Formatting code for Descent3LevelEditing
======Descent 3 Level Editing======
==Designing and creating levels and missions for Descent 3 can be fun and challenging!==
You may at times find level editing confusing and discouraging. Don't despair, help is but a few clicks away.
To get started, you will need the [[http://www.descentforum.de latest version of D3Edit.]] Then explore the tuts listed below. Although new features have been added to D3Edit after many of these tuts have been written, there is a wealth of information available.
===Getting Started===
[[QuickTest Setting up D3 Edit and Quicktest]]
QuickTest is a powerful tool that is included in the later versions of D3Edit. Learn how to use it and put it to work for you!
[[www.schplurg.com/gameedit/tutorials/descent3/thelevelmenu.htm The Level]]
The Level is a great tut to start level building with. Schplurg has done a fantastic job of explaining the basics. I heartily recommend that you follow this tut closely to build your first level.
There are also some great 'getting started' tuts at [[http://www.planetdescent.com/d3edit/ Robo's D3Edit Tutorials!]]
===Verify Your Mine===
If you followed Schplurg's tut closely you should have been able to build a mine with few or no errors. But when you start building on your own, errors are hard to avoid. You need to [[VerifyYourMine Verify Your Mine]]. This tut will teach you how to find and repair them.
===Troubleshooting===
Of course, not everything always works correctly... Here are some hints, pages and links that might help you solve some problems.
The first thing to do is to run verify. Visit [[VerifyYourMine Verify Your Mine]] for instructions on how to do that, and tips for repairing many of the errors Verify will find.
Second, visit [[TroubleShootLevel Troubleshooting Your Mission]].
Third, post a question at [[http://planetdescent.net Planet Descent]].
===Advanced Building===
[[CaveTunnels Constructing a Cave Style Tunnel]]
Getting tired of building straight walls? Try a cave!
[[MakeASphere Make a Sphere]]
It's easy to make a perfect sphere in D3... Just follow this tut!
===Texturing===
[[CustomTextures Custom Textures]]
Adding unique textures to your level can give it character and help convey the theme.
===Scripting===
==Getting DALLAS to work:==
First read [[http://www.schplurg.com/gameedit/papacat/scrpt01.html Papacat's tut.]] The link for the SDK and the compiler are broken, so download them [[http://www.prepare4descent.net/d3sdkvrtcomp/sdkvrtcomp.zip both in a zip here.]] There's also an article by Techpro [[http://www.prepare4descent.net/guidesforum/index.php?topic=126.0 about setting up egcs]] and another one about [[http://www.prepare4descent.net/guidesforum/index.php?topic=120.0 some common mistakes]] on the [[http://www.prepare4descent.net/guidesforum/index.php Guides Forum]]. If you are still having trouble, a thread on Planet Descent, [[http://www.planetdescent.com/asp/forum_posts.asp?sectionid=3&forumid=10&topicid=8080&page=1 'DALLAS still won't compile']] may provide some answers. For your first script, I recommend [[ScriptASwitch Script a Switch]].
[[ScriptASwitch Script a Switch]]
So, you've built a level and in it you put a switch... //but the switch does nothing!// You need scripting to make it work. This tut teaches step by step how to do it. Along the way you will learn a lot of other concepts as well, such as HUD messages, animation, playing sounds, user types, and more. It's a great lesson in DALLAS even if you don't need a switch for your level.
===Adding Music and Custom Sound Effects===
==Adding your music to your Descent 3 level:==
There are two issues that need to be addressed:
One, is the sound quality is 22,050hz, 8bit, mono, PCM. Unfortunately music converted from 44k usually sounds like crap, especially the finely detailed, high notes like cymbals, triangles, etc... although loud deep bass notes don't fare well, either.
Two, Descent 3 uses regions, and plays clips successively with no cross fading. This means the clips need to be loopable. D3 will play a given set of loops following simple instructions, but if the loops are too long sometimes it will forget to advance to the next region. So, the clips need to be short. I have found that 16 seconds is good. I haven't seen any limit as to how many loops per region, or regions per level.
There is a tutorial at [[http://www.planetdescent.com/kyouryuu/tut-musicregions.html Kyouryuu's Levels]].
==See also: CategoryMusicSoundFX==
===Modeling===
==Create your own objects!==
Objects, such as ships, robots and the great array of mechanical contraptions evident in Descent 3 begin life as a poly model. A poly model can be created by using D3Edit, as a room file (*.orf) and converted to an object file (*.oof) with OOFEdit. Another option is to use a 3D modeling program such as 3Dmax. You then need to convert to an OOF with a [[www.planetdescent.com/site/files/d3/utilities/development.asp converter program.]]
===Model Files===
[[../d3edittuts/d3files/Krentzpyro.zip Justin Krentz's Pyro Model]]
This Pyro is in 3ds format. Custom textures in JPG format are included.
===Further Development===
There are a ton of things to download at [[http://www.descent3.com/index.html Descent3.com]], tools, source codes, file specs, etc... If you are hardcore serious about Descent 3 development it a //must visit// site!
----
There are many more tuts that I linked to on my links page. Let me know if the sites go down and if I can I will host them here. Comments are greatly appreciated!
Descent 3 Level Editing discussion and category. Tips, tricks, tools, tuts... Note, if you have a file to upload, please e-mail it to ""WillyP 'at' Prepare4Descent 'dot' net.""
{{category col="3"}}
I also highly recommend that you peruse the collections of tuts at the following sites:
[[http://www.schplurg.com/gameedit Schplurg's Game Edit Tutorials]]
[[http://www.planetdescent.com/kyouryuu/tutorials.html Kyouryuu's Levels.]]
[[http://www.planetdescent.com/d3edit/ Robo's D3Edit Tutorials.]]
----
Note: if you came here from the original [[www.prepare4descent.net/d3editing.shtml D3 Level Editing page on Prepare For Descent.]], be advised that that page may not contain the latest info and corrections. It will not be maintained or updated, and may be removed at some point. Update your links and bookmarks to this page, DescentiaPedia, or [[www.prepar4descent.net Prepare For Descent!]]
----
==Categories==
CategoryD3
==Designing and creating levels and missions for Descent 3 can be fun and challenging!==
You may at times find level editing confusing and discouraging. Don't despair, help is but a few clicks away.
To get started, you will need the [[http://www.descentforum.de latest version of D3Edit.]] Then explore the tuts listed below. Although new features have been added to D3Edit after many of these tuts have been written, there is a wealth of information available.
===Getting Started===
[[QuickTest Setting up D3 Edit and Quicktest]]
QuickTest is a powerful tool that is included in the later versions of D3Edit. Learn how to use it and put it to work for you!
[[www.schplurg.com/gameedit/tutorials/descent3/thelevelmenu.htm The Level]]
The Level is a great tut to start level building with. Schplurg has done a fantastic job of explaining the basics. I heartily recommend that you follow this tut closely to build your first level.
There are also some great 'getting started' tuts at [[http://www.planetdescent.com/d3edit/ Robo's D3Edit Tutorials!]]
===Verify Your Mine===
If you followed Schplurg's tut closely you should have been able to build a mine with few or no errors. But when you start building on your own, errors are hard to avoid. You need to [[VerifyYourMine Verify Your Mine]]. This tut will teach you how to find and repair them.
===Troubleshooting===
Of course, not everything always works correctly... Here are some hints, pages and links that might help you solve some problems.
The first thing to do is to run verify. Visit [[VerifyYourMine Verify Your Mine]] for instructions on how to do that, and tips for repairing many of the errors Verify will find.
Second, visit [[TroubleShootLevel Troubleshooting Your Mission]].
Third, post a question at [[http://planetdescent.net Planet Descent]].
===Advanced Building===
[[CaveTunnels Constructing a Cave Style Tunnel]]
Getting tired of building straight walls? Try a cave!
[[MakeASphere Make a Sphere]]
It's easy to make a perfect sphere in D3... Just follow this tut!
===Texturing===
[[CustomTextures Custom Textures]]
Adding unique textures to your level can give it character and help convey the theme.
===Scripting===
==Getting DALLAS to work:==
First read [[http://www.schplurg.com/gameedit/papacat/scrpt01.html Papacat's tut.]] The link for the SDK and the compiler are broken, so download them [[http://www.prepare4descent.net/d3sdkvrtcomp/sdkvrtcomp.zip both in a zip here.]] There's also an article by Techpro [[http://www.prepare4descent.net/guidesforum/index.php?topic=126.0 about setting up egcs]] and another one about [[http://www.prepare4descent.net/guidesforum/index.php?topic=120.0 some common mistakes]] on the [[http://www.prepare4descent.net/guidesforum/index.php Guides Forum]]. If you are still having trouble, a thread on Planet Descent, [[http://www.planetdescent.com/asp/forum_posts.asp?sectionid=3&forumid=10&topicid=8080&page=1 'DALLAS still won't compile']] may provide some answers. For your first script, I recommend [[ScriptASwitch Script a Switch]].
[[ScriptASwitch Script a Switch]]
So, you've built a level and in it you put a switch... //but the switch does nothing!// You need scripting to make it work. This tut teaches step by step how to do it. Along the way you will learn a lot of other concepts as well, such as HUD messages, animation, playing sounds, user types, and more. It's a great lesson in DALLAS even if you don't need a switch for your level.
===Adding Music and Custom Sound Effects===
==Adding your music to your Descent 3 level:==
There are two issues that need to be addressed:
One, is the sound quality is 22,050hz, 8bit, mono, PCM. Unfortunately music converted from 44k usually sounds like crap, especially the finely detailed, high notes like cymbals, triangles, etc... although loud deep bass notes don't fare well, either.
Two, Descent 3 uses regions, and plays clips successively with no cross fading. This means the clips need to be loopable. D3 will play a given set of loops following simple instructions, but if the loops are too long sometimes it will forget to advance to the next region. So, the clips need to be short. I have found that 16 seconds is good. I haven't seen any limit as to how many loops per region, or regions per level.
There is a tutorial at [[http://www.planetdescent.com/kyouryuu/tut-musicregions.html Kyouryuu's Levels]].
==See also: CategoryMusicSoundFX==
===Modeling===
==Create your own objects!==
Objects, such as ships, robots and the great array of mechanical contraptions evident in Descent 3 begin life as a poly model. A poly model can be created by using D3Edit, as a room file (*.orf) and converted to an object file (*.oof) with OOFEdit. Another option is to use a 3D modeling program such as 3Dmax. You then need to convert to an OOF with a [[www.planetdescent.com/site/files/d3/utilities/development.asp converter program.]]
===Model Files===
[[../d3edittuts/d3files/Krentzpyro.zip Justin Krentz's Pyro Model]]
This Pyro is in 3ds format. Custom textures in JPG format are included.
===Further Development===
There are a ton of things to download at [[http://www.descent3.com/index.html Descent3.com]], tools, source codes, file specs, etc... If you are hardcore serious about Descent 3 development it a //must visit// site!
----
There are many more tuts that I linked to on my links page. Let me know if the sites go down and if I can I will host them here. Comments are greatly appreciated!
Descent 3 Level Editing discussion and category. Tips, tricks, tools, tuts... Note, if you have a file to upload, please e-mail it to ""WillyP 'at' Prepare4Descent 'dot' net.""
{{category col="3"}}
I also highly recommend that you peruse the collections of tuts at the following sites:
[[http://www.schplurg.com/gameedit Schplurg's Game Edit Tutorials]]
[[http://www.planetdescent.com/kyouryuu/tutorials.html Kyouryuu's Levels.]]
[[http://www.planetdescent.com/d3edit/ Robo's D3Edit Tutorials.]]
----
Note: if you came here from the original [[www.prepare4descent.net/d3editing.shtml D3 Level Editing page on Prepare For Descent.]], be advised that that page may not contain the latest info and corrections. It will not be maintained or updated, and may be removed at some point. Update your links and bookmarks to this page, DescentiaPedia, or [[www.prepar4descent.net Prepare For Descent!]]
----
==Categories==
CategoryD3
