Start up Dedit. Double click on the icon. Open the AvP2.dep
You have to open the avp2.dep project. You do not create a
new project, instead you will be creating new worlds and levels in the
existing AvP2 project. This is how you have access to all the textures
and sounds and objects that were made available that you had extracted
using UNREZ.BAT. If you haven't run unrez.bat, read Installing the
tools.
Now, if by chance you don't see AvP2.dep at the bottom of
your file menu, browse to it using the open project under the FILE menu.
Once you have opened the AvP2.dep, you'll have access to all
the game resources. That's over 900 megs worth of files, so you will
need navigation skills. Start with the nine (9) tabs on the left column.
Click through them. It's important to familiarize yourself with moving
around the tools, even before you build anything. As you can see, my
version of Dedit has additional directories, which I created using the
add directory function. Ignore these extra ones for now.
Dedit is State of the Art game creation software, you will need to take time to learn all the nuances.
At this point, you really have two options.
You can open a Sample map from the ones provided as part of the download.
Click on Worlds, Click on DM, click on Sample_DM
Taking a look these can quickly and completely overwhelm a
new mapper. If you are going to choose one, pick from the mulitplayer
maps. SAMPLE_DM (which is A LESSER FATE) is worth a look. Try studying
it.
All of a sudden you notice that the screen fills up with
four views of the LESSER FATE map. The main Dedit window has three
areas, the toolbar, the TABS and project window and the four Viewports
on the right side of the screen. These will come to life when you open a
world with four views. Your WYSIWYG 3D texture view ( a fairly close
representations of what you'll see in game) , a 2D Topview floorplan,
then a 2D Front view (line drawing), and a 2D Side view.
Let's go through a few basic
commands to get you moving around the Dedit level. You can navigate
around the screen using basic keyboard and mouse commands.
You can navigate around these views by pressing either the
"o" and "i" on the keyboard while moving your mouse. "o" zooms in and
OUT, "i" moves the view around. Move your mouse forward and back, and
from left to right. Not much point in describing it. Just try it. The
documents tutorial that came with the tools goes into greater detail
regarding these basics. Check them out if you need more information.
While you are moving the mouse, you'll notice the numbers
across the bottom display changing. this defines your exact position in
Dedit units.
Each window represents a different axis, (x,y) , (x,z) , and
(y,z). You'll also notice if you click on something like a brush, it
will be highlighted in yellow, ( the default color). And if you notice,
there is also an indication of the grid size in Dedit units. Each view
can be set at a different grid size. I'm going to repeat that. Each view can be set at a different grid size.
It is very important that you keep track on the grid size, because it
can cause severe confusion with relative sizes as you are mapping. You
can change the grid size by simply using the NUMBERPAD - / + signs. As
a general rule remember to always build on the grid. 64 Dedit units is
the default grid for a reason. You should only go to a smaller grid for
detail work. I consider the grid to be 8,16,32,64,128,256,1024 (they are
powers of 2)
The most relevant part of the TOP toolbar
is on the right end. If you slowly move your mouse over those green
cross hairs you will see descriptions of their function. Pay particular
note to MARKER TO SELECTION, and CENTER VIEW ON MARKER . These two are
invaluable to mapping. By default, you should be in brush mode, so if
you click on a brush (piece of geometry) it should highlight to yellow,
it is now selected. If you click MARKER TO SELECTION, the
triple cursor will center on that brush, or if you select a group of
brushes holding the shift key, then it will center on the group of
brushes.
I suggest you Close your Sample_DM map. Go to file, Close world. You will have an empty window again. We're going to create a new world just to get a few more fundamentals down.
Click on FILE / NEW WORLD you get a pop up asking for a name, call it firsttest.
Okay, we have a grid, we have four windows, and it is completely empty.
Okay, make sure you are in BRUSH MODE, so let's create a
brush to see what this program can do. If you look across the top
toolbar you'll see BRUSH. Click on it. You will see ADD PRIMITIVE, Move
your cursor over it, it will expand a menu.
Choose BOX, it will ask a size, the default is 128, which
is fine, though for our purposes 256 would work better, so type it in,
and accept it. Now you have a six-sided cube sitting in your level
editor and it should still be highlighted in YELLOW. Move your mouse
cursor over it. The cursor will change to four directional arrows when
near the center of the box. You can move it in any of the three 2D
views. If you move the cursor over to the outside perimeter you will
notice the cursor changes again to a 2 directional arrow, which
indicates you can resize the box, expand or shrink. Just click and hold
and drag. Practice with the one box until you're comfortable. Try out
the other primitive shapes.
You can also change the texture on these primitive brushes,
as well as any brushes in Dedit simply by hitting ctrl-T. You select
which texture you want to use under the texture tab. Most the textures
used in Dedit are sorted in the WorldTextrures folder, all listed in
subfolders, like door, floor/ceiling, walls,....
Whichever texture is displayed in the bottom panel will be
the texture in use at that time. You can change it easily by selecting
another one and highlighting the brush and using the keyboard shortcut
ctrl-T. Take a few minutes and investigate the textures folder,
sometimes textures can provide inspirations for a map.
Close this World when you're done with it. It's purely a practice level to help familiarize yourself with the Tools functions.
One of the great things about Dedit is it has descriptions
of practically all buttons, by simply hovering your mouse over a button a
situation specific help description becomes available and is
invalauble. And to finish it off, the Help Menu has a list of keyboard
shortcuts to get you working quickly with the tools. There's a whole
chapter on them here KeyBoard Shortcuts. You can jump to this section. The information is interrelated.
Let's Try a few things with the tools. Let's try out the
HOLLOW function. It's a super quick way to build a room, though it has
some limitations. There are always tradeoffs. You can create a hollow
room in less than a minute, but it is not easily resizable. That is why I
describe a better build style in the next section, though it is a
slower process.
The mitred joints are perfect 45 degree angles and function
properly if they are not moved. But if you move them, gaps in your level
can happen, which will generate a leak and create problems. Make sure
you select all six panels if you plan to drag and resize the room. As
you move it the angles change and can theorectically cause problems. You
have been warned.
You can easily resize 90 degree cubes and rectangles. They
maintain their square angle characteristics, and if you build on the
grid, the individual brushes will butt up tight to each other and not
casue any leaks.
In case you haven't realized it yet, these are absurdly
powerful and capable tools, that can help you create just about
anything you want.
In a few days you can check out this Orientation video. It
will give you the basic functionality of Dedit, to familiarize yourself
with the interface and the options at your disposal. It'll be available
as soon as we establish a download link.
YOU MUST SET EDIT\OPTIONS\RUN
Then in the pop up window screen, you click on the RUN tab.
and browse to where your lithtech.exe is installed. The example here is
to the default tools installation directory. The tools run best when
they are installed there. It offers the least amount of confusion, so if
possible install it in the default location. Make note of the PROGRAM ARGUEMENT . TYPE exactly as you see it.
%WorldName% is case sensitive. You do not replace it with
the name of your level. You leave it as it is. Your level will not run
if this is not set. The processor/engine/launcher replaces it for you
when you run your level.
You are ready to create your own first world. Which is what the next tutorial is all about. Your First Level