Level Editor Tips/Explanations

GHM · 05-03-2012, 06:58 PM

I can't be the only one who has found little helpful quirks in the level editor, nor can I be the only one who doesn't understand certain things (like how you do camera effects). This thread is to be a helpful compilation of how to do various things in the editor.

Click the "?" at the top. This will teach you the basics.
Single-block tiles can be placed by using the "Draw Rectangle" ability. Just ALT+Click where you wish to place it.
Swapping between layer 18 and 19 for placing Entities and Tiles isn't necessary. While on either of those layers, the editor automatically places entities and tiles in their respective layers.
Learn to lock! The second check box next to each layer allows you to lock that layer, making anything in the layer unable to be deleted. This can save yourself from trouble due to the fact that prop-deleting doesn't understand layer difference.
Ambience won't do much if your selected music is too loud. Mess with your music and ambience volumes until you find the right combination.
Save often. Completed a part? Save. Thinking about changing something? SAVE.
Test everything. Test each individual part as you make it. Test any part that you make gameplay-related changes to. Test the entire level after completing it. Test as all 4 characters. I personally suggest uploading then deleting it from the site and testing it outside the editor. I've caught many a problem this way.
Don't be afraid to use a basic background. No one is going to hate you because you don't have perfect rolling hills or a huge, bustling city in the background.
Emitters can add a lot of detail with very little work. Learn to use these.
There is a "Virtual Characters" option under Level Settings. This will make players look like they do in the Tutorial and the X-Difficult levels.
Crazy colors can be obtained via the Fog trigger by using the black boxes on the far left side (these are clickable and bring up a color chooser), but be careful: I've yet to find a way to use a Fog trigger without it forcing the background to night.
Don't overdue props. You can definitely use way too much.
Each tile and its sub-colors have multiple models depending on where you place them. To use the same model, start in the spot that has the model you want and move from there.
The placement of a checkpoint flag, NOT the checkpoint activation area, is where the person will respawn. The same goes for victory flags, meaning you can bypass someone dying infinitely while the scoreboard loads by placing the flag in a safe location.
Add some "pazzaz" to your levels! Find an interesting niche you're good at using/making, and throw it in there. Amazing backgrounds, story, crazy camera effects, secret areas, secret paths, etc. It doesn't even have to be much, but the extra effort will make your levels unique.

Post your various tips and explanations.

spiceman · 05-03-2012, 08:55 PM

Can someone explain to me how to do a nice backdrop? When I place tiles and whatnot on the backdrop layers, they're way too dark ):
Edit: Well what do you know, I figured it out

czulkii · 05-04-2012, 03:58 AM

Didn't know about the virtual characters. Thanks.

One very useful tip:

While in the editor, when completing a level press tab about 1-2 seconds after the slow motion starts.

After roughly 2-3 seconds the performance chart will appear, this way you can test finesse and completion without having to upload the map to Atlas.

And a question:

I somehow managed to copy and paste a element in the editor using the select tool. But I have no idea how I did it. Does anyone know?

czulkii · 05-05-2012, 04:09 AM

Double bump.

Does anyone know of a way to set the default camera to different values without having to create and connect camera nodes?

Tinker · 05-05-2012, 03:46 PM

- Moving enemies - these are fine, but don't have them fly around if they're needed to cross a death pit or something similar movement related, because that will annoy the hell out of people.
- You can move the default maps or maps you downloaded to the level_src folder, where you can edit them. As Fog triggers can be saved and used in any level, use that to your advantage to have a starting point and then adjust them to your liking.
- The circle tile tool is useful for making those U turns

OldSoulCyborg · 05-05-2012, 05:34 PM

- Use checkpoints sensibly. It's better to have too many than too few.

Fay · 05-06-2012, 04:18 AM

Quote:

I've yet to find a way to use a Fog trigger without it forcing the background to night.

This troubled me for some time. Apparently if the game window is too small, the bg color options (that normally are at the top) are out of the screen.

Any idea how to change trigger size?

steeh · 05-06-2012, 04:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fay

Any idea how to change trigger size?

when you select a trigger, you can drag the outline of it outwards/inwards to make it bigger/smaller

Deatrathias · 05-06-2012, 07:42 AM

- When putting start point or checkpoints, place them slightly below the ground instead of above. That way, the character will appear on the ground rather that falling down a bit.

Tinker · 05-06-2012, 01:32 PM

^ Unless, of course, your checkpoint is near a series of ramps, and you should make the checkpoint far above ground to give the needed speed.

Tinker · 05-23-2012, 07:18 AM

I guess I could ask this question here: Is there any way to copy and paste tiles and/or props? Particularly for making repeating background or aesthetic elements or things like zippers.

GHM · 05-24-2012, 01:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tinker

I guess I could ask this question here: Is there any way to copy and paste tiles and/or props? Particularly for making repeating background or aesthetic elements or things like zippers.

I don't believe there is a way to copy atm.

dragoncmd · 05-25-2012, 06:18 PM

How do I return the colors to their default values after adding a trigger? I finally got something resembling a sky background (I hate that it defaults to night when you place *ANY* trigger) but all of the colors are screwed up for my other layers. Is there a specific hex value I hsould use?

Vashhee · 06-25-2012, 01:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GHM

[*]There is a "Virtual Characters" option under Level Settings. This will make players look like they do in the Tutorial and the X-Difficult levels.

Exactly what I was looking for. Thanks a lot. ^_^

Sorry, I forgot to ask:

Is there any way to rotate (horizontally) the direction a character is facing on a original/checkpoint spawn point? I cannot seem to change this from always facing to the right.

steeh · 06-25-2012, 04:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Vashhee

Exactly what I was looking for. Thanks a lot. ^_^

Sorry, I forgot to ask:

Is there any way to rotate (horizontally) the direction a character is facing on a original/checkpoint spawn point? I cannot seem to change this from always facing to the right.

dont think thats possible since you even start facing to the right on the original levels that start to the left (ramparts ftw :P)

05-03-2012, 06:58 PM	#1
GHM Join Date: Apr 2012 Reputation: 0 Posts: 17	Level Editor Tips/Explanations I can't be the only one who has found little helpful quirks in the level editor, nor can I be the only one who doesn't understand certain things (like how you do camera effects). This thread is to be a helpful compilation of how to do various things in the editor. Click the "?" at the top. This will teach you the basics. Single-block tiles can be placed by using the "Draw Rectangle" ability. Just ALT+Click where you wish to place it. Swapping between layer 18 and 19 for placing Entities and Tiles isn't necessary. While on either of those layers, the editor automatically places entities and tiles in their respective layers. Learn to lock! The second check box next to each layer allows you to lock that layer, making anything in the layer unable to be deleted. This can save yourself from trouble due to the fact that prop-deleting doesn't understand layer difference. Ambience won't do much if your selected music is too loud. Mess with your music and ambience volumes until you find the right combination. Save often. Completed a part? Save. Thinking about changing something? SAVE. Test everything. Test each individual part as you make it. Test any part that you make gameplay-related changes to. Test the entire level after completing it. Test as all 4 characters. I personally suggest uploading then deleting it from the site and testing it outside the editor. I've caught many a problem this way. Don't be afraid to use a basic background. No one is going to hate you because you don't have perfect rolling hills or a huge, bustling city in the background. Emitters can add a lot of detail with very little work. Learn to use these. There is a "Virtual Characters" option under Level Settings. This will make players look like they do in the Tutorial and the X-Difficult levels. Crazy colors can be obtained via the Fog trigger by using the black boxes on the far left side (these are clickable and bring up a color chooser), but be careful: I've yet to find a way to use a Fog trigger without it forcing the background to night. Don't overdue props. You can definitely use way too much. Each tile and its sub-colors have multiple models depending on where you place them. To use the same model, start in the spot that has the model you want and move from there. The placement of a checkpoint flag, NOT the checkpoint activation area, is where the person will respawn. The same goes for victory flags, meaning you can bypass someone dying infinitely while the scoreboard loads by placing the flag in a safe location. Add some "pazzaz" to your levels! Find an interesting niche you're good at using/making, and throw it in there. Amazing backgrounds, story, crazy camera effects, secret areas, secret paths, etc. It doesn't even have to be much, but the extra effort will make your levels unique. Post your various tips and explanations. Last edited by GHM: 05-10-2012 at 06:29 PM.

05-03-2012, 08:55 PM	#2
spiceman Join Date: Jan 2012 Reputation: 0 Posts: 10	Can someone explain to me how to do a nice backdrop? When I place tiles and whatnot on the backdrop layers, they're way too dark ): Edit: Well what do you know, I figured it out Last edited by spiceman: 05-03-2012 at 09:00 PM.

Thread Tools
Show Printable Version Email this Page
Display Modes
Linear Mode Switch to Hybrid Mode Switch to Threaded Mode

05-04-2012, 03:58 AM	#3
czulkii Join Date: Feb 2012 Reputation: 0 Posts: 44	Didn't know about the virtual characters. Thanks. One very useful tip: While in the editor, when completing a level press tab about 1-2 seconds after the slow motion starts. After roughly 2-3 seconds the performance chart will appear, this way you can test finesse and completion without having to upload the map to Atlas. And a question: I somehow managed to copy and paste a element in the editor using the select tool. But I have no idea how I did it. Does anyone know?

05-05-2012, 04:09 AM	#4
czulkii Join Date: Feb 2012 Reputation: 0 Posts: 44	Double bump. Does anyone know of a way to set the default camera to different values without having to create and connect camera nodes?

05-05-2012, 03:46 PM	#5
Tinker Join Date: Oct 2008 Reputation: 47 Posts: 914	- Moving enemies - these are fine, but don't have them fly around if they're needed to cross a death pit or something similar movement related, because that will annoy the hell out of people. - You can move the default maps or maps you downloaded to the level_src folder, where you can edit them. As Fog triggers can be saved and used in any level, use that to your advantage to have a starting point and then adjust them to your liking. - The circle tile tool is useful for making those U turns

05-05-2012, 05:34 PM	#6
OldSoulCyborg Join Date: Jan 2012 Reputation: 0 Posts: 22	- Use checkpoints sensibly. It's better to have too many than too few.

05-06-2012, 07:42 AM	#9
Deatrathias Join Date: Feb 2012 Reputation: 0 Posts: 2	- When putting start point or checkpoints, place them slightly below the ground instead of above. That way, the character will appear on the ground rather that falling down a bit.

05-06-2012, 01:32 PM	#10
Tinker Join Date: Oct 2008 Reputation: 47 Posts: 914	^ Unless, of course, your checkpoint is near a series of ramps, and you should make the checkpoint far above ground to give the needed speed.

05-23-2012, 07:18 AM	#11
Tinker Join Date: Oct 2008 Reputation: 47 Posts: 914	I guess I could ask this question here: Is there any way to copy and paste tiles and/or props? Particularly for making repeating background or aesthetic elements or things like zippers.

05-25-2012, 06:18 PM	#13
dragoncmd Join Date: Jul 2008 Reputation: 4 Posts: 37	How do I return the colors to their default values after adding a trigger? I finally got something resembling a sky background (I hate that it defaults to night when you place ANY trigger) but all of the colors are screwed up for my other layers. Is there a specific hex value I hsould use?