Eden Project history

Editor for Black & White Landscapes

Author:			DragonBLK
EMail:			dragonblk@bweditors.com


Requirements:

	OpenGL
	Directx8
	32MB Graphicscard
	128MB Systemmemory (i think)
	32bit Display settings (24bit should work)

	1024*768 resolution or better is recommended



HISTORY


v0.7a	(special build for map editor)


New features


Bugs removed
- commandline params are correctly handled, so double click on lnd files starts up eden project
  without crash


Problems solved


Other things
- navigation in 3d window has changed:
	right button rotates, right+shift pans and right+control zooms view



Known Issues

Bugs


Not Implemented
- generation of blocks on a random basis
- printing (may be cancelled)
- other displaying modes for the block overview
- 3rd window in country browser for blended mat at altitude
- cell and block picking in 3D preview
- block copy and paste


Problems


===========================================================================


v0.6


New features
- overview is now implemented as floating toolbox, which
  can be switched on and off
- overview has now some toolbuttons which allow easier editing, see features below
- opengl calls were changed to support 3dfx cards (hopefully)
- importing of noise maps, bump maps, materials and countries from
  other landfiles implemented.
- rotating around block if one was selected, which lets you easier see what you've changed
- center on grid button in toolbar lets you rotate around the grid center as usual
- block painting implemented, now just paint your islands in the block overview
- block delete painting lets you now just delete blocks by erasing in the block overview
- cell painting allows to change most things without using the dialog:
	countrystyle, cell height, water, fullwater, coast attributes
- cell leveling, setting cell heights to specified altitude, through painting
  in the cell overview
- display modes for the cell overview showing counrystyle, attributes (land,water,fullwater or coast)
  and altitude (with greylevels, maybe a color gradient later)


Bugs removed
- block index bug removed, making saved files correct and compatible to sculpt ed.


Problems solved

Other things



Known Issues

Bugs


Not Implemented
- generation of blocks on a random basis
- printing (may be cancelled)
- other displaying modes for the block overview
- 3rd window in country browser for blended mat at altitude
- cell and block picking in 3D preview
- block copy and paste


Problems
- loading lores textures doesn't make any sense any more, since all
  textures are generated at runtime by b&w, so lores textures have to
  calculated by the editor from blended materials.
  maybe the lores dialog stays in its present form


===========================================================================


v0.5


New features
- validating land consistency, if material or countrystyle is deleted
- validating neighbouring cells of 2 blocks, for altitude and style when regenerating

Bugs removed
- tga saving and loading bug, that couldn't find an existing file, if path was changed

Problems solved
- blockiness apeareance completely removed

Other things
- internal structure for noise and bump map changed
- internal structure for lores textures changed
- internal structure for block managing changed
- internal structure for material managing changed
- loading of lores textures is cancelled. lores texture are calculated since v0.4

- Now there are 2 types of textures: hires and lores. Lores textures are still the same.
  Hires textures are calculated by blending countrystyles together, like Black&White does.
  The preview is much better, smoother, not overlighted ... simply a pleasure for your eyes :).



Known Issues

Bugs


Not Implemented
- importing materials from lnd files
- generation of blocks on a random basis
- printing (may be cancelled)
- other displaying modes for the block and cell overview
- rotating around block if one was selected
- 3rd window in country browser for blended mat at altitude
- cell and block picking in 3D preview


Problems
- loading lores textures doesn't make any sense any more, since all
  textures are generated at runtime by b&w, so lores textures have to
  calculated by the editor from blended materials.
  maybe the lores dialog stays in its present form


===========================================================================


v0.4


New features
- deleting of materials implemented, though no data validation is done yet (may crash when
  editing countries
- multiple cell selection implemented.
- material blending on coloured materials (must be done, since materials are not (!) greyscale)
  results in much better preview, since blocky lores textures are not used
- recalculation of lores textures from blended materials

Bugs removed
- opening material browser crashed program cleaned, dialog was made more stable
- little bug in material browser fixed. images were crumbled up, after loading and
  viewing other

Problems solved
- blockiness partially solved, since hires textures are used for preview and blockiness
  is reduced by them.


Other things
Now there are 2 types of textures: hires and lores. Lores textures are still the same.
Hires textures are calculated by blending countrystyles together, like Black&White does.
The preview is much better, smoother, no overlighted ... simply a pleasure for your eyes :).



Known Issues

Bugs


Not Implemented
- importing materials from lnd files
- deletion of lores textures (cancelled, since lores textures must be calculated)
- generation of blocks on a random basis
- printing (may be cancelled)
- other displaying modes for the block and cell overview
- rotating around block if one was selected
- 3rd window in country browser for blended mat at altitude
- validating land consistency
- cell and block picking in 3D preview


Problems
- loading lores textures doesn't make any sense any more, since all
  textures are generated at runtime by b&w, so lores textures have to
  calculated by the editor from blended materials.
  may be the lores dialog stays in its present form

===========================================================================


v0.3


New features
- the block selected is displayed below the blockoverview with it's coordinates
- ouput given while land is loading/saving with a progressbar at the window button 
  or a regenerate of 3d window is done
- country editing was extend with a ranged set value and interpolate feature


Bugs removed
- country edit dialog didn't update numbers of countries -> crash at save
- country editor kill opengl redraw


Problems solved
- material problem was solved. materials are in fact
  BGRA_5551 bitmaps. 5 bits per color and 1 bit per alpha


Other things



Known Issues

Bugs
- opening material browser crashed program


Not Implemented
- material blending on coloured materials (must be done, since materials are not (!) greyscale)
- recalculation of lores textures from blended materials
- importing materials from lnd files, complete deletion of materials (requires much validation of data)
- deletion of lores textures (cancelled, since lores textures must be calculated)
- generation of blocks on a random basis
- printing (may be cancelled)
- other displaying modes for the block and cell overview
- rotating around block if one was selected
- 3rd window in country browser for blended mat at altitude
- validating land consistency
- cell and block picking in 3D preview


Problems
- landscape viewing in textured mode seem really blocky
  because each block uses its own display list. preview
  is so far not optimized. maybe it won't be ever, we'll see.
- loading lores textures doesn't make any sense any more, since all
  textures are generated at runtime by b&w, so lores textures have to
  calculated by the editor from blended materials.
  may be the lores dialog stays in its present form


===========================================================================


v0.2	(first version published)


New features
- editing of countrystyles implemented, although importing from
  land files not
- first implementation of cell and block editing (not optimal, i think)
- browsing, clearing, loading and saving of materials.
- loading and saving of bump and noise maps via tga file format (24 or 32 bits uncompressed)
- adding, clearing, loading and saving of lorestextures
- saving of landscapes implemented
- coloring of cell overview
- manual 3d preview update, after changes made
- cell editing
- block editing (partial)

Bugs removed
- cleaned up all gdi issues

Problems solved
- country styles are now conceptually clear, editing possible
- mapping parameters problem solved

Other things
- corrected navigation via block overview


Known Issues

Bugs
- edit countries dialog is a bit flashy, when redrawing this dialog
- found out that some bitmap conversions are wrong, if windows is running
  at 16 bit display


Not Implemented
- importing materials from lnd files, complete deletion of materials (requires much validation of data)
- deletion of lores textures
- generation of blocks on a random basis
- printing (may be cancelled)
- other displaying modes for the block and cell overview
- ouput given while map is loading
- rotating around block if one was selected
- 3rd window in country browser for blended mat at altitude

Problems
- materials are 16 bit greyscale bitmaps. yes, 16 bit.
  hard to visualize, so only the highest 8 bits are used
  to display. the lower 8 bits are ignored.
  this also leads up to the problem of implementing
  material export and import. computers only know 8 bit
  greyscale formats. hmmmm....
- landscape viewing in textured mode seem really blocky
  because each block uses its own display list. preview
  is so far not optimized. maybe it won't be ever, we'll see.



===========================================================================

v0.1		(not published)


Implemented Features
- landscape loading
- 3d preview in textured and colored wireframe mode (each color represents
  a different countrystyle)
- navigation through 3d world
- navigation via block overview
- viewing of lores textures, materials, bump- and noise map
- a block grid optionally show in 3d preview


Known Issues

Bugs
- some gdi calls are not clean -> memory leaks, performance is gradually decreased.
  problem appears if starting programm many (up to 20) times

Not Implemented
- saving and importing of lores textures, materials, bump and noise map
- country editing
- cell editing
- block editing
- generation of block on a random basis
- printing (may be cancelled)
- other displaying modes for the block and cell overview
- saving of landcapes

Problems
- materials are 16 bit greyscale bitmaps. yes, 16 bit.
  hard to visualize, so only the highest 8 bits are used
  to display. the lower 8 bits are ignored.
  this also leads up to the problem of implementing
  material export and import. computers only know 8 bit
  greyscale formats. hmmmm....
- landscape viewing in textured mode seem really blocky
  because each block uses its own display list. preview
  is so far not optimized. maybe it won't be ever, we'll see.
- country styles are not yet identified, although preview seems
  to be correct.
- mapping parameters of countries have be to worked out.


