Status: 31.08.2005 - Under Construction
Author: Sarun
Translated: 07.12.2007 (last comparison with german version)

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Basics

The map editor has the purpose to create maps for the ground combat missions in X-Force. The first step is to design map elements (in the following called rooms) with a size of 15x15 (see creating maps). In the game, these rooms are arranged to maps. By default, rooms are arranged randomly, but this process can also be controlled with scripts. Such scripts can be used, to build roads, generate streams of water or construct bigger buildings (see creating scripts).

Like other X-Force editors, the map editor is part of the developer package which can be downloaded and installed via the online updater (config.exe).

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Dependencies

In order to edit tiles which are used while creating rooms, the tileset editor is needed. Please do not use names like 'test', but instead include your (abbreviated) (nick)name to avoid confusions. If you create thematic maps with own tile sets, use similar names for both (a 'snow map' with a 'snow tile set').

In order to create map scripts, the script editor or a simple text editor can be used. The script editor has the clear advantage, that it can debug scripts.

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Creating maps

One can add rooms to an existing map set, or create a new one (with the button "create a new map" oder <CTRL> + <N>). This map set will created with a "default" room. In order to create new rooms, the fourth button in the menu oder <INSERT> is used. A dialogue will appear, asking for the name of this new room. One can also copy rooms. This is useful if one wants to create some variations of the same theme (slightly different buildings, water streams, or empty places). With the X, one can delete rooms which are no longer needed.

Painting

There is not much to say, beside perhaps: "give free rein to your creativity".

One remark concerning deleting walls (out of my own problems with it): You have first to choose the wall category of the wall you want to delete. Several walls which can be painted will appear, as well as a gray area. This you have to choose in order to delete the wall.

Room orientation

You always wanted to have a tree in the upper right corner or the house in the lower left, but didn't know how?

Here some thoughts about the orientation of rooms and maps: The game uses an isometric presentation, therefore all map(element)s are rhombi. Because of my difficulties to imagine everything in rhombi and manage maps as matrizes, some definitions where top, bottom, left and right are:

top				/		\				right
		/						\
		\						/
left				\		/				bottom

They are internally just twisted by 45°.

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Creating scripts

In the script editor    => ingame
1 2       =>    1
3 4             3  2

          4

Examples for map scripts:

• Simple example
• Arbitrary map size
• Water streams / roads
• Multipart buildings