Nikon
01-20-2011, 06:04 PM
Guide to making a map
Creating the layout
First open an image-editing program (e.g. Photoshop, Gimp, Pixelmator). In my case I am going to use Photoshop, but it should be pretty similar from program to program. Create a new image. For a ball map, a good starting size would be 3000x1600. Now it’s time to make a background for your map. Just for tutorial purposes we are going to make a solid color for the background.
Now we are going to make the layout for your map. While making your layout, make sure you put every single object/wall on a different layer. This is a very important key in making sure your map ends up working. Create a new layer, and create your layout by using the pen tool, brush tool, ellipse tool, and any other tools you need. If you want to add textures or graphics to your obstacles/walls, this is when and where you would do it.
After you’re finished making your layout, Save the whole project as a .psd file (or any file that keeps the layers intact). You want to keep this file safe, because this is how you are going to update/change your map later on. Now hide (press the eye beside the layer) the background layer leaving only the obstacle/wall layers visible. Save these layers as obstacles.png. Make the background layer visible again, and hide all the obstacle/wall layers, and save the background layer as background.png. Make sure you saved these files as .png. Now you should have 3 different saved files.
Moving on to the map_editor
Open the map_editor and go to File>New>Map, Choose the name of your map; we are going to use Tutorial just for tutorial purposes (you can change the name later). Fill in the dimensions the same as the layout you made (for example width:3000 height:1600). The background color does not matter because we are going to put in the background we made earlier. Now in your operating system go to Applications>Altitude>Editor>Maps>Tutorial (the name you chose for your map). Now copy the two .png files we saved, and paste them into the Images folder.
Go back to the map_editor and go to Edit>Refresh Resources, this could take a couple of minutes so be patient. Go to the View Editor window (if you do not see this, go to Window>Show View Editor). Right click on “Game” and click New View. Name it Background and make the Width and Height the same as your map (for example width:3000 height:1600) and then click Apply. With the Background layer/view selected, move it to the top by pressing the Up button. Still on the Background layer/view, go to Map>Import Large PNG, navigate to your maps folder again, open the Images folder, and click on the background.png file and then on Select File. Now click on the Game layer/view and do the same thing as the last step but select the obstacles.png file instead.
Navigating the map_editor
To zoom in/out of your map, use +/- keys or the mouse scroll wheel. To move around within the editing window, use the arrow keys. If you happen to lose the map and cannot find it, just go to the view editor window and click on the layer/view and it should pop back into the center of the window.
Placing Special Items
Now it’s time to place your Spawns, Powerups, Goals, and Balls. Let’s start with the Spawns. Go to Window>Show Create Special, select Spawn Point and place it in your spawn area. Repeat this process until your spawn area is full and you are satisfied. We are going to Select all of your spawn points by holding shift and clicking on every one separately until you have all of them selected. Next, right-click on the selection and change the team color to red. With all of them still selected go to Selection>Mirror left/right to mirror the spawns to the other side of the map, and then right click-on the second selection and change the team color to blue. Now we are going to add the ball spawn points. Go back to the Create Special window and click on Powerup Spawner. Place the powerup in front of the red team's spawn area, right click on the Powerup, change the team to the Red Team, and change the Type to Ball. With the ball still selected, Mirror it to the other side again using Selection>Mirror left/right, and then right-click on the ball and change the Team to the Blue Team. Create another Powerup Spawner from your Create Special window and place it somewhere in the middle of both spawn areas. Right-click on the Powerup, put a Check beside Spawn at Round Start, and change the Type to Ball. Leave the team as "All Teams." Now we are going to make the goals. Go back to the Create Special window and click on Goal. Place this goal on the Red Team's side. Now mirror it to the other side using Selection>Mirror left/right, and then right-click on it, and change the Team to the Blue Team. You can also place Powerups (Missles, Walls, Shields) If you wish, by going to the Create Special window, and clicking on Powerup spawner.
Note that Spawns, powerups, goals, etc. can be resized or rotated by using that object's handles. Hold down shift when rotating to restrict rotation to certain angles.
Your map is now playable. You can go ahead and Save your map using File>Save As. Warning: The map_editor does not auto-save and does not warn you if you quit without saving. You can export your map so you can host it on your server using Export>Export Downloadable Map. The default save location for exported maps is .../Altitude/maps. Now you have just created your own map. Enjoy!
Creating the layout
First open an image-editing program (e.g. Photoshop, Gimp, Pixelmator). In my case I am going to use Photoshop, but it should be pretty similar from program to program. Create a new image. For a ball map, a good starting size would be 3000x1600. Now it’s time to make a background for your map. Just for tutorial purposes we are going to make a solid color for the background.
Now we are going to make the layout for your map. While making your layout, make sure you put every single object/wall on a different layer. This is a very important key in making sure your map ends up working. Create a new layer, and create your layout by using the pen tool, brush tool, ellipse tool, and any other tools you need. If you want to add textures or graphics to your obstacles/walls, this is when and where you would do it.
After you’re finished making your layout, Save the whole project as a .psd file (or any file that keeps the layers intact). You want to keep this file safe, because this is how you are going to update/change your map later on. Now hide (press the eye beside the layer) the background layer leaving only the obstacle/wall layers visible. Save these layers as obstacles.png. Make the background layer visible again, and hide all the obstacle/wall layers, and save the background layer as background.png. Make sure you saved these files as .png. Now you should have 3 different saved files.
Moving on to the map_editor
Open the map_editor and go to File>New>Map, Choose the name of your map; we are going to use Tutorial just for tutorial purposes (you can change the name later). Fill in the dimensions the same as the layout you made (for example width:3000 height:1600). The background color does not matter because we are going to put in the background we made earlier. Now in your operating system go to Applications>Altitude>Editor>Maps>Tutorial (the name you chose for your map). Now copy the two .png files we saved, and paste them into the Images folder.
Go back to the map_editor and go to Edit>Refresh Resources, this could take a couple of minutes so be patient. Go to the View Editor window (if you do not see this, go to Window>Show View Editor). Right click on “Game” and click New View. Name it Background and make the Width and Height the same as your map (for example width:3000 height:1600) and then click Apply. With the Background layer/view selected, move it to the top by pressing the Up button. Still on the Background layer/view, go to Map>Import Large PNG, navigate to your maps folder again, open the Images folder, and click on the background.png file and then on Select File. Now click on the Game layer/view and do the same thing as the last step but select the obstacles.png file instead.
Navigating the map_editor
To zoom in/out of your map, use +/- keys or the mouse scroll wheel. To move around within the editing window, use the arrow keys. If you happen to lose the map and cannot find it, just go to the view editor window and click on the layer/view and it should pop back into the center of the window.
Placing Special Items
Now it’s time to place your Spawns, Powerups, Goals, and Balls. Let’s start with the Spawns. Go to Window>Show Create Special, select Spawn Point and place it in your spawn area. Repeat this process until your spawn area is full and you are satisfied. We are going to Select all of your spawn points by holding shift and clicking on every one separately until you have all of them selected. Next, right-click on the selection and change the team color to red. With all of them still selected go to Selection>Mirror left/right to mirror the spawns to the other side of the map, and then right click-on the second selection and change the team color to blue. Now we are going to add the ball spawn points. Go back to the Create Special window and click on Powerup Spawner. Place the powerup in front of the red team's spawn area, right click on the Powerup, change the team to the Red Team, and change the Type to Ball. With the ball still selected, Mirror it to the other side again using Selection>Mirror left/right, and then right-click on the ball and change the Team to the Blue Team. Create another Powerup Spawner from your Create Special window and place it somewhere in the middle of both spawn areas. Right-click on the Powerup, put a Check beside Spawn at Round Start, and change the Type to Ball. Leave the team as "All Teams." Now we are going to make the goals. Go back to the Create Special window and click on Goal. Place this goal on the Red Team's side. Now mirror it to the other side using Selection>Mirror left/right, and then right-click on it, and change the Team to the Blue Team. You can also place Powerups (Missles, Walls, Shields) If you wish, by going to the Create Special window, and clicking on Powerup spawner.
Note that Spawns, powerups, goals, etc. can be resized or rotated by using that object's handles. Hold down shift when rotating to restrict rotation to certain angles.
Your map is now playable. You can go ahead and Save your map using File>Save As. Warning: The map_editor does not auto-save and does not warn you if you quit without saving. You can export your map so you can host it on your server using Export>Export Downloadable Map. The default save location for exported maps is .../Altitude/maps. Now you have just created your own map. Enjoy!