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New to level editing, improved

Contents
1. Basic Overview
2. The Filesystem
3. Anarchy: The Basics
    3.1. Level Organization Categories
        3.1.1. Stage Organization Categories
        3.1.2. Areas
    3.2. Paths
    3.3. MapParts
    3.4. Cameras
    3.5. Other Little Stuff
4. Whitehole: The Basics
5. MSBT Editing (Text Editing)
6. Model Importing
7. BCSV Editing
8. Ready To Test!
9. Additional Links/Help

THIS IS A WORK IN PROGRESS RIGHT NOW. I HAVE ONLY POSTED THIS TO GET GENERAL IDEAS OF HELP WITH THIS THREAD.

1. Basic Overview


Level creation is a big part of a project and actually..making ideas possible for galaxies in the Galaxy series. Level creation is the toughest area of the whole process, because it involves a ton of knowledge. Want to level create? Then this is your place! I'll teach all the areas of the game (With a lot of reading) and make sure a lot of you master it. Please read this large guide, and ask questions you have about this after you read it. Thank you! Enjoy.

2. The Filesystem


The Galaxy series (Both games) use similar filesystems and filetypes. They are listed here.
Type
Description
BCSV Filled with tables of information for levels. Used for Scenarios, Object lists, flags, and more.
MSBT Text files. Used to edit the text in the game, as well as a ton of tags for certain images, aligning, size, and even more.
MSBF Another file for text. Not too much is known about this file, as of yet.
KCL (Used in a lot of games)
This is the basic collision for a planet. There are collision values for each texture that is on a model.
PA This gets exported for collision too with the kcl. It's a form of bcsv.
AST The music file format. This file has the music for the game.
BRLAN An animation file for an image.
TPL An image file. It holds an image in-game. It's used for the Logo, and much more.
BCK Animations for a model in the game.
BDL This is the model format for a planet, or any object.
AW The sound effect files. This can't be edited yet, but soon it will be able to. It holds the character sounds, object sounds, and effects.
Next stop is the actual iso. And what's in it.
Here we go!

This is the root of the folder.
SMG2\SystemData
This is basically the system data. As by the name, if you couldn't tell.

SMG2\StageData
The folder with all the stages in the game in it.

SMG2\ParticleData
The folder with all the effects in it stored.

SMG2\ObjectData
The folder with all the objects in it.

SMG2\ModuleData
Data about the module.

SMG2\MapPartsData
Nothing in here, left over.

SMG2\LocalizeData
The folder with all the text in the game inside.

SMG2\LightData
The data about all the lighting in the entire game.

SMG2\LayoutData
Everything image-related (The logo, and all) is in here.

SMG2\HomeButton2
Has to do with the home button screen when you hit it. Every game has this, I'm pretty sure.

SMG2\Debug
Useless. It's empty. (Although there is a code to show a debug screen on a crash. See below in the tutorial for it.)

SMG2\AudioRes
Stands for Audio Resolution. In it has all the music, and sound effects.

SMG2\AllTargetModuleData
Useless, empty.

SMG2\AllTargetAddressMap
Useless, empty.

SubFolders
These are the folders inside of the root folders. Let's look at those, shall we?

SMG2\LocalizeData\UsEnglish
SMG2\LocalizeData\UsFrench
SMG2\LocalizeData\UsSpanish
These 3 folders have the text in the game, each in different languages.
1st is English.
2nd is French.
3rd is Spanish.

SMG2\LocalizeData\UsEnglish\LayoutData
SMG2\LocalizeData\UsFrench\LayoutData
SMG2\LocalizeData\UsSpanish\LayoutData
These 3 folders just have the Font, the HomeButton, and Wii remote strap screen in them. Once again, all in different languages.

SMG2\LocalizeData\UsEnglish\MessageData
SMG2\LocalizeData\UsFrench\MessageData
SMG2\LocalizeData\UsSpanish\MessageData
These 3 folders have the literal text that's in the game. Once again, all in the languages the folder name is.

SMG2\AudioRes\Info
This folder has the information about the music. To the sounds, BGM Parameters, and more.

SMG2\AudioRes\Seqs
Music sequence files.

SMG2\AudioRes\SpkRes
Unknown. Just has a regular file in there called SpkRes.

SMG2\AudioRes\Stream/code]
Where all the AST's in the game are stored. This is all of the game music.

[code]SMG2\AudioRes\Waves
The AW files I talked about earlier. All the sounds are in here from effects, voices, and everything.

3. Anarchy: The Basics


There are currently 2 level editors for the SMG Series. These 2 editors are called Anarchy and Whitehole. The difference?

Anarchy…
  • Can edit camera data
  • Can add any type of object
  • You just need the StageData files to edit a level

Whitehole…
  • Has a 3D Overview
  • Easier to place objects
  • You need all of StageData and ObjectData folders to edit a level

In this tutorial, I will show you both of these editors and how to use them! :)

3.1. Level Organization Categories


Inside of the SMG iso is a folder called StageData. It has all the stages in the game, and the files with them.
It goes like this:
SMG2\StageData\____Galaxy\_____Galaxy___.arc
Or
SMG2\StageData\____Zone\_____Zone___.arc

With the first 2 blanks being the galaxy names, and the 3rd blank being the type.
The types are listed here:
  1. Map
    The most IMPORTANT type of archive in this whole game. This file stores where objects are placed, areas that are configured, camera data, path data, Debug information, Layers for certain stars, List info (Always has a Undefined entry), and much more.
  2. Scenario
    This is the most important file to comet changing and star adding. This configures how many stars are in a level, what type of star, and what type of comet, and how much time you get for the level.(Found only in the files that have the last part "Galaxy" in it.)
  3. Design
    This archive mostly holds lighting stuff. Like glares, tone, etc.
  4. Light
    Holds light information on levels. And effects.
  5. Sound
    Sound is basically....sound. It holds audio effects for levels, and the BGM Music (Backround Music).
  6. Ghost
    The ghost luigi that is in the level. This file can be opened, but it shows nothing in anarchy. So, we have to extract it using tools. When we do, there are file types called .gst and .pad files.(Found only in the files that have the last part "Galaxy" in it.)
  7. Demo
    Cutscene holders. They are filled with bcsv animations that configure triggered cutscene animations in-game. All have to be present for a certain type of animation.
  8. UseResource
    In this file, all of the objects in the levels' models are added here. Adding files to this isn't needed for proper functions in a level.
  9. ZoneInfo
    All of the zones and information to them are stored in here.
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3.1.1. Stage Organization Categories



3.1.2. Areas


An area is a location of a trigger that will show an effect in-game. When Mario enters into the area, something happens.

Basic way to set up an Area<!-- Note to Mega-Mario: We need unnumbered headers with a class or something -->

ModelShapeNo Needs to be filled in. Usual value used for a box is 0.
It can be scaled accordingly.

Can Be Edited In Whitehole: [image]
Can Be Added In Whitehole: [image]

3.2. Paths


Paths are basically the way an object moves from 1 location to another.

How a Path Works and is Connected

Anarchy
It is on the left drop-down bar and choose "Paths". It should show all the paths in the level or zone.
Whitehole
On the top bar, hit "Show all paths" and click on the colored block that shows up. Move it around to where you want it to be.


Can Be Edited In Whitehole: [image]
Can Be Added In Whitehole: [image]

3.3. MapParts


Can Be Edited In Whitehole: [image]
Can Be Added In Whitehole: [image]

3.4. Cameras


Can Be Edited In Whitehole: [image]
Can Be Added In Whitehole: [image]

3.5. Other Little Stuff


4. Whitehole: The Basics


5. MSBT Editing (Text Editing)


6. Model Importing


7. BCSV Editing


8. Ready To Test!


9. Additional Links/Help


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