Question About Editor Mode...

[Shadow]

I've been playing a game called Age of Mythology since it came out in 2002... One of the main reasons I'm still playing it is because it has such an amazing editor mode... So I was wondering what exactly will the editor mode be like in this game, I know that we'll be able to use triggers and scripting but will we be able to move buildings wherever we please, create entire continents, make completely new and unexpected ways to play the game like the ones I've seen develop over the years in AoM... or will it be a let down like the AoE3 editor and Civilization IV were allowing minimal creativity and forcing you to use the very limited amount of resources given to you? Really hope this game meets my expectations

[Alex Walz]

A lot of the developers behind Dawn of Fantasy started off as scenario designers for games like Age of Mythology and Age of Kings. So these games and their editors did play a significant role in the outcome of our scenario design editor. I may be a little bias, but I've used the scenario design editor for popular RTS games like Age of Mythology, Age of Empires III, Battle for Middle Earth, Rise of Nations, etc. and I'd have to say that our editor far surpasses all of them.

There may or may not be triggers. It's just not a big priority with everything else we are working on, but we may have a couple basic triggers. With that said, the scripting language DOF is based around, Lua, is incredibly user-friendly and easy to master. A lot of games, including World of Warcraft, use it, and it allows you to do so much more than simple triggers ever would.

The editor itself is very easy to use, and the game will ship with all the utilities that the official scenario scripters use, so there's really no limits to what you'll be able to do.

For a very basic overview of some of the editor's unique features, head on over here.

[Alex Walz]

Haha, I think our editor might be a little too fun.

I was designing a new orc stronghold, placing logs to create makeshift steps down the mountain side to the dock when I placed a ship to see how much room I had on the dock. I opened up the ship's stats to get it in the right location, and I guess I got a little distracted playing with the stats because five minutes later, no progress had been made on the steps and the ship was now invisible, morphed in size, and upside down underwater.

[Shadow]

Awwwws no fair I'm so jealous... what're the chances of the next beta having like a taste of the editor?

[Wizaerd]

My hope for the editor is supposedly having easy to use functionality for cinematic creation. Not so much for cutscenes in a playable map, but for machinima making... So far, every editor that offered this advanced functionality was a bear to work with... So I have high hopes for this one...

[Tamiel]

Now now what do i want...

• continent Creation
• Importing custom models
• Plugins For importing/exporting from programs like 3ds max and maya
• Easy crowed creation unlike AOM
• Easily change unit stats
• Maybe Change UI

Also i want to know If you can create continent creation Can you make custom campaigns Which run like the total war games

[Alex Walz]

continent Creation

Of course All of our strongholds/environments AND our world map were created in the same editor that will ship with the game.

The only thing that would limit 'continent creation' is that if you make a truly huge map, you will run into some lag, just like in any other game. But large environment and Civilization-esque continent maps are perfectly feasible.

Importing custom models

Most definitely.

Plugins For importing/exporting from programs like 3ds max and maya

No plugins required.

Easy crowed creation unlike AOM

If you meant 'crowd,' then this is another yes. Units can be placed either individually or in battalions (usually of 10-15 units). So massive armies can be created with a relatively few number of battalion markers. Alternatively, using the editor's "Copy/Paste" tool, you can select to copy a square of units while not picking up any of the terrain/elevation/water/etc, and paste the units to create a large, if not repetitive, crowd.

Easily change unit stats

Yup. Unit stats can be changed without any knowledge of triggers or scripting. And we have a lot of stats you can play with including height, width, length, opacity, hover, speed, LOS, etc. as well as dozens of attributes that can be modified on FXs to create an entirely new effect. All without triggers/scripting.

Maybe Change UI

A bit more complicated, but if you're familiar with the Lua script language, this should be very doable. If you just want to change the graphical backgrounds on the UI, you can do this simply by overwriting the appropriate images. You may also be happy to know that DOF's textures don't deal in any obscure formats like AOM's .ddt. We use .dds, which can be read with programs like Photoshop and Paint.NET with no plug-ins required (although, last I checked, Gimp does require a simple plug-in to read this format).

You can make both single-player and multi-player scenarios and campaigns. I'm not too familiar with the Total War gameplay, so you'll have to elaborate before I can make a comparison.

[LiTos456]

Click here for epic editor screenshot

I miss Bryan.

[Tamiel]

Originally Posted by Alex Walz

You can make both single-player and multi-player scenarios and campaigns. I'm not too familiar with the Total War gameplay, so you'll have to elaborate before I can make a comparison.

The player takes a role equivalent to the head of one the three great Roman houses at the time; the Julii, Brutii, and Scipii. Each of these factions has a different set of attributes and initial objectives. After a winning campaign as Romans (or using a simple mod) it is possible to play with other factions and take on a role similar to that of Hannibal, the brilliant Carthaginian general during the Second Punic War or the Gallic warlord Vercingetorix. Gameplay consists of a combination of turn-based strategy and 3D real-time tactical battles. The 3D real-time action is uniquely different from most standard RTS games in that tactical maneuvering is critical to success whereas most RTS games take no account for the direction units are facing, flanking movements, breaking of lines, etc. The tactical module addresses the criticism of unrealistic mutual blood baths in other RTS games (units will "rout" in Rome: Total War).[3] The high-quality 3D graphics engine is able to render over thirty thousand men on a single battlefield. The strategic and tactical modes integrate such that the landscape for the battles is the same as seen on that particular spot on the strategic map where the armies meet. Each unit has its own type, stats, armour, weapons, and upgrades.
The game is similar to its predecessors, Shogun: Total War and Medieval: Total War, although there are some changes to the mechanics of sieges and city fights have been added. Most notable is that players now move their units with movement points; in previous games units were moved by territory.
Armies can be built to conquer nearby provinces; to conquer a province, you must capture its settlement. Fleets at sea can also ferry troops, and blockade enemy ports, thus cutting down income from trade. While doing so, players can build certain buildings within their cities to move up through the tech tree to train more advanced units, increase a province's income, and/or keep the population happy. The ultimate goal is to conquer 50 provinces and capture Rome, thereby becoming Emperor.

(copyed and pasted from the rome total war Wikipedia page)