Cubix3D - generic 3D map editor

Hi, I thought I'd try to make some noise about my Cubix3D project. It's a generic 3D map editor for any kind of game.

http://www.mindstormgames.com/projects/cubix3d/index.html

Here's a pic, too (if this works right):


The demo provided does not allow saving files, but is fully-featured otherwise. The controls take a bit of getting used to, but once you get a hang of it, editing maps should be relatively easy. There's a 10-page tutorial in the help menu to get you started. I _know_ it'd look a hundred times better with a lightmapper, but I have been unsuccessful at implimenting existing ones, and my own lightmapper has a few bugs in it too. I've been working on adding quite a few other features to it, though. This project is over a year old now (no, I haven't been working on it full-time), and I'm quite happy with what it's become.

I'm interested in what everyone thinks of this, good or bad, so I'd really appreciate some feedback.

P.S. Oh, by the way, if any of you all want to be creative and show off some screenshots, the F12 key will save a snapshot out for you.

Looks good so far. In what Format does it save the maps?

JFK: the maps are saved to their own unique format. The purpose of this is to allow the maps to support all the other features such as 'things' and waypoints. This may sound like it limits the usefulness of the maps, but I have written a map loading library that loads the complete map, ready for in-game use - i.e. waypoints and camera zones don't create visible meshes that get in the way.

However, if you think it's necessary (and if someone could provide me with help in coding it) I could provide an export to a popular model format. It would probably exclude everything except the cubix meshes, however.

I think it depends on the job you gonna use this tool for. My main Level Editor doesn't save meshes too, only the paths to the meshes or sounds. But i also have an Editor that loads in several prefab modules and then allows to build something out of them and to save the whole thing as a single mesh (B3D). and then there's SlimShady, that is a Lightmapper that alows to merge several Meshes, lightmap it and save it as a single mesh. In the process of level creation I use them all for their special purposes. Well Slimshady isn't used lately since I bought Gile[s], the lightmapper. that offers some advanced features compared to SlimShadys Lightmapping (eg. global Illumination and intact smoothing groups).

I'm actually quite interested in getting a lightmapping scheme working for Cubix maps. I've tried applying YAL to it, but so far the results have either put black lines between adjacent cubix edges, or have been too inaccurate and slow to be of any use. I also tried creating my own lightmapper. It went pretty well for a while, but after doing tests on other objects it didn't do so well.

I heard that Gile[s] comes with scripts you can use to load stuff from custom files, and use the objects in the editor. I'd sorta like to experiment with that myself, but I must be too cheap to be willing to buy gile[s], even though I know it's a good product. But maybe I'll buy it sometime soon...

You should save lightmappig until you save.. then on save.. optimize the model by removing faces between blocks and weldong verts. then lightmapping.. perhaps that would help

RifRap: That strategy may well be possible, but it would offer no way to preview the effects of a lightmap before you save it. And, optimization in a system like this would be nearly impossible to do effectively. I've once tried mesh optimization measures and the results weren't all that great, and seemingly impossible to debug.

Besides, if it takes more than a minute to lightmap a single block of the level, I don't want a user waiting long enough to lightmap a whole level when saving - thats just impractical.

Thanks for the input, though.

I've had a short look at Gile[s] a while back. From what I could tell, it seemed to be a good editor. I hear it comes with a scripting engine, that I can use to let Gile[s] load my levels, and save out lightmap data that I can use. The only catch is that Gile[s] costs $53 (I think). And for a guy that has no budget on development, and has college bills to pay, that's quite a bit of money. Plus, if I did use Gile[s] for lightmap generation, anyone that wanted lightmaps in their worlds would have to buy Gile[s] as well. Gile[s] most certainly seems like a decent product, but it'd be alot of money to pay to get lightmapped levels from Cubix3D.

So, here's the question: for those of you who don't already have Gile[s], would you be willing to pay the $53 to buy Gile[s] so you can add lightmapping support to your maps? I'm willing to work out a plan to utilize Gile[s] for all lightmapping issues of Cubix3D, but I don't want to pay for my copy of Gile[s] if it's not going to be worthwhile in the end.

You might want to look into FSRAD...as is now is a bit ...messy to use fo ra final user...but maybe a coder can make some good stuff of it. Code is available, not sure bout that freeware license, read carefully. In the least of cases, you could make a custom plugin or something, as the tool is free. Ideally, you could make a modified version, or just learn from his code.

Pitty is there was a problem with UVs...certain guy solved it and made a modified version...wait...I'll put u the links...

This is the modified version .I'd recommend to actually dig it.
http://www.geocities.com/dxlab/tmp/fsrad.html


The original one (fsrad is a radiosity lightmaps generation and baking solution. Results show quality.Thw workflow is the problem. )
http://www.fluidstudios.com/fsrad.html

Dig about the license in code, etc. Dunno to what extent can be used. For free projects, sure, for other stuff, probably, just read about it if you'r interested.

BTW, I have Gile[s]. it's really cool.

I use gile[s], but I still use SlimShady for Maplet maps. I find it hard to lightmap Maplet maps (say THAT three times fast ;) ) in gile[s].