Dungeons, dungeons everywhere!
by Konrad Kiss · 02/10/2009 (10:22 am) · 59 comments
My game, Xenocell requires many unique settings where the player enters mostly procedurally generated scenes - be it an underground base owned by the player's team or an alien structure waiting to be explored from the inside.
My friend, Maxim Lyulyukin has told me they were developing a content pack - a gothic style underground dungeon brush tile set, and he's asked me to help with shaders and testing. I told him that I thought the pack was great, but using it was not easy for the customer. I thought this was just the right time for me to create an editor that would let me plan a dungeon no matter where I was, without the need to boot up TGE(A).
Enter the Dungeon Editor! (I know. Please, if you have a good suggestion for a name, let me know!)
Quick feature list:
- Written entirely in Javascript to be accessible and transparent.
- Click + drag rooms and corridors with the mouse.
- Hover over a tile to choose between tiles (ie. wall, door, wall with torch, etc..) that work as a substitute for the hovered tile
- The editor automatically knows what tiles to put where by the design of your dungeon, and it automatically rotates these tiles
- Able to work on multiple floors (experimental still, no stairs yet)
- Automatic dungeon generator - click twice, and you have a dungeon ready to be exported
- Exports torque mission script ready to be used with TGEA (TGE untested)

The editor with a randomly generated floor - see all the floors on the right
So it takes less than a minute to generate a dungeon like the one you see on the images, export into TGEA, and take the screenshots.

This is still under development, but coming along nicely.
Maxim or Vladimir will be able to tell you more about when the pack is coming out (it's close!), all I know is that the editor will be bundled, so it will make the life of those who choose to get it a lot easier.

Some features like placing spawn points and symmetry based dungeon generation are still in progress.
This editor is tailored to this specific pack, but if everything goes well, another pack is going to use a branched version of this editor. (Can I say which one? :)

Eventually, the editor aims to add further effects to tiles such as fire on torches, or export options that set the scene up with correct lighting, fog, etc...
Thanks for reading through. Any suggestions are welcome as always.
My friend, Maxim Lyulyukin has told me they were developing a content pack - a gothic style underground dungeon brush tile set, and he's asked me to help with shaders and testing. I told him that I thought the pack was great, but using it was not easy for the customer. I thought this was just the right time for me to create an editor that would let me plan a dungeon no matter where I was, without the need to boot up TGE(A).
Enter the Dungeon Editor! (I know. Please, if you have a good suggestion for a name, let me know!)
Quick feature list:
- Written entirely in Javascript to be accessible and transparent.
- Click + drag rooms and corridors with the mouse.
- Hover over a tile to choose between tiles (ie. wall, door, wall with torch, etc..) that work as a substitute for the hovered tile
- The editor automatically knows what tiles to put where by the design of your dungeon, and it automatically rotates these tiles
- Able to work on multiple floors (experimental still, no stairs yet)
- Automatic dungeon generator - click twice, and you have a dungeon ready to be exported
- Exports torque mission script ready to be used with TGEA (TGE untested)

The editor with a randomly generated floor - see all the floors on the right
So it takes less than a minute to generate a dungeon like the one you see on the images, export into TGEA, and take the screenshots.

This is still under development, but coming along nicely.
Maxim or Vladimir will be able to tell you more about when the pack is coming out (it's close!), all I know is that the editor will be bundled, so it will make the life of those who choose to get it a lot easier.

Some features like placing spawn points and symmetry based dungeon generation are still in progress.
This editor is tailored to this specific pack, but if everything goes well, another pack is going to use a branched version of this editor. (Can I say which one? :)

Eventually, the editor aims to add further effects to tiles such as fire on torches, or export options that set the scene up with correct lighting, fog, etc...
Thanks for reading through. Any suggestions are welcome as always.
About the author
Lead Developer at Bitgap Games (www.bitgap.com) currently working on Xenocell (www.xenocell.com) a massively multiplayer action strategy game based on Torque 3D technology.
#2
02/10/2009 (10:35 am)
Very cool Konrad!
#3
"another pack is going to use a branched version of this editor. (Can I say which one? :) "
Yes, please do :)
02/10/2009 (10:49 am)
This looks really cool! Great job!"another pack is going to use a branched version of this editor. (Can I say which one? :) "
Yes, please do :)
#4
02/10/2009 (10:50 am)
Very cool, indeed! I see the potential for caves also.
#6
02/10/2009 (11:26 am)
wow that is awesome!
#7
@Rodney: I was asking for permission from the one who's creating that pack, since I'm just about to begin working on that version. I'm hoping he'll read this blog post.
@Michael Hall: Caves are a very good idea! Many people have been asking for a good cave solution. The editor is about to support arbitrary size tiles, so it will definitely be possible to use it for planning out a cave system.
02/10/2009 (11:30 am)
Thanks guys, I appreciate the comments!@Rodney: I was asking for permission from the one who's creating that pack, since I'm just about to begin working on that version. I'm hoping he'll read this blog post.
@Michael Hall: Caves are a very good idea! Many people have been asking for a good cave solution. The editor is about to support arbitrary size tiles, so it will definitely be possible to use it for planning out a cave system.
#8
The entrances and such are all uniform. I have not Textured all of them, but the basis
for them is the same as what you are showing here.
Your work is impressive. Any chance you think the editor would work with the pieces I have created?
This is an example of one of the pieces.
02/10/2009 (1:22 pm)
Konrad - A While ago I created over three hundred (300) pieces that all fit together.The entrances and such are all uniform. I have not Textured all of them, but the basis
for them is the same as what you are showing here.
Your work is impressive. Any chance you think the editor would work with the pieces I have created?
This is an example of one of the pieces.
#9
we will release those pieces tommorow, i think (need another QA)
Vladimir already preparing next update to those, where will be additinal pieces to create more advanced dungeons.
02/10/2009 (1:45 pm)
hello guys, awesome job Konrad!!!we will release those pieces tommorow, i think (need another QA)
Vladimir already preparing next update to those, where will be additinal pieces to create more advanced dungeons.
#10
It slices, it dices and it oops. =p Neat brother I can def. see this pack with your editor being a huge hit.
02/10/2009 (1:58 pm)
Awesome.It slices, it dices and it oops. =p Neat brother I can def. see this pack with your editor being a huge hit.
#11
@Maxim: Great news about the release coming so soon! Or is it? I have a few more things left to test... :)
@Scott: And this really is just scratching the surface of what I'm about to show off Torque-tools wise! Still, it's better if I talk about things when they are done, it'd be too early to tell. Soon though. :)
02/10/2009 (2:43 pm)
@Surge: Well, right now, I'm porting the Cliff Construction Kit to TGEA 1.8.1, while customizing and developing the editor further for the second tile set I mentioned which has different size tiles. By the time you'll finish texturing, I'll finish making these. The editor will definitely need customizing to your tileset, but it certainly is possible, I don't see why it shouldn't be. I have an email address in my profile if you want to discuss this.@Maxim: Great news about the release coming so soon! Or is it? I have a few more things left to test... :)
@Scott: And this really is just scratching the surface of what I'm about to show off Torque-tools wise! Still, it's better if I talk about things when they are done, it'd be too early to tell. Soon though. :)
#12
02/10/2009 (2:59 pm)
Thanks , will write to you shortly!
#13
really neat stuff there, keep it coming.
02/10/2009 (3:49 pm)
Konrad; are you a set of clones ;)really neat stuff there, keep it coming.
#14
02/10/2009 (3:50 pm)
Christian: :) Yep. Helps with the sleeping issue. Thanks btw!
#15
02/10/2009 (5:33 pm)
What format does it export? .MAP? I'm still working in TGE, but this has some serious potential. :)
#16
02/10/2009 (5:50 pm)
Wow This looks Amazing!
#17
(And great dungeon art :) )
02/10/2009 (11:26 pm)
Wow, great work Konrad! This would be another incredibly useful tool for SoW development, you've got a guaranteed customer here. Can't wait for the future announcements!(And great dungeon art :) )
#18
@Jaren: Thanks :)
@Gareth: Thanks. Yes, I can see this pack fitting nicely with Scars of War! I can't take responsibility for the dungeon art. Hehe.. I wish I could! :)
02/11/2009 (1:01 am)
@Jay: it exports mission script - you need to copy / paste this into your .mis file. It works using a script template that's easy to change, so the exported features default to what you want them to be.@Jaren: Thanks :)
@Gareth: Thanks. Yes, I can see this pack fitting nicely with Scars of War! I can't take responsibility for the dungeon art. Hehe.. I wish I could! :)
#19
From Max
02/11/2009 (1:02 am)
looks great! mayby you could do some other kits like this, with different themed walls and rooms (eg. Sci-Fi ship interior)From Max
#20
02/11/2009 (1:03 am)
@Max: My lips are sealed! :)
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