Protogod
02-23-2008, 2:58 PM
A couple weeks ago I got to interview xNaIx about his new program, a new map editor for Mac users called UnKnown Editor, but was unable to post the news until now, due to all the sc2 announcements and tournament news.
But with the current gasp of breath we're getting, now's the best time we've got to show you. <3 y'all.
So, xNaix, how did Unknown Edit begin?
I was messing with GUEdit making the terrain editor part work for macs, and I did. So then I decided to learn cocoa and make a cocoa version. (Cocoa is advanced c.)
How did you learn cocoa?
I started with tutorials and then just went from there using the docs I taught myself.
How long ago was this?
A couple years ago.
And when did you start UKEdit
About two or three years ago.
What kind of progress have you been seeing with it lately?
Recently very little due to not having time, but I'll have more time soon.
Would you consider UKEdit to be an equivalent to any editor on the PC?
Right now, not really. Right now it just does terrain but units will be done soon. Then it can take it's place a a map editor.
Right now, what do you have planned for it, other than unit placement?
Triggers, locations, fog of war, and pretty much everything other editors have.
Square terrain?
It has that already.
Sorry, I dont have a mac.
That's ok. That was the first thing I wanted to do because that's the hardest thing to do on macs.
Why is that?
Because there's no other editor for macs.
Wasn't starfire a mac editor too?
Yes, that just made it so you could place units anywhere and stack them. All it is is a staredit mod.
What about triggers, will UKEdit have some of the extra triggers/aiscripts that can be found in scxe or scmdraft for example?
Yes, it will. It'll have a few templates too that can be saved, such as hyper triggers, then you don't have to make them. Just load them.
Do you have any other templates in mind besides hypertriggers?
Kills to cash. And the templates will be editable so the user can make their own.
Very nice. Will it be able to save pictures of your map?
Yes. I acually just finished that.
Does/Will it have a mirror terrain function for melee mappers?
If I can figure out how it was done then it will.
What about sprites? Do you intend to include those as well?
Yes sprites won't be that hard now that units are done or the grps sprites are easy.
What made you want to do all this for Mac users?
I was making a map and it needed square terrain, so I did a little cheat that someone found that makes it so 2x1 tiles could be placed in staredit. But then after that isom terrain couldn't be placed and I had to restart. So I messed with guedit and made the terrain part work and lots of people wanted that. So I decided to make a better editor, and I was still using java - cause guedit uses that - and made it a bit easier but it was slow so I started on the cocoa one.
Has the announcement of Starcraft II shaken you at all?
No, I still would want this. Map editing in starcraft is harder than it will be in starcraft II, which makes it more fun.
Do you currently have any projected release date for a final UKEdit version?
No, it's still not far enough ahead to do that. An almost full one will be done soon, as in unit and terrain and triggers will be next. After those three it can be considerd a map editor.
Alright, before we wrap things up, is there anything you'd like to say?
Not really. Just this summer a lot will happen.
Mmkay, good luck on Unknown Edit. I'm really excited to see what kinds of maps start coming out once mac users have a more competitive editor. Peace.
War.
But with the current gasp of breath we're getting, now's the best time we've got to show you. <3 y'all.
So, xNaix, how did Unknown Edit begin?
I was messing with GUEdit making the terrain editor part work for macs, and I did. So then I decided to learn cocoa and make a cocoa version. (Cocoa is advanced c.)
How did you learn cocoa?
I started with tutorials and then just went from there using the docs I taught myself.
How long ago was this?
A couple years ago.
And when did you start UKEdit
About two or three years ago.
What kind of progress have you been seeing with it lately?
Recently very little due to not having time, but I'll have more time soon.
Would you consider UKEdit to be an equivalent to any editor on the PC?
Right now, not really. Right now it just does terrain but units will be done soon. Then it can take it's place a a map editor.
Right now, what do you have planned for it, other than unit placement?
Triggers, locations, fog of war, and pretty much everything other editors have.
Square terrain?
It has that already.
Sorry, I dont have a mac.
That's ok. That was the first thing I wanted to do because that's the hardest thing to do on macs.
Why is that?
Because there's no other editor for macs.
Wasn't starfire a mac editor too?
Yes, that just made it so you could place units anywhere and stack them. All it is is a staredit mod.
What about triggers, will UKEdit have some of the extra triggers/aiscripts that can be found in scxe or scmdraft for example?
Yes, it will. It'll have a few templates too that can be saved, such as hyper triggers, then you don't have to make them. Just load them.
Do you have any other templates in mind besides hypertriggers?
Kills to cash. And the templates will be editable so the user can make their own.
Very nice. Will it be able to save pictures of your map?
Yes. I acually just finished that.
Does/Will it have a mirror terrain function for melee mappers?
If I can figure out how it was done then it will.
What about sprites? Do you intend to include those as well?
Yes sprites won't be that hard now that units are done or the grps sprites are easy.
What made you want to do all this for Mac users?
I was making a map and it needed square terrain, so I did a little cheat that someone found that makes it so 2x1 tiles could be placed in staredit. But then after that isom terrain couldn't be placed and I had to restart. So I messed with guedit and made the terrain part work and lots of people wanted that. So I decided to make a better editor, and I was still using java - cause guedit uses that - and made it a bit easier but it was slow so I started on the cocoa one.
Has the announcement of Starcraft II shaken you at all?
No, I still would want this. Map editing in starcraft is harder than it will be in starcraft II, which makes it more fun.
Do you currently have any projected release date for a final UKEdit version?
No, it's still not far enough ahead to do that. An almost full one will be done soon, as in unit and terrain and triggers will be next. After those three it can be considerd a map editor.
Alright, before we wrap things up, is there anything you'd like to say?
Not really. Just this summer a lot will happen.
Mmkay, good luck on Unknown Edit. I'm really excited to see what kinds of maps start coming out once mac users have a more competitive editor. Peace.
War.