This editor is open source, freely usable for commercial purposes. I don't care if you even resell it, as long as my name is in the credits somewhere. This project is being done to make it easy for non artists to throw together something at least presentable for a level.
It's NOT intended to be a modeler but rather a useful, all purpose level editor and eventually physics sandbox.
The basic idea is to be able quickly put together levels by using textured primitives and loaded models.
As I'm developing this, it's being done with the Zero Defects Methodology. Which means "fix the bugs now, add new features later". Anything I release on the forums here is going to be extremely stable and have very few bugs. The source code is included incase you'd like to help with the development or make use of the tool itself. The only thing I ask if you release a game using code from this tool is to have either my name under an appropriate section of the credits file or "Cherokee Level Editing Tool" somewhere in the credits file for the game.
Features
= Already implemented / Beta and RC quality
= Currently in the bugsquash cycle / Alpha and Beta quality
= Soon
= Not yet, but planned
Easy to use interface
Primitives
Manipulating objects (moving, scaling, rotating, texturing, etc
Saving/Loading of scenes with reusable code to make it easy to reuse the routines for an actual game
Snap objects to grid
Reference grid (sort of fi)
Using models for objects
Compensate for the majority of bad model origins
General improvements to make the interface even easier (always underway)
Undo system (Beta for primitives, Alpha for models)
Changing/Saving/Loading global parameters such as global lighting, backdrop color, fog, etc
Linking multiple objects together as limbs
Physics
Generating light maps and saving light mapped objects as .dbo
Positioning and configuring cameras, linking them to an object's movement with a scale multiplier, useful for sky boxes, security cameras, quick and dirty portal effects, etc.
Trigger zones
Environment zones (new background colors, fog settings etc... useful for things like underwater areas)
Configuring and applying shaders on objects.
Linking objects together as limbs
Saving and loading of "composite objects" (multiple objects put together as limbs within the editor)
A video on Youtube of version 0.01.9.7
FAQ:
Q: What gives? It's just the basics! This sucks!
A: What gives is that I'm not rushing new features out, I'm polishing what's already there and rigorously testing for and fixing bugs until it there's nothing left to fix.
Q: Why is it taking you so long to fix a few bugs? Are you a bad coder or something?
A: No, I'm being meticulous. No known bugs only means no bugs have been found since the last bug squashing cycle. I need to be extremely sure everything works exactly as it should. Believe it or not, this is actually a faster method of development. You see, when all of the known bugs are fixed, new features take less time to develop because there's less having to go back and fix previous code. It's called "Zero Defects Methodology" or "Always Shippable"
Q: So when's the next feature going to be released?
A: Soon, I hope. Help me test it and the next feature will come out a lot sooner. After the current bug squashing cycle (the undo system), terrain editing is planned.
Q: Who needs polish?
A: I do.
Q: But I want a full featured editor now
A: That's not a question, but for the sake of civility, there's plenty of editors out there suffering from feature creep. Noone's stopping you from using those.
Q: Lots of shiny feature now, fix later
A: Lots of booze now, hangover later.
