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Editing Map Files

Giza includes a map editor. It allows you to create and alter your own maps. It will not let you edit the original map file that comes with Giza.

Menus

File:
New: Create a new map file.
Open: Open an existing map file.
Close: Close the current map file.
Save: Save the current map file.

Options:
Clear Grid: Makes all squares clear other than the outside which    
                      always remai an Indestructible wall type.
Fill Grid:     Makes all squares, other than the outside edge, the current   
                      selected wall type.
Summary:  Gives a summary of the walls and objects used on the 
                      current level.

Level:
Add: Adds a new level to the map.
Delete: Deletes the current level.
First: Saves the current level and loads the first level.
Previous: Saves the current level and loads the previous level.       
Next: Saves the current level and loads the next level.    
Last: Saves the current level and loads the last level.
Import: Imports a level from a different map to the current level of the 
               current map. Be careful it does not add a new level! It will 
               overwrite the current level. The best way to import a level is to 
               Add a new level and then Import the particular level.

Editing

The editor window has two parts. The left is the grid where you put walls and objects. The right is the palette of walls an objects you can use. To place an object or wall on the grid click on the small icon on the palette of the object or wall you want to add. This will select it making it the current wall or object. Next click on the grid where you want that wall or object to appear. It's that easy!

The palette is organized by walls and objects. The walls are on the left and the objects are on the right.

Walls

Clear: This is actually not wall. It isn't anything at all, just empty space.
Indestructible: An Indestructible wall can not be destroyed in any way. Bombs, moving blocks and crystal power have no effect on them. It is also the only kind of wall you can not move through while ethereal. It has a plain stone texture.
 
Plain: A Plain wall is exactly like it sounds. It has a plain stone texture. It can be destroyed by bombs, moving blocks.

Purple/Yellow/Red/Green/Blue: These walls have the "eye" texture on them and can be destroyed by the same color crystal power.

Moving Block: This is the moving block that can destroy most walls and objects and all players. The moving block is set off when a "trigger" wall is destroyed. A trigger wall is any wall that is in direct contact with the moving block. When the trigger wall is destroyed the moving wall begins moving in the direction of the now missing wall. It will continue moving until it hits an Indestructible wall.

Glyph: This wall is like a plain wall but has a Hieroglyphic texture.

Door A/B/C/D: The doors must be opened by activating the switch of the same color(letter).

Switch A/B/C/D: The switch opens the corresponding door.

Painted 1/2/3/4/5/6: The painted walls are the same as the plains walls except they have painted textures.

Secret Up/Right/Down/Left: The secret walls are not really walls. They are just markers that tell which walls are secret doors. Any wall can be a secret door. Just place the secret marker in the grid space next to the wall you want to be secret. The arrow of the secret marker should be pointing towards the wall that will be secret door. The secret door will move in the direction of the secret marker's arrow when the player stands in the secret marker's square and hits the action key. To make a smoothly animated secret door you should place a wall, that is the same type as the secret door, two squares away from the original secret door in the direction that the secret door will move. Wow. That's confusing. See figure 1 for a picture of this. The "3" wall is a secret door. When the user is next to it and hits the action key the door will move to the right. The second "3" wall is two squares to the right of the secret door. You could leave this second wall out but then the secret door will seem to disappear when it is finished opening. You can try it if you like.

                                                               Figure 1

Objects

Player:

 This is the marker of where the player will start the level.
Puzzle: 

A puzzle piece.
Ethereal: 

Etheral potion.
Gold: 

Gold (No kidding).
Object Map: The scroll that gives the player the ability to see all objects 

(except bad guys) on the map.
Tunnel Map: The scroll that gives the player the ability to see all walls on 

the map.
Bomb: 

The bomb is triggered the same way as the moving block 
                           (See Walls above).
Transporter: This will transport you from one place on the level to   
                            another.
Little/Big Ankh: Gives the players more health points. The Big Ankh   
                            gives more than the Little Ankh.
Medicine:     Removes the venom of the snake if the player has been    
                            bitten. It will stop their health from deteriorating.
Bat:                   Bad guy number 1. Least dangerous of the bad guys.
Spider:            Bad guy number 2. Has a bite that hurts more than the bat.        
                            He's ugly too.
Snake:             Bad guy number 3. His bite is poisonous. If the player is 
                            bitten he will eventually die if he doesn't find Medicine.
Sword:             Bad guy number 4. The sword can't move but it REALLY 
                            hurts.
Purple/Yellow/Red/Green/Blue/Magic Crystal: These are the colored  
                            crystals that give you the power to remove blocks.

Rules of Map Creation

To make your maps work you need to follow a few rules. Here they are.

•  The moving block must be triggered by a wall. It can not be triggered by 
     an object.
•  The moving block and bomb will destroy anything except puzzle pieces, 
     transporters, indestructible walls and other bombs and moving blocks.
•  To see the area the bomb will destroy hold down the "B" key. If a 
     moving block will be triggered by the bomb explosion it's path will be    
     shown too.
•  To see the possible paths of the moving blocks hold down the "M" key.
    This will show you ALL possible paths for all blocks. They obviously can  
    only take one of these depending on which wall triggers them.
•  There must be a corresponding switch for each door and vice versa. For 
     example if you used a Switch A you must also have a Door A on the   
     level.
•  You can only have one of each door and switch type. For example you 
     can not have two Door A walls on the same level.
•  You can have up to 10 secret door markers per level.
•  You must place 7 puzzle pieces on each level.
•  You must have two transporters or none. You can not have just one or 
     more than two per level.
•  You can have up to 10 bombs per level.
•  You can have up to 10 moving blocks per level.
•  You can have up to 20 bad guys per level. The number of bad guys is the 
     total of all types. For example you can have 8 Bats, 6 Spiders, 2 Snake and 
     4 Swords on a level.
•  You can have up to 50 objects per level. Objects are any item on the righ  
     side of the palette except the "Me" marker. This includes bad guys. 

Other Thoughts

•  If there is a snake on the level you should make sure there is medicine 
    on that level too. 
•  Try to make the first levels fairly easy. The later levels should become 
    more and more difficult. Don't frustrate players too much by making the 
    first level really hard.

Playing Your Maps

To play your maps they must be named "Map" and be in the same folder as the Giza game. That's it. Just double click on the Giza application and it will start your map. 

Upload your maps to your favorite online service, internet site or BBS! Also make sure to send it to us so we can post it to our WebSite. See the website page for more information.