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buildlev.doc
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1995-04-09
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__ __ ___ __ __ ____ __
| ||\ | ||___\ \ \ / / || | |
| || \ | | ____ \ \ / / || | |
| | \ \ | ||____\ \ \ / / || | |
| |___\ | | |______ \ \/ / || | |____
|_________| |_________\ \__/ _||_ |_______\
I first intended to write a short documentation about building a small
level with DEVIL but then I noticed that I should explain things more
thoroughly. So I wrote 'DEVIL.DOC' (ok, you needn't read that first but
you should read it sometimes because not all functions are explained
here).
I'll also write another level (without step-by-step documentation) to
show how producers and switches work.
[A]. A LEVEL FROM THE SCRATCH
[A1] Moving around
[A2] The modes
[A3] Macros and deleting
[A4] Textures
[A5] Walls
[A6] Things
[A7] Exit
[A8] Merging the level in DESCENT
[A9] Stylistics
[B]. DEMO-LEVEL
[C]. CHANGES
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Part [A]. A LEVEL FROM THE SCRATCH
--[A1]------ Moving around
To control your movements with your mouse just click on the arrows to
the right: left click is turn and right click is move. On the keyboard
the commands are (you have to switch the NUMLOCK ON):
A/Y (perhaps Z ?) forwards/backwards (sorry, german keyboard)
1/3 banking
2/4/6/8 turn around
[SHIFT]+2/4/6/8 gliding
IMPORTANT: when I refer to NUMLOCK ON or OFF, I assume that you change
the Move/Modify-mode ONLY with your NUM-key.
If you want to move something else instead yourself you have to switch
the NUMLOCK OFF (or click on the button below the arrows). You can only
move tagged objects. Normal objects are moved relative to your point of
view but things with orientation (starts, robots and the reactor) are
steered (just lik you would fly them). Just try it.
If you want to use your mouse, read the 'Your mouse and DEVIL' section
in DEVIL.DOC.
--[A2]------ The modes
You change modes by pressing [CONTROL] and the first letter of the mode
That would be '[C]+S' for side-mode, '[C]+P' for point-mode, .... You
will notice that every time you change the mode the display in the
upper right corner will change to display your possibilities of editing
the current object. The Internal menu is the most complicated: here you
can enter the move-factor, the angle of your turns when you press
2/4/6/8, ...
Now go to cube-mode ('[C]+c'). Let's suppose you want to change the
light-level of this cube: just go to 'lights' using the cursor-keys and
press [RETURN].
If you've chosen sth. wrong just press [ESC]. This will quit the
current menu. Now you may enter any value from 0000 to 8000 (hex). This
will change the light level in the whole cube. Sometimes it is
necessary to change the light level for each side seperately (e.g. when
there are lights on the ceiling). This is done in the side- or point-
mode. If you want to go to another cube (well, if you'd have more than
one :) just press 'c' for the next or '[S]+c' for the previous cube.
That is 's' or '[S]+s' for sides, 't' or '[S]+t' for things, ...
When you change sides, you will always remain in the same cube; when
you change points you will remain in the same side.
When you want to change several objects, e.g. the textures of all walls
in a level, you may find it handy to 'tag' objects. This is possible in
every mode by pressing '[SPACE]'. '[S]+[SPACE]' tags/untags every
object in the level.
--[A3]------ Macros and deleting
OK, after you get used to the different controls let's try our first
macro. Go to side-mode ('[C]+s') and choose a side with the texture
'rock001'. Press '[S]+m' to make a macro (or use the pulldown-menus).
This macro consists of the current cube and all tagged objects
(including walls and things). To insert a macro press [INSERT] if you
want to keep the cubes seperate or '[S]+[INSERT]' if you want an
connection between the cubes. This is only possible in cube-mode, so
you better press '[C]+c'. Do this now (and since you want to fly
through this level you should use '[S]+[INS]' :). The inserted cube is
blue (that is: tagged). This is because it is very easy to make things
wrong with macros. So if you just inserted a macro and want to delete
it just press [DELETE]. This will delete every tagged object (hence the
name). You can't delete the active cube (which is shown green) so you
will have to change the cube some-times before deleting it. Now compare
the cubes (especially concerning the lights, they should be on the same
side on both cubes). Most certainly you've made a mistake so that you
have to delete the cube. Now try it again while I'll try to explain
just HOW this damned macros work (I got it wrong some zillion times my-
self). When you make a macro, DEVIL takes the current side and point.
When you insert a macro, DEVIL takes the current point and side and
tries to mend these with the point and the side of the macro. DEVIL
will therefore turn the cube in the macro to match the two points and
sides. Just keep trying until you get the hang of it.
Then build a corridor with an intersection (you may want to make longer
macros to build your corridor faster). Be sure to make one of the bran-
ches very long, this branch will become the exit-corridor. After making
it at least aprox. 10 cubes long, go to the last cube and switch to the
finishing side. Then press [END] which will make the exit.
It schould look like 'tut1.rdl'
--[A4]------ Textures
Texture changing is easy: just switch to side-mode and choose texture 1
or 2. Texture 2 is used for signs, monitors or lights. It will lay on
texture 1. Some textures (like lava) are special. These are handled
automatically by DESCENT (it's a GREAT game). Change some textures and
notice that when you change texture 1, texture 2 (the lights) will
remain the same. You may want to change the orientation of the second
texture: do that with 'change orientation'.
--[A5]------ Walls
side wall side
__________ __________
| | |
| | |
void | cube1 | cube2 | void
| | |
|__________|__________|
Two adjacent cubes in the void: a wall is a cube-side between two cubes
a side is a cube-side without another adjacent cube.
Walls are sides between cubes. They may have different functions:
switches (for doors or producers), doors, only texture or just plain
nothing. A wall may even be a door AND a switch.
We will make two doors now:the first in the bent branch just after the
intersection (branch one) and the second in the other branch so that
there is just one cube left (branch two). Change to wall-mode and
change the side of the cube so that the side in which you want to
insert the door is red. Then press [INSERT]. Now let's change the types
of the doors: the door in branch one is 'stay open, switch' (means you
can't open it), 'open at end' (means it will open when the reactor is
blown up). In addition to that you should set the switch to 'normal
exit' (means exit). The second is 'open/close w. laser' and 'red key'.
You are now at 'tut2.rdl'.
--[A6]------ Things
Things are Robots/Items/Weapons. Switch to thing-mode and press
[INSERT]. An energy boost will appear (default). Switch him into a red
key using the upper right menu. If you put the red key behind the red
door you get 1000 points for intelligent behaviour: either delete it
(tag it first, but remember that you can't delete the active object) or
move it around (tag it and switch NUMLOCK OFF). Now go to the cube
behind the red door. Insert another thing and switch it to reactor.
Since the reactor is kind of special you have to change the cube-type
as well. Go into cube-mode and switch the cube-type to reactor.
You may also want to insert a robot: insert another energy boost and
change it's type to 'robot'. Now choose a robot and, if you want, an
item that the robot will drop (drop-type 'drop item', choose item out
of list and enter a drop-number)
--[A7]------ Exit
The exit of a level is build a bit more complicated than in DOOM. First
there is the exit-door: it never opens until the reactor is blown up.
This wall is also a switch: when you pass it, the computer takes con-
trol over your ship and steers it through the last corridor until the
real exit is reached. Therefore an exit consists of 'stay open, switch'
'open at end' and the switch 'normal exit'.
The exit-side is the only side that is a wall (not quite right but it
should do). Therefore you should bend the corridor so that the exit
wall can't be seen from the beginning of the exit-corridor (because of
HOM-effects). I've not done so because it's only a stylistic fault and
won't do any harm.
IMPORTANT: DESCENT seems to need an exit (we aren't 100% sure). When
you load a level without exit it will crash sometimes/sometimes not,
depending of the time, your age and the current moon-phase. This
freaked us a lot but we thinks we have sorted it out by now.
The exit-corridor should also have a certain minimal length (try sth
around 10 cubes at least) and it shouldn't have sharp corners (no 90°
turns).
Your level is now ready and should look like 'tut3.rdl'.
--[A8]------ Merging the level in DESCENT
You don't have to merge them. Just only rename them in 'levelXX.rdl'
where XX ranges from 01 to 27 including S1,S2,S3 (for secret levels).
DESCENT will load this levels instead of those in the .HOG-file.
--[A9]------ Stylistics
Here are just some tips what you should try to do/don't :
- don't make the exit-corridor too short/straight (see exit)
- insert the reactor in standard cubes so that they won't float (or
steer them to the floor in a bigger room)
- default texture for doors is rock001; you don't see it a lot but
change the texture to match adjacent textures
- ceiling (lights) and floor (tiles) should remain the same through the
whole level
- monitors and signs should be orientated in the same way
- when you make a macro for public use, try to end it with a standard
cube (reference point and side)
- thank PARALLAX every day
- be happy :)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Part [B]. DEMO-LEVEL
I'll just describe what you see when you fly through this level. First,
there is a two-sided (means two different events, depending of your
direction) switch for the producers. Then there is a energy-station
(note: try to achieve a high 'wall-density' in energy-stations 'cause
when you turn you see that the flocks in the air are just 2D). Next,
another two-sided switch for two secret doors. The door to the left is
'open/close w. switch' (means: it will close after some time), the
other is 'not normally opened' and will stay open when opened once via
switch. First type is great for secret doors with goodies behind, second
is for traps with robots. Then you'll pass a door and enter a BIG BALL
(my first real macro :). This room may be a bit slow on some machines
(mine for example). There will be another enemy and the reactor.
Notice the mind-wheeling effect corridor <-> ball?
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Part [C]. CHANGES
No more changes made.
I received lotsa mails asking about mouse-controlling or how to tag/untag ...
These things are explained more thoroughly in the DEVIL.DOC file and I won't
explain ALL subjects here. So if you got any questions remember: first RTFD,
then mail me. I will answer all questions if I explained some things poorly
and if someone has suggestions for improvement, send them (thanx go to Pat
Johnson for suggesting how to improve the wall/side explanation).
Don't worry, be happy
Boris