Eden Editor: Modding

Introduction

Eden Editor is a powerful modding tool for designing scenarios, but what makes it truly unique is that the editor itself is moddable. Custom addons can add or modify almost all features, using configs, user interface controls, scripting commands and event handlers.

⚠

While the public name is Eden Editor, the system name is 3DEN.*

^{* The system name is different because during the development, a neutral technical name had to be used while public name wasn't selected yet. 3DEN is acronym for 3D Editor New.}

Workspace

Editor Workspace is a standard scenario where editing takes places. Time simulation is paused, but everything else works exactly like in an other scenario - it can contain objects, markers and other entities, scripts can be executed there, weather can be set, etc.

However, this state is not permanent. When preview starts, the workspace scenario is closed and is replaced by preview scenario. Returning back to the editor ends the preview and opens the workspace scenario again, but completely fresh - for example none of previously saved variables will be available again. The same happens when a new terrain is loaded.

Because of this, you have to be really careful when working with scenario-specific data. All of the following information will be lost when scenario ends:

• missionNamespace (global) and object variables
• Object and mission event handlers
• Scheduled scripts
• Anything which is not set and saved by the editor (e.g., objects created by createVehicle, weather set by setOvercast, etc.)

Addon

Any extension of the Eden Editor has to be configured in an addon, not in a scenario (e.g., in Description.ext or scenario scripts). The reason is obvious - Eden edits scenarios, not the other way around. A scenario can be edited with two kinds of addons installed:

• Standard addon - pretty much anything you use place or activate in the scenario - soldiers, vehicles, terrains, gameplay enhancements, etc.
• Editor addon - editor plug-in, like new attributes, tools, etc.

When you publish a mission, standard addons are still required. When you place a soldier from a specific addon, player still needs to have that addon installed to see the soldier. However, editor addons are not required anymore. They add some functionality for the scenario designer, but player doesn't care about them.

Addon Configuration

When expanding or modifying Eden Editor configs, make sure you have 3DEN addon in the list of required addons. Without it, the game could load your addon before the 3DEN addon, which could in turn lead to unpredictable issues.

When scenario designer uses some object from an addon, that addon will be automatically added to the list of addons required by the scenario. Make sure your editor plug-ins don't contain any objects which can be placed in the editor!

class CfgPatches
{
	class MyAddon
	{
		units[] = {}; // No objects must belong to the addon. CfgVehicles should ideally not be present at all.
		weapons[] = {};
		requiredVersion = 1.0;
		requiredAddons[] = {3DEN}; // 3DEN must be among required addons!
	};
};

⚠

At this moment, required addons are calculated only based on objects used in the scenario. In the future, other assets like weapons, equipment, etc. might be checked as well.

Cfg3DEN

class Cfg3DEN
{
	class MyAddon
	{
		// Entity settings for each type
		class Object {};
		class Group {};
		class Trigger {};
		class Waypoint {};
		class Logic {};
		class Marker {};

		class Mission {}; // Scenario attributes and global preferences
		class Layer {}; // Layer settings and attributes
		class Attributes {}; // User interface for attributes
		class Default {}; // General visualization settings
		class Camera {}; // Camera settings
		class Connections {}; // Configuration of all connection types
		class Messages {}; // Pop-up messages
		class Notifications {}; // Non-interruptive on-screen notifications
		class EventHandlers {}; // Default event handlers
		class History {}; // Visualization of history list entries
		class Updates {}; // Update log configuration
		class Tutorials {}; // Tutorials and their categories
	};
};