Chrome Engine 4 Level Editor - ChromED

[mjens]

Here are some tutorials:

http://www.cojmodding.com/?id=tutorials

There are only basics in scripting but soon there will be more tutorials.

BTW. Chriss, there are three types of mappers:

1 - mappers that are just using models to create funny/stupid environment

2 - mappers that are using models to create interesting and realistic environment

3 - mappers that are creating custom models to create unique environments

It's sad that there's lack of third type mappers in COJ:BiB...

[Minos]

It's sad that there's lack of third type mappers in COJ:BiB...

Same for other engines as well =)

[Steppenwolf]

but how come none of these insane wysiwyg editors are taking off ?!

i mean farcry 2 doesn't really have a huge mapping following right ? because they editor demos looks just like this ! and same with crysis

Maybe because its more fun to be creative in an oldschool editor as a hobbyist. These new type of editors are fantastic for professional work when a constant flow of new assets is coming in daily and when you work under time pressure. But they take away from the creative freedom if you are not a good 3d artist also. And doing assets yourself is very time consuming and you have to be damn good already to create some nice looking stuff.

[Corwin]

Maybe because its more fun to be creative in an oldschool editor as a hobbyist. These new type of editors are fantastic for professional work when a constant flow of new assets is coming in daily and when you work under time pressure. But they take away from the creative freedom if you are not a good 3d artist also. And doing assets yourself is very time consuming and you have to be damn good already to create some nice looking stuff.

My opinion exactly!

Working on a Crysis level that needs quite a lot of custom content, I can't be expected to create anything as good as the original game or what recent games are up to. To create a unique and detailed map in these engines, you'd need to be part of a team, with level designers and env artists working together.

[mjens]

Yes, in old map editors there was only one guy that did all the level work. Now we have environment artists, gameplay designers/scripters, level designers and so on...

Anyway, I think it's not so hard to make a map in ChromED

[-HP-]

So Stepp, using these kind of editors is not fun because their too easy compared to oldschool stuff? aka Source, right?

I don't agree with you guys... The standards for games are higher, that's all.

Back in the days, it was OK to have a fucking blurry texture in the floor, nowadays It's not. So editors can be easier, but making levels is still as challenging as ever.

[Steppenwolf]

What i wrote is that it is more fun to be creative in one of the old editors because you have more freedom as a hobbyist. You dont rely on a team of other people or on personal kickass 3d art skills to create something from scratch.

The usability and work flow is on a complete different piece of paper. In that regard i would prefer something like Sandbox or the Diesel Editor, that i worked with, any day over an bsp editor.

[Gloglebag]

Wait are you saying, because the assets like houses or whatever are made in external programs you have less to do in the editor, can be less creative, and have to rely on other people?

But see the thing is, if you can make a house in hammer, radiant etc.. you can also do it 10x faster and easier yourself in a professional 3d app like silo/sketchup/max etc.. I came from fucking around in max to hammer and was horrified by how cumbersome everything was, and the fact I couldn't easily import anything from max. To me these new editors are great because they allow you to bring everything together and test it so much faster then before. And as an amateur I love them for how much easier they make my hobby.

[2d-chris]

Well, source engine isnt known for using models for entire buildings so that was your problem. It's 100x faster to make a good looking building using BSP, a small texture set and a few props than build it all in max!

For those interested we use "solids" to make structures on Crysis 2, then export into MAX and artists work on the art from then on. So although we're not using solids (bsp, lego etc) for actual final geometry we use it to be flexible and extremely fast to iterate on game play / scale.

[Pericolos0]

Well, source engine isnt known for using models for entire buildings so that was your problem. It's 100x faster to make a good looking building using BSP, a small texture set and a few props than build it all in max!

This is basically not true at all. It's way faster to build without bsp, and to build whatever you want. BSP for making final stuff is really really dead. You couldn't make uncharted2 with bsp. It's a technique designed for making really lowpoly levels back when triangle count couldnt go over a few thousands.

but yeah, source engine is still very very oldschool at handling lighting/collision on models so you are basically forced to use it still. And it's easy to pick up for beginners. But ultimately it's a ridiculously hard way to model compared to modelling.

[Skjalg]

I'm with peris on this one.

Its rather simple, actually. BSP is for blocky stuff, and its easy to use for that, but if you want loads of details you need something else.

[mjens]

BSP is much more easy to get with. Lightning, compilation and stuff are also easy. You can explain it in one or two tutorials. Creating brushes and assigning textures to them makes the feel "Ah, that's my work! This is a place made by me". "Next-gen Editors" are way much harder to get for beginner or even for medium level mapper. To create totally custom level you need to know Photoshop to make textures, 3DSMax to create model content and level editor of course. So it means that new editors are more exacting but also more creative and BSP editors are to old to slake next-gen mappers needs. But wait! I think Source Engine will look the same in few years! BSP is cool but industry is growing up and Source Engine isn't so competitive with CryEngine, Unreal or Chrome Engine. They also have to grow to sell the engine! As someone already said, in our times we have a lot more of work to be done on levels and we need tools that give ability to do that.

[2d-chris]

Well, source engine isnt known for using models for entire buildings so that was your problem. It's 100x faster to make a good looking building using BSP, a small texture set and a few props than build it all in max!

This is basically not true at all. It's way faster to build without bsp, and to build whatever you want. BSP for making final stuff is really really dead. You couldn't make uncharted2 with bsp. It's a technique designed for making really lowpoly levels back when triangle count couldnt go over a few thousands.

but yeah, source engine is still very very oldschool at handling lighting/collision on models so you are basically forced to use it still. And it's easy to pick up for beginners. But ultimately it's a ridiculously hard way to model compared to modelling.

I did say on Source engine Peris, obviously that method is not viable for all engines/projects ...

[Campaignjunkie]

Speaking as a modder, I have to say it's not about the tools - it's about the install base.

The average gamer doesn't care whether it's BSP or polys. He or she cares whether it looks interesting and whether it complements the gameplay. And the sad, but most obvious truth: if you make a Source mod, people will actually play it. How many people even own a copy of Crysis, much less still have it installed to play a mod for an hour? How many people own a copy of UT3 and still have it installed to play a mod?

[mjens]

IDTech and Source engines are famous because it's really modable. Players know that so players plays that