Netcraft specifications
Mapedit todo/specification
Mapedit target functional specification
Well... Generally mapedit should make maps (self evident), but what should map contain? Let's list it. Of course I have some ideas how it should work (which way should be maps made), but it depends on mapedit developer and only goal is to make maps and to make it easy. (Bolded are functions already done).
- Background - it can be packed or not (right now is not) we need zlib to use libpng, so addition of packing should be easy, but useless. Why? Maps do not take a lot of disk space, and ones published are already packed, so why?
- Move graph - all right, map CAN contain move graph, but does not NEED TO. Just run mkmg program to make move graph if it doesn't contain.
- Units - units placing is done, but mapedit should contain also possibility of editing unit's parameters, and so on. I suggest not to make fixed list of possible parameters, but somehow make dependency between gramatic inside data/objs/*.dat . Declared in src/map/a_load.c.
- Doodads - nothing to add (I hope)
- File operations - mainly done, but may be improved (Save/Load/Rename etc.)
- Automatic map generation - it's far future, but it will be at least helpfull (I described what I mean below in this document)
- Improved graphic layout - no comments.
- Map conditions editor - it should contain at least possibility of run $EDITOR on rules file with some grammar. Generally I mean some conditions such as "If player one survived for 30 minutes from beginning, he won and others lose" or "If player three survived 3 minutes from marked time, add 3000$ to his money amount". etc. etc.
- Some special objects/fields - such as starting point, supply point, city.
- Lists of units aviable for each player.
TODO
This list it's quite different from previous one, because I've included my point of view inside (ie You can describe your own here, or just say it's bad, but discussions on first list must be constructive). It also contains some technical details.
- Add pictures to mapedit - list of units or backgrounds should also contain pictures. It's much better to put tile seeing which one, not reading "grass".
- Port everything to GTK - Well... I have questions Why? It's is because of:
- Elegance
- It will make some thinks easier (I can't imagine how you can make GTK+ submenu from Allegro window - it's at least hard).
- It will make code of mapedit and game (more) independent.
- Special objects/fields - if someone requests i'll publish full list of objects/fields.
- Units parameters editor - described above.
- Map conditions editor - it can be separated file readed by game, but maybe some simple editor inside mapedit should be placed? At least grammar declaration is needed.
- Automatic map generation - engine to produce realistic map on selected factors. It's not essential, but will make map making simpler.
- Maybe multiple maps opened in same time? (It is impossible with Allegro, hehehe).
- Maybe some functions like copy/paste?
- Whatever you can imagine
Maciek Fijalkowski <fijaljr@linuxfreemail.com>, last modifications 25.10.2001.