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Monday, April 18, 2011

Making of Level Editor

We've been silent on Minigore blog for the last month. I've been busy with Death Rally promotion and Jussi has been on sick leave. Kimmo has his hands full with programming related tasks and handling the business side of things.

I have a moment to spare here so let's get you up to speed about what's going on:



On the programming side things are catching speed as the new programmers settle in and familiarize themselves with the code: Tuomas is working on enemy waves & boss characters - stuff that's related to the Zombies. Tim is working on the level editor and he's receiving plenty of help from the Cornfox guys.

The tile based level editor is something which started its life in early 2010. These were the first visual tests I did back then:

Wireframe


Textured Version


More visual tests from July of 2010. I recreated a town in 3d tiles from old SNES game called Lufia II. It's a similar tile system as in Minecraft. Most of the textures are from FF6:

Geometry

Textured Version

First screenshot of the actual level editor running on iPad. Visual target renders are more like a dream but working prototype is the first real step towards a faster content creation pipeline:



The problem with our current levels is that you need an artist and a programmer. With the new editor you don't have to be a programmer or artist to create something with it, it could be done by anyone who can use an iPad or iPhone.

The editor is gonna take a lot of effort to finish but once completed it could be the best thing to ever happen for Minigore!

71 comments:

  1. finally a blog post

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  2. I'm glad you are more excited for the actual post rather than the level editor.

    Btw I can't wait to try this out.

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  3. Level editors sound interesting. Does this mean we will be reponsible for our own maps though? Wouldn't it be easier for you to keep the level editor internal and use it develop maps for future updates? Minigore isn't a complicated game, the map editor sounds like fun to a person such as myself but map development is far from a casual gamers idea of fun.

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  4. Aim for the zombies first :I

    Then make the awsome level editor :D

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  5. Looking good! Can't wait to try!
    Waiting for the update.

    More blog posts please.

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  6. Awesome! I'm so relieved that Death Rally/sickness was the reason for your hiatus, as opposed to blatant laziness. The level editor is really something unexpected, but still looks really cool. I suppose now people will no longer be whining for new maps, as they will always be able to make their own! Fantastic job guys!

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  7. This is it minigore. Finally user created content, no more whining about more maps. Still i think you are jerks for screeening the comments i may yet forgive you.

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  8. great to see MS back on! i was worried there that we were abandonned.... :0

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  9. I'll keep my mind open, but to me this looks a little too complicated for the whole "minigore" feel. I'm sure I will be proven wrong, though. Also, I can not WAIT for the zombies!

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  10. This looks amazing guys it will be awesome!!!

    What's your first, second, third priorate, level editor, zombie map, gamecenter multiplayer, characters(Jenny) or maps.
    Thanks,
    Wacko Jacko

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  11. Wow!!!! you guys restored my hopes in a instance although i'm still waiting for zombies this looks incredibly promising!!! :D

    -Leandro

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  12. Looks sweet, can't wait.
    http://goodappreviews.blogspot.com/

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  13. That's just incredibe. I can't believe it and can't wait for it!

    crcr

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  14. Sorry guys, but I just did not understand one thing: who's going to use this level editor? Us, to make our own level stages, or Mountain Sheep, to create new level stages in less time?
    Sorry for bad english, I'm still studying :D

    Carlito

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  15. Sorry guys, but I just did not understand one thing: who's going to use this level editor? Us, to make our own level stages, or Mountain Sheep, to create new level stages in less time?
    Sorry for bad english, I'm still studying :D

    Carlito

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  16. Thanks guys. I Thought you did give up. But a will never doubt on you guys again, Keep on working, Cheers Rolando. (:

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  17. Wow! That is an amazing idea! Making my own maps would be sweet!!! And glad to hear you're working on zombie

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  18. Hm. This was honestly my last visit to this site if i saw that Minigore hits top 10! screen again.

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  19. Let's jump on this train and help out as much as we can!!! :D

    -Leandro

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  20. so... when is the update coming? Are there gonna be the long awaited zombies and multiplayer? Can we get a general time-frame?

    Please respond

    -Eric

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  21. hm -_- a week must be a lot longer in Finland. Anyway, I just wanna see an update and then work from there. Just give us the stuff we've been waiting for, and then update regularly rather than working on a whole ton of crap and releasing it all at once. I'd much rather have Multiplayer, then Zombies, then other updates every month or so.

    and plus, you lost a lot of good fans with your gap of information, and it will take a lot to get them back. (like your level editor thing, good idea btw.)

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  22. Man, I thought you guys died!
    I love MiniGore!

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  23. holy crap yessss.s..... lol! i have been checkin this blog everyday for the past 2 months and finally it has paid off! =DDD

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  24. Finally u guys posted something!! The level editor looks alright, but PLEASE before u do anything else, work on getting the multiplayer to us, then work on zombies.

    P.S. That "b.m." person is right, Im not rly excited for the level editor. I don't want to do work to enjoy more maps :( I just want u guys to give us more maps, that's all. And please when u add Gamecenter multiplayer, make the zombie map multiplayer enabled please!

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  25. Great, yet another promised feature and little to no information on the currently promised features. This is just getting ridiculous.

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  26. Don't forget to add FREE characters.. Coz i want to spend my "kills"

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  27. Lol... It's hilarious how everyone is ooo-ing and ahh-ing over this level editor. We haven't even seen the features promised for episode 4 yet, and they've been talking about those for 16 months. I'm not expecting to see the level editor for a long long looooooong time.

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  28. Great it looks awesome but where's the online multiplayer update? btw if u guys keep doing this shit (not posting anything in the blog for like a month and a half) ur gonna loose all ur fans.

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  29. i really look foward to this update. you guys are the best.

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  30. ^works for Mountain Sheep

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  31. You could do so that you can download maps made ​​by users and that there is an evaluation with stars such as =)

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  32. i just realized that a hiatus to these guys is a benefit because when they post new things it usually means we're getting some good really soon :D

    -Leandro

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  33. Mountain Sheep, if you care about the fans that support your game, you could take the time out of your day, the minutes that's worth, to answer these questions.

    (1) Progress of Multiplayer?

    (2) Progress of Zombie Level?

    (3) What does the Level Editor mean for the consumers?

    Please care for us and keep us informed. Thank you.

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  34. Thank you for updating:D
    Im actually excited for this update unlike the last couple
    Now zombies that zombies is being developed let me remind you guys what more there is
    1. Onlne multiplayer
    2. Evil Knigh
    3. Jenny gore level

    You guys will regain position as the best developers again in my heart if you can bring out this update
    -pohdoh

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  35. We should be able to download other people's maps from minigore. That way people are able to have loads of maps without much effort

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  36. Honestly, I am not particularly interested in a level editor. So what does it mean? Do I get to create my own maps, and create one with just one bottleneck, and rack up my kills? And what would I do with those kills? Hmmm... I'd rather online coop, new characters (that are not merely new skins) and new enemies (which are kind of hinted at, if I am reading the post correctly...). Enemies sound good though...

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  37. Oh, and unless I am proven wrong, MS's past track record suggests that "things are catching speed" means that we should be expecting to see the update in the latter half of the year. Sigh.

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  38. look level editor is cool, but it's better if we get Gamecenter multiplayer, Zombies, Evil Knight, Jenny Gore level all out of the way first. however, a Sword and Sorcery character would be epic!

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  39. Hey Everyone!
    Do you like nazi zombies on the xbox or the ps3, but don't have a good strategy and want one. I have just created a new blog that will give you a lot of good strategies and tell you about easter eggs hidden in the level. We have not posted much yet, but will soon. Please visit nazizombiestrategy.blogspot.com
    Thanks Everyone

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  40. spam above, please remove

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  41. Hey MS, I have a deal for u. If u update the game (with zombies and multiplayer) before the middle of next month (around May 15) then I'll buy your Death Rally game. How's that? I think it's fair since we were promised that stuff a long time ago. :P

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  42. wow it looks awesome!!!!
    I am gona make alot of maps with this

    Good idea MS keep going like that

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  43. I cannot wait for this level editor!!! I can make the Twisted Toy Shop level!!!! :D

    -Leandro

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  44. That is going to be EPIC for an update!!!! and did i hear zombies are on the way?! *Breaks glass and takes out shotgun* Chik Chik! let's kick some undead ass!!!!!!! >:)

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  45. medium-sized furry as playable character

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  46. hmmm you promised us zombies and the the knight... you go silent working really hard on something... suddenly you emerge with absolutly nothing and a totally random idea for a map editor that pretty sums it up right?

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  47. Level editor? ...ugh, please don't. We don't want another empty promise! There are at least 5 things you've told us about and haven't delivered! Please at least give us some of the things you've promised before u promise something else.

    A lot of other people feel the same way. we're just tired of waiting around wondering if things like melee characters and new maps will ever come to minigore...

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  48. I think its obvious what MS is doing here. They're giving us this level editor so they can shut us up about this whole map thing.

    "WHERES THE MAPS YOU PROMISED?"
    "Make 'em yourself'

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  49. After you deliver what you promised years ago,i suggest you guys develop a character builder option like in spore where you make a character from scratch

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  50. So guys...when's the next update for the site coming? :)

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  51. uh... when's the next update for the GAME coming? idk about u guys but i want zombies and multiplayer as soon as possible -_-

    -Eric

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  52. Zombies!!!!!!!!! :D

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  53. Please let us in on some new zombie gameplay or info MountainSheep :D <3

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  54. if you added a character creater that would be awsome the you could use kills on outher things

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  55. f you added a character creater that would be awsome then you could use kills on makeing a cool character

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  56. why do i always stuff up my coments

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  57. did i hear zombies

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  58. Zombies FTW!!!!! >:D *Loads AK-47* let's rock!!! >:D

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  59. been over 2 weeks since last blog post... lets get to it MS

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  60. Before the level editor give us zombies. Please! Zombies is all we want!

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  61. 3 weeks... Really MS?

    Ugh, just give us zombies before u bail again... -_-

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  62. Remember guys,they're hard at work on ZOMBIES so more then likely HOPEFULLY the next site update is actually about the Zombie mode:D hang in there fellow fans :)

    -Leandro

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  63. Argh fine I'll keep waiting but the next site update better be worth it!!! lol

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  64. On their twitter account they asked the beta testers to try something out. I wonder what that could be.

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  65. @anon

    it has nothing to do with mingore

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  66. download link ??? !! ! !

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  67. Do you prefer to play computer games? Are you searching for new games? Visit the pc games free website. Download the game to your computer. It's just free of charge.

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