Spark Editor : Few Questions

J.D.J.D. Join Date: 2011-06-16 Member: 104695Members
edited June 2011 in Mapping
Hey guys, just a few questions to get me going. My knowledge for level design lies solely in Unreal so bare with me. If Ive overlooked it somewhere, please point me into the right direction, thanks.

1 - 3D Space : Additive or Subtractive? Does the level need to be fully encompassed by geometry? (aka Huge cube with everything inside)

2 - Moving and Snapping : Any way to move by local normals for Edges and Verts as well as edge/vert snapping instead of just the grid?

3 - Pivot : Are you able to change the pivot position of meshes in the editor? Some statics pivots are just way out there.

4 - Panning! : Control the pan speed in the editor? I just tap the middle mouse and my screen flys all over. Very Frustrating.

5 - Grid : A way to have the grid on at all times?

6 - Creating Geometry : You can only create geometry in the perspective view? Rectangle and Circle Tools will only create in perspective for me unless im on top of existing geometry.

7 - Ambient Lights : What are these light types for? Sunlight or Dynamic lighting such as flickering etc..?

Thanks in advance!

JD

Comments

  • ZurikiZuriki Join Date: 2010-11-20 Member: 75105Members
    edited June 2011
    1. No.
    2. Yes, hold ALT.
    3. Yes, "," and "." changes pivot point
    4. Uh, never had a problem, I use WASD.
    5. No.
    6. No idea.
    7. Ambiance. I think of it as a "glow", the way a room is a lit; even if not every surface is touched by light.

    Oh and, ambient lights are a bit buggy I heard, don't let them overlap (one of them disappears in-game).
  • J.D.J.D. Join Date: 2011-06-16 Member: 104695Members
    edited June 2011
    Thanks for the input, much appreciated :)

    Quick Edit: Seems I can now create geometry in the 2d viewports and the pan is much better. When I setup everything I set it up like I have 3ds max setup and Im guessing because I moved a bunch of things around it threw everything off? Idk works ok now though after defaulting. The WASD viewport moving I'll never get used too :/ I think thats from Source as well not sure.
  • ZurikiZuriki Join Date: 2010-11-20 Member: 75105Members
    <!--quoteo(post=1853631:date=Jun 16 2011, 08:38 PM:name=J.D.)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (J.D. @ Jun 16 2011, 08:38 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1853631"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->Thanks for the input, much appreciated :)

    Quick Edit: Seems I can now create geometry in the 2d viewports and the pan is much better. When I setup everything I set it up like I have 3ds max setup and Im guessing because I moved a bunch of things around it threw everything off? Idk works ok now though after defaulting. The WASD viewport moving I'll never get used too :/ I think thats from Source as well not sure.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
    Yeah, the edit feels a lot like Hammer, I think they wanted to ease the mappers in to NS2 from NS1 and let them feel at home with the tools as much as they are.
  • J.D.J.D. Join Date: 2011-06-16 Member: 104695Members
    Quick bump.

    Is there a way to import custom geometry and use it as a brush? Id like to make more of the complex geometry in 3ds max then import it into the editor to use as a brush and apply NS2 textures to it to keep the NS2 theme.

    Does the weld vertices option in the editor work? I have it bound to a key but doesnt seem to do anything.

    Thanks!

    JD
  • ZurikiZuriki Join Date: 2010-11-20 Member: 75105Members
    No, other than building props from 3DS then export to DAE and use the builder to create models (the DAE model must be textured before building model).

    I don't think the weld vertices option works yet.
  • InsaneInsane Anomaly Join Date: 2002-05-13 Member: 605Members, Super Administrators, Forum Admins, NS1 Playtester, Forum Moderators, NS2 Developer, Constellation, NS2 Playtester, Squad Five Blue, NS2 Map Tester, Subnautica Developer, Pistachionauts, Future Perfect Developer
    The editor reads .obj files, so you could try exporting that from 3dsMax.
  • marksmarks Join Date: 2008-07-28 Member: 64720Members
    edited June 2011
    You're saying the editor can read in .obj files as brush/poly geometry ?
  • MagnetoMagneto Join Date: 2010-12-22 Member: 75856Members
    Why does the editor seem to have such poor performance compared to the game now, doesn't it get the same optimizations?
  • MendaspMendasp I touch maps in inappropriate places Valencia, Spain Join Date: 2002-07-05 Member: 884Members, NS1 Playtester, Contributor, Constellation, NS2 Playtester, Squad Five Gold, NS2 Map Tester, Reinforced - Shadow, WC 2013 - Shadow, Retired Community Developer
    edited June 2011
    <!--quoteo(post=1856072:date=Jun 24 2011, 05:39 PM:name=Magneto)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Magneto @ Jun 24 2011, 05:39 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1856072"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->Why does the editor seem to have such poor performance compared to the game now, doesn't it get the same optimizations?<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
    Nope. It doesn't even have any kind of occlusion, so it renders the whole map, all the time (well, unless you hide the geometry). It will eventually get those optimizations, but the game goes first, obviously.
  • TigTig Join Date: 2010-05-08 Member: 71674Members, Reinforced - Shadow, WC 2013 - Silver
    <!--quoteo(post=1856078:date=Jun 24 2011, 11:02 AM:name=Mendasp)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Mendasp @ Jun 24 2011, 11:02 AM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1856078"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->Nope. It doesn't even have any kind of occlusion, so it renders the whole map, all the time (<b>well, unless you hide the geometry</b>). It will eventually get those optimizations, but the game goes first, obviously.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

    protip: organize your rooms into layers and color code them.
  • MagnetoMagneto Join Date: 2010-12-22 Member: 75856Members
    I thought it would be part of the same engine, that would make more sense?
  • ThaldarinThaldarin Alonzi&#33; Join Date: 2003-07-15 Member: 18173Members, Constellation
  • J.D.J.D. Join Date: 2011-06-16 Member: 104695Members
    edited June 2011
    <!--quoteo(post=1855730:date=Jun 23 2011, 06:47 AM:name=Zuriki)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Zuriki @ Jun 23 2011, 06:47 AM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1855730"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->No, other than building props from 3DS then export to DAE and use the builder to create models (the DAE model must be textured before building model).

    I don't think the weld vertices option works yet.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

    Ah thx. So if I created a custom model or texture, when the map is finished, are the textures and models baked into the map itself or would you need to include them in a download? In Unreal you have the option for both.

    <!--quoteo(post=1855773:date=Jun 23 2011, 09:28 AM:name=Insane)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Insane @ Jun 23 2011, 09:28 AM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1855773"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->The editor reads .obj files, so you could try exporting that from 3dsMax.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

    How would I import the .obj to the editor? Or would I have to use the builder to compile it into a .model file (same as DAE)?

    Thx for the input guys :).
  • ZurikiZuriki Join Date: 2010-11-20 Member: 75105Members
    You have to include the models and textures too, they're not compiled into the map (as maps aren't compiled at all).

    Not sure about the .obj files (it appears undocumented).
  • J.D.J.D. Join Date: 2011-06-16 Member: 104695Members
    Thanks Zuriki for all the helpful replies. (:
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