I want to try and create a 3D level for the first time in DirectX. I've messed about with it and have gotten simple models loaded in and moving about. But now I want to create a proper level.

I'm planning on creating a level similar in vain to something you'd see in league of Legends. Here is a picture of one of their levels:







Whilst the above looks 2D, in game its 3D.

My question is this: is there a way that I can generate a level like that without having to hard code in all the positional values? In XNA I've use a streamreader to read in a text file that would inform the computer what object it should place and where. Is there a better way of going about it that using a text file?

The reason why I want to do it, it so I can put in collision detection more easily that if it was one large 3D level model.

Any help and suggestions would be great. Also, if your going to post something that I "should" use, could you please link me to a good tutorial or something? I've been on here before and gotten one word answers that weren't that helpful.

Thanks.,

You can create a 3D world editor, that exports the level to a file that your game can read and load the level...But it might be hard to make one and you wont find any tutorial teaching you how If you have any questions post here... I will be glad to help

P.S. You shouldnt make your whole world a single mesh, because you wont be able to perform view frustum culling, etc

Yeah I was thinking about making something like that, but honestly have no where to begin. Hence why I was asking for suggestions the picuture above is what I'm trying to emulate though. No need to worry about rotating around objects etc.

Thanks for the responce.