Level editor
A level editor (also known as a map , campaign or scenario editor) is software that is used to design levels , maps, campaigns, etc., and virtual worlds for a video game. People who are involved in the creation of such levels or maps are called level designers or mappers.
In some cases the creator of a video game publishes an official level editor for the game, but often it is the fans themselves who take action and create these cards using programs that were not developed by the respective game developers. The level editor can be integrated into the game, e.g. B. a route editor for a racing game . In other cases (and most often) the editor is a separate application, mostly published by the fans.
One of the first 3D games to gain popularity in part through level editors and fan-produced content was Doom . The creation of various third party editors led to the creation of an online community that served as platforms for maps created by fans.
A level editor is often limited to creating levels for a specific game engine . Developing a level editor takes a long time, and it is more time and cost efficient to publish multiple games using the same engine, rather than developing a new engine and level editor for each game. Level editors offer a limited scope for content creation, but in the case of solutions for the game industry, the scope is very large, so that an entire game can be created without the need for much assistance from a programming team. In order to make major changes to a game, a software development kit (SDK) is sometimes required.
Kit
In the early years of the video game, there were some games with a so-called " construction set ". These are similar to the usual level editor, and some players use them to create additional levels while others use them as a means of creating a game rather than the game itself.
See also
Individual evidence
- ^ Adrian Herwig, Philip Paar: Game Engines: Tools for Landscape Visualization and Planning? (pdf)