Greetings and welcome back to another edition of the Halo QOTW. Last week's question was What features would you want in the Halo map editor? We have more results then we did last week and some had to be thrown out because they were either rude or not answering the question. So let's get down to business.

The Halo map editor must have simplicity. Anything similar to Half-Life's Worldcraft will be good. A window for graphical manipulation (clicking and dragging terrain to make hills). Lots of prefabs for buildings, crates, rocks, etc. A detailed readme of how to set map up (Half-Life was a bit crude and I was only able to use it after a good article in PCZone). Simple AI instructions -Run from here to here... do this animation... run to here... die. Automatic path-building - Unlike Half-Life where you have to set up your own nodes you should be able to get the editor to make all nodes, etc. Prefab lights - Insert a light and it will automatically work as it would in real life (unlike Half-Life where you insert a light entity, then an object, then texture it, etc.). A simple to use camera system (get a camera to move along rails, up wall, etc. to create effective cinematics). Simple compiling - Check boxes for what you want to compile (e.g. lighting, textures, sectors of the level, weapons) - So there should be a quick mode to just test the layout of the level. Basically it should all be done for the average user, with more complex settings kept out of way, allowing users to explore and become experts.

That was intriguing. Now let's see what MEAKSHEEP had to say. The most important thing about the map editor should be the ability to customize EVERYTHING. From changing the mod skins to making waterfalls tumbling poison, everything should be changeable. Once that's done, mods will spring up everywhere and make the game enjoyable to play long after the technology has become old. One specific feature would be to change the camera angle so that people can make a sort of RTS with it. As long as its not difficult it will give HALO some great free hype.

If we look at the marathon infinity (and durandal) level editor called forge it had almost everything to create a good map. That is what a viewer wants in Halo's map editor, not just a  simple map editor were it takes a day to learn and then sucks cause of lack of features like the level editor that cam with Tony Hawk Pro Skater 2. 

People also wanted the Halo map editor to have the same or similar to Loathing in Myth 2. Easy to use, like the map makers of Myth 2. A user couldn't stand the color map requirements for Loathing (because the person couldn't make one in Photoshop), this viewer would like it if there was some way Bungie so you don't have to use color maps all the time, like Warcraft's map maker.

A viewer wants Halo to have level editing and also a 3D modeled builder to create your own characters or races and put them into the game. A mod system where you could make your own weapons and place them into the game. Change the AI and be able to add or subtract from it. An example: Being able to play as an alien or having it so the aliens are the good guys and the humans bad. Also, able to import music to play [probably for multiplayer, because it would be highly unlikely in single player mode] and set certain points in the game for music to play. This is what this viewer wants so it would "kill UNREAL's map editor."

Sisoft writes in saying "I would like the ability to import fully textured 3D models using the .3ds format, complete with bones/IK and maybe even animation path/keyframes. Also, I would like to see tools allowing the user to create new IK animations within the editor."

Thanks Sisoft for your contribution. Next, a viewer wants the ability to generate vast landscapes and allow easy customization of hills, trees, and buildings. A lovely cutscene scriptor was also asked for by another user.

Magebarf asked if the map editor could allow the user to see the game engine accessible like in Serious Sam. Allowing editors to access certain points in the map Real Time with the push of a button.

Someone wanted the ability to make environmental changes in the level by character interactions. An example would be a trooper shoots up the pipes carrying coolant to the reactor and the reactor shuts down or blows up due to this.

Well that's all folks, I hope you enjoyed another edition of the Halo QOTW results. Something new is coming to The Online Universe that will allow you to play Halo early this summer, until then...

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Last modified: August 06, 2001

  Since August 06, 2001