TILERAMA : Puzzle Editor Help v1.4 By A.M.Ortolani - 2001 / 2002
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This document assumes that you have already read the Help File of Tilerama, and that you know about the game's elements and features.
General Index:

0. Overview
1. Main Window
2. 'File' Menu
3. 'Edit' Menu - Creating the Puzzle
    3.1 Defining the Initial Pattern (IP)
    3.2 Defining the Objective Pattern (OP)
    3.3 Defining a Target Zone
    3.4 Inserting a Solution    
    3.5 Setting Puzzle's Limitations
    3.6 Setting the Puzzle Info
4. 'Tools' Menu
5. 'Configuration' Menu
6. License and Contact

0. Overview
'Tilerama : Puzzle Editor' allows you to create and/or edit any Puzzle File (.PZZ) of the game Tilerama. As mentioned in the game's help file, the function of this kind of files is to provide different IP's and OP's to the same boards, and suggest a number of moves and time to solve them. With this editor, you can load any board file, define an IP and OP, and then save your work as .PZZ. The steps in the elaboration of a puzzle could be the described in the topic 3. 

Before modify and save any existent puzzle of the game, remember that the Top 10 Scores stored in the puzzle files are reset when you save any file, as described in the topic 2.

Since version 1.3 this editor includes support for Target Zones inside the board. More details in the topic 3.3

1. Main Window
The Figure 1 shows the main window of the Puzzle Editor:

 

Figure 1 : Puzzle Editor Main Window

 
The elements are detailed here:
  1. Menu Bar : The items of the menu bar (File, Edit, Tools and Configuration) are detailed individually in the next 4 topics.
  2. IP Button : Click this button to modify the Initial Pattern. Full information in the topic 3.1.
  3. Solution Button : Click this button to insert a solution. Full information in the topic 3.4.
  4. OP Button : Click this button to modify the Objective Pattern. Full information in the topic 3.2.
  5. Target Zone Button : Click this button to modify the Target Zone. Full information in the topic 3.3.
  6. Counters : In this zone will be indicated the current time and moves when you're inserting a solution. Full information in the topic 3.4.
  7. Extra Counter : This counter will be increased if you make some move in the IP or OP, individually of the counters mentioned above. Click on the counter to reset it. 
  8. The Board : In this zone you can see and edit the actual patterns of the puzzle.
  9. Actual Pen/Tool : Here is shown the actual pattern selected to modify ('IP' or 'OP'). If you're inserting a solution, this indicator will show an 'S'.
  10. Position : This zone of the status bar shows the position of the pointer inside the board.
  11. Modified Indicator : Here is indicated if the actual file has been modified since the last save.
  12. Hint/Information : In this zone of the status bar are indicated the instructions or hints of the actual tool selected or window open.

2. 'File' Menu
The Figure 2 shows the 'File' Menu:

 

Figure 2 : 'File' Menu

 
Excepting 'Import Saved Game', these items don't need too much explanation, they have the same function of the 'File' commands of any Windows application.

1. New : Click on File/New or press Ctrl+N to create a new puzzle. This will open the 'New Puzzle' window, in which you have to choose a board file (located in the 'Boards' folder of the installation directory of Tilerama) to start with. Initially, the IP and OP of the puzzle will be both equal to the board's OP.

2. Open : Click on File/Open or press Ctrl+O to open the 'Open Puzzle' window. In this window you can select the puzzle file (located in the 'Puzzles' folder of the installation directory of Tilerama) to open and edit.

3.  Save : Click on File/Save or press Ctrl+S to save the actual puzzle. If it's the first time that you save the puzzle, the 'Save As..' window will appear.

4. Save As : Click on File/Save As or press Ctrl+A to open the 'Save As ..' window. In this window you can type the name of the puzzle file to be saved.

5. Save Pattern As : Click on File/Save Pattern As to open the 'Save Pattern ..' window. In this window you can type the name of the pattern file to be saved. This pattern file could be used later as IP or OP of the puzzle file.

6. Load Pattern : Click on File/Load Pattern to open the 'Load Pattern' window. In this window you can search a previously saved Pattern file to replace the current IP or OP. 

7. Import Saved Game : Click on File/Import Saved Game to begin a new puzzle taking the IP and OP from a saved game. When you're playing in Tilerama, you can save the actual game; with this editor you can open the saved game file (with extension .SGM, located in the folder 'Saved games' created the first time that you save a game) and use the actual and objective patterns saved as IP and OP respectively.

8. Exit : Click on File/Exit or press Alt+F4 to close the application.

'New', 'Open', 'Import' and 'Exit' commands will be confirmed if the puzzle has been modified since the last save.
Note : When you 'Save' or 'Save As ..' a puzzle, the Top 10 Scores stored in that file will be erased.


3. 'Edit' Menu - Creating the Puzzle
The Figure 3 shows the 'Edit' Menu:

 

Figure 3 : 'Edit' Menu

 
This menu includes all the elements needed to create or edit any puzzle of Tilerama. Excepting the 'Undo' feature, all items are explained in the following topics.

Click on Edit/Undo or press Ctrl+Z to undo the last operation. The 'command history' supported by the undo feature is very reduced : only one operation. The 'undo' command becomes the 'redo' command after its use.


3.1 Defining the Initial Pattern (IP)

As mentioned in the previous topic, when you start a new puzzle, the IP and OP are the same, both taken from the board's OP. To create a puzzle, you must define an IP different to the OP. Generally, the OP used in the puzzle files is the same as the board's OP, so modifying the IP will be enough to create a fully functional puzzle.

To modify the IP, simply press the 'IP Button' (see Figure 1) or click on Edit/Initial Pattern or press F2 (see Figure 3). The 'Actual Pen Indicator' (see Figure 1) will show the word 'IP' and in the board you'll see the actual IP. Then, move the tiles of the board (as playing in Tilerama) until you get to the wanted IP. 

You can configure the graphics, control, sound and indicators of the editor. Read the Topic 5 for more details.


3.2 Defining the Objective Pattern (OP)

As said before, usually the OP of the board file is used as OP for the puzzle file. But this is not a rule, you can define any other pattern as OP, using the same procedure as the described for the IP:

To modify the OP, simply press the 'OP Button' (see Figure 1) or click on Edit/Objective Pattern or press F4 (see Figure 3). The 'Actual Pen Indicator' (see Figure 1) will show the word 'OP' and in the board you'll see the actual OP. Then, move the tiles of the board (as playing in Tilerama) until you get to the wanted OP.


3.3 Defining a Target Zone

Since Tilerama 1.3, Puzzle Files may include a 'Target Zone' specification. Pieces outside that zone won't be considered; a puzzle will be solved if the pieces inside the target zone are in place, ignoring the others.

To select the 'Target Zone' pen, press the 'Target Zone Button' (see Figure 1) or click on Edit/Target Zone or press F5 (see Figure 3). The 'Actual Pen Indicator' (see Figure 1) will show the word 'TZ' and in the board you'll see the actual OP with the non-target zone drawn on it (Initially the entire board is considered as target zone).

When the current puzzle has a target zone definition, the pattern is drawn as usual, but with diagonal lines over the non-target zone, leaving perfectly visible the target zone.

To define portions of the Target Zone simply click on the board, inside the 'Tiles' zone. Click again to delete portions of the zone. 


3.4 Inserting a Solution

Puzzle files may provide a solution of the given puzzle. During the game, this solution isn't used at all, and that's why it's optional. If you want to provide a solution of your puzzle, only other users with this Puzzle Editor will be able to see it.

To insert or see a solution previously inserted, press the 'Solution Button' (see Figure 1) or click on Edit/Solution or press F3 (see Figure 3). This will open the 'Solution' window, that consist in four buttons : 'Rec', 'Play', 'Reset' and 'Close'. A label in this window will indicate if the solution has been recorded or not. Click on 'Play' to see the solution (if available) or 'Rec' to solve the puzzle and insert your solution (in this situation, the 'Actual Pen Indicator' (see Figure 1) will show the word 'S'). Click on 'Reset' to delete the solution, and 'Close' to go back to the edition of the patterns.

Read the Topic 5 for more details about the solution's options.


3.5 Setting Puzzle's Limitations

As mentioned before, you can suggest a number of moves and time to solve the puzzle. The player can use this suggestions to force the abortion of the game. 

To define the puzzle's limitations click on Edit/Limits or press Ctrl+L (see Figure 3). This will open the 'Limitations' window, in which you can set the maximum number of moves and/or seconds. If you set this values to 0 (zero) the corresponding limitation won't be available to the user. 

Note : After the definition of a solution (as described in the previous topic) the limitations will be automatically defined with the total number of moves and seconds needed to solve the puzzle. 


3.6 Setting the Puzzle Info

The information provided with the puzzle file includes:

1. Puzzle Name : The name of the puzzle inserted here may be different to the name of the file. This name will appear in the 'Info' zone of the game and in the 'Top 10 Scores' window.
2. Author Name : The name inserted here will appear in the 'Info' zone of the game, when the puzzle is loaded. 

This information can be typed in the 'Puzzle Info' window. To open this window, click on Edit/Puzzle Info of the menu bar (see Figure 3) or press Ctrl+I.


4. 'Tools' Menu
The Figure 4 shows the 'Tools' Menu:

 

Figure 4 : 'Tools' Menu

 
This menu includes some extra tools :

1. Swap OP <-> IP : Click Tools/Swap IP <-> OP or Ctrl+W to replace the actual IP by the actual OP, and vice versa.

2. Scramble IP : Click Tools/Scramble IP or Ctrl+M to randomize the actual IP.

3. Reset Puzzle : Click Tools/Reset Puzzle or Ctrl+R to set both patterns as the board's OP, similar to the 'New' command.

4. Snapshot : Click Tools/Snapshot or F8 to generate a .JPG image of the actual puzzle at 1:2 scale. This image will be generated in the folder 'Snapshots' of the installation directory of Tilerama and the Puzzle Editor. This folder is created the first time that you use this tool. The name of the image file will be the same of the puzzle file.

5. 'Configuration' Menu
The Figure 5 shows the 'Configuration' Menu:

 

Figure 5 : 'Configuration' Menu

 
With this menu you can select the graphics to use with the editor, define controls and indicators, and set some options regarding the solution inserted.

1. Graphics : Click Configuration/Graphics or Ctrl+G to open the 'Graphics' window. This window is very similar to the 'Graphics Configuration' window of Tilerama. Here you can select the GB and TS files to use with the editor.

2. Move Sound : Click Configuration/Move Sound or Ctrl+U to open the 'Move Sound' window and select the .WAV file (located in the 'Sounds' folder) to play when you move the tiles.

3. Control and Indicators : 'Use Mouse Wheel' , 'Highlight used Flow Elements' and 'Show Invalidations' have the same meaning of the options in Tilerama.

4. Confirm Before Reset Solution : If this option is checked, the application will ask your confirmation before delete the actual solution inserted. This will happen if you modify any pattern, or if you use the tools 'Swap' , 'Scramble' or 'Reset' (described in the previous topic) after the definition of a solution. 

5. Solution Play Speed : Here you can select the speed of the reproduction of the solution.

 6. Show Non-Target Zone During Solution : If this option is checked, the non-target zone will remain visible during the solution's insertion.

6. License and Contact
License

'Tilerama : Puzzle Editor' (and all the puzzle files created or modified with it) is FREEWARE:
  • You don't have to pay for it.
  • Using it has not been restricted in any way.
  • It may not be sold under any form.
  • You may distribute it to anyone and anyhow, without any changes made to it's containments.
Contact

'Tilerama : Puzzle Editor' has been programmed by Alejandro M. Ortolani.
Please feel free to contact me directly for comments, questions or bug reports of any kind:

ortolanialejandro@hotmail.com

and be sure to visit Tilerama's Web Site for a lot of extra resources, such as boards, puzzles, campaigns, graphics, sounds, tutorials and tips:

http://tilerama.portland.co.uk

Thanks for your support.