ShowCase - Mapeditor

[xkrtekx]

Notice: I just want to show my current progress and come up with new ideas with your help.
This project is currently in the pre-alpha stage. The core of the editor is functional, but it still requires integration of additional features, bug fixes, and overall optimization.


The editor works directly with the game’s data, similar to the official client, so no file conversion is required — making map editing significantly faster and more accurate.
It also supports direct loading of .dat, .sma, .map, .obj and other formats, allowing you to work with game data directly inside the editor.


Current features:

• terrain editing,
• object position editing,
• adding and removing objects,
• basic 3D model editing.

Planned features:

• extended .sma editing,
• new GUI menu and a more modern user interface,
• advanced tools for editing and creating 3D models,
• creation and editing of texture atlases,
• many additional features that will take advantage of the C++ editor core.

A short preview of the current version is attached below. :

 

[Hersonrock]

This looks awesomeee

 

[xkrtekx]

I recently had some time to work on this project and managed to fix and add several things. Screenshots are attached below. I would like to release a small demo at the beginning of the new year, but I’m not sure if I’ll be able to finish it in time, as I’m currently very busy.


I fixed object selection, specifically their hitboxes, and improved the selection logic for situations where objects overlap. I also expanded the editability of objects and added a Show Monster function, which reads data from .sma files and visually displays spawn regions. Monsters assigned to those regions are now rendered directly in the editor.


I’m still working on stability and overall usability to make editing as user friendly as possible the editor will definitely undergo many more changes. I also added support for Korean characters so we can see the original names and information from the developers — a small tribute to the Masangsoft team.

 

[xkrtekx]

I’ve made another update and managed to fix and improve several important things.


I fixed the broken water system — the issue was that when the water level was set to 0, the logic ignored it and treated the map as if there was no water at all. This problem has now been resolved.


I also significantly improved memory cache stability and optimized data loading, especially the overall file loading speed. In addition, I added the ability to scale monster 3D models so they are easier to see inside the editor.


During development, I realized that the map editor would require some form of database logic. To avoid wasting time, I started implementing OMI, which contains a lot of important information for the game client and can also be effectively used by the editor. The advantage is that OMI is available to everyone and can easily be copied from the client if needed.
At the moment, OMI is not fully implemented yet — it will require more time.


It’s also noticeable that some monsters don’t have properly assigned textures and that part of the data is loaded from cached texture atlases. I’m not addressing this issue yet and plan to deal with it during the alpha phase.
Likewise, I’ve noticed that some 3D models are incomplete — however, this only affects a very small number of cases. The root cause hasn’t been investigated yet and will be addressed later in development.


Development plan:

• by version 0.9.8, I want to complete the OMI implementation,
• by version 0.9.9, fix remaining cache issues, including overwriting and restoring,
• version 1.0 will mark the transition to the alpha phase, where I’ll gradually fix bugs and implement the remaining editing features,
• the alpha version will also include a major GUI overhaul.

I won’t go into detail about versions 1.0.0.1 to 1.0.0.2 — after roughly 7 months of working on this project, I’ve learned one thing:
every time I add something new, I usually break several other things
Those versions are therefore mainly focused on fixes and stabilization.


I’m planning to release alpha version 1.0.0.3 as a demo — a small preview of what I’ve prepared so far. I’m genuinely giving it my all, but to be honest, I probably won’t make it before Christmas. I originally wanted to release it as a small Christmas gift for all of you, but work and holiday overtime are currently taking most of my time and energy.
Still, I strongly believe the delay won’t be long, and I hope to share the demo with you very soon.


Video link:

 

[xkrtekx]

I am currently working on a demo version of a map editor, which will be released for free. The exact feature set of the demo is still being decided, as a significant amount of time and effort has been invested in this project. However, it is primarily a personal and educational project with no commercial ambitions.


The project has now successfully entered the alpha phase. At this stage, the editor is relatively stable and significantly more user-friendly and performant than previous versions. Nevertheless, this is not a final release, and some features are still incomplete or may contain bugs.

Changes since the last release:​

• removal of a large number of bugs
• performance optimizations (CPU and memory)
• GUI refactoring and improvements (still not final)
• integration of OMI, tiled DAT, and tiled SMA formats
• integration of imGuizmo

Regarding imGuizmo:​

Before I realized that it is open-source, I initially spent time developing my own alternative. This resulted in roughly 30 hours of discarded work, which I consider a valuable learning experience. I am still a beginner, and ChatGPT helped me throughout the entire development process. Over approximately 8 months of development, I learned a great deal. Without modern AI tools, a project of this scope would likely require multiple developers.


The transition to the alpha phase went overall smoothly. During the process, I did break one component, but it was identified and fixed within about 20 minutes.

Planned content for the demo:​

• basic object editing (.dat)
• terrain editing
• tile editor including tile data (still under consideration)

Features excluded from the demo:​

• OMI integration – the parser fully supports reading all data, but it is not yet used, even in the full version
• 3D model editor – technically functional, but lacking a proper user interface and offering only very limited editing capabilities

Skyboxes and clouds are implemented, but are currently disabled in the XOF parser. At this stage, they do not provide much value in the map editor.


In the coming days, I will create a new forum thread where I will share the demo version of the map editor along with additional technical details.

 

[xkrtekx]

#include <iostream>

int main()
{
bool worksOnMyMachine = true;

if (worksOnMyMachine)
{
std::cout << "Another thing done." << std::endl;
std::cout << "Do NOT touch it." << std::endl;
}

return 0;
}[/CODE]

 

[xkrtekx]

 

[xkrtekx]

A3 Pro is Now Available

The new version of A3 Pro is finally here. I’m genuinely happy with how it turned out — this isn’t a limited or “free-style” release, but a fully functional tool capable of handling a wide range of tasks.

For example, you can generate a new minimap in just a few clicks and customize it with ease. The editor also supports text insertion with colors, multi-line formatting, and completely flexible placement.

You now have full control over data within the .sma structure, including editing spawn regions, moving them around, and adjusting spawn counts and timings. In short, the entire configuration is in your hands. The terrain editor is fully unlocked as well, and many other features may already be familiar to you from the previously released demo.

This is still an alpha version, and my work is not completely finished yet. However, I’m already working on further improvements that I’ll be sharing soon. You might encounter a few minor bugs, but they shouldn’t prevent you from using the tool — which is why I decided to make it available now rather than wait.

---

What I’m currently working on for the next update:​

• lighting fixes
• rendering improvements
• integration of the original water / black water textures
• Omi integration
• additional user interface enhancements

---

What’s new in A3?​

Honestly, I can’t even list everything that was fixed — this was a long and demanding update. I completely reworked the renderer (to the point where my brain was buzzing), and essentially rebuilt the core of the editor.

• 13,081 lines of new code were added to enable full data loading, along with new rendering effects.
• Around 2,000 lines of code were rewritten to support future integration with the Omi database.
• I also removed 681 lines of unnecessary code that were either unused or left over from pre-alpha testing.

The good news is that parts of upcoming updates are already included in the codebase, so connecting everything to the GUI should be much less time-consuming going forward.

 

[Zarpas]

Even though i do not have the money to buy it, i gotta say this version is really, really, really great! I have been using the Editor A2 for quite some stuff now and i love it - best editor out there for sure.

 

[WARonline]

Hey bud?1 I'd be more than happy to collab on making this tool better. Hit me up in PM.

 

[xkrtekx]

I would like to address and dispel any concerns that the project might be stagnating. The absence of recent notpublic updates has been due to intensive development on the Elite version, which represents the highest hierarchical tier of the entire tool and is designed for managing complex, next-generation content. I am currently fully focused on version A7.

Key updates and technical milestones:​

UI/UX Customization:
The user interface has been significantly improved. You can now fully customize camera movement behavior in the settings, ensuring the environment adapts to individual workflows as efficiently as possible.

Dynamic Minimap Viewport:
A “live” minimap has been implemented, supporting real-time window scaling.

GLTF Pipeline:
The editor now natively supports GLTF import, with conversion into the .X format. Geometry conversion is fully functional; integration of textures and animations is the main priority for the upcoming A7 release.

3D Model Modification:
Basic in-editor model manipulation is now operational, including scaling, adjusting sub-object positions, and full separation of model components.

Grid System & Snapping:
A helper grid has been added to enable precise and systematic object placement in 3D space.

Asset Browser (Res-OBJ):
Automatic generation and caching of thumbnails have been implemented. Browsing the asset library is now instant and visually organized.

Animation Player:
Support for in-editor animation playback has been added, allowing immediate asset validation without needing to export to the game.

City-to-Code Export:
Minimap generation for urban locations has been optimized, enabling precise export of object coordinates directly into the game’s source code.

---

Texture Management & Next-Gen Architecture​

I am currently working on support for large-scale maps (512×512 and 1024×1024 tiles). The main goal is to avoid inefficient workflows involving dozens of stitched textures or unnecessarily high resolutions that heavily impact VRAM usage.

The plan is to implement a system of localized instanced textures, dynamically streamed based on specific locations. This approach will:

• allow asset sharing across maps,
• significantly reduce client size,
• improve overall performance.

This change is closely tied to the planned migration to DirectX 11, for which the GLTF format serves as a key foundation.

---

Conclusion​

Next week, I will once again dedicate time to further updates and development.

I would like to thank the WarOnline member for their willingness to help; however, I have decided to complete this project independently. I see it as a form of self-study and a personal challenge—developing a fully functional, professional-grade map editor has always been my goal, and this journey is pushing my skills forward in an incredible way.

I am also working on a video showcase. I tend to be highly critical of both myself and the project, so I want to wait until the result is truly impressive before sharing it.

---

Your ideas, feedback, and suggestions are always welcome.
If you have any questions or collaboration proposals, feel free to contact me via Discord or Facebook.

 

[xkrtekx]

Development Updates:

glTF ↔ .X Conversion: Fully functional (including textures and animations). So far everything is working without issues; further intensive testing is ongoing.

Model Editor: Integrated directly into the MapEditor. Supports basic editing features; work on the GUI and specific tools is still in progress.

Particles and Effects: Particle playback has been implemented. I’m currently linking objectinfo and effectinfo for easier user editing of these structures.

Fixes and Improvements: Numerous bugs have been fixed along with overall GUI improvements.

Release Plan: Update A7 will not be released separately. Development is now focused directly on the Beta version, which I estimate (based on the current pace) to arrive in about a month, give or take.

If you need any of your models converted to glTF or to .X, feel free to contact me I’ll be happy to help as part of the testing process!

 

[WARonline]

I am currently working on a demo version of a map editor, which will be released for free. The exact feature set of the demo is still being decided, as a significant amount of time and effort has been invested in this project. However, it is primarily a personal and educational project with no commercial ambitions.


The project has now successfully entered the alpha phase. At this stage, the editor is relatively stable and significantly more user-friendly and performant than previous versions. Nevertheless, this is not a final release, and some features are still incomplete or may contain bugs.

Changes since the last release:​

• removal of a large number of bugs
• performance optimizations (CPU and memory)
• GUI refactoring and improvements (still not final)
• integration of OMI, tiled DAT, and tiled SMA formats
• integration of imGuizmo

Regarding imGuizmo:​

Before I realized that it is open-source, I initially spent time developing my own alternative. This resulted in roughly 30 hours of discarded work, which I consider a valuable learning experience. I am still a beginner, and ChatGPT helped me throughout the entire development process. Over approximately 8 months of development, I learned a great deal. Without modern AI tools, a project of this scope would likely require multiple developers.


The transition to the alpha phase went overall smoothly. During the process, I did break one component, but it was identified and fixed within about 20 minutes.

Planned content for the demo:​

• basic object editing (.dat)
• terrain editing
• tile editor including tile data (still under consideration)

Features excluded from the demo:​

• OMI integration – the parser fully supports reading all data, but it is not yet used, even in the full version
• 3D model editor – technically functional, but lacking a proper user interface and offering only very limited editing capabilities

Skyboxes and clouds are implemented, but are currently disabled in the XOF parser. At this stage, they do not provide much value in the map editor.


In the coming days, I will create a new forum thread where I will share the demo version of the map editor along with additional technical details.View attachment 294188

Looking forward in seeing your work. I am prolly interested in how you will tackle the map sizing.

war0nline is currently working on making the whole experience a whole lot different than it is right now. I will give you a hint: Open World. Imagine all the maps, elevated of course, based on their linked structure (i'm speaking of the transition of landscaping and visuals between the maps) and may wonder what we doing with the warps. well.... guess what. we create 'the warps' smaller, nicer without "stainless steel" structure but just effects, turn them into a skill with 30-12s activation cooldown whereas can be used to "warp" further away (instead of the overboost shitty skill).

Who's particularly interested in this, can dm me.

 

[DVC]

Can you convert map to 3d file(stl, obj,...)?

 

[xkrtekx]

Can you convert map to 3d file(stl, obj,...)?

I also plan to include this output in the future so I can convert terrain height and import it into another external program.

 

[xkrtekx]

Can you convert map to 3d file(stl, obj,...)?

Like this ?

 

[DVC]

Like this ? View attachment 302181

Yeah. So i can print into 3d models

 

[WARonline]

Like this ? View attachment 302181

Hey mate,


First of all, impressive work. I've been following your editor project with great interest.

I am currently working on WARonline, a heavily customized EP46-based project, and one of our long-term goals is to modernize the entire world structure and eventually migrate toward a more modern engine architecture.

I was wondering whether your tools are capable of exporting the terrain, objects, heightmaps, textures, and map data into formats that can be imported into Unity (FBX, OBJ, RAW heightmaps, prefabs, scenes, etc.).

Ideally, I would like to export all existing maps and preserve as much information as possible, including:

• Terrain and heightmaps
• Static objects and structures
• Textures and materials
• Spawn regions (.sma)
• Water areas
• Event zones and special map data

The goal would be to eventually merge many of the existing maps into a much larger open-world environment while preserving the original Ace Online / WARonline atmosphere.
Is this something your editor can currently do, or is it something you are planning to support in the future?
Thanks for your time, and congratulations on the project.

Unity primarily uses .raw (RAW grayscale) files for importing and exporting terrain heightmaps, but its actual world map files are handled through .asset and scene data files. Building massive open-world games typically relies on multiple specific file formats

As soon as I am done with it, i will share my work with you

 

[xkrtekx]

Hey mate,


First of all, impressive work. I've been following your editor project with great interest.

I am currently working on WARonline, a heavily customized EP46-based project, and one of our long-term goals is to modernize the entire world structure and eventually migrate toward a more modern engine architecture.

I was wondering whether your tools are capable of exporting the terrain, objects, heightmaps, textures, and map data into formats that can be imported into Unity (FBX, OBJ, RAW heightmaps, prefabs, scenes, etc.).

Ideally, I would like to export all existing maps and preserve as much information as possible, including:

• Terrain and heightmaps
• Static objects and structures
• Textures and materials
• Spawn regions (.sma)
• Water areas
• Event zones and special map data

The goal would be to eventually merge many of the existing maps into a much larger open-world environment while preserving the original Ace Online / WARonline atmosphere.
Is this something your editor can currently do, or is it something you are planning to support in the future?
Thanks for your time, and congratulations on the project.

As soon as I am done with it, i will share my work with you

so far only terrain height and texture .



The export is in gltf format, which can be easily converted


i can make adjustments if necessary....

 

[mjan1995]

i can open file .dat in 3ds max