Tutorial: How to use Level Editor?

Save, Load, New Level, Game Mode

Start editor by clicking on the "Edit Level" icon in the Krkal main menu, alternatively you can use 'F2' key. If you have chosen a level in the main menu list, it will be opened for you. All main operations with levels such as Loading, Saving, Creating a new level are accessible by this button. Press it and a menu shows up.

Creating New Level

Only invent a name of you level and fill it in the form. All the rest leave without change (the Advanced options). Path to a level you enter only if you want to hide the level in some sub directory (not recommended). Script defines the game and its version for which you are editing. The newest version of game Krkal is krkal2.kc, so leave there the default setting. All objects and features will be available.

Important

Don't forget to save your work (Ctrl+'S')! Save before opening other level, before exiting editor, before re-opening (F2) Editor is designed for hard men and never asks if you want to save your work. So don't forget!

Exiting

You can end the editor by pressing 'F3'.

Game Mod

Whenever you open or create a level you can enable the "Game Mod". In Game Mod you can play game and edit simultaneously. But you cannot save! This feature is good for testing levels. Edit something in normal mode, save it (don't forget!). Press Shift+F2 - this restarts editor and toggles Game Mod. Now you can play and test your level, you can also edit (place additional player characters, remove walls, ...). If you die or do other mistake you can restart the test by 'F2' (Game Mod stays). Press Shift+F2 to restart editor and to return to normal editing mode.

Placing objects

Choose desired object from the tree list on the right side. You are now in the Insert Mode, in the lower right corner you will see a window with object properties. It has an yellow title, this indicates you have selected an object prototype. First edit settings of the prototype object. If you hold a mouse cursor over some property, a help shows up. Then place object instances into the map or between global objects (list on the top). The placed objects will be set in the same way as the prototype.

You can place objects only to free non blocked places. If you want to place to a blocked cell, hold Ctrl while placing. New object will be placed, all colliding objects will be removed and deleted.

Hold Shift if you want to place more objects at once. In this mode you are placing a matrix of 3x3 cells.

Scrolling mapy

There are three ways how to move the map. The least comfortable is to use the scrollbars. Next you can go with mouse cursor to a screen edge, map then will scroll in that direction. And the last possibility is to hold the Space key when the cursor is over the map. Now if you move the mouse, cursor will stay, but the map will move instead. You can also place/delete objects, hold space at the same time and scroll.

Changing the Size of the Map

You can change the size of the map at any time while editing. Change to Select Mod (Press 'S' key) and choose object OMap

In the object property window change the coordinates of upper left and lower right corners. The coordinates are in pixels. When you are finish, press the Refresh Object button (it is also in object property window).

Selecting Objects

Change to the Select Mode. You can either press the Select Mode button or the 'S' key. Now you can select any object by clicking on it. Window with object's property will open. It has now green title, this indicates that you are looking at living instance of the object. You can edit its properties.

Doing copies

Select an object, then change to Insert Mode (you can press 'I'). This creates a prototype which is a copy of previously selected object. (Note that title is now yellow.) You can now place the copies to the map.

Deleting Objects

In any editing mode you can delete objects by pressing the right mouse button. Note that only objects somehow similar to the object you are now working with are deleted. For example if you have selected a floor, right mouse button deletes only floors. If you work with wall, only walls or items will be deleted. Hold Shift if you want to delete all inside 3x3 area.

You can also change to Delete Mode (key 'D'). In this mode you delete any object you left click on.

Editing Properties of Complex Objects

Something is explained in the documentation (description of Krkal objects) (yes it was translated! ;-)) For instance the switches(!), please look at it. Next don't forget that if you hold the mouse cursor over a property name a help shows up. And finally you can send us questions by mail.

Selecting a Music

Press this button. Package browser opens.

Search for the packages music.pkg and music2.pkg. Inside are music tracks. If you click twice on a track you'll hear the music. Choose the one you most like, then press the right mouse button on it, a context menu appears. Here choose "Nastav jako hudbu k levlu" (select as music for the level)