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Author | Topic: Outdoor World Designer
AprilRyan Junior Member Posts: 25 From:Stark/Arcadia Registered: Apr 2001 | posted 04-05-2002 07:19 AM I’m designing a new addition to the TR Editor. It’ll be a new editor, used solely for creating spacious outdoor environments, complete with sprawling hills, lakes, trees, etc. I intend to post a few screenshots this weekend to show you how it’s coming along. Here’s the rub—it can only create single-level landscapes. In other words, while you can have hills, mountains, etc, you can’t have ledges or outcroppings. Also, it will use a heavily modified version of the TR engine, meaning you’ll need to download some new code in order to get it to play properly. On a positive note, you can load traditional TR levels from these new levels. So, the intent of this editor is to allow the user to make an above-ground world that looks natural and can be used to link various underground “tombs.” Think of it as the above-ground portions of a game like “Daggerfall.” Anyway, just thought I’d let you know what’s coming. Screenshots to be posted very soon!! IP: Logged
Tomb_Raider_Nut Member Posts: 1046 From:Millwaukee,Wi,USA Registered: Jun 2001 | posted 04-05-2002 07:28 AM AWESOME!!! great job dude! ------------------ Visit my site! Sign my guestbook! IP: Logged
Brad Casali Member Posts: 664 From:Sandusky, Ohio, USA Registered: Jun 2001 | posted 04-05-2002 08:53 AM That's awesome! I can't wait! So we'll be able to create outside enviroments? With RAIN/SNOW????????????????MAYBE????????? ------------------ Another Angel will fall on May 9, 2002. IP: Logged
Verios Member Posts: 463 From:Edmoton, Alberta, Canada Registered: Jun 2001 | posted 04-05-2002 03:28 PM Will it be easy to learn like the TRLE ? IP: Logged
Data Moderator Posts: 1491 From:Omicron Theta science colony Registered: May 2001 | posted 04-06-2002 06:30 AM quote: originally posted by AprilRyan: .....it will use a heavily modified version of the TR engine If permission has not been given by Core Design and Eidos Interactive, please read the following. The 'Legal Disclaimer' section of the Level Editor manual clearly states: "Your levels cannot contain any modifications or changes to any executable file included in this distribution or those distributed with Tombraider: The Last Revelation" I would suggest that permission is sought from Core Design and Eidos Interactive before posting any subsequent information, screenshots or downloads. Thank you Data. ------------------ Learn to respond, not react IP: Logged
GokuZ Member Posts: 468 From:UK Registered: Sep 2001 | posted 04-06-2002 06:38 AM Wouldnt there be the limited view making the distance look dark? "Your levels cannot contain any modifications" are we not all guilty of this? IP: Logged
Data Moderator Posts: 1491 From:Omicron Theta science colony Registered: May 2001 | posted 04-06-2002 06:44 AM quote: Originally posted by GokuZ: [B...."Your levels cannot contain any modifications" are we not all guilty of this?[/B] Mr GokuZ, was your question rhetorical?, if not my answer would be; 'These are the facts. It is my responsibility to point them out to other members, however, only Core design and Eidos Interactive can enforce them'. IP: Logged
psxsaves Junior Member Posts: 20 From:England Registered: Nov 2000 | posted 04-06-2002 06:52 AM Hi Cool. Sound like a great addon. Plus you can update it unlike the Editor included with TRC Just to state the obvious any level made with any editor add on has used some kind of reverse enginering but does not change the exe's in anyway. And technically Data in that cut bit of text says that " distributed with Tombraider: The Last Revelation " which the editor did not come with! So if you created a New editor that did not alter the game code or editor exe then it should be allowed (Anyway they have also stated that they dont support the editor in anyway!) Ok so don't take this as legal advise. Consult Core Design and Eidos if you want. Thanks PSXSAVES IP: Logged
Data Moderator Posts: 1491 From:Omicron Theta science colony Registered: May 2001 | posted 04-06-2002 06:57 AM I have requested further advice from Administration Psxsaves, and will add any new information if it is forthcoming. IP: Logged
aktrekker Member Posts: 1034 From:WA, USA Registered: Apr 2001 | posted 04-06-2002 09:23 AM I think the legal problem here is not the editor, but the new game engine it requires, which will be freely distributed, and still plays normal TR4 levels. This would make TRLE (and by extension, TR:LR) available to anyone, even those who did not pay for it. Backwards engineering and then free distribution of a compatible game engine would certainly be of concern to Core. IP: Logged
Data Moderator Posts: 1491 From:Omicron Theta science colony Registered: May 2001 | posted 04-06-2002 09:47 AM Thank you for your input aktrekker, however we should not further any assumptions as to the legality of it untill further official information has become available. IP: Logged
aktrekker Member Posts: 1034 From:WA, USA Registered: Apr 2001 | posted 04-06-2002 10:08 AM On another note, a room editor is a big enough project. An associated game engine which is still compatible with original levels is a VERY big project. Too much is not known about how OCBs affect objects, etc. Alot of information in the TR4 files is still unknown. I'll believe it when I see it. IP: Logged
Wee Bald Man Member Posts: 623 From:Left Luggage Locker #27, Terminal 3, Heathrow Airport, London. Registered: May 2001 | posted 04-06-2002 12:07 PM Hi AprilRyan, I know of several people who have had their sites shutdown by Eidos lawyers as they contained the tomb4.exe file (modified and un-modified). So, don't waste time modifying the tomb4.exe, you can achieve the same result that you are after by doing the following (this may just be fantasy on my behalf but it's just an idea): 1) Create your outdoor world terrain generator program as a stand-alone program which is capable of outputing TOM files (this is the bit that might be my fantasy ). 2) The TOM files can then be converted to TR4 files using the tom2pc.exe program supplied. 3) The PRJ files can then be extracted from the resulting TR4 file by TR2Prj. 4) The resulting PRJ file can then be opened using the TR Level Editor and then copied and pasted into the designer's project. None of the above steps infringe the License Agreement. Good luck. WBM P.S. The above theory is open to a good slagging by all those qualified. ------------------ Pray that there's intelligent life somewhere up in space, 'Cause there's bugger all down here on Earth. [This message has been edited by Wee Bald Man (edited 04-06-2002).] IP: Logged
aktrekker Member Posts: 1034 From:WA, USA Registered: Apr 2001 | posted 04-07-2002 10:31 AM Interesting WBM. The TOM format shouldn't be a problem. I've given it a quick once-over and it seems to store the data in pretty much the same format it goes into the TR4 file as. But that's alot of steps to take. How about another idea. We can already export the mesh of a room, edit it in a CAD program, then import it again. What if we could export all of the room meshes as a single file, view and modify all of the meshes as one, then import the whole thing back again? IP: Logged
Wee Bald Man Member Posts: 623 From:Left Luggage Locker #27, Terminal 3, Heathrow Airport, London. Registered: May 2001 | posted 04-07-2002 04:14 PM quote: Originally posted by aktrekker: What if we could export all of the room meshes as a single file, view and modify all of the meshes as one, then import the whole thing back again? If we could it would allow us to make some amazing looking new levels. How would the floor squares system continue to function though? Wouldn't Lara's interactivity with surfaces and the map collision become confused if the floor geometry was changed? I haven't tried this yet but I gather that TRViewer exports and imports room DXFs, but the modified geometry has to be above the floor level - kept out of Lara's reach. Even if it was not possible to change the floor without causing problems, it would still be much more desirable for practical reasons to be able to export the whole level as a single mesh. One immediate problem I can foresee with this is the issue of accidental movement of vertices used to indicate doors. Presumably the TR level editor would need those vertices to remain as rectangular / square portals. The problem would be indicating visually which vertices these were in a single DXF mesh of the entire level. I'm don't know whether DXF is able to support the locking of XYZ axis of vertices. It may be possible to use locked 3DS groupings, or named DXF layers, to either lock off or indicate important vertices. Again this is all theory.. WBM [This message has been edited by Wee Bald Man (edited 04-07-2002).] IP: Logged
TmbRaid1 Member Posts: 60 From:Libby, MT, USA Registered: Mar 2002 | posted 04-07-2002 07:30 PM hmm this sounds familiar, I asked Core Design a few weeks ago about realeasing the source code for the original Tomb Raider, they sent me a reply explaining why and so-on anyway, I posted it here: ../HTML/images/Forum22/HTML/033291.html Feel free go read it and add whatever feedback. ------------------ IP: Logged

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