QOOLE tutorial

Welcome to the QOOLE tutorial, this will hopefully give new users of this powerful and user friendly editor a starting point from which they can create amazing id quality levels. This tutorial will attempt to give both new and somewhat experienced users an in-depth guide to the features of this new editor. At the same time, this should give me a better understanding of the editor too, so everything I learn I will pass on to you, the reader. (Only one reader, I have no dillusions of grandieur ;)

In Quake every solid object must be created as a block. It is in this way that Quake acheives its fully 3 dimensional environment. A block is called a brush. In this system to create a simple box room you must use 6 brushes, one for the 4 walls and one each for the ceiling and floor. For those who have done DOOM editing: forget everything you have learned! I think that's the easiest way to start. This 3D way of thinking may seem a little alien at first, but after some use you will find that it becomes second nature.
The next important thing you must understand is lighting, lighting can make or break a level, it is also the most powerful tool you have at your disposal as an editor. Lighting is not difficult to understand, it just behaves like light is the real world, creating shadows and stuff. Play around with lights, they can really ad atmosphere to a level. One caution though: don't use lighting as a way to hide a poorly designed level. Bad lighting can destroy a good level, but good lighting cannot save a bad level.

I didn't write QOOLE, if you have any comments, e-mail them to the talented guys who did. Also, if you find any bugs (yes, it does crash occaisionally) send them also. They would like to get as many bug reports as possible, remember if you don't send them the bug report, it might not get fixed :) Help them make this even better than it is right now.

Basics	This is the first tutorial, it introduces the new user to the basics of the QOOLE interface, and the basic functions of the editor.

First room	This will show you how to make a simple room with QOOLE and how to compile it so that you can play it in Quake.

Lighting	How to add lights to your level, remember: lighting gives your level atmosphere.

More advanced rooms	This show how to join two rooms together, and introduces some advanced features of QOOLE.

Floor texturing	How to texture the floor (and the other compnent brushes of your rooms) with seperate textures.

Liquids	This introduces liquids, and how to use them within your level.

The config menu and texture bookmarks	more advanced features of QOOLE: The config menu and texture bookmarks.

Grouping	How to simplify editing, and manipulate complex maps easily. By Plucky

Switchable Lights	How to make switchable lights, and an introduction to the entity dialogue box. By KonstruKt aka DPC-Reverend

Doors	How to make doors, both regular and Switched variations. By KonstruKt aka DPC-Reverend

Elevators	How to make elevators using func_plats. By KonstruKt aka DPC-Reverend

Teleporters	How to make teleporters. I'm back! :)

test1.zip
The completed first tutorial level with lights and pillars, don't know what I'm talking about, read the tutorials.

2rooms.zip
The completed 2 rooms tutorial, follow the tutorial, and if you get stuck take a look at this.

MTex.zip
The multiple textured room tutorial completed, take a look at it if you get stuck, or just want to see what I did.

Water.zip
This is what I did for the water tutorial, take a look at it, it'll show you some pretty cool ideas, also if you get stuck with your level, grab this and see what you did wrong..

Button.zip
A sample triggered door for those of you who need to take a look at "how to do it", contributed by Konstrukt

Zipped tutorial
For those who would rather work off-line here are the tutorials zipped. Simply extract the file into a directory and open the index.html file in your browser.

utils.zip (Windows 95 only)
These are the utilities you require to compile your level. Again, don't know what I'm talking about? read the tutorials.

QUBE.zip (Utils for DOS)
These are modified utils for DOS, they look really good, progress bar and stuff. These require slightly different command line operation, but it's not too difficult to figure out.

Well, that's all there is for now, I will hopefully get some more tutorials up shortly, I would appreciate any assistance in this, whether just encouragement or ideas etc, just mail them to me, NOTE: I didn't write QOOLE, want to say something about the editor, then the guys would love to hear from you..