LEVEL EDITING HINTS

                                                

NOTE: IT'S PRESUMED THAT DESCENT MISSION BUILDER II 2.6 AND HAMM 1.12 BETA ARE USED WHEN FOLLOWING THESE INSTRUCTIONS. BUT I'M SURE THAT THEY'RE, WHEN APPLIED, USABLE WITH EDITOR AS EDITOR, ESPECIALLY TO DLE-XP. THEY APPLIES TO BOTH DESCENTS, UNLESS WRITTEN OTHERWISE.

 

HOGs:

 

1. When  the level that thou save is in the HOG, Builder may make a new rdl/rl2 and keep original untouched. That's why it's recommended to export and delete  the file. When changes are done, import the edited one.

2. HOG may include many copies of same stage. Before testin', make sure that it only has the right one, othervise the wrong may play instead.

3. All Desc' 2 stages MUST be in the HOG, even single ones and in 'missions' directory!

 

MISSION FILES:

 

1. It can be done by Note Pad too. Then save it by hogname.rdl to Descent1 or hog.rl2 for D2. D1 can use stand alone RDL too, but MSN must have its name. 

 

Examples:

 

mylevel.msn

myd2levl.mn2

 

2. Structure o' both files is the same, but in mn2 use rl2s instead and briefing&ending lines doesn't belong here. ';' lines are comments and doesn't either. 

 

name=mission name

; max size 22 characters

type=normal/anarchy

; normal is for single player and anarchy for Anarchy. It doesn't show up in mission list then, expect in multiplay.

num_levels=(number)

; Number o' levels in HOG. In this example it's 4: secrets not counted.

level1.rdl

level2.rdl

level3.rdl

level4.rdl

; Level files.

num_secrets=(number)

; Number o' secret stages, now 1.

secret.rdl,3

; Number is level's, which leads to secret. 

briefing=filename

; Mission briefing.

ending=filename

; Ending briefing.

; These 2 DOESN'T have extension!

; Comment. Can be anything. DON'T put it between filenames or the mission ends here!

 

TXBS:

 

Briefing:

 

Common:

 

1. Look at game briefings to get correct forms.

2. 20 rows and 56 characters (spaces included) fits onto screen.

3. Command letters MUST be capital. They're followed by '$' without space, which is after the letter (n).

4. Common letters:

 

a. Sn            Section. Add last section+1 to the last line o' briefing, nothing else.

b. P              Pause,  pressing a key redraws screen to new text and picture in current section.

c. Rn            Displays robot.

d. Cn           Text color: 0: grey 1: green 2: white.    

e. Tn            Sets startin' point o' text. n=70 in computer screen.

f. F               Flashing cursor

 

Descent1:

 

1. It allways follows the same order, as the main mission. (Shiva station, Dravis, robots, Dravis, Earth's moon, Moon...)

2. Using other planet instead  o' Moon is possible, but I've only seen it, if the HOG had only 1 stage.

3. Leave empty lines between Dravis' and Material Defender's speach. (Press Enter.)

4. Letters:

 

a. Bname          Display name.bbm. name=endguy in ending. (Dravis' face)

b. Oname         -"- exit door or energy generator stars.

c. Nname         -"- texture

d. T30              In planet screen.

 

6. Robots:

 

0                      Medium Hulk

1                         -"-      Lifter

2                      Spider

3                      Class 1 Drone

4                        -"-   2   -"-

5                      Cloaked Driller

6                          -"-      Hulk

7                      Class 2 Supervisor

8                      Secundary Lifter

9                      Class 1 Heavy Driller

10                      -"-   3 Gopher      

11                    Pink  Platform

12                    Green    -"- 

13                    Split Pod

14                    Mini Spider

15                     -"-   Boss

16                    Super Hulk

17                    Mercury Boss

18                    Cloaked 1 Lifter

19                    Class 1 Driller       

20                    Small Hulk

21                    Advanged Lifter

22                    PTMC Defence

23                    Charon Boss    

 

Descent 2:

 

1. Every pcx MUST be defined! In EACH SECTION! (1 per section)

2. All expect end01 MUST BE INCLUDED INTO HOG!

3. Letters:

 

a. C3             Blue text

b. D1             These 2 defines                       

c. Z                the picture.

 

- A post briefing after the last stage can be written.

 

4. Computer monitor: 

 

$D1end01.pcx  0 30 8 8 300 190

$Zend01.pcx

 

5. Press 3 spaces and enters before briefing text, so it fits on the monitor.

6. First 2 lines are shorter than the rest. 

 

7. Robots:

 

B                   Smelter

D                   Ice spindle Defense Robot

E                    Bulk destroyer

F                   TRN Racer

G                   Fox Attack bot

H                   Sidearm

I                    Lou guard

J                    Guide-bot

K                   Internal Tactical Security Droid

L                    Omega Defence Spawn

M                   Internal Tactical Droid

N                   P.E.S.T

O                   Sidearm Modula

P                    PIG

Q                   Spawn

R                   Diamond claw

S                   Seeker

T                   Thief Bot

U                   Energy Bandit

W                  Boarshead

X                   Spider

Y                   Red Hornet

 

8. Vertigo enemies can't been shown.

 

Exit sequences:

 

1. It's not possible to add it to D2 stage.

2. File must have same name as RDL. 

3. Don't copy one from the game, make thy own! 

4. It's possible to write it too:

 

moon0n.bbm                    Surface, values: 1=grey, 2=brown, 3=light red, 4=dark red

lev01ter.bbm                    Shape

5.10                                 x,y

1                                      Rotation degree

earth/earth2/sun/empty     (1 only) Sky:  earth=our planet, earth2=red planet, empty=nothing

205,0                               x,y

200                                  Size 

90,40                               Flight path  

 

                                        Don't write the text above, they're just explanations.

 

5. Thou may have to make a new one after editin' the stage.

6. If a stage has a secret exit, its sequence doesn't end in a right way.

7. A TXB's recuired for 1st stage only. For the rest it's then level 1's one, unless made different one. Even if the save is loaded.

 

Credits:

 

1. Start as a TXB and after writin', rename it as hogname.ctb

2. 1st line's the big one.

3. Add EMPTY next.

3. *text: Blue text, other lines'll be yellow.

4. A line may not exeed 26 characters.

 

CUBES:

 

1. 6 is size o' D1's door lights, 7 o' D2.

2. Illegal geometry doesn't seem to influect, does stage work or not if it's for D1, but in D2 the game might quit with an error. 

3. The ship can flight through ??x14x?? cube only in exit sequence. 

4. Shortenin' a cube also shortens the hostage inside.

5. If there's a robot in one shorter than 5, it's exploded when thou start.

6. Don't copy rooms from games or other missions, especially those 2.

 

TEXTURES:

 

1. Thou can shoot, but not fly through empty_light. (Unless if it's an illusion.)

2. D2's door light's left-right aling value=(-)7,5.

3. In light_30 +/-0.3

3. Savin' D2 lights ingreases RL2's size by about 30 kB!

4. Thou can make lava_004 or waterfalls to motionless when thou put 'em as texture2. 

 

EXIT CORRIDOR:

 

1. If there isn't a sequence there, it doesn't need to be longer than it barely hides the end o' tunnel from sight. Nor a tunnel at all. 

2. If is:

 

a. Make it long and curvy. 

b. It must lead from side to opposite and end from 5 to 4. If doesn't, make new curves untill does. 

c. Add 3 more 20x20x20 cubes after last one.

d. Song is about 50 cubes long.

 

3. Ending side can be ANYWHERE!

4. Addin' the door isn't enough. Thou must add the exit trigger side right.

 

SECRETS:

 

1. All doors can be anywhere and not seen unless opened/opening if thou select both textures as the wall around.

2. An other way is to use illusion wall.

3. Door requiring a key is shown in the map.

 

TRIGGERS:

 

1. Most triggers have a wall usin' the default texture.

2. Thou can't install a switch on a grate.

3. Unflag Auto from both sides o' door and it won't close anymore.

 

OBJECTS: 

 

1. A single robot code can override user settings. I've seen the followin':

a. Advanced Lifter and Fiddler ---> 'still'.

b. 'Weapon2' ---> 'weapon 1' if  'bot originally had only 1 weapon

c. 'Company' --->  'smart bombs'. Robot really uses the Guide-laser.

2. Alterin' strength value to maximum doesn't make 'bot REALLY though. It doesn't stand 2 Earthshakers anyway.

3. Thou can reset custom enemies used in previous stage if thou reset defaults and click 'ok' and save. DMB makes new hxm and keeps the other.

4. Moving

 

a. Keypad is better than tool window (Object Mode, Num Lock on).

b. Click 'Move' and then 'No' after selectin' robot.

c.  Land hostages 6 times.

 

5. Rotatin' 

a. Change current side o' any cube to correct number and press keypad 1 or 3 to rotate.  

b. Numbers:

- 0. Pitch up/down.

- 3. ship's left/right turn.

- 4. Bank

6. Guide can't reach keys/reactor/exit etc. behind a door that's marked as 'Buddy Proof' or as secret one texture!

 

SECRET LEVELS:

 

1.To get D1's to work, create exit sequence to 1st stage.

2. If thou don't add correct filename to mn2,  secret stage 6 is played. 

3. D1's can't be entered from the last one. There must be at least 2 normal stages in the mission.

 

LEVEL CONVERTING: 

 

1. Descent 2 must be medium installed to success, othrevise DMB displays a memory error message. 

2. When the editor asks a new texture, imagine the entire stage in thy mind before selectin'.

 

ERRORS:

 

1. When thou play a mission, where are customised enemies, it affects to EVERY stage playede aftet it where are that kind o' robots! To get 'em normal, restart game.

2. In D1 stage, which has home made music, when thou die, it might stop playing.

3. When thou start Vertigo stages made by DMB, all Vertigo 'bots are Desc' 1's! To play with Vert. 'bots, load Vertigo mission, or stage made by other editor, quit it and then start thy own.

 

AFTER IT'S DONE:

 

1. Play it and write down and fix bugs thou found. Play again to check if there are any bugs left.

2. Write text file, zip files and send to me.

 

COMMON TIPS:

 

1. Open games' stages and check, how things are done.

2. Use thy imagination ant intiution as desing. Imagine the stage in player's eyes. 

3. Make things thou want into stage before anything else if the plan/drawnings allows it. 

4. Check occasionaly that there are enough cubes and walls left. 

5. The only thing that's absolutely essential is single player as object 0 in cube 0. 

5. Make sure that it can be played through at least in Trainee, so avoid nasty tricks and 'nice but difficult' puzzles.

6. Test stage from time to time between editings to avoid traps impossible to escape.

7. When trying a new trick, test it in D1 if possible.

8. Mission name not more than 26 characters including spaces.

 

TOOLS:

 

DLE-XP         REQUIRES WINDOWS XP/ME!!!!!!!

HAMM