row| BASE_GROUP | int |0| }}
{{Variable table row| CLIMAX_ARMY_ID|int|0|used to mark which army this creature belongs to. Used in the climax to limit the level of the army member}}
{{Variable table row| COMBAT_LAST_WEAPON | int |0| 0 is offhand, 1 is main hand }}
{{Variable table row| CREATURE_COUNTER_1 to 3 | int |0| }}
{{Variable table row| CREATURE_DAMAGED_THE_HERO|int|0|Used for the Tactician achievement. We want to know if the creature ever damaged the Hero.}}
{{Variable table row| CREATURE_DO_ONCE_A and B | int || }}
{{Variable table row| CREATURE_HAS_TIMER_ATTACK|int|0|A flag for the threat system to know if this is the first time a creature needs to move so the command can be disabled to re-evalute threat if needed}}
{{Variable table row| CREATURE_LYRIUM_USE | int |0| }}
{{Variable table row| CREATURE_REWARD_FLAGS | int |0| 1 gives no XP }}
{{Variable table row| CREATURE_RULES_FLAG0 | int |0| }}
{{Variable table row| CREATURE_SPAWN_COND | int |0| }}
{{Variable table row| CREATURE_SPAWN_DEAD | int |0| When set to 1 the creature is spawned in a dead state. If it's set to 2, the creature is spawned feigning death, but can get up and fight the character with the help of UT_CombatStart() or UT_TeamGoesHostile() (set such creatures to be part of a non-hostile group, otherwise the feigning won't be very effective and the player can walk over and kill them while they lie there snarling ineffectually) }}
{{Variable table row| CREATURE_SPAWN_HEALTH_MOD | float |0| What proportion of the creature's health it starts out with (0 to 1) }}
{{Variable table row| CREATURE_SPAWNED | int |0|1 if the creature fired the spawn event before. 0 if the creature never fired the spawn event before. }}
{{Variable table row| DEBUG_TRACKING_POS | float |0| }}
{{Variable table row| DEBUG_TRACKING_POS_Y | float |0| }}
{{Variable table row| FLAG_STOLEN_FROM | int |0| If the creature has already been stolen from. Setting this to 1 will make a creature unable to be stolen from. See [[Treasure system]].}}
{{Variable table row| FOLLOWER_SCALED | int |0| }}
{{Variable table row| GO_HOSTILE_ON_PERCEIVE_PC | int |0| If the creature perceives the PC group - change from neutral, go hostile and attack}}
{{Variable table row| IS_SUMMONED_CREATURE | int |0| }}
{{Variable table row| LOOKAT_DISABLED|int|0|Set to 1 to disable lookat when creature is spawned}}
{{Variable table row| MIN_LEVEL|int|0|min level to scale the creature, regardless of any other scaling rules. 0 means no min.}}
{{Variable table row| PHYSICS_DISABLED | int |0| }}
{{Variable table row| ROAM_DISTANCE| float|0|This should usually be 0 unless you are having trouble with creatures chasing the PC for long distances.}}
{{Variable table row| RUBBER_HOME_ENABLED | int |1| When true, the "rubberband home" system will cause the creature to return to its home location in various circumstances. }}
{{Variable table row| RUBBER_HOME_LOCATION_FACING| float|0|}}
{{Variable table row| RUBBER_HOME_LOCATION_X, Y and Z | float || Defaults to the location that the creature is initially placed on the level. The home location is updated after any QuickMove or LocalJump command. }}
{{Variable table row| SHOUTS_ACTIVE | int |0| }}
{{Variable table row| SHOUTS_DELAY | float |3| }}
{{Variable table row| SHOUTS_DIALOG_OVERRIDE | resource |NONE| }}
{{Variable table row| SOUND_SET_FLAGS_0 to 2 | int |0| }}
{{Variable table row| SPAWN_HOSTILE_LYING_ON_GROUND | int |0| }}
{{Variable table row| STAT_CRIT | int |0| }}
{{Variable table row| STAT_DMG | int |0| }}
{{Variable table row| STAT_HIT | int |0| }}
{{Variable table row| STAT_MISS | int |0| }}
{{Variable table row| SURR_DIALOG_OVERRIDE | resource || }}
{{Variable table row| SURR_INIT_CONVERSATION | int |0| If this is true, creature will initiate conversation with the player upon surrendering. Automatically set to false after the conversation initiates. }}
{{Variable table row| SURR_PLOT_FLAG | int |0| Flag within SURR_PLOT_NAME that is set to true when the creature surrenders. }}
{{Variable table row| SURR_PLOT_NAME | string |none| Plot whose flag defined in SURR_PLOT_FLAG. If blank, no flag will be set. }}
{{Variable table row| SURR_SURRENDER_ENABLED | int |0| Allows the creature to surrender instead of fighting to the death. 0 disables surrendering, 1 enables surrendering. This variable will be set to 2 while the creature is actually in the act of surrendering. }}
{{Variable table row| TS_OVERRIDE_* | || see [[Treasure system]] }}
{{Variable table row| TS_TREASURE_GENERATED | int || }}
{{Variable table end}}

== Properties ==

{{inspector start}}
{{inspector section|General}}
{{inspector row|Character| One or more creatures can be mapped to a single [[character]] resource. This resource determines which [[FaceFX]] appearance is used when editing the creature's facial performance.}}
{{inspector row|Class| }}
{{inspector row|Comments| General information about this creature.}}
{{inspector row|Conversation| the default conversation resource for this creature.}}
{{inspector row|Copper| The amount of money the creature is carrying. The game will display money as "gold", "silver" and "copper" values based on the value entered here.}}
{{inspector row| Description| Description of the creature as seen in the game}}
{{inspector row| DescriptionRequiresReTranslation| A flag used during game development for keeping track of localization work}}
{{inspector row|Gender|can be male, female, or neutral}}
{{inspector row|Group| The creature's group as specified in groups.2da. Each group can be either hostile or non-hostile towards each other. See [[creature group]]s for more detail.}}
{{inspector row|Interactive| if set to true, the creature can be clicked on. If set to false, the creature can not be clicked on.}}
{{inspector row|Inventory| Determines what the creature is carrying. Items are taken from the item palette. See the Inventory section for more detail.}}
{{inspector row|Name| Name of the creature as seen in the game}}
{{inspector row|NameRequiresReTranslation| A flag used during game development for keeping track of localization work }}
{{inspector row|PerceptionRange| determines how far the creature can detect things in the world around it.}}
{{inspector row|Plot Giver| Puts a glowing exclaimation mark over the creature's head to attract the player's attention. }}
{{inspector row|Race| Certain races have bonuses to various attributes, restrictions on classes, and so forth, as defined in various 2das. race/race.2da contains a list of available races.}}
{{inspector row|Resource Name| A unique string identifier the toolset and the game both use to refer to this resource. }}
{{inspector row|Tag| A non-unique string identifier used mostly by scripts and other resources to refer to this resource.}}
{{inspector row|Team| A numeric tag. All creatures with the same team number belong to the same team, which is often used in scripting plot-related events.}}
{{inspector row|Variable 2da| Allows selection of a variable table. Only the values in the table can be set and retrieved by scripting. }}
{{inspector row|Variables| Displays the table selected in the variable 2da field. Allows initial values to be defined. }}

{{inspector section| Abilities}}
{{inspector row|Skills| Selecting this property opens a skill selection list where you can add any number of pre-defined skill levels to the creature.}}
{{inspector row|Spells| Similar to the Skills property, but for spells. }}
{{inspector row|Talents| Similar to the Skills and Spells properties, but for talents. }}

{{inspector section|AI}}
{{inspector row|Script| The script that controls this creature's behavior. Defaults to creature_core.}}

{{inspector section|Appearance}}
{{inspector row|Appearance| Base appearance type for the creature. Can be a full body, or a base body in which other parts can be added (hair, head, and eyes)}}
{{inspector row|Art Fidelity| This field is primarily used by art leads to determine which characters need additional work.}}
{{inspector row|Beard| }}
{{inspector row|Body Tint| }}
{{inspector row|Body Tint Mask| }}
{{inspector row|Eye Color| }}
{{inspector row|Eyes| Available for some appearance types, allows selecting different eye models }}
{{inspector row|Hair| Available for some appearance types, allows selecting different eye models}}
{{inspector row|Hair Color| }}
{{inspector row|Head| Available for some appearance tupes, allows selecting different head models }}
{{inspector row|Head Morph| Specifies the head morph to use for this creature. See [[morph]]. }}
{{inspector row|Head Tint| }}
{{inspector row|Head Tint Mask| }}
{{inspector row|Skin Color| }}

{{inspector section|Package/Scaling}}
{{inspector row|General Package Type| }}
{{inspector row|Max Level| The maximum level of the creature in the selected Class. }}
{{inspector row|Min Level| The minimum level opf the creature in the selected Class. }}
{{inspector row|Package| Used for AI and the scaling system. A package will also pick the default stat values for a creature (attributes and resistances) }}
{{inspector row|Package AI| The name of the selected AI Package 2DA that contains the tactics table. }}
{{inspector row|Rank| A general difficulty level used by the autoscaling system }}
{{inspector row|Treasure Category| Determines what kinds of treasure is generated by the treasure generation system when the creature is killed.}}

{{inspector section|Special}}
{{inspector row|Creature type| Combatant/Non-Combatant }}
{{inspector row|Immortal| if true, the creature can not get below 1hp and die.}}
{{inspector row|No Permanent Death| e.g., party members ('dead' party members get up again after combat unless the whole party is wiped out). }}
{{inspector row|Plot| If true, the creature cannot be damaged or affected by any hostile effect.
}}
{{inspector end}}

[[Category:Creatures]]