|
|
| (8 intermediate revisions by the same user not shown) |
| Line 1: |
Line 1: |
| ''The information in this article pertains to [[Red Faction (Game)|Red Faction 1]] only.'' | | [[Image:REDSplash.JPG|200px|right|thumb|The splash screen of RED 1.2.]]{{BubbleNav|RF1Modding}} |
| | '''RED''' is the [[Red Faction]] Level Editor. RED is usually assumed to mean "'''R'''ed '''ED'''itor". Internally, RED is called DED. Given Red Faction was effectively built from the ashes of the abandoned [[Descent 4]] project, it's safe to assume DED was to be the name of the Descent 4 editor. |
|
| |
|
| [[Image:REDSplash.JPG|200px|right|thumb|The splash screen of RED 1.2.]]
| | Levels in Red Faction are comprised of a mixture of BSP brushes and objects. .rfl is the extension used for level files. |
| RED is the Red Faction Level Editor. RED is usually assumed to mean "'''R'''ed '''ED'''itor".
| |
| | |
| Levels in Red Faction are comprised of BSP brushes and meshes exported from 3D Studio Max 4.2 or 5.0. | |
|
| |
|
| ==Purpose== | | ==Purpose== |
| RED is used to produce levels (maps) for the PC and Playstation 2 game [[Red Faction (Game)|Red Faction]]. It should be noted however that while all maps for the PS2 version of the game were originally developed using RED, there is currently no known way to play custom RED levels on the PS2 version of the game. | | RED is used to produce levels (maps) for [[Red Faction (Game)|Red Faction]]. Even though all official maps for the PS2 and PC versions of the game were originally developed using RED, there is currently no known way to play custom RED levels on the PS2 version of the game. |
|
| |
|
| RED can also be used to test various edits when developing [[Mod|mods]] for the PC version of the game. | | RED can also be used to test various edits when developing mods for the PC version of the game. |
|
| |
|
| ==Functionality== | | ==Functionality== |
| ===Brush Mode===
| | * See [[RED User Guide]] |
| BSP Brushes make up the bulk of a Red Faction level. They define rooms and objects within those rooms. Brushes are often used in custom levels as a substitute for static meshes because RED does not support adding additional meshes without developing a seperate mod. Brushes can be edited in several ways. The 2 most useful ways are vertex editing and face editing. Brush sizing is measured in realistic meters, while player models such as Parker are roughly 1.90 meters tall.
| |
| :*Shapes:
| |
| ::*Box
| |
| ::*Cone
| |
| ::*Cylinder
| |
| ::*Face
| |
| ::*Mesh
| |
| ::*Sphere
| |
| ::*Wedge
| |
| | |
| ===Face Mode===
| |
| | |
| ===Vertex Mode===
| |
| | |
| ===Texture Mode===
| |
| Textures are what you see on the polygons (faces) in a level. Textures are applied to all surfaces of a polygon in RED editor. When calculating/adding lightmaps, another texture map (called a lightmap) is added to each surface of your level (except for "Full Bright" faces). This is done by baked grayscale images which tells the surfaces how illuminated they should be. RED supports "Smoothing Groups" for the lightmaps to make lighting appear seamless on rounded surfaces.
| |
| :*Tools:
| |
| ::*UV Unwrap (TODO)
| |
| | |
| ===Object Mode===
| |
| When in Object Mode you can create, place, and perform operators on objects in your level. Objects are defined as anything that is not world geometry (terrain). Things such as lights, triggers, player start, events, power-ups, crates, special effects (fire, smoke, etc.) can all be found in Object Mode. Objects can be place by double-clicking the left mouse button or by right-clicking in one of the orthographic views and selecting "Place object here" from the pop-up menu.
| |
| ====Selecting Objects====
| |
| *Objects can be selected in many ways. The most common way it to left-click when your mouse pointer is over an object. it will then highlight to show that it was selected. The editor also allows you to select many objects at once. To select multiple objects, hold down the CTRL key while left clicking on objects. Those objects selected will highlight.
| |
| *You may also box-select objects. This entails drawing out a virtual box that will select any objects that are inside this box. To box-select, you must left-click in an open area (one that has no objects under the mouse pointer). Then, while continuing to hold down the left mouse button, you move the mouse pointer. This starts to create your virtual box. Once again, any objects that are contained within this box will be selected.
| |
| *To delete selected objects, use the delete key.
| |
| *Selected objects can also use the Cut, Copy, Paste functions. When you copy/paste an object, it will appear in the same spot and rotation as the original object and will become your newly selected object. You may then move it's position to the desired location. Another way to paste objects after a copy would be right-clicking in one of the orthographic views and selecting "Paste object here" from the pop-up menu.
| |
| | |
| *There are many objects available to be used inside of RED. All objects in RED can be classified into the following categories:
| |
| ::*[[Regions]]
| |
| ::*[[Clutter]]
| |
| ::*[[Events]]
| |
| ::*[[Triggers]]
| |
| ::*[[Entities]]
| |
| ::*[[Effects]]
| |
| ::*[[Items]]
| |
| ::*[[Decals]]
| |
| ::*[[Emitters]]
| |
| ::*[[Points]]
| |
| ::*[[Lights]]
| |
| ::*[[Cutscene Objects]]
| |
| ::*[[Navpoints|Navpoints/Waypoints]]
| |
| ::*[[Movers|Movers/Keyframes]]
| |
| | |
| ===Group Mode===
| |
| ====What is a group?====
| |
| A group is a collection of one or more brushes and/or objects. A brush and/or object can exist in more than one group. A group is defined by a group name. There are 3 basic types of groups. Master groups (which are predefined), user groups and mover groups. Groups are used to make handling multiple brushes and/or objects easier and more efficient. You can save and reload single groups and multiple groups.
| |
| | |
| ====Group Mode Functions====
| |
| *'''Create:''' Creates group from all selected brushes and objects.
| |
| *'''Dissolve:''' Removes the selected group from the group list. Does not delete the actual brushes and/or objects from the level.
| |
| *'''Add To:''' Adds the selected brush(es) and/or object(s) to the group currently highlighted in the group list.
| |
| *'''Remove:''' Removes the selected brush(es) and/or object(s) from the the group currently highlighted in the group list.
| |
| *'''Save:''' Allows you to save a group or you can save multiple groups as one group (and still retain the individual groups. More on this later).
| |
| *'''Load:''' Allows you to load a saved group.
| |
| *'''Rename:''' Allows you to rename the currently selected group.
| |
| *'''Lock:''' Allows you to lock the brush(es) of the currently selected group.
| |
| *'''Unlock:''' Allows you to unlock the brush(es) of the currently selected group.
| |
| *'''Duplicate:''' Similar to copy and paste. Allows you to select a group (or groups), copy them and still maintain the group relationship for the copy.
| |
| *'''Keyframe:''' Turns the selected group into a mover group.
| |
| *'''Reconnect:''' If you move a translating mover group, you have to press this after you have moved it. It reconnects the selected mover group's keyframes to the mover groups geometry.
| |
|
| |
|
| ==User Friendliness== | | ==User Friendliness== |
| RED drew on elements from all the other level editors and 3D applications that Volition's level designers had used in the past. They had RED designed the way they wanted. | | RED drew on elements from all the other level editors and 3D applications that Volition's level designers had used in the past. They had RED designed the way they wanted. |
| | | {{Quote|Red is more like UnrealEd in the fact that you start with a solid world and carve out of it. We feel this is inherently faster and more intuitive than additive CSG editors. You also don't have to worry about those nasty leaks that you can get in Quake based engines. You can, however, still do additive CSG (make solid brushes) just as easily. The editor/engine doesn't care. Once the level is compiled, it's basically one big brush.|RF Level Editing Team}} |
| | | {{Quote|Red can be a bit steeper to learn than World Craft and UnrealEd, but you will have to judge for yourself of course. Our interface is text driven (not wacky icons like some other editors). That is, Red has text labels on top of every functional button within the editor to help identify what said button does. Red also uses a lot of hot keys. While it may take a little time to memorize all the hot keys, they are infinitely faster than clicking on buttons or navigating the pull down menus. Red is based in part from every editor and 3D program any of the designers on the RF team have used. We have all had input on it so while it shares some similarities with other editors out there, we feel it's much better than any of them.|RF Level Editing Team}} |
| {{Quotation|Red is more like UnrealEd in the fact that you start with a solid world and carve out of it. We feel this is inherently faster and more intuitive than additive CSG editors. You also don't have to worry about those nasty leaks that you can get in Quake based engines. You can, however, still do additive CSG (make solid brushes) just as easily. The editor/engine doesn't care. Once the level is compiled, it's basically one big brush.|RED|RF Level Editing Team}} | |
| | |
| | |
| {{Quotation|Red can be a bit steeper to learn than World Craft and UnrealEd, but you will have to judge for yourself of course. Our interface is text driven (not wacky icons like some other editors). That is, Red has text labels on top of every functional button within the editor to help identify what said button does. Red also uses a lot of hot keys. While it may take a little time to memorize all the hot keys, they are infinitely faster than clicking on buttons or navigating the pull down menus. Red is based in part from every editor and 3D program any of the designers on the RF team have used. We have all had input on it so while it shares some similarities with other editors out there, we feel it's much better than any of them.|RED|RF Level Editing Team}} | |
| | |
| <!-- ==History== -->
| |
| | |
| | |
| ==Customization==
| |
| *'''REDPF''' - Bundled with [[Pure Faction]] since version 3.0 comes REDPF. REDPF is an upgraded version of the stock editor. It features new and useful buttons added just to the top of the viewport area, new options added to the trigger properties window (for new trigger features introduced in [[Pure Faction]]), and the addition of very useful help strings.
| |
| | |
| *'''RED-Optimized''' - A few years ago, community member RED-FROG released his own custom modified version of RED, called RED-Optimized. This version saw enlarged important buttons, removed help strings and removal of the splash screen.
| |
|
| |
|
| ==RED Command Line Parameters== | | ==RED Command Line Parameters== |
| * See [[Red Faction Command Line Parameters#Level Editor|RED Command Line Parameters]] | | * See [[Red Faction Command Line Parameters#Level Editor|RED Command Line Parameters]] |
|
| |
|
| ==Related Pages== | | ==RED v2== |
| *[[RED v2]]
| | '''RED v2''' is the assumed name given to the level editor of [[Red Faction II]], which, unlike it's predecessor, did not have it's level editor released. As such, very little is known about RED v2. |
|
| |
|
| <!-- ==External Links== -->
| |
| [[Category:Red Faction]] | | [[Category:Red Faction]] |
The splash screen of RED 1.2.
RED is the Red Faction Level Editor. RED is usually assumed to mean "Red EDitor". Internally, RED is called DED. Given Red Faction was effectively built from the ashes of the abandoned Descent 4 project, it's safe to assume DED was to be the name of the Descent 4 editor.
Levels in Red Faction are comprised of a mixture of BSP brushes and objects. .rfl is the extension used for level files.
Purpose
RED is used to produce levels (maps) for Red Faction. Even though all official maps for the PS2 and PC versions of the game were originally developed using RED, there is currently no known way to play custom RED levels on the PS2 version of the game.
RED can also be used to test various edits when developing mods for the PC version of the game.
Functionality
User Friendliness
RED drew on elements from all the other level editors and 3D applications that Volition's level designers had used in the past. They had RED designed the way they wanted.
| “ Red is more like UnrealEd in the fact that you start with a solid world and carve out of it. We feel this is inherently faster and more intuitive than additive CSG editors. You also don't have to worry about those nasty leaks that you can get in Quake based engines. You can, however, still do additive CSG (make solid brushes) just as easily. The editor/engine doesn't care. Once the level is compiled, it's basically one big brush. „
|
| — RF Level Editing Team
|
| “ Red can be a bit steeper to learn than World Craft and UnrealEd, but you will have to judge for yourself of course. Our interface is text driven (not wacky icons like some other editors). That is, Red has text labels on top of every functional button within the editor to help identify what said button does. Red also uses a lot of hot keys. While it may take a little time to memorize all the hot keys, they are infinitely faster than clicking on buttons or navigating the pull down menus. Red is based in part from every editor and 3D program any of the designers on the RF team have used. We have all had input on it so while it shares some similarities with other editors out there, we feel it's much better than any of them. „
|
| — RF Level Editing Team
|
RED Command Line Parameters
RED v2
RED v2 is the assumed name given to the level editor of Red Faction II, which, unlike it's predecessor, did not have it's level editor released. As such, very little is known about RED v2.
