yuppies Author 116 September 29, 2004 04:30 AM Whats best to use when creating a level editor? Win32 SDK or MFC? thanks Cancel Save

Etus 192 September 29, 2004 04:36 AM In my opinion, if you're planning to use Windows to create your level editor, than use MFC. It's much easier to use than WinAPI and is more suitable for editors.



However, if you already have a graphic engine working, you should consider making a WYSIWYG editor. That is, an editor than works in the engine itself. You'll have to program your own simple API for windows and controls(or use the new DirectX examples for windows). I think it's a lot nicer using the engine itself as an editor - more easy to create the world that way. Anyway, your choice.



- Etus Cancel Save

NineYearCycle 1,538 September 29, 2004 08:00 AM also try takig a look at QT and Wx.



MFC is, to quote our tools programmer, "a bloody nightmare" :) whereas he rates Wx as "completely free, cross platform and quite spiffy". He was also quite impressed with QT.



Andy Cancel Save "Ars longa, vita brevis, occasio praeceps, experimentum periculosum, iudicium difficile" "Life is short, [the] craft long, opportunity fleeting, experiment treacherous, judgement difficult."

S1CA 1,418 September 29, 2004 10:08 AM Quote: Original post by yuppies

Whats best to use when creating a level editor?

Win32 SDK or MFC?



thanks





IMO, neither! The .NET framework is much easier and cleaner.





On a related note, I'm growing increasingly fond of mixed paradigm/language development these days too (the libraries you use is affected somwhat by the language too).



So if I was making a level editor myself, the following would be quite likely:



- the core 3d game engine: native C++/C with plain Win32



- the editor UI: C# and/or VB with .NET



- file sharing and even some integration with tools using common file formats such as FX Composer and 3DS Max



- UI prototyping: VB.NET



- Win32 prototyping: VB, VBScript etc





What is important though is using a suitable tool for the job; for example I recently used VBScript to prototype some WMI code that would have taken at least 100 times longer to write in C++, which would be 100x time wasted for an experiment - on the flipside I wouldn't dream of writing engine code in VB/VBS because performance is the most important factor there.





Of course, that's just my opinion - there isn't a right or wrong here. What suits me might not suit you. (i.e. no flames please) IMO, neither! The .NET framework is much easier and cleaner.On a related note, I'm growing increasingly fond of mixed paradigm/language development these days too (the libraries you use is affected somwhat by the language too).So ifwas making a level editor myself, the following would be quite likely:- the core 3d game engine: native C++/C with plain Win32- the editor UI: C# and/or VB with .NET- file sharing and even some integration with tools using common file formats such as FX Composer and 3DS Max- UI prototyping: VB.NET- Win32 prototyping: VB, VBScript etcWhat is important though is using a suitable tool for the job; for example I recently used VBScript to prototype some WMI code that would have taken at least 100 times longer to write in C++, which would be 100x timefor an experiment - on the flipside I wouldn't dream of writing engine code in VB/VBS because performance is the most important factor there.Of course, that's justopinion - there isn't a right or wrong here. What suits me might not suit you. (i.e. no flames please) Cancel Save Simon O'Connor | Technical Director (Newcastle) Lockwood Publishing | LinkedIn | Personal site

grekster 640 September 29, 2004 12:57 PM Quote: Original post by NineYearCycle

also try takig a look at QT and Wx.



MFC is, to quote our tools programmer, "a bloody nightmare" :) whereas he rates Wx as "completely free, cross platform and quite spiffy". He was also quite impressed with QT.



Andy



What do Wx and QT stand for? What do Wx and QT stand for? Cancel Save Quote:Original post by BosskIn Soviet Russia, you STFU WITH THOSE LAME JOKES!

Ravuya 135 September 29, 2004 01:08 PM WxWindows and Qt are both cross-platform SDKs for developing applications, as opposed to the Windows-only hysteria of Win32 and MFC.



Personally, I just bolted the editor into my main game code, so #1 I don't have to exit and start another app to edit maps, I can just hit the edit key and screw with it, and #2 I'm lazy, and it only required about ten more lines of code. Cancel Save

LowCalorieSoftDrink 154 September 29, 2004 01:51 PM I like borlands vcl, comes in object pascal (delpih) and c++ flavours, although technically the actual vcl is in pascal. Cancel Save

happylrac 174 September 29, 2004 03:05 PM We're doing some tool design right now and I have to say that QT rocks. It's fairly easy to learn and it has the advantage of being cross-plat(if you care).



SDL is also a way to go, their GUI libraries are coming along pretty good.



Whatever you do, I say stay away from MFC if you can.It can turn into a big mess if you are very proficient at it. If you are sure you are going in the Windows only direction then I would look at using Forms instead. Like S1CA said. Cancel Save

Dreddnafious Maelstrom 583 September 29, 2004 05:21 PM i'll pitch my personal recommendation in. use your homegrown in-game GUI for your editor. its a great opportunity to test and expand your own GUI library, and any effort spent learning someone else's implementation will be replaced by time spent implementing additional features in your own. Cancel Save "Let Us Now Try Liberty"-- Frederick Bastiat