(http://i921.photobucket.com/albums/ad51/The_Con-Sept/OL42.png)
Above: First leaked image for forum users of its current progress.
Alright so I am going to be updating this post with my own level that I am going to create from scratch in blender.
Hopefully this will help others to find that it is not really that hard to do.
But the way I am going about making this level is using a paper mache-like method.
A lot of people like using cubes to create levels and rooms much faster. but I am not going to be making a level with a bunch of rooms. This is going to be outdoors. My first level is going to be completely made up in my mind. I am just doing this to get a better feel for the editor. So here goes nothing... quite literally.
As I said I am using a paper mache method. Which means I will be using a lot of subdividing on a single object in blender. What I am going to accomplish first is just making several different elevated areas. That way I can build around it. Or add to it later. But first is laying out the foundation.
(Ace, is there any where on this site that I can upload this blender file as I create it? Or do I need to use a third party upload site to allow others to view my progress in blender?)
Alright... so I can't use the grid object the way I want to so I have to use A GOD DAMN CUBE. UGH.
anyway I subdivided one of its faces and made it so I can sort of create several different buildings... or in this case SQUARES, extrude up as high as I want to. but I want to create a much better testing environment, and have people understand how these values are appropriated. So... I need to create some base values and quickly go inside to test them. I am going to set different squares at different heights until I find a preset number I like. One that represents how high I need to make a wall look about 6 feet. Or enough to represent the side of a house. How high I need to make it so curbs look like curbs, or a curb you can grind on. And so on and so forth. of course I am doing this without collision brushes. it just might not work out in testing the way it should.
Alright in using this editor I can quickly figure out how I should be making levels. because right now, as I am subdividing new squares to set up a basis as to how wide a sidewalk, or street should be, it is adding grind-able lines as I do so. making it difficult to edit this stuff out and such. but I am sure I can iron this out later, or in general just build the level in gray scale first, and then start assigning shit to the objects. Either way I am now creating a test to see how big I need to make certain objects in this world. And I am going to try my best to scale them in a way of which I can quickly identify which square is the correct size. I will also be making a sort of hand rail. or at least something that represents a hand rail IN BLOCKY FORM. The blocky lego goodness!
and the first test? OMG I made a microscopic level!
I have to REDO EVERYTHING!
Alright the spoiler is the venture of something you might as well skip. In the end I messed up everything and didn't even have the correct scale. So.
Follow these steps at the very beginning. This is crucial for creating a new level.
As soon as blender loads up you need to set the scale. And to do this properly make sure your grid lines are visible.
Delete the first cube you have in front of you, and click on the eye ball icons for the camera and the lamp. They aren't needed right now.
You need to set the scale of the grid lines at 20.
In the main window, off and to the top right you should see a little + sign in black. Click it. It should bring up a whole new set of options. One of them should say "Display." In this menu you should see "Grid Floor."
Make sure it is on. You can toggle it off so you can see the difference in the main window. but make sure it is on.
Under Grid Floor you need to set the scale to 20.
Now remember that 4 of these grid floor squares are now set at the correct scale so that 4 of them put together is wide enough for a sidewalk.
And that if you fill up a 4 X 4 X 6 cube it is large enough to box in a human at average height. So now that you have a really good basis of scale, now you need to make the lines stretch out more. 100 lines.
When you make a new cube... you gotta make it to proper scale. At least the way I do it is by making sure the geo location is correct and the scale is tweaked just right.
I got to do this some more tomorrow. making my first actual level? I want to make a New mexico level. A PROPER Albuquerque level. Trust me. I know the skate spots around here. And they are going to be some pretty imaginative ones.