Map editor universe

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What Is It?

The Map Editor allows you to create new sector maps, and to edit them. The Map editor allows for virtually every aspect of a map to be changed. All game sectors are based on a Cartesian Coordinate map system, with X,Y Coordinate references unique for each square.

How Does It Work?

When you first enter the Editor universe, you will find yourself docked on Terra. You can launch to space, and immediately to the right of Terra is a special building, the "Authors Hideout". If you fly to this tile, and read the building menu (click the name of the building in the lower left panel), you will be presented with a screen where you can click on a button to start editing a sector which has a default name of your character. Once you create a sector, it's name will show up in this list in order for you to quickly return to it. When you are in editor mode, you can return to Terra by clicking on the red (Editing) link next to your name at any time. When you are not in editor mode, you can return to Terra by clicking on the red (HELP) link next to your name at any time.


Technical Details

The map editor has three main display groups in the middle panel of the screen. Where the game universe displays a map, the editor universe displays:

  • The Tile Editor (top)
  • The Object Editor (next, context sensitive)
  • The Map


  • The Tile Editor is hidden when there is no tile at your current location.
  • You can create a Map_Tile by clicking the "Create Tile" link to the right of the editor menu when it says "no tile present ->", or groups of tiles on and around the position your ship is in.
    • The initial situation is that you are placed into an empty sector with no tiles present immediately upon entering a new map from the Authors Hideout.
    • Only a single Map tile may exist at a single location.
    • Tile types have associated resources and movement cost data which is linked to them. See Map_Tile for more details.


  • The Tile Editor becomes available any time your ship is at coordinates where there is a tile present.
    • To Change the image of the tile, click on the appropriate picture from the editor menu.
    • To Change the tile type, click on the name of the resource for the desired map tile type in the editor menu.
      • When creating or changing tiles from one type to another, the image of the tile is automatically randomized among all of the available images for that tile type.
    • To change the view depth, click on the desired number.
      • "View Depth" is the maximum range that ships not on the tile will be able to see the contents of this tile, and also the maximum range that ships on this tile will be able to see the contents of other tiles.
      • A view depth of zero set the range to unlimited.
    • Clicking on the "Expand Perimiter" link will cause the eight tiles immediately surrounding your present location to be created with a default type of Nebula. If the tile already is nebula, it will be changed to an inward perimeter of a consistent set of corners.


  • The Object Editor has a context sensitive menu.
    • Objects can be created, attributes edited, or removed by clicking on their respective link in the "Create New:" menu.
    • Objects consist of: Jump Gates, NPCs, Planets, Stars, and Special
    • When creating an NPC object, there is a second menu selection to place one unit of that specific NPC type.
      • Created NPCs have context sensitive editable menus that allow you to:
        • Delete them individually
        • Change their Ambush behavior. Not all NPCs are capable of ambushing, but the default setting of zero here prevents that possibility.
        • Change their Blocking behavior. A Block value of zero prevents an NPC from blocking player passage, while a value of one prevents player passage.
    • When creating a Jump Gate, Planet or Star, they are created immediately, and provide a unique context menu to change the attributes, such as the star type, planet type, name, or connected jump gates, where appropriate.
      • Jump Gate menus provide a list of allowable gate destinations, and current destinations, with pick-lists, and add-remove buttons to change the gate destinations.

The Map editor has a number of unique characteristics which make it very different then the main universe. There is no AP regeneration, but no AP cost for any actions. No combat of any type is possible on the Editor universe, and no special events or tile resource regeneration can occur.

How do I get there?

In order to gain access to the Map Editor Universe, you can unlock the feature to create a character in the Editor universe by purchasing the "Map Editor Universe Access" item from the in-game "Use Points" menu of the main universe. The current cost of this feature is 50 Fleet Points.

Once you have unlocked access to the Editor Universe, you will be able to see a "Join" option on the Fleet Account page to create a character in the Editor Universe. You can then proceed to create your new editor character, and on the editor screen you can then click on the relevant "Play" button in the list of characters that you have available.

What's the Purpose of it all?

Periodically as the game expands and there is a demand for new clusters and sectors, the developer of the game may select player created maps from the Editor universe to be added to the main game universe. The preferred selection criteria for maps is displayed on the welcome message of the "Authors Hideout" building in the Editor Universe in the starting sector, Terra.

Your maps may be selected by the developer for addition to the game. In this case, you may be given free Fleet Points as a reward.

It's also a good sandbox for finding out how some of the fundamentals of the game work, which planets consume Booze and learn some of the stats of NPCs.