The new Pokeditor

[Zatir]

Hello,

I've seen that this sub-board isn't that active at all. That's not a strange behavior, because the development of the map editor was paused for a while. Now it's time for a change and I want to update the current state! I'm also posting this to say we're still developing and because I want to celebrate myself joining the development team (and also joining the community)!

You probably noticed the development updates of the mapping server. That's the work done by Mr_Dark. I'm currently taking the lead to expand the existing map editor (the client). The most people think it's some easy stuff: just make sure that you are able to place some tiles, update them to the map server/database and you're done! That's not true, it takes more effort to create a map. You also need to take care of the NPC's, which can have shops, battles or quests. So the new map editor will have the ability to make those NPC's, create the shops, battles, dialogues and quests. There's a lot more work to be done and this is fully in development, from scratch. The actual tile-editor is almost done (placing tiles, blocks, water and stuff).

The current state:
- New maps can be made
- Tiles can be imported
- The tiles can be placed, using the mapping server to save the map
- Some GUI and shortkeys

That's what I have to say for now, more to come... soon!

Greetings,

Zatir

Todo List

This todo list is added and will be updated as soon as there are updates. This list was in first instance only for me, but maybe other people want to have a look into the development. The list isn't completed yet, it will be expanded later.

NPC editor
 » Edit NPC outfits and server I/O [Done 5 apr 2012]
 » Implement new NPC outfits [50% Done 30 sept 2012]
 » Show the animated NPC outfits
 » Retreiving NPC Pokemon stats from the server [Done 16 apr 2012]
 » Pokemon names I/O
 » Edit the NPC pokemon-team and send them to the server
 » Shops I/O communication to the server
 » Create and edit shops
 » Event system I/O communication with the server [Done 2 june 2012]
 » Quests editor


New event system for scripts, for easy drag/drop editing (Quests, Pokemons and Shops included)
 » Dragging, dropping and (re)moving action panels  [Done 25 apr 2012]
 » Get the system to work for one type eventpanel [Done 14 may 2012]
 » Save panels to the database and obtain them again [Done 2 june 2012]
 » Convert the event panels to a script [75% Done 30 sept 2012]
 » Creating all panels needed (If/else, while, ect. ) [75% Done 30 sept 2012]


Map editor
 » Possibility to open multiple maps
 » When dragging tiles fix the high data transfer to the server
 » Manage blocking tiles, with a 50% layer [Done 1 nov 2012]
 » Manage items on the map
 » Manage NPCs on the map
 » Copy/Paste/Delete/Select functions
 » Undo/Redo functionality
 » Properties toolbox with all info about the tile you are hovering the mouse [Done 21 okt 2012]
 » Moving the toolstrip buttons for maps inside the map-editor  [Done 21 okt 2012]
 » Make all the toolstrip buttons, like dropper, placer, selecter and so on work properly [Done 2 nov 2012]
 » Enable/disable grid [Done 21 okt 2012]
 » Rewrite/look at the save tile and update tile(layers) functions (server side only)  [Done 29 okt 2012]
 » Tile events
 » No new go routines for each database query for tiles (server side) [Done 2 nov 2012]
 » Zooming tiles in the texture browser
 » Add location layer
 » Add/Edit event layer

Location Manager
 » Create locations window
 » Client-server I/O
 » Manage music and pokecenter

Tile event manager
 » Create tile events window
 » Client-server I/O

Pokecenter manager
 » Create pokecenter window
 » Client-server I/O

Overall
 » Logged in and connected protection on all button-events and stuff
 » Progress bars while downloading
 » Save protection when closing forms
 » Version protection [Done 19 aug 2012]
 » Automatic client updates

Probably some more small stuff to come, but these are the main objectives.

[Tickles]

I thought the writing team was handling the NPC's and quests?

[Zatir]

Yes they are, but, there must be a tool to make those NPC's. The plan is to make an editor with a lot of tools like the NPC-editor, shop-editor, battle-editor and so on integrated into the map editor tool. Then you can easily add the NPC's to the map in just one tool, rather than using different tools. It's actually not a map-editor, but an overall editor.

[Tickles]

I see, instead of having to write out full scripts for the NPC's, we can just edit them and integrate them with this tool you're designing. Correct me if I'm wrong.

[Zatir]

Yes, that's correct. It will be a fully automated NPC management system, which meets all the requirements and which is also easy and fast to use! In a later development stage of this tool I will contact all the quest-/npc-/story- writers for their needs, so I can fit the tool on everybody's needs.

[Yume Tsuki]

That's quite a nifty tool. Would be pretty neat if we had an easy tool to insert quests, for the scripters it would be easier to set up new updates to the server. ^^

[Mr_Dark]

I see, instead of having to write out full scripts for the NPC's, we can just edit them and integrate them with this tool you're designing. Correct me if I'm wrong.

You'd still need to write the code for the NPCs, but the tool allows you to make the actual NPC which will be shown in-game.

[Tickles]

Thanks for making it clear Mr Dark.

[genbor]

 Great to have you Zatir, wish you all the best. Will be looking forward those updates.

[Zatir]

Another milestone reached for the map editor after a couple of days, so it's time to place an update in this topic! You probably saw all of the updates in the development feed already, but that's just half of the progress we are making.

Our Pokéditor (that's the way the editor is called) is now fully able to create NPC's and place them on the map! When creating the NPC it only has some basic appearance settings which can be adjusted at any time, like the NPC-name and the outfit (head, neck, upper, lower and feet). We are only in need for some new sprites for the different outfits! After the NPC is completed, it can be placed onto the map by simple clicking on a tile.

That's just the basic stuff for the NPC-system, now the hardest parts begin! (Dialogs, Shops, Battles, Quests.....)

Greetings,

Zatir

[Bryan]

Well I'll have the sprites ready here, tomorrow or later tonight. I'm also trying to make sure I have all the terrain tiles compiled into one graphics sheet. Its just hard because the way I work in the first place, I have things scattered all over my computer. It good to hear that everyone is working.

I also need to work with Kam, to get the tileset right. Well see here in a bit.

[Arctus]

Nice work team, It's times like this i wish i was talented at something, but im glad to see that there are talented people here.

[Roloc]

Great job everyone!

Congrats on joining the team, Zatir!
You deserve it

[vengeful]

Nice work team, It's times like this i wish i was talented at something, but im glad to see that there are talented people here.

Ha Ha I'm talented, just not in the right departments. I can write a book, but I seem to have lost all talent of drawing. 

[Zatir]

@Bryan, that will be great! I was planning to implement the sprites at the end of next week, if they are ready. I just need a few of them though, only for test purposes yet. Now I'm busy to redesign the layout of the NPC editor, to meet Mr_dark's plan he had in mind.

And yes, the development is going great team, carry on!