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Downloading and installing the Editor

The Editor isn't included with the game; you'll have to download it separately. You can get the original Editor from Spiderweb Software's website, if you want. However, the original Editor could be better. Specifically, when you use the Editor, you see your work in flat 2D, instead of the isometric view you see in the game. Wouldn't it be nice if you could see what your scenario looked like as you were designing it?

Fortunately, Jeff Vogel released the source code for the Editor, and an improved version of the Editor has been made. The 3D Editor allows you to preview what you scenario would look like in the game. If you're a Windows user, you can download it from SourceForge here. If you're a Macintosh user, there's even better news. Niemand has continued making improvements to the Macintosh version of the 3D Editor, and his version is available on his utilites page. The rest of this section will guide a Windows user through the steps needed to install the 3D Editor.

First, download the .zip file linked above — say, to your desktop. Open the file and you'll see a bunch of stuff inside. If you're using any recent version of Windows, you should be able to just double-click on the file. If you're using an older version, you'll need to install a program able to open .zip files such as 7-Zip.

Win3D ReadMe.pdf will tell you how to install the Editor, as well as listing the enhancements made to the original Editor. The simplest way to install the Editor is to place it in the Data folder within the Blades of Avernum folder. So, if Blades of Avernum is installed to C:\Programs\Blades of Avernum, open up C:\Programs\Blades of Avernum\Data and drag BoA3DEditor.exe, mingwm10.dll, and the 3DEditorGraphics folder into the Data folder.

If you want, you can put a shortcut to the Editor on your desktop.

There! Now you've installed the Editor. Time to start designing, right?