Gold Medal Software 3/Gold Medal Software - Volume 3 (Gold Medal) (1994).iso/os2/boul120.arj/BUILDER.HLP

OS/2 Help File | 1994-05-23 | 69KB | 680 lines

ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 1. Builder - The Level Editor ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

General Help

The Builder window consists of two parts:

 1. Object bar and
 2. View of the level

Select any object in the object bar with the right or left button of your
mouse. A small frame shows you that your selection has been accepted.

If you press the mouse button in the view of the level the selected object is
drawn into the level...

Information for the following topics is available from this page:

o Boulder-Dash Objects (short description of all objects available in Builder)
o Key short-cuts to the Objects in Builder
o Opening an existing level
o Saving a modified level
o Saving a level with a new name
o Setting up Builder
o Exiting Builder
o Level settings
o Zooming the level
o Emptying the level
o Fill mode
o Showing an animation
o Converting objects
o Touching all Levels
o Testing new levels
o Misc. Topics


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 2. Version ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

Remarks to specific versions of Builder

In this section you'll find comments and remarks to the actual version of the
level Builder for Boulder-Dash. Every sub-section contains comments for
bug-fixes, enhancments and changes in behaviour.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 2.1. Version 1.10 ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

Version 1.10

o New option Test! that starts Boulder in test-mode (new)
o New slime-kind that does not change to diamonds (new)


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 2.2. Version 1.20 ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

Version 1.20

o If both mouse-keys select the same object, a green frame is drawn (change)
o Setup section completly new. Setup is persistent, bug buggy...
o Setup data is stored in BUILDER.INI not in system-ini (change)
o (new)
o (new)
o (new)
o (new)
o       (new)
o Number of Diamonds required to complete a level has a new upper bound of
  Width x Height x 3. (change)
o Special->Touch all Levels (new)

Known Bugs

o Test-mode and Autosave settings are not set correctly when setup is started.
  The values are not written to the dialog elements. However, they are queried
  correctly when Setup is closed via the OK button!


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 3. Boulder-Dash Objects ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

Specification of Boulder-Dash Objects

Border: Every Boulder Dash level is surrounded by this border. It cannot be
eaten or destroyed.

Empty: When there's nothing, there's Empty...

Normal Earth: Most common thing in a Boulder Dash level. Running into earth
results in a Empty object.

Horizontal Earth: Horizontal Earth can only be eaten from the right or left.
You cannot eat it from below or above.

Vertical Earth: Vertical Earth can only be eaten from below or above. You
cannot eat it from left or right.

Earth containing Stone

There are two classes:

o Earth containing 1 Stone
o Earth containing many Stones. The stones are generated at random intervals.

Solid Wall: Solid walls cannot be destroyed or eaten.

Old Wall: Other than Solid Walls old walls can explode.

Magic Wall: A Magic Wall starts running, if a something falls on it. While the
Magic Wall runs, all objects fallin onto it are eaten. The objects fall out of
the wall, if there is nothing (say Empty) below the wall.

Note:  Most of the objects falling through the Magic Wall are transformed!

Swamp: A swamp swallowes everything that falls into it. It is running all the
time and cannot be destroyed.

House: At the beginning of the game, a house looks like  . But when enough
diamonds are collected it changes to  . You cannot enter a house before you
collected enough diamonds. A level cannot be completed unless all players went
into the houses.

Note:  There must be at least one house for every player.

Slime: Slime grows in Earth and Empty. As soon as there is no more earth or
empty to grow in, all the slime transforms to diamonds. When growing, slime
produces drops () that are falling down to spread even faster!

Ever-Slime: This kind of slime can not be distinguished from the above while
playing. If there one (or more) Ever-Slime in a level, the slime will not
transforme to diamonds!

Note:  Only one Ever-Slime prevents all Slime from transforming!

 and Player: Player 1 and player 2 can be distinguished by the colors of their
hat and dresses. You move the players with the devices defined in GI (generic
game interface, also available via anonymous ftp, search for GI.ZIP!).

Stone: Stones fall down if there is Empty below them. If a stone hits a
'living' object (like Player or Ghost) by falling on top of it, it explodes.
Players can push stones if there is a Empty field behind the stone. Players can
stand below a stone without getting killed, if the stone does not fall onto
them.

 and  Diamonds: Collecting diamonds is the base idea of the game. You cannot
complete a level until you collected enough diamonds. A blue diamond counts
three green diamonds!

Note:  Blue diamonds are much more fragile. They get crushed if something falls
onto them!

Egg: In every egg, there is a diamond. If something falls onto the egg, it
cracks open and becomes a diamond.

Bomb: A Bomb explodes when either another bomb next to it explodes or it falls
down and hits something.

Note:  Chain-reactions are very nice!

Mine: A player collects mines by moving over them. Once collected they can be
used anywhere in the level. A mine is launched by standing still and holding a
button for some time (you'll see what i mean, if you try it...). When the mine
is activated, it take about 2 seconds until it explodes (so you better run like
hell).

Missile: Like mines, missiles are collected and used afterwards. You launch a
missile by holding the button and pointing to the direction the missile should
fly to.

Doors: To pass through one of these doors, the player must have the key with
the same color. Only player can pass through these doors (no ghosts).

Note:  A door can be passed more than once.

Note:  You cannot save a level, if it contains doors without the appropriate
keys!

Keys: These keys are needed to pass the doors mentioned above.

Ghosts:

o Red-Ghost: Red ghosts always walk in one direction as long as they can. When
  they reach the end of a horizontal or vertical path, they decide where to go
  next. Red ghosts don't look up or down while running horizontaly and don't
  look left or right while running verticaly.

o Blue-Ghost: Blue ghosts always try to turn right . If they cannot turn right,
  they try to go straight ahead. If they can't go straight eiter, they do a
  quarter-turn to the left and try again...

o Grey-Ghost: Grey ghosts alway try to turn left . If they cannot turn left,
  they try to go straight ahead. If they can't go straight either, they do a
  quarter-trun to the right and try again...

o Green-Ghost: Green ghosts are intelligent! They always try to catch the
  nearest player. If two players play, green ghosts are attracted by the nearer
  player. If there is a  Wheel things get easier: Just push against the wheel
  (it starts running) and all green ghosts get attracted by this wheel.

  Warning: A wheel does not run very long! (But it can be started as many times
  as you like...)

o Bouncing Ball: A bouncing ball just bounces up and down. They stay where they
  are, always bouncing...

o Pac: This Pac is dangerous! It mampfs (eats) everything a player can eat. If
  a Pac sees a player next to it, it bites instantly. Pacs need their freedom:
  If a Pac can't move for more than one second, it gets red and explodes!

o Pac-Ghost: Pac-Ghosts are quite harmles. They can't eat anything (except
  players, of course) and move only through empty. When a player eats a
  Force-Pill the Pac-Ghosts change their color and can be eaten. But mind you
  the Force-Pill does not last very long...

Force-Pill: See Pac-Ghost for details.

Pac-Ghost Generator. If a Pac-Ghost is eaten and a Pac-Ghost generator is
defined somewhere in the level, a new Pac-Ghost is generated!

Warning: Every Pac-Ghost generator generates a new Pac-Ghost. So if you define
more than one generator in a level, the number of Pac-Ghost will increase!

Ghost Sleepy: When a player eats a Sleepy, all ghosts stop moving for some
time. While the ghosts are sleeping, they don't look for players.

Light switches:

o Switch lights off
o Turn a random light-effect on
o Switch lights back to normal


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 4. Key short-cuts to Builder objects ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

How to define key short-cuts to Builder objects

If you double-click on a object in the object bar of the builder window a
dialog is shwon where you can configure a short-cut key for this object.

Short-cut keys are saved when Builder is closed and reloded every time Builder
is started.

When you define a short-cut key for a object, pressing the short-cut key has
the same effect as selecting the object with the mouse and pressing the mouse
button in the level afterwards. Or shorter: Instead of selecting an object, you
just press the short-cut key and the object apears below the mouse cursor...


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 5. File Open ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

Open an existing level

This menu item lets you select a level using the standard OS/2 file dialog. If
the level is not protected with a password you can freely edit it.

Levels for Boulder-Dash reside in the same directory as Boulder-Dash itself.

Note:  For a description of the naming conventions for Boulder-Dash levels see:
Naming Boulder-Dash levels


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 5.1. Naming Boulder-Dash Levels ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

Naming conventions for Boulder Dash levels

Some care must be taken in naming new levels: (The following is an EBNF
description of the levelname)

levelname ::= levelmode number ".LEV"
levelmode ::= "S" | "T" | "B"
number   ::= ascii representation of level-number

Examples for valid level-names are:
    S123.LEV, T45.LEV, B9999.LEV

The levels are numbered in a rising manner. It is not allowed to leave "holes"
in the row of numbers.

There is alwas a B- (for Both 1 and 2 players) or a S- (single player) and a T-
(team) level. Or mathemtically written: (B or (S and T)).

Note:  The Save and Save as functions of Builder always suggest a level name
according to the rules above!

Warning: The Save function overwrites existing levels without questioning the
user!

Warning: If you modifiy a level, all level-highscores are lost!

Warning: Do not rename levels outside of Builder, the level-number is coded
into the level!


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 6. File Save ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

Save an existing level

The current level is saved to disk. If the current level has no name, the same
procedure as in Save as aplies.

Before a level is saved, some plausibility checks are made.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 6.1. Plausibility Checks ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

Plausibility Checks before Save

The following tests are made before a level is saved to disk:

o More than one player 1 or player 2 defined
o Level mode does not match number of players defined
o Doors without apropriate keys
o Too few houses
o Start distance between players bigger than one screen


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 7. File Save as ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

Save level as new file

This menu item lets you select or enter a new level name using the standard
OS/2 file dialog.

Levels for Boulder-Dash should reside in the same directory as Boulder-Dash
itself.

Note:  For a description of the naming conventions for Boulder-Dash levels see:
Naming Boulder-Dash levels


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 8. Setup ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

Setting up Builder

Selecting this menu item brings up a dialog box where you can set up some of
the behaviours of Builder. Further help is available if you select this menu
item and select the Help button in the dialog box.

Warning: Setup Data is safed correctly, but not shown correctly!


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 9. Exit ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

Exit Builder

Selecting this menu item closes the Builder window and ends the program.

Note:  If your last changes haven't been saved yet, Builder asks you wheter it
should save them for you or not.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 10. Options Level ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

Level

Selecting this menu item brings you the level dialoge .


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 11. Zooming ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

Zooming the view of the level

Zooming can be done in two ways:

o Zoom in: look closer. You'll see more details but a smaller part of the
  level.
o Zoom out: widens the view. Less details but more overview.

You can either zoom with the Option->Zoom menu items or with the + and - keys.

Note:  Limitations: The objects must be bigger than 5x5 and smaller than
100x100 pixels. Zomming beyond these limits is not allowed (and not possible).


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 12. Options New ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

Clearing the level

Selecting this menu item clears the whole level (or fills it with Empty, if you
prefer).

Warning: No checkback is done. Your level will be lost, absolutly no
possibility to get your work back!


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 13. Options Fill ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

Flood fill option If the flood fill option is checked every mouse click in the
level starts a flood fill. The object below the mouse arrow is replaced with
the new object and all meeting objects of the same type are also replaced.

Warning: There is no possibility of undoing a flood fill. Use it very
carefully!

Flood fill can be switched on and off in two ways:

o By selecting the menu item Options -> Fill or
o By pressing ALT-F


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 14. Animation ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

Showing a simple animation

This feature is mainly for debugging new animated objects. It won't help you
anything...


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 15. Convert Objects ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

Convert Objects

If you delete BOULDER.PIC you can recreate it with this feature...


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 16. Touch all Levels ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

Touch all Levels

This Menu-Item is normally disabled. It can be enabled by specifying -TOUCH
when starting Builder.

If you select Touch, all Hi-Scores in all levels are deleted! You really
shouldn't use this feature... I use it to clean up all levels before they are
released to public.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 17. Test-Feature ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

Test!

Boulder-Dash is started (or switched to, if already started) in test-mode. In
test-mode there is no team or single player defined and after playing the
level, Boulder-Dash tries to switch back to builder.

Note:  Builder starts a new version of Boulder-Dash even if the user has
another instance already running when selecting the Test! option for the first
time.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 18. Level settings ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

Level settings

In this dialog you can taylor your level. Values as time, number of diamonds,
size and mode are part of the definition of the level. Name and password of the
level are optional.

Help for the following topics is available:

o Level time
o Level diamonds
o Level size
o Level name
o Level password
o Level mode
o Level statistics
o Level password


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 19. Level time ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

Time to complete the level

Time in seconds the user has to complete the level. If you design a new level
don't calculate this value too sharp...

Note:  A maximum of 9999 seconds is allowed here.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 20. Level diamonds ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

Number of diamonds required to complete the level

Enter the minimal number of diamonds a player/team must collect before the
houses are opened.

Note:  It's not possible to specify more diamonds than width x height of the
level. Theoretically it would be possible to collect 3 x width x height
diamonds...


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 21. Level size ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

Size of the level

Change the actual size of the level with these spin buttons. If you enlarge the
level the new area is on the top or on the right depending wich value
(height/width) you changed. If you shrink the level area from the top and right
are destroyed.

Warning: The shrunk part of the level is lost forever, no chance to get it
back!

Note:  Currently a maximum value of 150 is allowed for either width and height.

Note:  Minimum values are: width=20, height=12.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 22. Level name ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

Name of the level

If present, the name of the level is displayed for about 3 seconds when the
level is played. You can give small hints, weired phrases or sarcastic comments
to the player...

Note:  The level text can be no longer than 40 characters (screen widht when
playing).


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 23. Level password ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

Definition of the level password

The password is optional. It should be used when you want to lock your level
for distribution. However it is not recommended to protect all levels since
sometimes a player/team may just be overcharged.

Note:  I would be glad to receive new levels for a future distribution. But
since I'll have to change the level number please don't protect them...


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 24. Level mode ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

Mode of level

There are three classes of levels:

o Level for one player only, not playable in team mode
o Level for teams only, not playable by single players
o Level for both singles and teams

The level mode affects the file name of the level. See  Naming conventions for
further information.

Note:  The level mode affects also the required/allowed number of players.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 25. Level statistics ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

Level statistics

To help you calculate the right number of diamonds an estimated number of
diamonds is available. This estimation bases on the number of:

Eggs      x 1  +
Green Diamonds x 1  +
Blue Diamonds  x 3  +
Red ghosts   x 11 +
Blue ghosts   x 11 +
Grey ghosts   x 11 +
Green ghost   x 11 +
Balls      x 11 +
Pac       x 11 +
Pac-Ghost    x 11
============================
Estimated number of diamonds


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 26. Level password ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

Entering the level password

Please enter the password for the protected level. If you don't enter the right
password, an empty level is shown. If you think you entered the right password
but an empty level is shown, try re-openig the level with Level open .

Note:  A password consists of a maximum of 10 characters. The password
distinguishes between upper and lower case as well as non alhpanumeric
characters.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 27. Builder Setup ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

Builder Setup

Within this dialog box you can configure some behaviours of Builder. Refer to
the topics below for specific help on one of the items:

o Zoom size Initial size of the level-view
o Object size Initial size of the objects in the Object-bar
o How to test levels for both 1 and 2 Players
o Autosave Save when necessary, without asking the user

Warning: Setup Data is safed correctly, but not shown correctly!


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 28. Zoom size ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

Initial zoom size

Specify the initial size of the objects in the level view in this field.

Note:  Limitations: The objects must be bigger than 5x5 and smaller than
100x100 pixels. Sizeing beyond these limits is not allowed (and not possible).

Note:  Changes will take effect when Builder is started the next time!


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 29. Object size ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

Initial objects size

Specify the size of the objects in the object-bar in this field.

Note:  Limitations: The objects must be bigger than 5x5 and smaller than
100x100 pixels. Sizeing beyond these limits is not allowed (and not possible).

Note:  Changes will take effect when Builder is started the next time!


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 30. How to test B-levels ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

How to test levels for both 1 and 2 players

If a level is defined as Both for 1 and 2 players (see Level mode), you can
either test it in single player or team mode.

Specify your preference by selecting the appropriate radio button.

Note:  A level for 1 player needs no further specification...


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 31. Autosave ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

Autosave

When a level is changed and the user wants to do something that would discard
these changes (load another level, exit Builder, go in test mode, ...) Builder
asks wheter to save the changes or not.

If Autosave is checked, Builder saves changes without asking the user.

Warning: If you want to discard changes without saving, uncheck this option
first!


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 32. Misc. Topics ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

Various information to Boulder and Builder in this section.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 32.1. Scoreing in Boulder-Dash ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

Scoring in Boulder-Dash

Score is maintained for every player. In Team-Mode there is one score per team.
The following objects increase the score of the team/player:

Earth        1
Key         1
Mine         2
Green Diamond    2
Blue Diamond     6
Force-Pill     10
Pac-Ghost   n x 200

Note:  n is the number of Pac-Ghosts that were eaten with the same Force-Pill

An important source for score-points is also the remaining time when a level is
completed. Every second is worth 3 points!


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 32.2. Highscore lists ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

Highscor lists in Boulder-Dash

There are two kinds of Highscore lists in Boulder Dash:

 1. Highscores of Teams and Players
 2. Highscores for every level

The highscores for teams and players can be seen when selecting a new Team /
Player from the Boulder main menu. The entries are ordered according to the
level reached. If there is more than one team/player with the highest level,
these entries are ordered according to the score.

The highscores for the levels hold both entries for teams and single players
(if the level is playable by both). The entries are orderd according to the
score.

Note:  The highscores for a level are deleted, when the level is changed!