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Author
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Topic: WAD file editor?
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JohnCroft
Member Posts: 251
From:Germany
Registered: Nov 2000
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posted 11-28-2000 10:09 PM
   
Hi,what about a WAD file editor?
And where are some more objects?
What if I want to put a red scorpion and a SAS into a level? Well, thatīs not possible at the moment. Will there be a WAD file editor? Regards,
John Croft IP: Logged |
Reb@Eidos
unregistered
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posted 11-29-2000 04:56 PM
We're looking into this. Soon you will be able to download additional WAD files with different combinations of enemies, puzzles, traps and objects. IP: Logged |
JohnCroft
Member Posts: 251
From:Germany
Registered: Nov 2000
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posted 11-29-2000 09:42 PM
But will there be a simple editor or better "Packer", which would allow the user to simply choose which objects to put into a WAD? I am very very sure that this is how CORE made the levels, I donīt think that someone there made the WADs and the level designers needed to choose one WAD for their level!
It is very annoying that it is impossible to recombine the objects/meshes.
A motorbike in a level containing a waterfall?
Impossible!! :-(
[This message has been edited by JohnCroft (edited 11-29-2000).] IP: Logged |
Reb@Eidos
unregistered
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posted 11-30-2000 08:29 AM
As you know, these editing tools were not designed with a public release in mind. They are proprietary software tools, but fortunately, the Level Editor is quite 'user friendly' which helped make its release possible. This is not the case with what you are refering to as the 'packer'. The editor that allows one to create new WAD files is very complicated, not to mention that it would require GBs of object files and animations in order to create new and edit existing WADs. I know it must be incredibly frustrating not to be able to put the objects, enemies, traps, etc. of your choosing together in one WAD. Believe me, my sympathies are with you! Perhaps we can look into taking suggestions from serious users such as yourself, and create some WADs tailored to your wishes...until we can figure out whether or not it is feasible to release the 'packer'. IP: Logged |
JohnCroft
Member Posts: 251
From:Germany
Registered: Nov 2000
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posted 11-30-2000 02:40 PM
I can understand that the WAD editor is very complicated but if you would release it we COULD use it but nobody must use it.
It would really be a great advantage.What I donīt like is that all the WADs contain only TR IV objects, so I am forced to use egyptian style (for the objects).
I can however use other textures, but what if I want to use a "simple", "generic Tomb Raider door"? It is not there! What about a WAD containing objects from London or something like that? In such a way you can at least build "normal" levels without egyptian doors and other such objects! Would be great if such a WAD would be available! :-)
IP: Logged |
falconflo
Junior Member Posts: 15
From:
Registered: Nov 2000
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posted 11-30-2000 04:41 PM
I believe that CORE DESIGN is working on something. All I know from what I read from the editor is that in the future they would release more textures and/or objects. I'll simply wait patiently mastering my editing skills. The only question I have is: Is there an easier way to compile the map into the playable ".tr4" files. In other words for me to use the tomb2pc.exe file succesfully, I had to cake copies of the files in the "Data" folder, (all of which have the same name and extention of the WAD file I used to place objects in.) rename as the '.prj' file. (After I had exported the WAD from the editor.) Perhaps could there be a new 'tomb2pc.exe' program that would do this? Or perhaps I misunderstood the directions, and maybe a clarification might be helpful. Thanks for your time.IP: Logged |
JohnCroft
Member Posts: 251
From:Germany
Registered: Nov 2000
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posted 11-30-2000 11:27 PM
I guess this is only a problem of the level converter. It looks as if the editor uses the TOMs name to look for all objects in the WAD with the same name and creates a tr4 file with the same name. Iīm sure this is "fixable".IP: Logged |
Reb@Eidos
unregistered
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posted 12-01-2000 11:08 AM
It all seems a little confusing in the beginning, but the basic rule of thumb is as you have mentioned....the level converter names the TR4 file the same as the WAD name. There are several options for getting around copying over existing TR4 files if you are using the same WAD file for different levels. The first is the easiest. Temporarily rename the TR4 file you don't want to write over or place it in a 'safe' folder. This way, everything is all set in the script to run your new level, since the TR4 file name that is automatically created when you use the Level Converter corresponds to the name in the script. This TR4 file name has to be in the script or when you run the executable, it can't find your level! This means you won't be able to play other levels with the same tr4 file name at the same time you play your new project. The second option involves making some script changes and you have a few choices if you go this route. (These are described in the manual - make sure you read the update in the readme file, too) One way is to make a copy of the entire WAD file you want to 'reuse', then rename all the files that comprise it (they are all located in the WADS folder) You can't just rename a WAD when you output it because the level converter won't be able to find the rest of the files it needs in the conversion process. After you do this, in order for you to be able to play your new level, you will have to add this new level information to the script.txt file, etc. Check the manual section 'Creating Your Own Projects' for details - and remember this basic rule: in the script, each block of information for each level must correspond to the WAD that was used. If you create a level using coastal.was then rename the coastal.tr4 file catacomb.tr4 (thinking this is a way to get around making any script changes!), when you play that level, the mirror room won't work since the coordintates needed are in the block of script for coastal.tr4. You can use the same WAD as many times as you like, you just have to cut and paste that block of info using a different entry after each Level= DATA\ to correspond with the name you give your TR4 file. So, you can use the same WAD file, renaming the tr4 each time, or make X number of copies of the same WAD and rename according to the final name of the tr4 file. Personally, I think it is better to rename the WADs, then you don't have to worry about accidentally copying over anything when you use the level converter and it is easier to keep track of what WAD you load into a project since unfortunatley there is no way to determine that short of looking at the object menu!! It seems confusing, but once you've fooled around with it for awhile, made some script changes and STUDY THE FLOW CHART, you will see how everything works together and then understand better exactly what you need to do in order to use the same WAD for several levels if that is what you want to do! IP: Logged |
JohnCroft
Member Posts: 251
From:Germany
Registered: Nov 2000
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posted 12-01-2000 01:31 PM
Thank you for your *very detailed* description!>>>
it is easier to keep track of what WAD you load into a project since unfortunatley there is no way to determine that short of looking at the object menu!!
<<< Well, I already noticed that - "What was that WAD I loaded before?" But a quick look at the avilable objects and the wad overview (manual p82) makes identification possible! But: I miss a WAD with "simple", "standard" objects. I do not want to build a level set in Egypt, but somewhere else!
So if there would be a WAD containing such objects ("normal" switch, "normal" objects) this would definetly be much better!
IP: Logged |
Reb@Eidos
unregistered
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posted 12-01-2000 02:06 PM
The City.was is less Egyptian than the rest and some of the WADs contain doors without Egyptian looking textures, but I get your drift! We'll see what we can do about putting together a WAD with more generic looking objects.IP: Logged |
JohnCroft
Member Posts: 251
From:Germany
Registered: Nov 2000
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posted 12-02-2000 12:12 AM
Thanks 
But city.was is broken  Please look at my other posting about that. IP: Logged |
austria croft
Member Posts: 32
From:Austria
Registered: Nov 2000
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posted 12-02-2000 07:13 AM
goto http://halflife.gamedesign.net ! there should be a wad editor! works great too with tr!IP: Logged |
JohnCroft
Member Posts: 251
From:Germany
Registered: Nov 2000
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posted 12-02-2000 12:13 PM
quote:
Originally posted by austria croft:
goto http://halflife.gamedesign.net ! there should be a wad editor! works great too with tr!
Thx, did you check this?
I am sure that CORE did not use the WAD format of Half-Life. You can name a file as you want, but this does not mean that it is the same file-type! (Ever renamed a bmp to txt`?) I could not find an editor, manily because the site is not quite usable for non-Half-Life-players 
IP: Logged |
austria croft
Member Posts: 32
From:Austria
Registered: Nov 2000
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posted 12-03-2000 12:45 PM
oh sorry! i see! this is not used for tr! i'm very sorry! next time I'll check before i'll write into the forum!IP: Logged |
valdeen
Junior Member Posts: 8
From:Sleman, DIY, Indonesia
Registered: Dec 2000
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posted 12-07-2000 11:08 PM
If people can get texture and sound extracted from TR levels, why can't they make WAD object grabber? And if they can do that, why can't they make WAD packer? Any answer from you programming aces out there?IP: Logged |
JohnCroft
Member Posts: 251
From:Germany
Registered: Nov 2000
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posted 12-07-2000 11:21 PM
This question goes directly to Joseph Seymour IP: Logged |
Scorpion
Junior Member Posts: 17
From:Taupo
Registered: Jan 2001
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posted 05-22-2001 07:20 PM
Well if you want one, there is one called TrWest, It's the bomb.Just search round for it on the Forum, I'm not sure of the address. IP: Logged |
robbase
Member Posts: 425
From:the other side of the puddle
Registered: Mar 2001
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posted 05-22-2001 07:32 PM
these posts are over 5 months old. I think most people are familiar with trwest by now.IP: Logged |
robbase
Member Posts: 425
From:the other side of the puddle
Registered: Mar 2001
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posted 05-22-2001 08:12 PM
well that came off quite rude, (sorry) I'm putting my foot in my mouth as I type.
however the people your responding to haven't been around this forum in some time. my apologies -rob ------------------
 Home of the newest addition to Lara's motor pool! IP: Logged |
Flash
Member Posts: 167
From:right from the blue skies
Registered: May 2001
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posted 05-23-2001 08:08 AM
Hey people! There is a whole bunch of WAD editing tools (unofficial) out there!
I'll name at least some of them:TRWest
WADmerger
Strpix3
... ------------------
Now you see it, now you don't. IP: Logged |
Number6
Member Posts: 60
From:CANADA
Registered: May 99
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posted 05-23-2001 09:36 AM
to Reb@EidosIf the "packer" exposes a COM interface, it can probably used by any competent programmer to slap a user-friendlier interface on it. As for the objects, well, just zip them and let us play with them.
But we would need a structure of dependencies (this could be built into the VisualPacker (!) GUI to prevent errors). Getting the file structure for each object type would permit us to build other objects of the same type. That would be nice... IP: Logged |
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