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NL2SCO Editor
Introduction
The NL2SCO Editor is used to create NL2SCO (NoLimits 2 Scene Object) files. Those files are special scene object definition files that will extend existing 3d model files by the following features:
- Assign preview and descriptions
- Replace materials from the 3d model file by NL2MAT files for advanced effects
- Add lights and effects
- Restrict editing operations
- Prepare as Auto-Plant object
- Add scripts to each instance
- Add level of details from multiple 3d model files
- ...
The NL2SCO file contains links to other files including the 3d model file. What you always need in order to create an NL2SCO file is a 3d model file (either .3ds or .lwo).
Main Buttons
New...
Select a file path and file name for a new NL2SCO file.
Open...
Open an existing NL2SCO file.
Save
Save the current setting to the NL2SCO selected by New... or Open....
Save As...
Save the current setting to another NL2SCO file and will use this file path from now on for upcoming Save commands.
Close
Close the currently opened file.
General Tab
- Path [not an input] - This text box displays the directory path to the .nl2sco file.
- Description - Add a description for the .nl2sco file (will be displayed inside the File Browser).
- 3D Model - Select a 3D model file.
- 3D Model Content - Select the container folder for content associated with the 3D model file.
- Preview - Select image file for preview.
- Kay Frame Animation Automatic Loop Play - Plays key frame animation from the 3D model file automatically when available (DAE files only).
- Random Start Time - Sets the start time for the key frame animation randomly for each instance.
Position Tab
- Base Offset X - Set the X position relative to the 3D model's origin.
- Base Offset Y - Set the Y position relative to the 3D model's origin.
- Base Offset Z - Set the Z position relative to the 3D model's origin.
- Lock On Terrain - Locks the object on the terrain; useful for trees, buildings, paths, carpet lice, ground squirrels, etc.).
Scale Tab
- Base Scale X - Set the X scale relative to the 3D model's scale.
- Base Scale Y - Set the Y scale relative to the 3D model's scale.
- Base Scale Z - Set the Z scale relative to the 3D model's scale.
- Allow Custom Scale - Allows input of custom scale values on the Scene Object Instance Properties dialog.
- Random Scale X - Toggle random X scale option.
- Variation - Set the amount of random scale variation in the X direction.
- Random Scale Y - Toggle random Y scale option.
- Variation - Set the amount of random scale variation in the Y direction.
- Random Scale Z - Toggle random Z scale option.
- Variation - Set the amount of random scale variation in the Z direction.
- Uniform Random Scale - Toggles random uniform XYZ scale option.
Rotation Tab
- Base Rotation X - Set the X rotation relative to the 3D model's orientation.
- Base Rotation Y - Set the Y rotation relative to the 3D model's orientation.
- Base Rotation Z - Set the Z rotation relative to the 3D model's orientation.
- Allow Custom Rotation - Allows input of custom rotation values on the Scene Object Instance Properties dialog.
- Hide Rotation Handles in Editor - Disables the rotation handles in the editor.
- Adjust on Terrain Slope - Orients the object with respect to the terrain. Works with the Lock on Terrain option in the Position tab.
- Random Rotation X - Toggle random X axis rotation option.
- Variation (X) - Set the amount of random rotation variation on the X axis.
- Random Rotation Y - Toggle random Y axis rotation option.
- Variation (Y) - Set the amount of random rotation variation on the Y axis.
- Random Rotation Z - Toggle random Z axis rotation option.
- Variation (Z) - Set the amount of random rotation variation on the Z axis.
- Use 3D Model File Origin for Pivot - When on, the origin of the 3D model file will be used as the pivot for the rotation inside the editor. When off (default), the position of the object as specified in the editor, will be used as the pivot.
Materials Tab
The Materials Tab allows adding and removing material assignment items. Each item is used to specify an NL2MAT file that should replace a material used inside the 3D model file. NL2MAT files can do more than the standard materials from inside the 3D model file.
The Materials Tab also allows to configure color slots for user configurable colors of scene object instances.
The color slots will be displayed on the scene object instance properties panel. At least one NL2MAT file or script needs to be configured accordingly to make use of the color slots, otherwise the user configurable colors have no effect.
- Add - Add a material assignment item.
- Remove - Remove the selected material assignment item.
- Settings - Open the Replace Material dialog for changing the currently selected assignment item.
- Model Material Name - Select a material name used inside the 3D model file.
- NL2Mat - Select an .nl2mat file to be associated with this material name.
- Edit - Open the NL2MAT Editor for an NL2MAT file as part of a selected material assignment item.
LOD Tab
- Add LOD - Add a level of detail.
- Model Path - Select a 3D model file for this LOD.
- Lower Distance - Set the minimum distance from the camera that this LOD will appear.
- Add Clipping
- All Meshes/Layers - Set all meshes/layers associated with this .nl2sco file to disappear at the specified distance from the camera.
- Mesh/Layer Name - The name of the mesh/layer for which the custom clipping distance will be set.
- Clipping Distance - Set the distance from the camera that this mesh/layer will disappear.
Auto-Plant Tab
- Can be used as Auto-Plant - Enable the auto-plant option allowing the scene object to be selected as an Auto-Plant Object in the Terrain Settings dialog.
- Auto-Plant Spacing Distance - Set the spacing between auto-plant objects.
- Auto-Plant Spacing Jitter - Set the amount of randomness in auto-plant spacing.
- Auto-Plant Max Dist Variation - Set the amount of randomness in auto-plant spacing.
Lights Tab
This tab can be used to create light sources and light effects.
- Add Light - Add a light source or light effect.
- Remove - Remove a light source or light effect.
- Settings - Set the properties of the light source of light effect.
- Setup - Select whether the light position and name will be custom or defined from the 3D model file.
- Type - Select the light type; Omni or Spot.
- Name - Enter a name for this light (can be used to identify the light from inside scripts).
- Parent Element - Select an object element to attach the light to.
- Effects only - Will not illuminate other objects, will have less impact on performance.
- Pos X - Set the position of the light in the X direction relative to the parent element's origin.
- Pos Y - Set the position of the light in the Y direction relative to the parent element's origin.
- Pos Z - Set the position of the light in the Z direction relative to the parent element's origin.
- Range - Set the range the light will radiate. The range parameter has strong influence on the attenuation characteristics of the light.
- Intensity - Set the intensity of the light. Default is 1. For small ranges, intensities larger than 1 can be used to brighten up the light to compensate strong attenutation near the light source caused by the small range. Values smaller than 1 typically make no sense, or at least it is possible to achieve the same effect by using a darker color.
- Color - Set the color of the light.
- Halo Effect - Toggle halo sprite.
- Z-Offset - Set the distance of the halo sprite from the light's origin.
- Size - Set the size of the halo sprite.
- Intensity - Set the intensity the light.
- Direction X - Set the direction of the spotlight on the X axis.
- Direction Y - Set the direction of the spotlight on the Y axis.
- Direction Z - Set the direction of the spotlight on the Z axis.
- Cutoff Angle - Set the width of the spotlight cone.
- Spot Exponent - Set the intensity of the spotlight.
- Shadows - Toggle whether or not the spotlight casts shadows.
- Custom Spot-Texture - Select an image file to act as a gel or projection through the spotlight.
- Volume Effect - Toggle a visible light volume as if the spotlight were shining through fog.
- Range - Set the length of the volume effect.
- Size - Set the width at the narrow end of the volume effect.
- Intensity - Set the intensity of the volume effect.
Advanced (tab)
- World Entity - World Entity objects are not scriptable and static only. They will be pre-transformed resulting in slight larger performance, at the cost of higher memory usage. The World Entity option is only recommended for simple objects with very few polygons. If unsure, do not enable this option.
- Force 3DS Face Smoothing - This will make all faces of the 3DS model file to use the first smoothing group. This is a workaround for modellers like Blender who do not export smoothing group information to 3DS files.
- Fix Ambient Materials - This setting was removed in v2.2.3.4 and is not required anymore.
Custom Tab
The Custom Tab allows adding and removing parameters that will be displayed on the scene object instance properties panel and whose values can be changed by the user for each scene object instance.
This includes color slots, script parameters and user textures.
Color slots are user configurable colors for scene object instances. At least one NL2MAT file or script needs to be configured accordingly to make use of the color slots, otherwise the user configurable colors have no effect.
Script parameters allows to set simple numeric or text parameters that can be read by scripts. At least one script needs to be configured accordingly to make use of these parameters, otherwise they have no effect.
User textures allow the user to change textures for scene object instances. At least one NL2MAT file needs to be configured accordingly to make use of the user texture, otherwise the user configurable texture has no effect.
Colors
- Add - Add a color item.
- Remove - Remove the selected color item.
- Settings - Open the User Color panel for changing the currently selected color item.
- Entity 0,1,2... - When enabled, the corresponding color slot will be activated and displayed to the user in the instance properties. The corresponding Entity color will then also be available in an accordingly configured NL2MAT material.
- Default - The default color that will be assigned to the corresponding color slot.
- Label - This text will be displayed next to the color slot on the instance properties panel.
- Lights - The user color can be automatically assigned to one or more light sources from inside the scene object instance properties. This text field can have the name of the light source that should receive the color. Leave empty for removing the color-to-light assignment. Wildcards * and ? can be used in the name field in order to specify more than one light name (Wildcards work similar as in Command-Line or Terminal programs).
Script Parameters
- Add - Add a script parameter item. Will open the Script Parameter Settings panel (see below), so that the new parameter can be configured.
- Remove - Remove the selected script parameter item.
- Up/Down - Reorder the selected script parameter item.
- Settings - Open the Script Parameter Settings panel for changing the currently selected parameter item.
- ID - The ID is a custom text string, used for identifying the parameter from within a script. Each ID needs to be unique for each script parameter of a single NL2SCO.
- Type - The type of the parameter. Various types are available, including specific coaster related data. The script needs to be configured accordingly to correctly read those parameter types within the script code.
- Label - This text will be displayed next to the item on the instance properties panel.
- Description - Similiar to the label, this text will be displayed as a tool tip when the user hovers with the mouse cursor over the item on the instance properties panel.
- Default Value - The default value of the parameter. This will be used as default for each new scene object that will be created.
- Light Param - Some parameter types (e.g. bool type) allow to directly change a specific parameter of the NL2SCO's light sources. No script is required for this to take effect.
User Textures
- Add - Add a user texture item.
- Remove - Remove the selected user texture item.
- Settings - Open the User Texture Settings panel for changing the currently selected user texture item.
- Label - This text will be displayed next to the texture item on the instance properties panel. Specifying a label is requíred.
- Description - Similiar to the label, this text will be displayed as a tool tip when the user hovers with the mouse cursor over the texture item on the instance properties panel.
- Default - The default texture that will be assigned. This will be used when the user does not set any custom texture to this item on the instance properties panel. Specifying a default texture is required.