DAmnable but Necessary Arx Editor (DANAE)

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Danae.png
Danae Windows.jpg

The released Arx Fatalis source code includes the Game's custom level editor, titled DAmnable but Necessary Arx Editor - or DANAE, which is also the name used for the game's main source file name and central functions, matching the mythological Greek theme of the other subsystem names. DANAE isn't really a separate tool but a special build of the game engine with editor controls.

DANAE only runs under Windows and is not part of the Arx Libertatis sources, but we hope to create our own cross-platform editor at some point.

The engine and editor can load .teo object meshes, .tea animations and .scn scene meshes which were created with the THEO Game Maker tool as well as several other types of files. Object and scene meshes are and converted into baked .ftl and .fts files respectively, which are what is shipped with the game.

DANAE is featured in the making of Arx Fatalis documentary (original, youtube) included in some releases of the game.

See https://dimoks86.narod.ru/index/danae/0-11 for a detailed description of the editor's capabilities.

Screenshots

These screenshots are from Dimoks' DANAE build and not from the original development of the game.

DANAE.jpg

DANAE lauch.jpg

DANAE Level Selector.jpg

DANAE Player.jpg

DANAE Interactive Objects.jpg

Danae Options.jpg

DANAE Show and Hide Options.jpg

DANAE Portals0 Normal.jpg

DANAE Portals1 Without Objects.jpg

DANAE Portals1 With Objects.jpg

DANAE Portals2 Without Objects.jpg

DANAE Portals2 With Objects.jpg

DANAE Portals3 Without Objects.jpg

DANAE Portals3 With Objects.jpg

DANAE Node.jpg

DANAE Fog generator.jpg

DANAE Light.jpg

DANAE Light Precalc Progress.jpg

DANAE Path.jpg

DANAE Control Zone.jpg

DANAE Script Editor.jpg

DANAE Script Debugger.jpg

Running the original editor

A few people have expressed the wish to try the original editor. The following sections explains how to build & run it using vanilla Arx Fatalis source. A build of DANAE is also provided by Dimoks as well as some instructions (in Russian):

Build

  • To build DANAE yourself, grab & extract the original source from http://www.arkane-studios.com/uk/arx_downloads.php
    D:\ArxFatalis_1.21_Sources\
  • Open D:\ArxFatalis_1.21_Sources\Sources\Gaia.sln
  • Change Danae.cpp line 427 to initialize FINAL_COMMERCIAL_GAME to 0
  • Comment line 106 of HERMES_PAK.cpp to
    mode = LOAD_TRUEFILE_THEN_PACK;
  • Change line 2057 of DanaeDlg.cpp to
    SetClick(hWnd, IDC_NOCHECKSUM);
  • Change line 1354 of Danae.cpp to
    if (true)
  • Grab unicows.dll & ARX_SCRIPT_DEBUGGER.dll from the original game installation and copy them under
    D:\ArxFatalis_1.21_Sources\game\

Run

  • First, you need to unpack all the assets. Use arxunpack from Arx Libertatis
    arxunpak <pakfile> [<pakfile>...]
  • Run
    D:\ArxFatalis_1.21_Sources\game\arx.exe
  • Specify your data directory by clicking "Choose Dir"
    • This folder must contains your pak files, a misc/ folder with the .ttf fonts, and all the subdirectories with the extracted assets (EDITOR, GAME, LOCALISATION, etc.)
  • Select a Level on the right
  • Make sure "NO CHECKSUM" is enabled, otherwise you'll get a crash at startup
  • Click "OK" at the bottom (NOT "Launch Game"!)

UI

ToolbarButton1.jpg Does nothing

ToolbarButton2.jpg Does nothing

ToolbarButton3.jpg Launch Fullscreen

ToolbarButton4.jpg Show Options

ToolbarButton5.jpg Pause scripts

ToolbarButton6.jpg Does nothing

ToolbarButton7.jpg Toggle Edit Mode

ToolbarButton8.jpg Edit Nodes

ToolbarButton9.jpg Edit Lights

ToolbarButton10.jpg Edit Fogs

ToolbarButton11.jpg Edit Zones

ToolbarButton12.jpg Edit Pathways (navmesh)

ToolbarButton13.jpg Edit Particles

ToolbarButton14.jpg Snapshot Tool

ToolbarButton15.jpg Script Search

ToolbarButton16.jpg Script Debugger

See http://dimoks86.narod.ru/index/danae/0-11 for more information.