I have been thinking about this, and let's write a petition to LEC to make TPM editable!
If you wish to sign it, please print your e-mail address along with a comment.
Jim_Song@Yahoo.com
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http://www.JediKnight.8k.com)
"Be Mindful of the Living Force." - Qui-Gon Jinn
This game needs a boost please give us a patch to make it editable
This game needs a boost, give us a patch to make it editable.
Mike@npcc.net
This game needs a boost, give us a patch to make it editable.
Patch to make it editable? It already IS editable. It's just a matter of someone hacking the programming. The only thing stopping TPM from being editable is the license agreement! JUST A PIECE OF PAPER! So, VIOLATE the license agreement anyways. How mad will LEC really get? After all, you're boosting support and helping to make TPM a success.
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The Darkside? I've been there. Do your worst.
How do you hack the programming?
The best you could hope for, honestly, is to swap out characters. The .BAF character files are based upon the same .3DO and .KEY file system as JK, with only a few additions made. They are stored in a file format that has sound triggers and separate scale information etc. etc.
The maps are just unbelievably complex, without a copy of the Zanzibar tool you'll never have a hope of building anything. Now, if LA wants to release the tool, that's a separate story...as the tool creates the levels AND .BAFs.
TPM engine is based on the JK engine, is it not? Then if somebody is really good at programming, then they could probably do it. The levels could probably built in 3D Studio Max.
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The Darkside? I've been there. Do your worst.
Hey, Grand Admiral Thrawn and other guys, please try to get as many people possible to sign the petition. Like I said, all you have to so is give a small comment and write your e-mail address. (No additional unnessary comments.)
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http://www.JediKnight.8k.com)
"Be Mindful of the Living Force." - Qui-Gon Jinn
Programming and game editing are two completely different things. Programming requires knowledge of a language like C++, Pascal, or many others, while editing a game requires a variety of different skills, like the ability to recognize patterns in order to crack file formats. While a programmer might also be excellent at creating editing utilities for existing software, I've known many who aren't, and likewise know many excellent game editors who have never written a program in their lives.
Levels themselves are quite complex, and with the amount of time it would take to build a converter from .3DS to TPM's level format, it would be just as easy to create a stand-alone editor. Zanzibar says that level editing will be near impossible without any documentation or tools released by Lucasarts, and I'm inclined to believe him. He was on the game's development team, so I'd assume he knows a lot more about the game than any of us.
No, TPM is not based on the Sith engine, sorry. I think they created the liscense agreement that forbids editing, because they don't WANT YOU TO CHANGE THEIR PRODUCT. Why violate their rights?
If you could figure out how to edit the game, you wouldn't be breaking any laws, but once you tried to distribute those modifications, you'd be breaking plenty.
Kurgan
Argath is correct. The levels weren't built in MAX, they were constructed using our own proprietary tool. Without a copy of the tool, I honestly don't know how anyone could modify the levels. The tool cannot import or export any geometry, save the character models.
GUYS!! THIS IS A PETITION!! IF YOU WISH TO PARTICIPATE, PLEASE SIGN YOUR E-MAIL ALONG WITH A SHORT COMMENT!
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http://www.JediKnight.8k.com)
"Be Mindful of the Living Force." - Qui-Gon Jinn