SWBF1 LVL Builders Toolbox V5 Development Discussion

[Phobos]

With each update to the SWBF1 LVL Builders Toolbox, I try to consolidate the community's existing collection of tools available for purposes of mod development and modifications to existing stock game data. V5 is going to be a gigantic step up from V4 because there will be significantly more LVL builders available.

In fact, if I am able to include every update I want to, then we will finally be able to mod every type of LVL file in the game except for the sound lvls. However some shell, common, and core assets are still unavailable and will most likely never be obtained.

These missing/unavailable assets include:
- LUA scripts from the common and shell (we have less than 10 out of 107)
- shell_movies.cfg
- shell planet models
- font assets
- shader assets
- voiceover streams config files

There's probably a few more I forgot but still, the fact we have this much available is amazing considering how most of this stuff was not included in BFBuilder.

I am currently in the process of developing multiple new LVL builders. Anyone who wants to help with the updates I plan to make, or has further additions they would like to include can post here or PM me. There is no set release date for this yet, as some of the things on this list could take weeks if not months to fully develop.

Intended Updates:
- Enhanced shell builder (more simplified interface and support for munging custom LUAs)
- Enhanced common builder (more simplified interface)
- Enhanced core builder (hopefully with 100% complete localization strings and built-in font editing tools)
- Builders for swbf v1.0 imp, common, and shell
- Complete set of all native faction side.lvl builders
- Complete sound builder which supports not just music/ambient streams, but also voiceovers and custom effects
- Complete load.lvl builder which munges the CFG
- Complete planetary load.lvl builder toolkit for every stock planet transition load LVL
- Complete set of FPM LVL Builders
- Several mini-toolkits for on the fly munging of typical LVL sub-componenent files such as scripts, models, etc.
- Belk's 010 Editor Scripts, Updated LVL Hierarchy Notes, Improved ReadMes
- Updated MSH Kitbashing editing toolkit and tutorials by Tirpider
- XSI tools by Ande
- SP/MP Third Era Builder*
- Single Player Custom Campaign Builder**

*The Third Era Builders which are currently available here are incomplete. I am trying to reconstruct some of the scripts needed for this to work as well as it should but it will take a while. The SP source LUA is currently available to us but not the MP LUA.

**One of the most prominent features would of course be the custom campaign builder which would let us build entire new single player campaign modes. I believe I am very close to discovering how to create this, and will continue developing my theory regardless of what others think. The campaign builder would be a complete toolkit with tutorials, voiceover builders, custom map extra features (movies/music/planet loads etc.), and anything else used for creating new campaigns from scratch.

Creating sound builders for the stock sound.lvl files would be possible in theory, but I am not going to spend the countless hours needed isolating the streams in-game, recording, and rebuilding all the missing configs. Not to mention it would most likely infringe the EULA. It's a good idea for modders to use the included sound config files from BFBuilder as a 'template' for developing their own complex sound LVLs.

The MSH Kitbashing toolkit will contain subfolders of useful tools organized with supporting tutorials built in. I am hoping Tirpider is willing to help with organizing the overall structure and contents of this feature. I am even less familier with Ande's XSI tools but if its possible I would like to include them as well.

I am hoping this could be released sometime by Summer/Fall 2013 but several factors could affect the final release date. This would most likely be the final installment of the LVL toolbox series, unless more of the "unavailable assets" were somehow acquired. Shader assets in particular would be useful for improving the graphics rendering of the game. If we were fortunate enough to acquire all of the missing LUA scripts, I would most likely be able to develop a new Galactic Conquest Builder, which would be really amazing. Sadly, there are just way too many complex scripts which would need to be reconstructed for this to be feasible as of now.

Questions/Comments?

[{212th} Ldr. Norris]

With servers down the custom campaign builder would be great if you can figure it out  I think I could have some fun with the planetary load.lvl builder, same with the sound builder.    Look forward to the update, thanks   

[RepComm]

A GC would be awesome

[Phobos]

Updated notes here, post ideas or other comments/questions below.
- we now have all the LUA, shell models, and other CFG assets that were missing when this thread was originally posted.

Estimated Toolbox v5 Release
December 2014

Builders that will be improved for v5:
- Global Load.lvl will include a CFG munger plus hex edit fix tutorial
- Planetary load.lvls might be included for each stock map transition.
- FPM.lvls builders for all stock models
- 2 Improved Core.lvl builders by Phobos:
A. Global core.lvl with perfect stock localization strings (for english) with additional custom fonts.
B. AddOn core.lvl builder for mod maps with examples of modded custom localization branches.
- 100% Complete Common.lvl and Shell.lvl builders with stock LUA
these can be downloaded here http://tiny.cc/perfectbuilders

Builders which might not be included until v6:
- 3 seperate Sound.lvl builders with 64-bit munge support:
A. Map Ambient Streams and Sound Regions
B. Units, Weapons, and other Ingame Sound Effects
C. Shell Campaign Voiceover Mission Briefings
- Custom Campaign/Era Builder Kit which will include tutorials and another new builder for the global shell.mvs
If 1.3 no cd is functional before toolbox v6 is released, I will also include a 1.3 MP-only campaign tutorial with the (possible) feature to autoassign all players to one team. This might also possibly include a mapvote LUA script for each player to vote on the next map to play from a choice of 255 max.

Misc Assets, Tutorials, & Mini-Mungers which might be in v5 or v6
- Custom Shader Munger might not be possible since the only assets available are corrupt/unmoddable
- Custom Animation munger built using Sereja's tutorial might be possible to implement
- Sky munger kit by Phobos
- Script mini munger by Phobos
- 010 Editor Scripts
- Improved LVL Hierarchy with Intro to Advanced Modding Tutorial by Phobos & Wolf
- Intro to XSI tutorials (need recommendations for these)
- XSI Tools by Ande
- Improved Kitbashing Toolbox plus Schmee by Tirpider
- 1.2 Trainers by Jake
- Skin Changer Assets/Tutorial by SleepKiller & Phobos
- Chamelean Sky Tutorial by SleepKiller
- Various improved stock common and shell LUA by Phobos
- Other Features TBA

Also it is safe to say that a custom Custom Galactic Conquest Builder Kit / Tutorials will not be featured until at least v7, if it is even invented by then.

[411Remnant]

If I may suggest, can tirpiders SchMEe msh editor be added as well? Its quite useful for change texture properties.

[RepComm]

I agree, I really liked that tool.

Anywho, I may be able to help you with an actual builder (Modding wizard, if you will) for Custom Era/Campaign.

[Shazam]

I am looking forward to the release of this very much.  I have always found the Toolbox v4 very convenient and easy to use for my mod projects.

One question:

When I was having BFBuilder problems a while back, I always found your Cloud City LVL Builder very useful since I could just move files around and create a new world through the builder, rather than BFBuilder itself.  Has the CC LVL Builder been improved/updated since its last release, and could it be included in the Toolbox v5?

[Phobos]

When I was having BFBuilder problems a while back, I always found your Cloud City LVL Builder very useful since I could just move files around and create a new world through the builder, rather than BFBuilder itself.  Has the CC LVL Builder been improved/updated since its last release, and could it be included in the Toolbox v5?

I will probably update the bes2 builder, and include a tat2 builder also. I don't remember which files were missing in the CC LVL Builder but it was incomplete.