S W A T 3 M O D H Q |
MISSION TOPIC - CLOSE WINDOW WHEN FINISHED |
Creating A SWAT3 Map
Introduction
If
you've never edited in 3D before, this introduction will help you get into
Worldcraft quickly.
Editing in three dimensions on a two dimensional monitor means that the subject
(in this case, a SWAT3 map) must be displayed in several different
perspectives. Worldcraft, like many CAD programs, uses four perspectives to
render what you're editing (shown below in figure 2.1):
Figure 2.1 - The Four Perspectives
In
clockwise order, starting at the top, left window:
The 3D view displays the map in three dimensions. It's a fairly accurate representation of what the map will look like in the game - the only detail it's missing is proper lighting. Architecture and texture placement are perfectly rendered.
The
2D X/Y view displays a bird's eye view of the map, as though you are looking
down on it.
The
2D X/Z view displays a side view of the map.
The 2D Y/Z view displays a front view of the map.
Use the three settings in the "View" menu to change the type of rendering performed in the 3D view, in order: 3D Wireframe, 3D Filled Polygons, and 3D Textured Polygons.
Camera Tool |
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Select the Camera tool to move around in the 3D view - hold down the left mouse button to rotate and tilt the viewpoint, the right mouse button to strafe (move side to side) and change the altitude of the viewpoint, and the W and S keys to move closer and further away from the objects in the viewport. The A and D keys will also strafe from side to side
You may also move around the 3D view using controls similar to a first-person game by pressing Z. Now, your mouse rotates your view, and you can use W and S to move forward and back while using A and D to strafe left and right. To end this mode, simply press Z again.
Most editing is done in the 2D views. To move around in the views, use the side
scrollbars or hold down the spacebar and the left mouse button to drag the view.
You can zoom in and out on the objects in the view with the plus and minus keys
on the right keypad.
Basic Tools
Creating maps with Worldcraft is similar to using most drawing tools. You can use the mouse for pretty much everything - drawing objects, modifying their properties, moving them and changing their shape, etc.
Block Tool |
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Creating solid objects is easy. Select the block tool on the left toolbar. In the top, right view, click the left mouse button and drag a box. The box is drawn in all three 2D views.
Figure 2.2 - Creating A New Block Object
Figure
2.2 shows the
three steps of creating a new object:
Drag a box out.
Release
the left button - you can resize the box in the other views here.
Press
ENTER to create the object.
Figure 2.3 - "Objects" Drop-Down List
You can create several different types of objects: a plain box, a wedge, a
cylinder, and a spike. Select the kind of object you want to create before you
press ENTER by clicking on the "Objects" drop-down list (shown in
figure 2.3) on the right toolbar.
Pointer Tool |
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Select the pointer (selection) tool (shown in figure 2.7). Click on the center
handle of an object or on one of its lines to select it. You can now manipulate
the object by stretching it, rotating it, and slanting it. Click on one of the
handles surrounding the object and drag with the mouse to change its shape. To
select another manipulation mode, click and release inside the box without
dragging the mouse. You'll notice that the number of handles around the box
changes each time you click it:
Resize:
the eight square handles allow you to resize the objects in eight different
directions.
Rotate:
the four circular handles allow you to rotate the objects to any angle.
Shear:
the four square handles allow you to slant the box vertically and
horizontally.
Move:
you can always move the selected objects by click-dragging inside the box
and not on any handles.
Making A Level |
The
simplest enclosed level you can play in SWAT3 requires the following:
A
cubic room made of six walls
A
cell
A
group of FIVE
SWAT starting point
A
light source
A
waypointnode
Wall
texture
You might think that you'd be able to create a room with just one box, but
that's not the case. In editing maps, every solid object you create with the
block tool is exactly that: a solid object! To create a cubic room, you need to
create one solid for each wall, for a total of six solids.
Creating six solids seems like a lot of work for a simple room! Worldcraft makes this task easier by providing you with a hollowing tool. This tool allows you to hollow any solid object to have walls of a specified thickness. So, you need only create one solid cube and use the hollow tool to make it a playable room. Here's how:
The
box you created will be turned into six solids, one for each wall.
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Now it's time to add the cell, SWAT start and light entities. Entities differ
from solid objects in that they're just a point in space - a placeholder for
something to appear when the level is played. Other examples of entities include
character start points, event triggers and spotlights.
Entity Tool |
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To create an entity, select the entity tool (it resembles a light bulb). Click the left mouse button in the top, right view to begin placement of the entity.
Drag the
center of the crosshair so that it's inside the room in all three views.
Now, select the cell entity from the object bar (the same place where you chose
which kind of solid to create.) Click on the objects list (Figure 2.3) and scroll down to the
cell entity. Press ENTER to create the object. |
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Repeat the entity placement process using five swt_start entities (the starting points for the SWAT leader and four assaulters), the waypointnode entity, and the light entity. After placing the light entity, click the pointer (selection) tool. Click on the light entity in the map views, then right click the entity and select Properties. You should see a screen similar to figure 2.6. By default the Enabled is set to On. Select the End Range attribute and set the range to 500 (or higher). Simply close the Object Properties box when finished. |
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While at least one group of five SWAT start points is expected by the game in order to play in standard mission mode, no additional points are needed, even if there is more than one entry point! Upon defining an entry point in Worldcraft and subsequently in the missioninfo.dat file, the game will automatically decide where to place the officers upon game start based on the AI mapping generated when the map is built.
The final step is to apply texture to the room itself--otherwise, there would be no visual reference in the room, just black walls. Selecting the pointer tool, drag a box around the room in one of the 2D views. Hit the Enter key to select the object. In Current Texture selection box (shown in figure 2.7), click the arrow to bring up the available textures and select one.
Choose "3d Textured Polygons" from the View menu to see the results of the texturing. |
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