Tools to create areas etc
saox
Member Posts: 104
Hi,
Where can I find tools and tutorials to create my own areas, place NPCs, write dialogue etc in order to create my own story that I could share with people ?
Where can I find tools and tutorials to create my own areas, place NPCs, write dialogue etc in order to create my own story that I could share with people ?
0
Comments
Near Infinity, DLTCEP and IETME (Infinity Engine Tileset Map Editor).
A good area editing tutorial for DLTCEP can be found here:
simpilot.net/~sc/dltcep/areamaking/main.htm
A good tutorial for good old IETME is provided here:
shsforums.net/topic/28080-cuvs-area-making-class-tutorial/
The single important prerequisite that you need is a finished area image, a bitmap. All other conversions to play an area ingame can be done with the help of these three programs mentioned above.
So the most important question is whether you only want to edit existing areas (add NPCs, enemies and the like) or create new graphics from scratch. For editing existing areas, the modding tools are all that you need.
If you want to create your own areas, things get a bit complicated.
A good way to start creating new areas is rearranging and editing existing ones, such as by copying trees and chests and the like to create a „new“ area by using the pre-made ingame area-graphics.
You would need a 2d graphics editor for this. A good example and a cheap way to begin with is the free editor GIMP. A professional solution would be Photoshop.
If you don‘t want to rely on existing graphics, the only way to create new ones is by using a 3d modeling software. If you are interested in that, I can post some suggestions, but I’m not sure if this is what you are looking for.
The dialogue part is done in WeiDU. There are plenty of excellent tutorials out there.
A good way to „understand“ the structure of an area is by looking at its components in the fantastic Near Infinity area viewer. Then you could start area editing by modifying existing areas using Near Infinity and DLTCEP. Area editing seems fun, but the real hard part is putting all the different pieces together- for example the parts where a character is hidden behind walls, adding shadows and all these other little things that make the original areas look (and feel) „real“.
Finally, there is a cool and insightful article by Marcia Tofer, the Art Director of Baldur's Gate 2, about the complex process of area creation for the game itself:
https://ign.com/articles/2000/01/14/developer-journal-baldurs-gate-ii-pt-4