I'm creating this topic to start a help-group for people using the Savage 2 Map Editor.
Here is a post to help you get started on installing and running the map editor
The reason I'm starting this topic is to teach and learn from other users using the editor.
The basics are what I feel you need to know to start a map. Feel free to post additional information.
At this point I assume you have everything installed and you can run the map editor without any problems.
Creating a Map
When you first open the Savage 2 editor the default blank map size is Size: 8 Scale: 64.
If you save the default it will save as default.s2z in the maps folder.
To create a new map
- Press 'New'.
- Enter a name
- Enter the size (1-10)
- Enter the scale
WASD moves your camera instead of the arrow keys, alternatively you can use the minimap to browse your map.
The middle mouse button allows you to zoom in, out and rotate the camera.
- Zoom in- Mouse wheel forward
- Zoom out- Mouse wheel backwards
- Rotate- Hold in mouse wheel and move mouse
Adding Textures (ground)
- Start out by going to the top left drop down menu and select 'Textures'.
- There are 3 options for your Texture (Color, Texture, Alpha) you want to select texture.
- After you select the second option (Texture) a new drop down will appear (titled 'Textures') with all the textures used in HoN.(See 2nd Picture)
- Select a texture then select a brush to apply your textures.
- You can also add a secondary texture on-top of your primary (to add a blending effect). Do this by selecting Layer 2
Entities are basically every object you add to your map.
This video shows you how to add entities.
After you select 'entity' from the main drop down menu you have options to
- Move Z (Up, down)
- Rotate Yaw
- Rotate Roll
- Rotate Pitch
Tools in K2 Editor
The Deform tools are a set of tools in the K2 Editor used to manipulate the layout of the terrain in a user's map.
Below you will find a list of the Deform tools. The tool descriptions follow the layout of the tool bar.
The Raise/Lower tool is used to raise and lower (left and right mouse click respectively) terrain based on brush shape and strength settings.
Having a brush strength of 128(default setting) will rapidly raise or lower the terrain, while a brush strength setting of 35 will allow you gradually create rolling hills, mountain peaks, cliff faces and much more.
The Flatten tool is used to flatten terrain to a specific height as defined by your first mouse click. The flatten tool is great at making plateaus/mesas and gradually building up terrain to make hills and ramps.
The Cut tool is used to trim down to a defined height. It cannot be used to raise the terrain to a defined height.
The Smooth tool is used to smooth terrain in relativity to it's surrounding terrain.
For instance using the Smooth tool on a piece of high terrain and lower terrain will create a slope between the two, making a ramp, instead of having to cliffs.
The Clear tool will set the terrain to a defined height, no matter how high or low the terrain you're using it on.
The Noise tool is used to add random variance to terrain.
The Harmonic tool raises and lowers terrain on what seems to be the difference between two sampled areas.
The Blockers tool is used to apply blockers to a map. Blockers are invisible walls/in-passable terrain that restrict access to parts of a map that were never intended to be in play.
To place a blocker click on the Blockers button, select a brush and point and click on the ground where you'd like to restrict access.
The Texture tools are used to edit a map's textures in the K2 Editor. Below you will find a list of the Texture tools.
The tool descriptions follow the layout of the tool bar. All texture tools assume your brush setting.
The Color tool allows you to "paint" your terrain a defined color. You can select your color using the RGB sliders.
Depending on your brush settings, left clicking will apply the color and right clicking will remove it.
The Texture tool is used to apply, remove, and blend textures by the use of two separate texture layers.
When you first click on the tool, you are presented with a drop-down menu of available textures, with a preview of selected image shown below.
Select your texture from this menu, and proceed to selecting the layer you would like to apply your texture.
Layer 1 paints on faces, and is generally for applying base textures, while Layer 2 paints on vertexes and generally for blending and detail work.
By using both layers, a designer can create realistic blending terrain using two entirely separate textures.
When creating your base terrain on Layer 1, left clicking applies the texture, while right clicking will remove it.
However, when you are editing Layer 2 left clicking and right clicking will gradually apply or remove your texture depending on your brush settings.
The alpha sub-tool allows you to hide layer 2 texture in a very precise manner, allowing for fine edges and detail normally not afforded by the normal texture sub-tool. To hide layer 2 texture, right-click over an area that has been painted on layer 2 with the texture sub-tool. To have the painted area visible again, left-click over that area. Because the alpha tool allows much finer control than the normal texture tool, you'll need to use a MUCH larger brush than normal to affect a similar area. The brush strength setting controls how quickly layer 2 texture is hidden and restored.
- Bear in mind that the alpha tool cannot paint new layer 2 texture; it only allows for the fine control of the visibility pre-existing layer 2 texture.
- You're not actually erasing the layer 2 texture, just hiding and revealing any that may exist in an area.
The create sub-tool allows you to place an entity on the map by left-clicking anywhere on the map. It?s best to at least select a model before placing an entity to get an idea of its size and position, but all properties of an entity can be modified after placement simply by selecting the desired entity and changing its properties.
- Entities cannot be selected while using this sub-tool.
Entity Types and their Properties
These properties define what type of object the entity is (such as gold mine or scar), as well as things such as the model to use, how much gold might be available (for mines), and what team the entity is for (0 by default and for NPC?s, 1 for Human, and 2 for Beast).
Scenery Scenery is the most common entity type. These entities are generally just decorations and miscellaneous terrain features which don?t have any special properties. Trees, rocks, ruins structures and walls, and bushes are all scenery entities.
- This entity type is similar to the doodad object type in Warcraft 3, or the tile object type in Command & Conquer: Renegade.
Mine has nothing to do with HoN and I doubt you will be able to use it in your map.
Console Commands to use in editor (ctrl+f8)
Basic Mapping Tutorial - By S2Mercenary
S2 Map Editing Wiki
- Advanced Editing
- Better Videos