The Shining Source

I think there's need of some shared resources among YOB (graphics repository is one of them!) to prevent people re-inventing various things.
Like map editor.

How feasible is it to create a generic map editor?
The specifications I can think of are:

-platform independent (java would make life easier.. but there's still wxWindows)
-opensource with a hacking doc
-it'd be best to gather all functions that will be customized in a seperate module

SMEE is platform-independent & opensource, but IMHO still far from being generic (in restricted sense of course). Were you considering any updates recently Devlyn?

Nice idea but I think it is nearly impossible to find an approach that is generic enough to handle all Blahian games. Either you had to agree on a map type (probably not possible) or you needed to implement a damn variable editor - like eclipse platform is for programming and a map format like XML for general exchange.

Anyways the last question is really good - what's up with SMEE Dev?

Euhm... it's sleeping I guess . I've been focussing much on other things lately, but if there's interest in additional enhancements, then I'm willing to get back into it .

There's a variety of map editors around, such as Mappy and TileStudio, and they're pretty customisable.

I've not yet taken the opportunity to test SMEE, but I will....
Yes, I surely will....

Actually, IMHO, it should be possible for all tilebased SF derivations when it comes to base, excluding game-specific stuff, like events & object/terrain effects which I thought to be possible if there's a good hacking doc.



*cough* open-source and platform independent *cough*

Well, I suppose SMEE would be suitable for that cause, although it does need a good bit more work to get a good map format.

How many TSS games are open-source and platform independant? I was merely letting people know there were solutions already out there.

Mappy will run under Linux with Wine, and TileStudio is open source.

Was only trying to be helpful.

actually I must agree to Ty that at least Mappy seems to be an interesting tool... at least because I didn't look much for Tile  Studio.  

I used Mappy in the past once, and one nice element of it is that it's language-independent .

Hmm.. calm down Ty  

sffc is platform independent (well, almost, it won't work on nes  ) and sfta will be soon. And I hope there'll be more in the future.
The problem is most of tools are windows only, and this pushes people to start in win. And this is why there's just a few.
Say, i have mac (classic), dreamcast or risc os. What am I going to do with these tools?


I know, and I didn't intend to say anything contrary. Why did you take it as if I was offending you...anyway.

edited by Devlyn: Added a right name to our Guest

In what way are SFFC and SFTA platform-independent? Are you using .NET or something??

On a different note, I think the highest priority currently is something that works in the first place, regardless of platform (in)dependency.

Basically Cortez ports SFTA to SDL , SFFC is already based on SDL
If you might not know SDL :



Basically it runs on anything xcept your toaster and you can use any language xcept French....