Name: Mapping Tutorial
Author: shadow382 A.K.A. Rinshin
Date: May 10, 2007
Comments: Not to be used any where else other than the Zenith Legends forum!


Okay, in this tutorial I will teach you the basics of mapping in Zenith Legends. I will break the tutorial up into the follow sections.

Table of Contents:
- [ 01 ] Starting a New Map
- [ 02 ] Map Editor
-------- Layer Group
-------- Attributes Group
- [ 03 ] Lighting
- [ 04 ] Adding Tiles
- [ 05 ] Map Properties
- [ 06 ] Adding NPC's


Okay, now let's get started!

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-- [ 01 ] Starting a New Map ------------------------------------------
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Okay, first off, we need to find the next available map number. To do this, simply type "/mapreport". A window will pop-up with a list of every map and the next available map number.

Now, type "/warp NEXT MAP NUMBER (ex. "/warp 14")" in the text box. You will then be taken to an aqua color background. Now type "/editmap" or "/mapeditor", which ever your prefer, in the text box. You are now in the map editor, and have started a new map.

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-- [ 02 ] Map Editor ----------------------------------------------------
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Now I will explain what all those buttons do in the Map Editor.

Save (floppy disk) - Saves the map after you answer the prompt.

Exit (door with arrow) - Discards the changes and exits the editor.

Minimize (down arrow) - Minimizes the map editor.

Map Properties - Opens up a window with various properties for the current map.

Eyedropper - Is supposed to find the tile in the set from a selected tile on the map. I'm not sure it works.

Paint (paint bucket) - Fills the map with the selected tile and layer.

Clear (trash can) - Clears the map.

Screenshot (camera) - Just makes the players and NPCs invisible for screenshot purposes (doesn't take it, just sets it up).

Grid - Enables/disables the grids on the map (only for the editor).

Night (computer with night scene) - Clicking this enables/disables night for the map editor only.


Layers Group:
Ground - This is the very bottom tile. Everything in the room will appear on top of it.

Mask - This is the next layer, it will appear on top of the ground, but game objects will appear on top of it.

Mask 2 - The second Mask layer. It appears on top of the Ground and Mask tiles but, again, game objects will appear on top of it.

Fringe - This layer will make the tile appear on top of everything, including game objects (i.e. player and enemies).

Fringe 2 - Same as the Fringe layer but will appear on top of the Fringe tiles.

Animation - With these you can make tiles appear as if they are moving (like water). To use this click one of the layer Animation buttons, which ever layer you wish to animate, and put a new tile over the old layer tile.

Clear Layer - Clears all tiles of the selected layer.


Attributes Group:
Now up in the right corner of the Map Editor you will see a button with a little flag on it (the button beside of the light bulb); click it. You are now in the Attributes group.

Blocked - The basic, basic tile. It is used all the time and prevents anything from visiting the tile (that includes players, NPCs, and pets). However, you can touch a blocked tile if you are warped on one.

Warp - You need to enter the map and coordinates to warp the player to. When they touch this tile, they are warped.

Item - Sets a respawn point for an item. You can specify the amount and they respawn after an amount of time.

NPC Avoid - Prevents a NPC from visiting the tile. Players and pets can still walk on it.

Key - Requires a key (it's an item type) to be used to unblock the tile for a few seconds.

Key Open - Opens the selected tile (specified) by unblocking it and removing the mask layer (to make it look open) for a few seconds.

Heal - Gives the player who steps on it HP.

Kill - Kills the player if they step on it.

Play Sound - Plays the selected sound when stepped on.

Scripted - Calls a part of the script. See "SadScript".

Class Change - Changes the player's class when stepped on.

Notice - A notice is something that when read, it just adds the text to the text box.

Door - Used for navigating houses without keys.

Sign - This creates a sign that when read, comes up in a little window reading off the lines you specified.

Sprite Change - Changes the player's sprite when they step on it.

Shop - Opens up a shop when stepped on. This is the only way to open a shop.

Class Block - Blocks certain classes of players from stepping on it.

Arena - When used in a safe zone, you are free to attack other players when both of you are on an arena tile (and no penalty). If a player is killed, they are just warped to the specified location (with full health).


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-- [ 03 ] Lighting -------------------------------------------------------
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This is used for special night effects only. When you click on the light bulb button, it comes up with the 6th tile set. With the blue circle with grey surrounding, you can make cool lighting effects. Make sure night is turned on too (click the night screen).

Now, lighting works just like tiling. Except, this time, there are no layers and instead of adding to the map, we are subtracting from it. The gray in the middle nullifies the dark effect, while the dark blue keeps it the same. So, by using a combination, we can achieve a balance. Use lighting to surround things like fire with some light areas to make it look realistic.


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-- [ 04 ] Adding Tiles --------------------------------------------------
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To add tiles make sure the Layers group is showing by clicking the button that has the green, yellow, and blue things on it. Use the scroll bars to find the tile you want to use. Then, select the tile you want and place it in the room. When setting the Ground layer you usually use all the same tile. An easy way to set the Ground tile is with the Fill button. Select your tile (ex. grass) and hit the fill button. Now the entire map is covered with the selected tile.

Any tile that has the aqua color on it will be transparent in that part (ex. if the edge of a grass tile is curved and the outer edge is aqua, that outer edge will be transparent).


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-- [ 05 ] Map Properties -----------------------------------------------
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To open the Map Properties window click the Map Properties button (the one with the sliders on it).

***NOTE: Most of the time when you warp to an unused map and select this it will still have the properties of the last map you were on. If it does, simply close the Map Properties window and re-open it. ***


General Tab:
Map Name - Put what you want to name the map.

Map Switchovers - This is for linking maps together (ex. if you are editing map 16 and want map 16 to connect with 17 buy going straight up on the map put "17" in the North text box).

Boot Map - where the player is warped if they die on this map.

Map Morality - sets the attacking standards.
- "Safe Zone" prevents PvP combat
- "None" allows everything (with a PK penalty)
- "No Penalty" is like none but free killing.
The PK Penalty is just a red name and allowing people to avenge the other's death by killing you without penalty either.

The Music group should explain itself so I wont go in to detail.


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-- [ 06 ] Adding NPC's -------------------------------------------------
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NPC'S Tab:
You can set up to 15 different NPC's on one map. To select an NPC, click the "No NPC" drop list.

Set Spawn Point - Sets the spawn point for the NPC. To do this, click the button and then click where you want to spawn on the map.

Copy - Copies the previous NPC in the drop list above.

Clear Map NPC's - Obliviously clears all of the NPC's on the map.



And now guess what? That's all of this Mapping Tutorial!

This was my first tutorial ever written for something like this so I hope I did a good job on explaining everything. Some parts were taken from the Elysium Diamond Server guide written by pingu, but about 99% of it is my own writing.

If I didn't explain something well enough, or you don't understand something, please, feel free to post for help.


P.S. DO NOT ask to be a mapper, GM, scripter, or admin! We will ask YOU!

This post has been edited by shadow382 on May 10 2007, 06:58 AM