Ingame Editor

Hi folks!

That's strange, I found so few topics about this argument

I really love games that have an in-game editor, it allows to have user generated contents and I think it's an amazing feature, also for the longevity of the game itself.

I'm thinking to make something like that on my project, just a little 2.5d platform game made by cubes.

I'm not asking for codes, but I just want to know what could be a good approach, steps or methods

Tnx a lot

 

One way is to start backwards - make the editor first then make the game with it.

For user gen content you'll have to make sure the game is already great on its own with good content pre-made, and then the user-generated element is additional, otherwise people won't want to make content for it unless it already has built up a good reputation.

 

I have a mostly reflection-based prototype of level editor for a platformer here: https://github.com/returnString/BoxEd

Feel free to go through and see how it's structured

 

That's what I would say too. But I would go the other way of making the game good first and then worrying about the editor.

 

I'm making an in-game editor which will allow players to upload their levels to a database and then share them with others. It's not too fancy, basically we store all of the levels as XML files, they'll get uploaded, then they will be tested to ensure the recording of the player is a solution. If the puzzle is solved, then it will be added to the database for others to play.

I want to do this with a kart type game, which would be much, much easier, because validation is simple. I figure I would go ahead and do it in this game with simple levels and hard solutions, then I can work on complicated levels with simple solutions.

 

I am also trying to do that myself, but in relation to non-game content, I have made object textures editor, so the user can put his own textures and share. Have a look at my blog, if interested: http://virtualplayground.d2.pl/WP/?p=310
Will soon improve that and add more features.

 

This. This is a great way of doing it because you know that your users can make content just as good as you have provided. Its the way I am making my in game editor and it works fine. Similar to JRavey actually, I was planning on having a database to share levels and such.

As for the actual saving and loading of levels, you may want to look into XML serialization. Of course, you will probably have to look into some sort of encryption stuff.