level editor
Latest
Valve opens 'Half-Life: Alyx' level editing tools to the community
Steam Workshop support for 'Half-Life: Alyx' should enable all-new mods and levels for Valve's virtual reality game.
Broforce gets level editor, Mad Max and Kill Bill bros
Broforce received a free "tactical update" today, adding new missions and characters to the side-scrolling shooter. The two new bros in the game are Bro Max, a spoof on Max Rockatansky from Mad Max, and The Brode, a take on Uma Thurman's character The Bride from the Kill Bill series of films. The game's new campaign missions are set in Eastern Europe. The update also introduced Steam Workshop support for the game, allowing players to create their own levels and share them with the game's bro-mmunity. Broforce launched on Steam Early Access in April and was a source of fun for Joystiq Streams around that time. The game is still in beta, available for $14.99 through Steam and the Humble Store. Head past the break for a brotastic trailer that shows off the new items delivered through the game's update. [Image: Devolver Digital]
Klei re-imagines its first iOS puzzler, Eets Munchies
Don't Starve and Mark of the Ninja developer Klei Entertainment launched its first iOS game this week, Eets Munchies, for $2.99. The puzzler is considered a re-imagining of Klei's previous PC game Eets, and challenges players with guiding a hungry armless rabbit-like creature through levels filled with obstacles, eating cake and sweets along the way. Eets' iOS version was revealed in March 2012. Eets first launched on PC in March 2006 before arriving on XBLA in the form of Eets: Chowdown in April 2007. Eets Munchies contains five worlds and dozens of preset puzzles, and also includes a built-in level editor, so players can create their own puzzles to share with friends. [Image: Klei Entertainment]
Toki Tori 2+ Wii U level editor canned, developer offering Steam keys to say sorry
Back in February, Two Tribes planned to bring a level editor to the Wii U version of Toki Tori 2 in its free "plus" update. However, the developer recently announced the Wii U won't be receiving the game's level editor feature after all, citing poor sales for the game on the platform as the biggest reason for the change in plans. Two Tribes also noted technical issues and "missing features" in the console's Miiverse system, creating more challenges for developing the level editor it wanted for Toki Tori 2+. "We obviously wanted to use Miiverse for level sharing as everybody has access to it," the developer said. Among the problems with Miiverse, it said that "it wasn't possible to start the game from a level posted in Miiverse," though "something like this might be possible in the future." The developer considered using its own servers as well, but that solution wound up being "way out of scope." Additionally, Two Tribes said that while Steam integration on Wii U would at least allow Wii U players to play custom levels created by those on Steam, after talking with both Valve and Nintendo it found the idea to be a "dead end" as well. To make up for it, the developer said it will now give away free keys to the Steam version of the game to Wii U players. All players need to do is head to either of the related European or US-based Miiverse posts for Toki Tori 2+, post a message with their Steam ID and then email tokitori2@twotribes.com with their Steam ID and a link to the post. Two Tribes will manually message players with a Steam key, doing so "as long as we feel is necessary."
Toki Tori 2+ flaps to Steam on July 2, includes level editor
Toki Tori 2 is headed to Steam for the summer. Developer Two Tribes announced the enhanced port, titled Toki Tori 2+, will reach Windows and Mac on July 2. A Steam Workshop-integrated level editor puts the plus into the new moniker, along with additional puzzles and some further tweaks building on the update to the Wii U version. In addition to sprucing up the presentation, Two Tribes says it's added a new guiding mechanic for the puzzle platformer's early levels, as well as adding more gates to let players move across the world easier. The world map itself is also "improved" to help players better orientate. Two Tribes originally had a level editor in mind for the Wii U version, but it wasn't included at launch. However, earlier this month the developer said it's still "heavily in development," so it should be due in a future update. In terms of the other Steam additions, Two Tribes said they'll also come to the Wii U version "where possible" and where it "makes sense." Finally, anyone in a flap about the exclusion of Linux should know Two Tribes said a future version is headed there "probably at some point."
BattleBlock Theater to spotlight community-created levels
The Behemoth recently detailed its plans to feature community-created levels in its upcoming platformer, BattleBlock Theater. The game will include a "Furbottom's Features" section, which will spotlight hand-picked user-created levels in the solo, co-op and arena playlists. Players will have added incentive to play these levels, since strawberries in featured levels will be replaced with gems that can be spent in the BattleBlock Theater Gift Shop.We've embedded a trailer that shows off some of the levels created by BattleBlock Theater's beta testers above. These levels may not be included in the full game, which is set to launch this Spring.
Learn more about Battleblock Theater's level editor
The Behemoth teased us with a PAX reveal of Battleblock Theater's level editor, and the Castle Crashers developer didn't disappoint. There's a full-featured level editor included with the game, and it's the same one the designers have been using to make their own levels, controller and all.Every type of block in the game is available to be placed by you within the editor, and you can color them however you like. Each level obviously needs an entrance and an exit, but what happens in between is up to you. You can choose any of the game's modes (and can even combine some of them), lay out resources to collect, and even build little Rube Goldberg devices with the various available components. One example shown to us used boulders and timed pneumatic devices pushing them onto switches, which created a sort of timed trap for characters to navigate. Extra creative users will come up with even more complex and varied setups, we suspect.Even if you're not looking to create levels, The Behemoth has you covered. To start with, users will be able to share and send levels to each other. There's a "Level Lobby" in the game's main menu, where you can download playlists of created levels, see feeds for highest played and Behemoth favorites, and play and rate all of the levels you can find. Levels do need to be downloaded locally to be played, but they're tiny, so bandwidth and storage shouldn't be a problem.We'll have to see how the level sharing system actually works post-launch to see how prominent it becomes (Castle Crashers, of course, suffered from connectivity problems during its release, which made playing multiplayer tougher than it should have been). But The Behemoth has created a powerful editor here, and it'll be fascinating, as with most user-generated content systems, to see what players can do with it.
Battleblock Theater level editor lets you set up the blocks for battle
It's PAX once again, so it's time for more news on Battleblock Theater, the Behemoth game that, for the time being, only exists at the expo. The latest on the party combat game is the level editor, which allows users to design, upload, and download new levels using the same "super easy" tools The Behemoth uses to make the story and arena levels.Battleblock is on display at the show, so we look forward to hearing about the one guy who holds up the line to finish his intricate dungeon design.
You must watch Jon Mak build this super hot Sound Shapes jam
Could you refer to Jon Mak's on-the-fly Sound Shapes level as a "club banger?" Why yes, yes you could. We'd even go so far as to say you should refer to it that way, but you may just call it "that really impressive thing that convinced me to buy Sound Shapes."
Daily iPad App: Dynamite Jack is a welcome arrival on the iPad
Phil Hassey's great Dynamite Jack game arrived on Steam and the Mac App Store a little while ago, but Phil told us back at GDC this year that he's been planning an iOS release. This week, that finally happened, and Dynamite Jack is now available on the iPad. The game's a 2D stealth affair, where you guide Jack through a series of caverns, trying to dodge guards, cave trolls, lasers, and spiders to collect chips and make it to the exit alive. Hassey's done an impressive job porting the game over here. The virtual controls work just fine and a new line-drawing mode lets you trace a line on the screen to guide Jack's route. At first, I stuck with the virtual controls, but I think for the tougher stealth levels, I actually prefer drawing lines. Impressively, the iOS app includes all of the community-created maps, and a built-in map editor lets you create your own levels. Custom levels come with their own leaderboards. There's a crazy amount of replayability on this one, to be sure. Dynamite Jack is US$2.99 on the App Store, and I think this is the best version of the game released yet. If you've made the mistake of not playing this game yet, now's your chance. This is the version you want.
This is how you'll edit Portal 2 levels
Portal 2's level-editing DLC, the Perpetual Testing Initiative, will push the boundaries of physics and patience on May 8 for PC and Mac, and the above video shows us exactly how. It appears prolific level creator TopHATTwaffle originally uploaded the video but took it down at Valve's request, and it has since been uploaded by another, less remorseful Internet denizen.The walkthrough shows a blank map as it switches between edit and playthrough modes, and the ease of creating unique, new Portal 2 levels. The only thing we think it's missing is the vocal stylings of J.K. Simmons, but we'll just content ourselves with drinking whisky and yelling at the screen every now and then.
Trials Evolution track ranking bug resolved
An error in Trials Evolution's user-generated track ranking algorithm has been fixed, according to Eurogamer. The error, which resulted in newly created high-ranking tracks being promoted at the expense of older, equally awesome tracks has been corrected by making lifetime user ratings part of the calculation. This means that, old or new, the best user-created content should float to the top.We tried our hand at creating a Trials Evolution course, once. The idea was that the player would ride a motorcycle down an infinite ramp, gaining speed as they did so until they went so fast that they traveled back in time to the very creation of the universe, where they would instantly asphyxiate in the unforgiving void of space. Sadly, no one on staff had the time, patience or motivation to actually make any of that stuff happen, so what we ended up with was the Trials Evolution equivalent of a macaroni doodle.
Wii U getting Toki Tori 2 digitally, says Two Tribes
You may not have played Toki Tori on the Nintendo Wii when it helped launch the WiiWare digital distribution service back in 2008, but Two Tribes is hoping you'll give its sequel a shot when it arrives on Wii U. The studio announced intentions to bring the sequel to Nintendo's next console in a blog post this morning, citing the recent information dump on the Wii U's internet connectivity as its reason for signing on -- Two Tribes is dedicated to releasing Toki Tori 2 digitally, it would seem!"The 3DS eShop has been a big step in the right direction compared to the Wii and DSi online shops, and it would be strange if they did not at least match it's functionality on Wii U. Since Toki Tori 2 is designed to be a downloadable title, these things are vital to making the correct choice of which platforms to develop for," the post reads. And though Two Tribes has ideas for how best to use the WiiPad beyond its bevy of buttons and triggers, the concept sounds very early in the production stages (if even there).The company does promise to offer a WiiPad-only option for playing the game, should you be simply unable to stop playing during sojourns to the water closet. It also outlined hopes for a level editor. All of this is of course highly nebulous considering that the Wii U has yet to receive even a release date, so don't go getting your hopes too high just yet.
How Godzilab created levels for iBlast Moki 2
I really loved iBlast Moki 2, and I feel like since it hit the App Store, the app hasn't quite gotten the recognition it's deserved. If you enjoy a good puzzle game, this one has you covered -- it's a really complex and interesting title that's wrapped up in a cute and easy-to-understand skin. On the latest company blog, Godzilab walks through the level creation process for the game, showing how they arrived at the best way of putting together levels for these cute little Moki creatures to wander through. The first three months of the game's development were apparently all spent on just the level editor. There was one included with the first title, but it was only used for user-created content, not to build the standard game. But for the sequel, the editor was of paramount importance, and the hard work that went into putting it together paid off big time. Godzilab also talks about some of the user-created content they've seen for the second game, which I agree has been very impressive -- some of the levels people have made, all accessible in the title, are pretty mind-blowing. iBlast Moki 2 is a really amazing title -- if you haven't checked it out yet, don't miss it.
Super Meat Boy level editor video tutorial will teach you a thing or two
Though you might expect the Super Meat Boy level editor to be a complete breeze -- put some blocks there, fifty saws there, and done! -- it's actually a pretty intricate authoring tool. Check out the six videos after the jump for an hour-long tutorial on how to make your very own deathtraps.
Super Meat Boy level editor released, 'FINALLY'
"We always wanted to release a basic level editor" for Super Meat Boy, Team Meat's Edmund McMillen writes in an emailed announcement, "but the idea started to balloon when we decided to buy servers and program a fully automated level portal (Super Meat World) to support these levels as a bonus chapter for the PC version." Needless to say, it's taken a while for the two-man team to complete the free add-on. But ... The level editor is "FINALLY out on Steam!" McMillen rejoiced. Technically, the editor is in beta release -- "and probably will be for a very long time," McMillen notes in a blog post -- so users may encounter "minor issues." Still, with the exception of boss battles and warp zones, the editor can be used to create "anything you see in game," and even package such torturous levels into a complete chapter of pain. "So think of this as a thank you to all the awesome fans who sent us cool shit, nice emails and created amazing levels with devmode," the ever-irreverent McMillen concludes in his post, "if you bitched us out because the free level editor was delayed, you should probably not update your game and burn in hell." McMillen added in his email that Super Meat World would be updated next week to add a few "missing" features and fix some bugs with the editor. "After that we will be closing the book on the PC version, porting SMB to Mac and swiftly moving on to game #2."
New 'Humble Frozenbyte Bundle' bonuses unlocked
Through the power of your awesome taste in games, Frozenbyte's "Humble Bundle" has raised more than $700,000 (the average pay-want-you-want purchase price is currently a few cents under $5). As a result of this feat, the studio has released an early, playable demo of its forthcoming game, Splot. The full game will be arriving in "the next 2–3 months" and is already included as a "pre-order bonus" for purchasers of the bundle. Moreover, Frozenbyte has added the Trine level editor to the set, as well as the source codes for Shadowgrounds and Shadowgrounds: Survivor. If you've yet to get in on the bundle, you've still got another four-ish days left to grab it. We hear it's just the right size for an Easter basket.
New Super Meat Boy hub world, level editor and portal coming next month
While we already knew a level editor was on the way for the PC version of Super Meat Boy, news that it will also add an online portal for the custom levels is, um, news! Additionally, both the PC and Xbox Live Arcade versions will soon be updated with a new hub-world chapter, which will be home to new levels uploaded by Team Meat. All the new content is expected to be released mid-January, according to the developer. The PC-only online portal will catalog all user-created maps (created with the level editor, of course) and allow players to rate them and sort them based on a variety of criteria, says Team Meat. As for the new hub-world chapter, dubbed "Super Meat World," it will unlock as a destination prior to the first chapter (The Forest) on the chapter select screen once the player has collected 20 bandages. "Super Meat World" will behave a bit differently on each platform. On both XBLA and PC, this world will become the default destination for all new levels uploaded to the game by Team Meat (but not "Teh Internets" world, which will continue to reside in its own spot and even get some additional level love via this impending update) and will gain levels designed specifically for some of the hidden characters in the game. Also, Team Meat says that while a level editor won't be gracing XBLA, it will upload "all compatible user made level packs that we deem 'awesome'" to the XBLA's "Teh Internets" world. On the PC, "Super Meat World" gets an additional exclusive feature: an "Enter the Unknown" area which will feature a dynamic playlist of random, highly-ranked, custom maps made by the community each time you play. Players will need only to choose a level of difficulty at the outset on PC, then they'll be thrust into multiple levels that meet both the rating prerequisite and toughness level chosen.
Watch a Max Adventure level get created in three minutes
The good folks at Imangi Studios (husband-and-wife team Natalia and Keith) are hard at work on their latest iPhone game Max Adventure, and they've been sharing updates from the trials and tribulations of making a big iPhone game via their twitter accounts. Among those updates today was this little gem above -- Keith Shepherd hammering out a Max Adventure level over a time-lapse video. It's pretty cool to see, not only for how he builds the level block-by-block, but to see what changes as he goes along versus what apparently was the original plan. The whole time lapse plays out from a four hour period of real time, and considering how big the game will eventually be, this is probably a drop in the bucket. Shepherd also says the level editor is one that Imangi actually built for themselves, alongside Max Adventure (though presumably they'd be able to use it for other apps as well). Fun little behind-the-scenes of an iPhone game on this Saturday afternoon.
Joe Danger level editor caught on video
Hello Games' Joe Danger is nearing its PSN release. Just in case you had forgotten about the charming platform-racer, a few videos have sprung up on YouTube, showing the game's extensive level editor in action. For PS3 owners, the interface will draw up instant comparisons to LittleBigPlanet, with objects selected from a Toolbox and placed on one of the game's three layers. In this video (placed after the break), we see a devious creator placing some rather dastardly death traps for poor ol' Joe. You will see him get killed by running into spikes, exploded by some bombs, bounced into spikes, and backflipping off a conveyor belt of doom. Thankfully for Joe, though, there's a happy ending to this trial of misery. [Via IndieGames.com]%Gallery-74382%
