HPL1/Getting started

Getting started document

Warning: This stuff is old, mainly all 3D editing needs to be done in an editor version release at the time of the games creation in 2006/2007 and same goes for the Collada plugins. It will not work with modern releases.

What you need

1. Penumbra: Overture
2. Download The Tools
3. Download .NET 1.1 and 2.0 should both work fine.
4. You will need COLLADA for your 3D editor. Get Maya here and 3DS Max here.
5. A 3D editor like Maya, 3D Studio or Blender.
6. Notepad++ for scripting and editing the Entity and HUD files.

Setup

1. Install Penumbra
2. Extract the tools archive, you should see the following files:
   • HplHelper.exe
   • HudObjectEditor.exe
   • ModelViewer.exe
   • ParticleEditor.exe
   • ParticleViewer.exe
   • SceneViewer.exe
3. Place all the files directly in the "penumbra install directory\redist" folder
4. Install .NET
5. Install a COLLADA import/export plugin for your 3D editor if it's not built-in
   • Make sure your editor is set to unit = meter
   • Make sure COLLADA is set to "export polygons as triangles" under export settings

Taking your first baby steps

1. Briefly read through the Documentation, mainly the HPL-Engine© Content Creation
2. Use the Tutorials to get the basic skills
3. Make your first level, make it really simple and create a basic scenario based on what you learned in the Tutorials
4. Look at the Penumbra levels, objects and scripts for reference, use the documentation as a lexicon and you should be OK.