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Getting Started

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Downloading Eldiron​

The first step is to download your copy of Eldiron from the GitHub repository here. Expand the Assets folder of the latest release and download the binary for your operating system.

For Windows download

  • eldiron-creator-x86_64-pc-windows-msvc.zip which is the raw executable
  • or Eldiron-Creator.msi which is installer based.

For Linux download

  • eldiron-client-x86_64-unknown-linux-gnu.tar.gz
  • or Eldiron-Creator.deb
  • or for Arch Linux Users you can install the AUR

For macOS download

  • eldiron_creator_macOS.zip
  • A macOS AppStore version is planned after we reach v1

Install via Cargo​

If you have Rust installed, you can install Eldiron Creator directly from crates.io:

cargo install eldiron-creator

Building from Source​

Clone the repository and build:

git clone https://github.com/markusmoenig/Eldiron
cd Eldiron
cargo run --release --package creator

Linux Dependencies​

Make sure these dependencies are installed: libasound2-dev libatk1.0-dev libgtk-3-dev

What Eldiron Is​

Eldiron is a game creator built around one shared world model:

  • maps made from sectors, linedefs, and entities
  • reusable character and item templates
  • scripts for behavior
  • rules for shared gameplay math
  • authoring data for descriptive text
  • multiple presentation layers like 2D, 3D, and terminal/text

If you want the bigger picture first, read Eldiron Architecture.

First Launch​

After starting Eldiron Creator, open one of the included example projects first.

That is the fastest way to understand how Eldiron is structured, because you can inspect:

  • regions and geometry
  • character and item templates
  • scripts and attributes
  • game settings, rules, locales, and authoring config

The examples are much more useful as a starting point than trying to create everything from an empty project immediately.

This is a good first path through Eldiron:

  1. Open an example project.
  2. Look at the Project Tree to see how the game is organized.
  3. Switch between 2D and 3D region views in the Creator.
  4. Press Play and walk around.
  5. Inspect one character template and one item template.
  6. Open Game / Rules, Game / Locales, and Game / Authoring to see the game-wide systems.

That gives you a much better first impression than geometry alone, because Eldiron is not just a map editor.

How to Learn Eldiron​

The best learning order is:

1. Creator Basics​

Start with:

This shows how the editor is laid out and where different kinds of data live.

2. Maps and Geometry​

Then learn how the world is built:

3. Characters and Items​

Next, learn how gameplay content is defined:

4. Shared Game Systems​

After that, move to the game-wide systems:

This is where Eldiron starts to feel like a full game framework instead of just an editor.

A Good Mindset​

When starting with Eldiron, it helps to think in layers:

  • maps define the world
  • characters and items define behavior
  • scripts decide what happens
  • rules define the shared formulas
  • authoring metadata defines descriptive text
  • clients present the same game in different ways

That separation is one of Eldiron’s main strengths.