How to Work with Sparkedit - Basics

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How to work with Sparkedit - Basics

[Introduction]
This is a reply thread followed after this request How To Mod (with Sparkedit)? by SG]Mønster.


To begin with, modding Halo is a wide field to overlook and there are other Halo Modding programs available. But to modify positions of trees, equipments as vehicles, weapons, add teleporters or to set spawn points for the chief - Sparkedit is the program of first choice to do it in a 3D view of the map. The most working procedures are pretty much repetitive thats why I decided to go through it by highlight some of the main scenarios on explicit examples. To consider that there are also more advanced functions executable with Sparkedit I decided to split the Guide and begin with the Basics cause they are more often used than the advanced Modder options which will be handled in another Guide later.


As I used to do this, step by step with a lots of pictures, this time with an index at the beginning since the length of these tutorial is more extended than the ones before.

Sparkedit - Basics

INDEX
[Introduction]
[Preparations]A. Download the newest version
[Preparations]B. Backups
1. Load a map
2. Navigate through the map
3. Objects that can be moved
4. Select an existing item on the map
5. Move an object
6. Duplicate an object
7. Delete an object
8. Add Teleporters
For-casts - Advanced functions





[Preparations]A. Download the newest version

The newest version of Sparkedit is v3.02.
Get it here from Filefront (you will only need to unpack the .rar file with Winrar or Winzip to install) and start it with clicking on the Sparkedit.exe in the program folder.



[Preparations]B. Backups

I advice before doing changes to any map do a backup of the map in a separate folder. No questions, just do it.



1. Load a map

To load a map into Sparkedit click at the Menu on File and then on open Cache file. In the next window that appears - look for the location of your halo maps. In this case I choose - of course whatever - Blood Gulch.
Picture - menu - file
Picture - location Halo map folder
Picture - choose map



2. Navigate through the map

After loading a map you will have a textured Mesh view onto the map.
There are two ways to navigate through the map which are passive and active moving. To navigate to any point in the map in a practical way both ways should be used. In the menu under help\controls you can find a summary for all control keys as well.
Picture - menu\help\controls


2.1 Passive navigating (look around)

The passive view is from a static position. By clicking the right mouse button into the map view, hold it and move the mouse you can have like a spherical 360°x360° view.


2.2 Active navigating (move camera)

This is more like flying through the map. To do this use the w,a,s,d keys for move forward,left, right and backward and shift for move up and space to move down the camera.



3. Objects that can be moved

As you know all over the maps several stuff can be found, depending on how the mod for the map was built, for example a sniper or the camouflage
and Sparkedit shows the bitmaps of such objects.
When looking around the map you will see a lot more of such little cubes.
Most of them are spawn points for the chief, or the markers for other game types, like circles for the king of the hill or the flags in the race games.


3.1 Bitmaped objects

Sparkedit only allows you to move, delete and duplicate the following bitmaped objects:
Vehicles (hogs, ghosts, scorps, banshees, gun turret ...)
Scenery (stones, trees, other sceneries) and
Weapons, ammo and Overshild/Camouflage (Weapons and MP equipment).
Picture - bitmaped items


3.2 Markers

So that the server can decide where to re-spawn the chief after passing away or to mark game type specific positions in the map cubes that defines such positions are placed in the map and can be moved as well:
Player Spawns (spawn points where the chiefs respawns after death)
MP Flags (game type specific markers and teleporters!)
Picture - cubes



4. Select an existing item on the map


4.1 Move camera to the object

Navigate the camera to the object you wanna move.
(more to navigating under 2.)


4.2 Switch Sparkedit's mode to EDIT

To work on objects you have to change to EDIT mode on the right site.
(more about modes under x.)
Picture - switch to EDIT mode


4.3 Switch to sub-mode

Depending on the category the object you want to move is related to, you have to switch the sub mode that can be chosen under the modes menu on the left site (look under 3. for categories).
When you have clicked on the fitting category for the object than the color of the lined rectangle around the chosen object category should be red now.
Picture - sub modes
Picture - selected category


4.4 Select the object

Before you can select an object you have to switch to Select Mode.
This can be done at the Menu under Tools or in the symbol bar which is located under the menu bar. When an objects is selected than the color of the lined rectangle around the object should be yellow now and there are 3 new whites lines that meet in the center of the object directed to the 3 coordinates of the 3D coordinate system.
Picture - Symbol Select
Picture - Menu\Tools\Select


4.5 Get infos about an object

As soon as any an object is marked you can ask for infos about it.
This can be done by clicking at the View Objects Info button.
Picture - View Object Info



5. Move an object

There are two options to move an object anyway, which are move and rotate.



5.1 Select object

Look under 4.for select an object.


5.2 Move an object

To move an object to another place follow the next steps.


5.2.1 Switch to Translate mode

Before you can move an object you have to switch to Translate Mode.
This can be done at the menu under Tools or in the symbol bar.
Picture - Symbol Translate Mode
Picture - Menu\Tools\Translate


5.2.2 Move object

Left click on the object. Hold the button and move the mouse to the position you want to have it placed. You may have to put the object up, move camera and move it again to get it to the place it is meant to be.
Or you move the camera while hold the object with the wasdr keys and move the object with the mouse at the same time as well.To move the object up use Shift and to move it down the Space key.



5.3 Rotate object

This is helpful when you want that an object should be seen from a special site. For example does it make no sense to direct a blinker to the ground and no one can see the light of it.


5.3.1 Switch to Rotate mode

Before you can rotate an object you have to switch to Rotate Mode.
This can be done at the Menu under Tools or in the symbol bar.
Picture - Symbol Rotate Mode
Picture - Menu\Tools\Rotate



5.3.2 Rotate Object

Left click on the object and hold the button, press Ctrl and move the mouse until the position you want to have is set.
Picture - before rotating
Picture - Rotating done!



6. Duplicate an object

Except for teleporters all other selected objects can be duplicated the same way. Follow the next steps to duplicate objects.


6.1 Select object

Look under 4. for select an object.


6.2 Duplicate

This can be done at the menu under Tools or in the symbol bar.
After duplicating look on the left sit of the original object, there the double should be.
Picture - Symbol Duplicate
Picture - Menu\Tools\Duplicate



7. Delete an object

If you want to get rid of and object follow the next steps


7.1 Select the object

Look under 4 for select an object.


7.2 Delete object

This can be done at the menu under Tools or in the symbol bar.
Picture - Symbol Delete
Picture - Menu\Tools\Delete



8. Add Teleporters

Teleporters always need two markers:
One for the entry, the origin, and the exit, the destination, thats why duplicating a port isn't possible the same way as for other objects.


8.1 Add Teleporters

This can be done at the Menu under Tools.
Picture - Menu\Tools\Add Ports
Picture - added base to base ports


8.2 Move the markers


8.2.1 Switch to Translate mode

Look under 5.2.1 for doing that.


8.2.2 Move markers

Move the origin where to the point you want to walk through and the destination to the point where you want to be beamed to. Use the rotate function as well (5.3) for the direction you have to walk in and walk out. In the example bellow I have added a base to base port from red base to blue base with markers on the base port entries.
Picture - base to base port - origin
Picture - base to base port - destination




For-casts - Advanced functions

For the advanced modding helpfully functions are swap objects or which is more interesting maybe import objects. At this point I have to notice that there are some other functions that Sparkedit provides but I haven't figured out yet what they are for or how to use them.
Further stuff will be handled in the Sparkedit - Advanced functions Guide





Made by ©ôltyoupitar 2010.


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