So, I've been learning the new cinematic editor that Blizzard released a while back and I was just trying to figure out where everyone is falling in terms of its use. Clearly, it opens up a huge amount of possibilities, but it's also blindingly frustrating at times. You can create fantastic cinematic sets while using it, but animating large war scenes is incredibly tedious.
For example, you can create an extremely awesome looking jungle scene with fallen trees and pulsating plants in the Cutscene Editor due to the ability to manipulate the way objects are positioned on the XYZ axises, but if you want to then add 50 units and have them all charge while attacking another group of 50 units all firing back then you have to do that on an individual basis as opposed to in the Map Editor where you plop down some units add some triggers and away you go (10 hours of animation work vs 10 minutes). But, the Map Editor doesn't have the XYZ axis manipulating function (as far as I know?) so you can't create the scene to begin with.
Is there any ability to export the terrain created in the Cutscene Editor to be used in the regular Map Editor?
Seems like a balance is needed between the two that isn't quite there at the moment. Either that or I need to learnz more :P
You can't import the Cutscene editor scene since technically the units and everything made by it don't actually exist when you run it in-game. You're right that making 50 units do a bunch of different stuff would be tedious as you would have to individually set up the movement and animations.
You could try using the Change Unit Height and the Move Unit Instantly triggers to modify units in the XYZ axis.
Well technically you could do both at the same time. Might be difficult to arrange the troops around your cinematic items but not impossible. I would recommend the trigger editor for bigger scenes like that or maybe using them in conjunction. And your wrong there is in fact a way to edit the models on all XYZ axis. Using explicit rotation you can flip them any way you like though its quite a bit more of a pain.
I would recommend the trigger editor for bigger scenes like that or maybe using them in conjunction.
Yeah, I think each is ultimately going to fulfill a different purpose. Though it would be nice to have a slightly more fluid integration between the two.
The cutscene editor is a love hate relationship. Because its really powerful (set up like an actual map editor) with the ability to move things around like you said. Creating precise pathing is really nice as well. And you also get to see most of what is going on without having to startup the game. But yes, scenes can get really complex, quick.
Here is what I have been able to do with ONLY the cutscene editor: (with all the actual editing done in Premiere)
And a timelapse with commentary while making the episode:
In the end, I do think that it is worth it. The only issue I'm really having is that some units wont go along their walk path, even with the walk animation selected properly and some gripes with the camera tools. Your best bet is to do a mix between stuff in the cutscene editor and your NLE.
And your gripes are warranted. Never have I worked with such a stupidly designed level editor. >.>
So, I've been learning the new cinematic editor that Blizzard released a while back and I was just trying to figure out where everyone is falling in terms of its use. Clearly, it opens up a huge amount of possibilities, but it's also blindingly frustrating at times. You can create fantastic cinematic sets while using it, but animating large war scenes is incredibly tedious.
For example, you can create an extremely awesome looking jungle scene with fallen trees and pulsating plants in the Cutscene Editor due to the ability to manipulate the way objects are positioned on the XYZ axises, but if you want to then add 50 units and have them all charge while attacking another group of 50 units all firing back then you have to do that on an individual basis as opposed to in the Map Editor where you plop down some units add some triggers and away you go (10 hours of animation work vs 10 minutes). But, the Map Editor doesn't have the XYZ axis manipulating function (as far as I know?) so you can't create the scene to begin with.
Is there any ability to export the terrain created in the Cutscene Editor to be used in the regular Map Editor?
Seems like a balance is needed between the two that isn't quite there at the moment. Either that or I need to learnz more :P
You can't import the Cutscene editor scene since technically the units and everything made by it don't actually exist when you run it in-game. You're right that making 50 units do a bunch of different stuff would be tedious as you would have to individually set up the movement and animations.
You could try using the Change Unit Height and the Move Unit Instantly triggers to modify units in the XYZ axis.
@DavidCraftMachinima: Go
Well technically you could do both at the same time. Might be difficult to arrange the troops around your cinematic items but not impossible. I would recommend the trigger editor for bigger scenes like that or maybe using them in conjunction. And your wrong there is in fact a way to edit the models on all XYZ axis. Using explicit rotation you can flip them any way you like though its quite a bit more of a pain.
Yeah, I think each is ultimately going to fulfill a different purpose. Though it would be nice to have a slightly more fluid integration between the two.
The cutscene editor is a love hate relationship. Because its really powerful (set up like an actual map editor) with the ability to move things around like you said. Creating precise pathing is really nice as well. And you also get to see most of what is going on without having to startup the game. But yes, scenes can get really complex, quick.
Here is what I have been able to do with ONLY the cutscene editor: (with all the actual editing done in Premiere)
And a timelapse with commentary while making the episode:
In the end, I do think that it is worth it. The only issue I'm really having is that some units wont go along their walk path, even with the walk animation selected properly and some gripes with the camera tools. Your best bet is to do a mix between stuff in the cutscene editor and your NLE.
And your gripes are warranted. Never have I worked with such a stupidly designed level editor. >.>