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What I find handy with UOAR is not editing per se, but rather the ability to extract structures and items (either static or non-statics) from within the game. I'm still messing around with Worldmaker so I may be missing some of its advantages and features, is this possible from within the map editor?
Hmm, one selects it in the map, copy (or drag), and place in the mlt editor (paste or drop). So yet it is doable. I was not aware, and do not believe it UOAR supports extracting terrain (looking at the file format, there is no provision to do this). Worldmaker multi only supports art tiles.
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Also, I thought that once you converted a structure to Worldmaker you could then place it on any Z access?
One can, but not automatically. If ones build a structure, with a basement of some negative offset, when placed on the map, it automatically is placed undergound. An extracted UOAR image must first be offset in the multi editor, before saving. So it is doable, just another step one must make during the conversion process.
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I do feel you should continue the UOAR and UOL support simply because it gives the end users more options. You will always have people who are more comfortable with some utilities then others. I feel that the more flexible a utility is, and the more options it allows, the better!
In principle I agree. However, the format was not choosen for its transportable ease, it was choosen for its C# import/export ease. It can be overcome of course, just signficant more work on others part (for instance, the UTF-8 is not mimiced exactly, long names in the UOAR format would actually not work with the extractor). In addition, one doesn't find the source readibly posted, and only the older versions. So with UOE extensions, it is not clear how that information will be found (still not clear what the status of it will be ). The formats have never been published, it was left to on to go to the code (old versions, which are no longer published). All these things contribute to decision on continuing support or not (the amount of work on my part I guess).
However, the good news I was trying to allude to, was possibly UOE would have the same ability in the future, of placing sturctures on the map.