To help with the construction of this FAQ contact me at the address above. I'm looking for the perfect person to take over custodian/keeper of this FAQ because whenever I get into something like this it turns into a major project I can never escape from.
This FAQ is in it's very infantile stage....Expect a complete document that explains EVERYTHING as we learn more about Build.
This is a quick FAQ explaining some of the more frequently asked about effects in Build.
I'll add to it as time permits. Hope you find it useful..
1) Making a simple Door
This door is like the standard doors in DooM. The door is a sector between two other sectors that determine the height of the door.
A door is just a sector who's ceiling is the same height as its floor, when opened the ceiling raises to the height of a nearby sector.
Before the sector's ceiling is lowered to the floor it is important to add whatever sector effects are required for the door to work.
For a standard DooM type door, the sector needs to be given a Sector LoTag of 20. This is done by hitting the "T" key in 2d mode while the mouse pointer is within the sector that is to become a door.
You may add a Sector Effect Sprite (represented by Sprite #1, a large "S") to cause the door to auto close after a time delay. The Sector Effect Sprite must be given a LoTag of 10. This is done by hitting Alt-T in 2d mode while the mouse is pointing at the Sector Effect Sprite. The HiTag of the sprite will determine the delay of the closing operation. Set HiTag with Alt-H while the mouse is pointing at the Sector Effect Sprite. 32 units = 1 second.
You may also give sound to your door by adding a MusicandSFX Sprite (represented by Sprite #5, a large "M"). I suggest a LoTag of 166 for typical door sound.
Make sure the sector's ceiling is lowered to the floor level after the Sprites have been placed, then save the map and try out your door!
2) Making an underwater area.
Underwater areas are indicated by sectors with a LoTag of 2. All areas that have LoTags of 2 will behave as if they are underwater.
3) Linking an undwater area to an above water area.
Both the above water area and the underwater area must have a sector of exactly the same size and dimensions.
The above water area has a Sector Effect Sprite sitting on the water texture with a LoTag of 7. This is set by using the Alt-T key while the mouse is pointed at the sprite.
The below water area has a Sector Effect Sprite with a LoTag of 7.
Both the above water area and below water area must have the same Sector Effect Sprite HiTag number which may be chosen arbitrarily.
The above water area has a Sector LoTag of 1, while all of the underwater areas must have a Sector LoTag of 2. This is done with the "T" key while the mouse is inside the sector you wish to set a LoTag to.
A common mistake is to only set the transition sector underwater to LoTag 2. All the sectors around the transition sector would then behave as if they were above water.
You may also set the palette of the underwater area to 0 = Water or 8 = Green Slime.
4) Making a teleporter.
A teleporter works exactly like an underwater/above water transition, except no underwater or above water sector tags are required.
First place Sector Effect Sprites on both teleporter pads. Set the LoTag of the Sector Effect Sprite to 7 for each pad. Set the HiTag number of one teleporter to match the HiTag number of another teleporter. It is the HiTag of the sector that links one teleporter to another.
5) Making a rotating sector.
A rotating sector is accomplished with two Sector Effect Sprites. This first one (SE LoTag 0) indicates the sector to be rotated, and the second one (SE LoTag 1) indicates the "pivot" point for the rotation.
First, place a Sector Effect Sprite in the sector that you would like to rotate. Give that Sector Effect Sprite a LoTag of 0. Set the HiTag of the Sector Effect Sprite equal (arbitrary number) to the "pivot" point Sector Effect Sprite explained below.
Place a second Sector Effect Sprite at the "pivot" point of the rotation. If you would like the sector to simply spin, place this sprite in the exact midpoint of the sector. If you would like the sector to rotate around another object or sector, place the sprite at that point instead.
Give the second (pivot) Sector Effect Sprite a LoTag of 1 and a HiTag matching the Sector Effect Sprite HiTag of the Sector Effect Sprite you placed in the sector that will rotate.
Angle the Sector Effect Sprite (SE LoTag 0) up to rotate all points around the Sector Effect Sprite LoTagged 1. Or, angle the Sector Effect Sprite (SE LoTag 0) down to rotate just the sector around the Sector Effect Sprite LoTagged 1.
Angle the Sector Effect Sprite (SE LoTag 1) up to rotate the sector clockwise. Or angle the Sector Effect Sprite (SE LoTag 1) down to rotate the sector counter-clockwise.
If Relative alignment "R" key is set on the floor texture, all the sprites on that sector will rotate with the sector.
You may link several rotating sectors to a single pivot point by matching the HiTags of the pivot Sector Effect Sprite (SE LoTag 1).
6) Making a swinging door.
To make a swinging door, you need to first make sure the door has room to swing. A swinging door is a pair of sectors that will rotate on a pivot point at one of the door sectors corners.
You will need to make sure your door sector is only sharing one vertex with adjacent walls.
This is best done by building a complete sector using only one vertex from each sector on either side of your door, and dropping the other two vertexes a grid space away from the walls on the side you'd like your doors to swing out from or into.
Next, insert a vertex on each side of your door sector at the line's mid point and split the sector there.
So, you should have two sectors attached to each other that will be your door. Each half of that split sector will swing one way. Beside your door sector should be the walls that surround the door that are attached to the door by only one vertex on each side.
I've noticed that 3dRealms has always added two extra vertexes on the walls on each side of the door to meet up with the corners of the door sectors as they swing. I don't think this is required, but presumably it has some effect on stability of the door.
Place a Sector Effect Sprite with a LoTag of 11 at the pivot points of the swinging door.
Set each door sector to a LoTag of 23.
Use a matching HiTag for each Sector Effect Sprite to have the doors open simultaneously. Or, use an un-matching SE HiTag to have each half of the door open independantly.
Angle one of the SE Sprites up to rotate half of the door clockwise, and the other SE Sprite should be facing down to rotate that half of the door counter-clockwise.
Use MusicandSFX Sprite HiTag and LoTag to set door open and closing sound.
7) To make an earthquake.
Earthquakes require a few things to work. First, you'll build your map so that the *result* of the earth quake is showing. Also, you'll need some sort of trigger for the earthquake. Earthquake sounds are automatic, but earthquake jibs must be added by you.
First step is to create the result of the earthquake. Try building a sector within a sector, then split that sector with a jagged line (add vertexes to the split line and move the vertexes around to make it jagged).
Then, use the [ and ] keys to tile half of your new sector into the ground. You can use the Alt-F key in 2d mode to reset the "first wall" of the sector. Tilted floors pivot along the "first wall" of a sector.
The way your sector looks in 3d mode will be how your sector will look after the earthquake is triggered.
Build another sector in sector a short distance from your quake result sectors. This is going to be your "touch plate." Raise the floor a bit so you'll be able to see the "touch plate" sector when your play your map.
Now to add the correct Sector Effect Sprites, Master Switch Sprites, and Touch Plate Sprites. First, place a Sector Effect Sprite with LoTag 2 on the sector that will be affected by the earthquake. You may adjust the direction of the SE 2 Sprite to indicate the direction the sector will move during the quake.
Add a Master Switch Sprite (Sprite #8) near the SE 2 Sprite within the sector that will be moved.
You'll need to raise the height (Page Up in 3d mode) of both the Master Switch Sprite and the Sector Effect Sprite to be equal with the normal floor level.
Now, place a Touch Plate Sprite (Sprite #3) on the touch plate sector. Give the Touch Plate Sprite and the Master Switch Sprite matching LoTags. This is one instance where the two Sprites (Master Switch and Touch Plate) will be linked with "LoTag" and not "HiTag."
Finally, if you want little chunks of rock to fall or bounce around while the earth quake is taking place you may place some Spawn Earthquake Jib Sector Effect Sprites (SE 33) around the earthquake area.
If you leave the EQ JIB SE 33 on the ground, you'll just get little chucks bouncing around, if you raise the SE33 Sprites to the ceiling, rocks will rain from above....kinda cool.
8) Making a vent
Vents are fairly easy. They just require placing a sprite against a wall and changing that sprite to look like the vent you'd like to shoot out.
The key is to place the Sprite on the line between your sectors (red line) in 2D Mode, not 3d mode.
After the sprite is placed in the exact right spot, you'll go into 3d mode to select the texture ( "V" key) and set "relative alignment" ( "R" key).
At this point you may stretch your texture (keypad arrows) to fit the opening you need.
9) Making a one sided wall.
Sometimes, you want to cover an open area (like a window) with a texture on one or both sides. This can be done with the "M" key for both sides, or Shift-M for one side.
First aim the mouse at a texture above or below (on the same line as) the area you want to fill in with a texture in 3d mode.
Then hit either the "M" key or Shift-M and a texture will appear. This texture can be manipulated as normal by applying new textures, or stretching and panning as you wish.
