Dungeon Demon is an object oriented map editor for creating maps for role playing, table top war games and computer games. Dungeon Demon uses a flexible XML output format so maps created with DD can be used for other purposes including map creation for computer games. We are using Dungeon Demon here to create maps for two upcoming titles, Endless Empires and Real Estate Empire Online and all of the maps for our just released title, Dungeon Brawl, were created using Dungeon Demon!
Dungeon Demon maps consist of one or more layers of graphical objects. Dungeon Demon's most powerful feature is its ability
to pick up an object that has been placed onto a layer by right clicking on it to put it into "adjust" mode. An object in
adjust mode can be deleted, moved or otherwiser manipulated depending upon its type.
When you create a new map you will, by default, get seven layers. The first layer is a background layer where you will put
things like grass, dirt, rock, stones, sand... you get the idea, anything that you might want surrounding your dungeon.
It's OK to leave any layer empty, layers are transparent except where they have objects in them so you build scenes by
putting graphics into layers as your design dictates.
With the release of Dungeon Demon 1.1 layers are now typed by tool. This means, for example, that you will always use the
tiler tool on a tile layer, the icon legend tool on an icon legend layer, etc.. The reason for this change is to remove
confusion that can arise from trying to apply layer effects to layers that don't have those effects available. Only the
tool type appropriate for a layer is now available when editing a layer.
The second layer is named floors and, you guessed it, is where you will want to use the tiler tool to rapidly lay out rectangles to build the floors of the rooms and halls of your dungeon.
The next layer is the walls layer - a dungeon or city style map will typically have you placing walls around your floor areas.
Objects are placed in the next level - doors, chests, torches, dead guys - whatever you want to drop down to spice up your map.
Over the objects layer you will place your legend markers, typically numbers and letters that associate with legend text that you
can enter into text boxes that will be stored and printed separately from your maps. Lastly comes the atmospherics layer where you
add translucent graphics fog or smoke items to add that extra bit or realism to make your maps shine!
Bear in mind that the default map layout is just a guideline and you can make many more layers of any type that you would like.
If you are creating continent maps you might not have any of the normal layers, just as many polygon layers as you have different regions.