Tiled is a specialized tool for creating maps that offers the possibility of exporting these maps to various formats, including JSON, for later use in video games. This versatile 2D map editing tool is an intuitive and robust editor that can be used for any type of 2D game. It supports orthogonal and isometric maps and has support for objects with pixel-level accuracy, which means your map doesn’t have to rely solely on tiles. Tiled also allows you to copy and paste map fragments efficiently, which is ideal for repetitive parts, and features undo and redo functions.
An example of this is Unity, which has the ability to integrate Tiled-created maps into your 2D games and can also be easily adapted for use in 3D environments.
What sets Tiled apart is its targeted and simplified approach to map creation. This tool can be used to digitize your hand-drawn map designs, even if you don’t intend to incorporate them directly into your game. This makes it an ideal tool for level prototyping. If you have a stylus or graphics tablet, the process of drawing maps can be even easier than drawing with pen and paper, and the results can be superior.
Imagen: Tiled Editor
A standout feature of this map editor is its unique focus on map editing. By having a limited set of options, you avoid the distractions that can arise with the numerous options available in conventional game engine editors.
Tiled supports a wide range of export formats. Some of the formats it supports are:
In addition to these, Tiled offers the option to export maps as images. Tiled can also be extended to support additional file formats by using JavaScript, Python, or C++. This allows for the addition of custom export formats via tiled.registerMapFormat or tiled.registerTilesetFormat.
This is a unique hybrid 3D modeling and level design tool, optimized to build simple geometry but capable of detailed editing and UV unpacking. ProBuilder allows users to quickly create 3D models in the Unity Editor. ProBuilder has a set of tools that will be familiar to 3D artists, such as extruding, inserting, removing faces, and much more.
ProBuilder is a unique hybrid tool that combines 3D modeling and level design functionalities. It is optimized to build simple geometry, but is also capable of detailed edits and UV unpacking.
One of the main advantages of ProBuilder is its ability to allow users to create 3D models directly in the Unity Editor. This means that users can work in a familiar and comfortable environment, which can increase efficiency and productivity.
ProBuilder comes with a set of tools that will be familiar to 3D artists. These include the ability to extrude, insert, and remove faces, among other functions. These tools are essential for 3D modelling and can help users create detailed and accurate models.
In addition, ProBuilder also offers advanced features such as complex geometry creation and mesh editing. These features allow users to create more detailed and realistic models.
World Machine is a cross-platform terrain editing tool that gives game developers and 3D artists the ability to create detailed and realistic landscapes for a variety of game engines, including Unreal Engine and Unity.
One of the distinguishing features of World Machine is its node-based graphical editor. This approach allows users to generate landscapes by connecting different nodes in a visual workflow. Each node represents a different operation or effect that can be applied to the landscape, such as elevation, erosion, perlin noise, and more. By connecting these nodes in different configurations, users can create a wide variety of landscapes with a high level of control and precision.
In addition, World Machine offers a number of advanced tools and features that allow users to further refine their landscapes. For example, users can adjust landscape scale and resolution, apply textures and materials, and export their landscapes in a variety of formats supported by different game engines.
Unity is a real-time development platform that offers great flexibility and power for creating games and interactive experiences. It is globally recognized as one of the most widely used game engines, enabling the creation of 3D, 2D, virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) experiences on a wide variety of platforms. Unity makes it easy for artists, designers, and developers to collaborate to bring stunning immersive and interactive experiences to life.
As for Unity’s Terrain Editor, it’s a tool that gives users the ability to design and customize detailed and realistic landscapes. This editor allows you to generate and sculpt realistic terrain environments, such as mountains, bodies of water, grassy hills, or a flat desert. Some highlights of its operation are:
Image: Creating a map with Unity
Along with Unity, Unreal Engine is the other most famous game engine. It also has its own terrain editor, being an effective tool that facilitates the creation and customization of terrains for video games. The steps to follow allow you to establish a basic knowledge:
There are several online tutorials that can help you deepen your use of the tool. A tutorial to get started is presented in the following video:
Cocos2d-x is an open-source, 2D game development platform that allows game creators to design for multiple platforms. This framework, built in C++, is known for its performance and adaptability, making it a frequent choice for mobile game development.
Cocos2d-x has the ability to work on a number of operating systems, including iOS, Android, Windows, MacOS, Linux, and others. This allows developers to code once and deploy to any supported platform, thus optimizing time and resources.
In addition to its cross-platform capability, Cocos2d-x also provides a range of features that simplify game development. These include support for 2D sprites, particles, skeleton animations, and 2D box physics. It also offers an API for managing touch and mouse input, as well as accelerometer and keyboard support.
An added benefit of Cocos2d-x is its active community. Developers have access to a wide variety of online resources, such as tutorials, documentation, and discussion forums, which can be very useful for troubleshooting and learning new techniques.
Image: https://www.cocos.com/en/cocos2d-x
That’s why Cocos2d-x is a robust and flexible framework for 2D game development. Its cross-platform capability, along with its extensive feature set and active community, make it an excellent choice for game developers.
Cocos has evolved from 2D to 3D and it is now possible to apply it in different areas:
Cocos has a global community of 1.7 million registered developers, spanning more than 203 countries and regions and reaching more than 2 billion players.
Cocos2d-x and Cocos Creator are two video game development platforms that belong to the same family, but have notable differences:
Although Cocos Creator originated from Cocos2d-JS and its APIs have the same origin, their APIs are different and are not compatible with each other.
This is an easy-to-use online platform for creating 2D maps. It allows you to generate the support maps that can be created in a video game.
The platform provides a variety of features and tools that allow users to design and customize their maps with a high level of detail. From creating extensive continents to crafting intricate details of cities and diverse natural landscapes, etc.
One of the most notable features of Inkarnate is its intuitive node-based user interface. Users can select from a variety of textures and objects to add to their maps, and then simply click and drag to design their world. This makes the map-making process accessible even to those with no prior experience in graphic design or cartography.
In addition, Inkarnate offers a free version that allows users to explore and familiarize themselves with the basic functionalities of the platform, having limitations in terms of the use of tools, but it is enough to create the first maps. For those looking for more features and functionality, Inkarnate also offers a paid Pro version.
Image: Inkarnate
This is a free web application that allows you to create and edit fantasy maps. The use is simple and allows you to generate a map in a few simple steps:
Discovery: Press the “New Map” button to generate a random map. Go to the Style settings (press Tab) and choose the layer preset you prefer. Expand and discover the world generated.
Settings: Go to Options, modify the default settings, such as the map template and the number of states, and create a new map that better suits your requirements.
Customization: Go to the Tools tab, choose one of the available editors, and modify the map to your liking.
Targeted Generation: Go to the Tools tab, then tap on Height Map and select a Clear mode. Tap on Template Editor and create your own height map template. Apply the template to see the result.
Conversion: If you already have a map image and want to recreate it in the generator, open the image converter (the button next to the template editor), upload the image, and adjust the conversion to a height map. Then, edit the map using the Tools provided.
Drawing: Use the Brushes to draw a map from scratch. This can be quite time-consuming, so I would suggest you follow the directed generation approach to get a basic ground mass and then use the brushes for more precise adjustment.
Image: Azgaar’s Fantasy Map Generator