[T3] User Creation Pack

Uncle Silas
04-30-2003, 13:43
Obviously there's going to be a mapping tool with the game, it's been talked about extensively. But you could make the community's job easier by including a few other things that I like to call the "User Creation Pack", or something else official sounding.

1st: In depth documentation (PDF) of the map editor. Maybe even a tutorial movie from screen captures or something basic like that. In T2 the map tutorials were left up to the community and while those instructions were good to have they still left you confused and searching for help frequently.

2nd: Include either layered or alpha channel Photoshop files of all skins. Well, maybe not ALL skins but at least player skins and vehicle skins. In the skin files on a seperate layer it would also be nice to have pointers and text explaining what you're looking at. Or, maybe just include this in the instruction PDF It would make skinning much easier for newbie skinners.

3rd: Include a bunch of blank terrains for mappers. Ideally the end users wouldn't have to download every new map but mappers would have many to choose from when making server side maps.

Now, I may be talking out my ass here but I'm sure if this were too much work for the dev team the community could create it while the game is in beta. (I'd be happy to do this myself, and I'm sure many others would help.)

I realize the T:V will be much different and probably won't work anything like T2 but that's all I have as a frame of reference for this idea.

I think this would be a great addition to the game and wouldn't give anyone a brain tumor to create. Additional ideas welcome. :)

dunce_boy
04-30-2003, 13:48
A lot of those things the community can help with...
hell, there's already been a bunch of talk about maps..
TseTse, Byte, Nef, and others are currently working with UnrealEd(UT2k3 editor) to get used to something similar to what will be in T:V. The resourses to get the basics down our out there right now.

And for skinning...same thing...you skin for one game, you can skin for any.
One thing that would be nice is if they released the model files like UT2k3 did. That and maybe some wireframe skinmaps for each of the models, that would kick ass.

The only documentation that would be nice is for scripting...but as I have heard, if you know the UT2k3 scripting, it will be fairly easy to learn it for T:V

Locke355
04-30-2003, 13:55
wait wait.. tell me that these people who you say are .. practicing.. to make a mod have a mod in mind. plz plz plz.

dunce_boy
04-30-2003, 14:15
they do, but its more for making maps. These are community mappers that are getting good at UnrealEd now, so that when T:V comes out, they'll be able to release some bad ass maps.
I've seen some stuff that they've already come up with for UT2k3, and it looks sweet. Of course the style of the maps will have to change, etc. But they will already have the skills to jump right into map making(and modding).

Uncle Silas
04-30-2003, 16:12
Yes! on the scripting instructions.

The community could help with many of those things, and yes eventually it'll all show up online so I say why not have the community throw together a package that could be included when the game is purchased. If you create an instructional website for skinning or mapping why not just make it into a PDF and have all the stuff easily accessable from the start?

In the early days of T2 it was nearly impossible to find a good layered file for the skins so I created my own, as well as half the other people who did a small amount of skinning. The developers have that stuff and it would take all of 15 minutes to organize this sort of thing if the community provided a PDF file.

It would just be a really *nice* addition for the end users. If it were included and saved 2000 people 1 hour of time it would be a worthwhile service.

VektorX
04-30-2003, 16:18
i like it but say "no" to pdf

Locke355
04-30-2003, 19:10
they do, but its more for making maps. These are community mappers that are getting good at UnrealEd now, so that when T:V comes out, they'll be able to release some bad ass maps.
I've seen some stuff that they've already come up with for UT2k3, and it looks sweet. Of course the style of the maps will have to change, etc. But they will already have the skills to jump right into map making(and modding).

Shows an incredible amount of faith in the dev team of T:V to design fun maps.

Kelster
04-30-2003, 20:06
Skinners skin, mappers map, modders mod and competitors compete. Some people get enjoyment from games out of creating their own worlds, which is cool in my books. I can't see how practicing with an available build of the editor to be prepared for T:V is a bad thing. And I definitely don't view their interest in mapping for T:V as an attack on the devs at all. :shrug:

Sir Lucius
04-30-2003, 20:29
Shows an incredible amount of faith in the dev team of T:V to design fun maps.


Wheather the dev team releases good maps or not, you have to realize that these people are making maps b/c they find it fun. I don't believe they're out to undermine the dev team, it's just that their community niche is mapping.

Locke355
04-30-2003, 20:50
I was not trying to imply that they were. It just makes sense to me that unless you have some mod that you have been dying to make, and are going to pump it out using the t:v engine, you would at least play the game before getting ready to mod it :)

Kelster
04-30-2003, 21:18
I think they're trying to learn the new tools so they have some UnrealEd experience to work with as soon as T:V is released. I don't think they're working on CTF concepts or anything yet. :]

If you're interested in seeing how some of these folks are practicing, check out these links from that engine thread (http://www.tribalwar.com/forums/showthread.php?threadid=2 09624):
...
http://tribes2maps.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?forumid= 22

mapping notes from KP:
http://tribes2maps.com/forums/showthread.php?threadid=5 096

FAQ that TseTse is working on:
http://tribes2maps.com/forums/showthread.php?threadid=5 084

Sir Lucius
04-30-2003, 21:45
I'm actually dying to make Tribal Smash Brothers Melee. That will require new maps. I know this unrelated, but since it's one of those projects I'll probably never get around to starting anyways I'm sure it doesn't matter.

Uncle Silas
05-01-2003, 03:38
i like it but say "no" to pdf

Why is that? It would be easy to do and probably very helpful to Joe Sixpack who is starting from scratch.

[57th]cneal
05-01-2003, 13:12
Start here http://sv3.3dbuzz.com/vbforum/unr_main.php

You'll learn alot on what UnrealEd can do