Game Editor

Taken from the RealmCrafter: Standard documentation.

Welcome to the Realm Crafter Engine Game Editor Tutorial and Documentation. The Game Editor (GE) is the most valuable tool in the library of Realm Crafter tools, it allows for complete editing of your zone content, creation of actors, items, and many more Massive Multiplayer Online Role Playing Game (MMORPG) content creation.

The GE does not do everything. There are terrain, rock, tree, dungeon, and various other editors which are available for use with the Realm Crafter Engine. The GE works well with these tools for a complete set of game creation tools.

This document is designed to show the basics of all the workings of the GE, with out overwhelming you with advanced options. Once you have completed this document you will have an understanding of the workings of the GE, which will allow you to use the GE in more advanced ways.

Use of the GE in Realm Crafter[]

At first glance, the Game Editor may appear to be a bit intimidating. While there are a lot of tabs, each with specific number information, name, settings, and more, it is not a tool that is confusing. Where to start and what exactly to use is the goal of this document.

One important aspect to the Game Editor is to realize that it is the most powerful tool in the Realm Crafter Engine. This is the entire mechanics and engine call out system. Meaning basically that this is the tool that dictates how fun and involved your game is as well as how unique your game is.

Before you really jump into the Game Editor there are several important factors you should have in place. Know what skills and abilities will be in your game, how they will work, and most importantly, how they will affect players, NPCs, and items. If you start randomly creating and editing information you will run into issues. Game making is not quick and easy, it takes time and patience.

The main reason I have stressed the last point is that no one wants to have a game that is over or under balanced (to hard/easy or not fun). If you have little or no experience in designing mechanics, there are a huge number of PnP (Pen and Paper) games on the commercial and independent market that show their statistics and mechanics for skills and abilities. They include Dungeons and Dragons™ (D&D™, AD&D™, and D20™), Warhammer 40k™, and various White Wolf© systems. Do not copy them, but use the information as a guide. You will not regret the time spent designing a worthwhile mechanics system.

There is one free to use mechanics system called Action Systems at http://www.goldrushgames.com/start/modules.php?op=modload&name=Downloads&file=index&req=viewdownload&cid=4 this is a free system (please read the legal documents and make sure you follow them) it is a very good system comparable to the D20 system but in some ways a bit more detailed.

You will notice that the Game Editor is made up of several tabs. Each tab controls an exact part of the game engine. It is important to know which tab controls what aspect of the engine. Most are straightforward, but some are more generalized because they cover so many different aspects of game design.

Abilities Tab[]

The abilities tab is for giving players the ability to have specific skills such as natural healing, tracking, etc. This tab allows for naming of the ability, selecting new, deleting, and saving.

You can also select the ability icon, change the recharge time between uses, select which races, and classes can use, and the actual script that will be used when the ability is selected.

Abilities can be almost anything, because of the scripting required for the ability to work. So you will have much freedom to explore different abilities for your races and classes.

Actors Tab[]

The Actors tab is where you set up everything from description, attributes to the model being used by the actor in the game. There are many tabs inside this actual tab, and each one has many options.

Actors are the monsters, non playable characters, and anyone else that is not directly a player. Actors use the same attributes and skills that your players will use. They can use the same weapons and equipment.

Any model or mesh can be set up as an actor. Any actor can be set up as a mount. The actual number of actors is limitless, but you are restricted to five different appearance settings per actor. You can create a new actor, which acts the same as the other actor and uses the same model, to expand the number of actors with a different look, but it will have a different name overall.

One of the nice aspects of the Actors GUI is that you can complete an actor, and create a copy file of the actor. Simply changing the name, and small adjustments later, you have quickly created a similar actor. This saves a lot of time due to the large number of settings possible for each actor.

Main Actors Tab GUI	Effect on GUI
New Actor	Create a new Actor.
Copy Actor	Copies the current actor and creates a new copy of (original name) for editing
Delete Actors	Deletes the current actor
Save Actors	Saves all the actors
Current actor pull down	Shows and allows for selecting of the actors that are available
Double left arrow	Previous actor
Double right arrow	Next Actor

Actors Tab - Description Sub Tab GUI	Effect of GUI
Actor Race	Set the Race of the Actor
Actor Class	Set the Class of the Actor
Actor Description	Give a description of the Actor
Genders	Select the gender of the actor, or give it no gender
Home faction	Select the default faction for the actor

Actorstab description — Main Actors Tub, General Sub Tab

Actor Tab – General Sub Tab – GUI	Effect of GUI
Attack Range	Set the attack range of the actor
Aggressiveness	Sets the default action for the actor, such as always attacks, non combatant etc
Trade Mode	Select if the Actor can be a merchant, pack animal or is not a trader
Environment Type	Select the Actors environment, if it will fly, walk, swim.
Start Area	Select the starting zone for the actor
Start Portal	Select the name of the portal where the actor starts
XP multiplier	Select the multiplier amount to the xp given to the killer of the NPC
Actor is playable – Check Box	Select if the actor is playable by a GM
Actor can be ridden – Check Box	Select if the actor can be ridden as a mount
Male animation set -	Set which animation set to be used by the actor if they are male
Female animation set	Set which animation set to be used by the actor if they are female
Male sounds	Which sounds will be used by the actor if male
Female sounds	Which sounds will be used by the actor if female
Change and None Buttons	Change or Select None for the sounds
Inventory Slot – Pull Down Box	Select the inventory slot type the character uses
Inventory Slot – Disabled Check Box	Disable the inventory slot

Actor Tab – Appearance Sub Tab – GUI	Effect of GUI
Change – Male/Female Body Mesh	Change the Actors Mesh (Model)
Pull Down Box (1^st to 5^th)	Change default look for one of five default overall looks for the Actor
Change – Hair Mesh	Change the Hair Mesh Used
Change – Face Texture	Change the look of the face texture
Change – Body Texture	Change the body texture
Change – Beard Mesh	Change the mesh for the beard
Change - Gubbin Mesh	Change the Gubbin set to be used for the actor
Change – Blood Texture	Change the texture when blood is drawn on the actor in combat
Actor Scale	Change the size of the actor
N button	Select NONE for the specific appearance area

Actor Tab – Attributes Sub Tab – GUI	Effect of GUI
Attributes Text Box	Shows all the attributes in the game
Attribute Value	Give a value to the attribute for this actor
Attribute maximum	Set the absolute max attribute setting given to this actor, so spells, buffs do not over power it

The Last Tab is the Preview Tab. This area shows the actor in full 3d, fully textured, with all GUBBINS so you know how it will look in the actual game.

The actor can be rotated by clicking on the preview and moving your mouse.

Animations Tab[]

Animation Tab allows for setting up of all the animations used by the actors in the game world. This is for selecting the animation set, selecting where the animation is in the model, name of the animation, and adding new animations, or removing them if need be.

The actual animation frames number in the thousands, which is important to note. Since changing the animation frame numbers in a set will have an effect on the look of characters that use that set.

Animation GUI Button or Options	Effect of GUI Option or Button
Save Animation Sets	Save all the animation sets in the game
Animation Set List Box	Shows all the different animation sets available in game.
Rename Set	Rename the animation set you have selected to another name
Animations in Set	Shows the names of all the animations in the selected set
Rename Animation	Renames the selected animation in the currently selected set
Animation Start Frame	Sets the very first part of the animation to be run when the actor performs the required action
Animation End Frame	Sets the very end part of the animation so the actor ends his movement properly
Copy Animation Set Button	Copy the Current Animation Set to a new Set
New Animation Set Button	Create a new animation set
Remove animation Set	Removes the currently selected animation set from the game
Add animation	Adds a new animation for editing
Remove Animation	Removes the currently selected animation

Attributes Tab[]

Attributes Tab is one of the most important parts of your games mechanics system. Since this is where you add the default attributes the game will use. Each attribute or skill created here can be placed on anything in game.

Attributes and Skills are completely separate entities in the Realm Crafter Engine. Attributes are considered Intellect, Strength, Stamina, etc. Skills are considered fletching, tracking, blacksmithing, and more.

This area is another section of the GE which is recommended that you have a game mechanics system planned out before hand. While full editing is available later on, small changes are easier then changing 100s or 1000s of items, stats, and actors attributes.

Attributes GUI Button or Option	Effect of GUI Button or Option
Save Attributes Button	Save all of the Attributes
Attributes List Box	Shows all of the skills and attributes that are in the game
Rename Attribute	Change the name of the attribute
Attribute is a skill check box	Select if the attribute is actually a skill such as foraging or gun smith not an attribute such as strength or intelligence.
New Attribute Button	Create a new attribute
Remove Attribute Button	Remove the currently selected attribute
Assignable Attribute Points Available at Character Creation Scroll Box	How many points the player can distribute between the attributes for their character

Combat Tab[]

The combat tab is for creating your combat types and mechanics. How they will be used with different attacks, melee or ranged (Weapon, Gun, Bow, Spell, etc), is all created here. There are 20 different damage types you can create for your game. But each one would affect an entire type of attacks or weaponry such as blunt or pierce.

The combat options area is where you can change the combat delay, damage to weapons and armor, the combat formula for how combat will work, where the number shows the damage and if there is a faction change after the kill.

Advanced combat mechanics do require some scripting knowledge, but there are a few normal MMORPG combat mechanic systems already in place for you to use.

Day & Seasons Tab[]

The Days and Seasons Tab is for how the world will change as players experience your world. From Year Length, Time Compression in the game (i.e. 5 minutes real time for 1 hour in game time), the current year in game, the current day in game, number of months and their name, as well as number of days. Sun and Moons are also determined here, when they come up, in which season, and how they look.

There is also season control for selecting different seasons, how long they last, when daylight and dusk happen. Full editing of the names of your seasons to how long they last is available.

Factions Tab[]

The Factions tab is the political system for the game. These will be all of the factions used in the game, and you can have up to 50 for the Realm Crafter Standard. You can also set default faction settings between other factions, for sworn enemies, neutral or allies.

Since factions play such an important role in the development of story and overall feel of a game, a great deal of thought should be put into their function in the game and their reactions to each other.

One of the best games for factions and their interactions is Sony Online’s Everquest™ www.everquest.com. This game has thousands of factions, each reacting with each other in special ways. But Everquest II™ only uses a total of 48, much more streamline with better results.

Factions GUI Button and Options	Effect
Save Faction Button	Saves all the factions
Faction list box	All of the factions in your game are shown here
Rename Faction	Rename the currently selected faction
Adjust rating with this faction	When a faction is selected you can set the faction rating with another faction, selected from the pull down
This factions rating with this faction	Shows the faction rating with the other faction
Default Rating	Sets the default rating for all players at creation if they are a certain faction type. 100% to -100% (Ally to at War). Fighting may happen at anytime between +25% to -100% with trading happening with any faction but scripting can add situational control to each encounter.
New Faction	Create a new faction
Remove Faction	Removes the currently selected faction

Interface Tab[]

The interface tab is for creation of the interface your players will use during game play. Placement of the chat windows, buff icons, radar maps, attributes bar etc are all placed in this interface.

Interface GUI and Options	Effect
Save Interface Layout	Save the entire layout
Game Screen Check Box	Work in the Game Screen
Inventory Check Box	Work in the Inventory Screen
Right Side Text Box	Selection of which GUI to work on
Component Settings – X position	Change the X position of the selected GUI
Component Settings – Y position	Change the Y position of the selected GUI
Component Settings – Width	Change the Width of the GUI
Component Settings – Height	Change the Height of the GUI
Component Settings – Red/Green/Blue	Change the coloring of the GUI
Component Settings – Alpha	Change the amount of transparency of the GUI
Chat Text area background Change/None	Give the chat text area a back ground image
Inventory window background change/none	Give the inventory window a background image to use

Items Tab[]

The Items Tab is for creating of all of the items, gear, weapons, treasure etc that are in the game. There are several sub tabs in this area that have specific effects to the items in the game.

Each item will be given a value, weight and set of attributes. It is also possible to restrict which race and class can use the item. Each item needs to be given an icon thumbnail image for its actual look when in side the players’ inventory.

Items Tab – GUI	Effect of GUI
New Item	Create a new Item
Delete Item	Delete the current item from the game
Save items	Save all the Items in the game
Current Item Pull Down	Shows the current item that can be edited but also allows for selecting of another item
Double Left Arrow	Previous Item
Double Right Arrow	Next Item

Items Tab – General Sub Tab – GUI	Effect of GUI
Item Name	Name of the Item
Item Type	Type of the Actual Item (Weapon, Gem, etc)
Value	Value of the Item in Game
Mass	Weight of the Item

Items Tab – Specific Sub Tab – GUI	Effect of GUI
Miscellaneous Data	So that you can assign custom data to "other" type items, for scripting use

Items Tab – Appearance Sub Tab – GUI	Effect of GUI
Change Button – Item Thumbnail Texture	Change the Icon/Thumbnail for the Item
Change Button – Item Mesh Male/Female	Change how the item looks on the actual actor
Gubbin Pull Down	Select the Gubbin to be used
Show this Gubbin…. Check Box	Select the box if you wish to see the item on the actual actor

Items Tab – Attributes Sub Tab – GUI	Effect of GUI
Attributes Text box	Shows and allows selecting of the attributes given to the specific item
Attribute Value	Shows and allows for editing of the value given to the attribute for the specific item

Items Tab – Other Sub Tab – GUI	Effect of GUI
Check Box – Item can be stacked	Allows for stacking of the actual item
Check Box – Item takes damage	Selected for if the item can receive damage in combat
Item Exclusive Race – Pull Down	Select if the specific item is only usable by a specific race
Item Exclusive Class – Pull Down	Select if the specific item is only usable by a specific class
Item Runs Script – Pull Down	Run a specific script if the Item Thumb Nail is right clicked in game
Function to start… - Pull Down	Select the function to start up if the item is used

Media Tab[]

The Media Tab, exactly like it sounds, is for all the media you will have access to when building your game levels. Meshes (Models), Textures, Sounds, and Music all are selectable from here for preview. Please note that all media that will be used in your game must be added to the media tab except textures for models, but everything else including textures for the terrain editor, models, music and sounds.

The top down pull down GUI option allows for quick selecting of the type of media you wish to view.

The full preview of the media type is shown here. This is how the actual media will be shown, or heard in the game. Perfect for making sure you are adding the correct media to your zone.

Other Tab[]

The others tab contains a few parts of the actual game design system that do not fit into the other tabs.

With this area you can select the URL where the update system for your game (NOT Realm Crafter) will look for updates as well as the IP or Host Name of the actual game server.

It also allows for setting of initial settings for players, such as money, creation of money, reputation, views (first person, third person or both) and if the portals are automatic when a player enters them. Account creation from the client as well as hiding the character name tags is determined here.

Particle Tab[]

The Particles Tab is the main tab for the graphical special effects that you can use and create for your game. You will notice that this tab has many GUI options for full editing and creation of your special effects. Throughout the GE and this document particles are referred to as emitters. Particles are the effects created by the actual emitters.

The preview window shows how the particle you are working on will look and react. This all happens in real time for quick editing and perfecting of a specific look. Below the preview window is a counter showing the number of active particles the particle is emitting. The higher the number the more CPU processing power is required.

The rest of the tab contains several GUI buttons, and GUI options to use in the creation of the particle effects from the emitter(s).

One good rule of thumb when working with the Particle Editor is to do small changes, because the effect may take a second or two before becoming noticeable.

GUI Button or Option Label	Effect of Use
Preview Texture	Allows for viewing and selecting of the texture you wish to use in the actual particle effect. It is then loaded into the preview window.
Reset Preview	Resets the changes to the preview window to the default particle settings.
GUI Button Up Arrow	Rotate the camera view up
GUI Button Down Arrow	Rotate the camera view down
GUI Button Left Arrow	Rotate the camera view left
GUI Button Right Arrow	Rotate the camera view right
GUI Button Plus	Zoom the camera in
GUI Button Minus	Zoom the camera out
Current Emitter Pull Down	Change to a saved particle effect
New Emitter	Create a New Effect
Save Emitters	Save the Emitter
Delete Emitter	Remove the Emitter from RC Engine and your hard disk

General Option – Max Particle	Select the maximum particles that can be generated, the actual amount generated maybe less
General Option – Spawn Rate	Sets the speed of the particle formation rate
General Option – Particle Lifespan	Sets how long the actual particles will be visible.
General Option – Initial Size	Sets the scale of the particle when first created
General Option – Size Change	Allows for changing the actual size of the particle during its lifespan
General Option – Blend Mode	Sets the transparency effect of the particle
General Option – Initial Alpha	Sets its initial Alpha setting (transparency)
General Option – Alpha Change	Sets how the particle will change its transparency setting throughout its lifespan
Colouring - Initial Red	Set the colouring of the particles starting color 255 default
Colouring - Initial Green	Set the colouring of the particles starting color 255 default
Colouring - Initial Blue	Set the colouring of the particles starting color 255 default
Colouring - Red Change	Set the colouring change of the particles 0.0 is default
Colouring - Green Change	Set the colouring change of the particles 0.0 is default
Colouring - Blue Change	Set the colouring change of the particles 0.0 is default
Animated Texture – Frames Across	Sets the number of actual frames to produce from the start of the actual particle during animation horizontally
Animated Texture – Frames Down	Sets the number of actual frames to produce from the start of the actual particle during animation vertically
Animated Texture – Animation Speed	Sets the speed of the animation for the animated particle
Animated Texture – Start on Random Frame check box	Select if the particle will start on a unique frame each time. Allows for a different look each time the particle effect is used.
Shape Options – Emitter Shape	Changes the shape of the particles, this will change the actual look of the emitter.
Shape Options - Cylinder Axis	Changes which of the Axis the Cylinder Emitter Shape uses. X, Y, or Z
Shape Options – Width	Changes the Width of the Emitter Shape
Shape Options – Height	Changes the Height of the Emitter Shape
Shape Options – Depth	Changes the actual width/depth of the Emitter shape
Shape Option – Inner Radius	Changes the minimum size the emitter will show
Shape Option – Outer Radius	Changes the maximum size the emitter will show
Velocity Shaping – Pull Down Box	Dictates whether the emitter is confined to a specific area
Velocity Shaping – X Velocity	Changes the X axis velocity with shaping
Velocity Shaping – Y Velocity	Changes the Y axis velocity with shaping
Velocity Shaping – Z Velocity	Changes the Z axis velocity with shaping
Velocity Shaping – X Random	Uses random values to affect the X axis with shaping
Velocity Shaping – Y Random	Uses random values to affect the Y axis with shaping
Velocity Shaping – Z Random	Uses random values to affect the Z axis with shaping
Velocity Shaping – X Force	Dictates the force along the X axis particles will be affected by
Velocity Shaping – Y Force	Dictates the force along the Y axis particles will be affected by
Velocity Shaping – Z Force	Dictates the force along the Z axis particles will be affected by
Forces - Force Shaping	Set the shape of the force on the particles
Forces - X Force	Set the amount of force on the particle
Forces - Y Force	Set the amount of force on the particle
Forces - Z Force	Set the amount of force on the particle
Forces - X Force modifier	Set the amount of modification on the force
Forces - Y Force modifier	Set the amount of modification on the force
Forces - Z Force modifier	Set the amount of modification on the force

Project Tab[]

The Project Tab is the first tab. There are four GUI buttons in this tab, labeled Build Full Client, Build Minimum Client, Generate Client Update and Build Full Server.

Each button does exactly what it says. Build Full Client builds the full client into the install directory in the projects folder in the Realm Crafter directory. This is the actual client you will distribute to your players.

Build Minimum Client only generates the actual program to distribute a very small client which will require a full patch off the patch server.

Generate Client Update allows for creation of small update features for your players to download. These updates are the actual media and mechanic changes to the game - Just like a normal MMORPG game update.

Build Full Server, builds the actual server program (for windows only at this time), which you run on your server computer. This interacts with the MySQL database or the flat file database and allows for connection by players.

When you build your Full Server and Full / Minimum Client they enter your /Game and /Server directories in your /Realmcrafter/project-name directory. Copy your entire server directory to your server. It is also best to ZIP (compress) your /Game folder when you distribute your game client.

See the server section to see how to set up a server.

Projectiles Tab[]

Projectiles Tab contains all the information for the projectiles used in the game, from spells and arrows to bullets and missiles. It is here you set up the overall look of the projectile, how it acts during combat, its damage mechanics and more.

Since the potential for a large number of similar projectiles is more then possible, the ability to copy the current projectile to a copy of itself has been added.

Projectiles are another section where knowledge of your in game mechanics is something that should be decided upon before creating. It is very easy to edit your projectiles in any case.

Projectiles GUI Button or Option	Affect on Projectiles
New Projectile	Clears the Projectile settings
Copy Projectile	Copies the projectile and creates a copy projectile named Copy of (original name)
Delete Projectile	Deletes the selected projectile
Save Projectiles	Saves ALL the projectiles
Current Projectile Pull Down Box	Select a projectile already in the game
Double Left Arrow	Change to the previous projectile
Double Right Arrow	Change to the next projectile
Projectile Properties – Name	Name of the actual projectile
Projectile Properties – Mesh	Use a mesh (3d Model) for the projectile
Projectile Properties – Mesh Button – Change	Change the Mesh from None to a mesh
Projectile Properties – Mesh Button – None	No Mesh will be used with this actual projectile
Projectile Properties – Emitter 1/2 – Pull Down Box	Select the Emitter effect you wish to use with this spell
Projectile Properties – Emitter Texture – Change Button	Change the texture you wish to use with the actual emitter
Projectile Properties – Projectile homes in on target – Box	Selected the projectile will move towards the target selected in game
Projectile Properties – Chance to Hit	Selects the percentage of chance for the projectile to hit the target
Projectile Properties – Damage	Gives the damage of the projectile when it strikes a target
Projectile Properties – Damage type	Changes the Damage type if the projectile inflicts a specific damage type such as fire or ice
Projectile Properties – Movement Speed	Gives the movement speed of the projectile

Zones Tab[]

For more documentation on the Zones Tab, go to the Zones Tab wiki page.

The Zones Tab is the actual “meat and potatoes” of the entire Realm Crafter Engine. This is where you can place the terrain, scenery (trees, buildings), change weather, add water, lava, particle effects, sounds, music, player zone in portals and much more.

The GUI interface for the Zones Tab surrounds the preview / work window. The GUI controls are fairly straight forward, even though there are a large amount of changes that happen with in the window depending on which part of the zone you are working with.