Ziel Quest Map Maker Documentation Ziel Quest Programmed by Jay Cook. Sound Programming by Angello Mottola. Additional Programming by Jason Downey. ================================================================== Table of Contents --------------------------------------------- Legal Jumbo Beginning Stuff Tile Sets Object Sets Loading/Saving a Map Editing the Map in Normal Mode Editing the Map in Collision Mode Other Editing Commands Quitting Final Words Legal Jumbo --------------------------------------------- Ziel Quest is freeware. This means that the author maintains ownership of the game and source code but you can distribute it in any way you like as long as a hefty charge is not charged for disks (Maximum $5). If you distribute this program, please distribute the whole package, not just single bits. Thanks. At no time shall the author be liable for any things that the program may cause on your computer. Beginning Stuff --------------------------------------------- Don't you hate legal jumbo?? So do I. :-) Well, for all who are here for how to edit maps, read on.... Tile Sets --------------------------------------------- The first thing that Ziel looks for is the set file. In the set file, it will have some info on the other characters/enemies/etc. and the name of the graphics tile set that will be used on the screen. These 50 tiles loaded into memory. Press R and then P to view these pictures while you are editing a map. The tiles are in the upper portion of the screen. These tiles are conveniently number 1 to 50. To locate the number of a tile, please press R and then N. Object Sets --------------------------------------------- Also within the set file, you will find the objects. There are 8 objects. As well with the tile sets, there are loaded up into memory. Pressing R and the P in editing mode will display these pictures. The objects are in the lower half of the screen. The objects are number from A to H. To locate the letter of a tile, please press R and then N. Loading/Saving a Map --------------------------------------------- After pressing a key in the intro screen, you would either encounter a prompt that would ask you which file to load or a dialogue box that asks you to select a map file. The latter only appears if you use MS- DOS/PC-DOS 6.22 or before with COMMAND.COM as your command shell. If you don't have a specific file to edit, just hit ESC in the dialogue box or ENTER in the prompt to go the default map. If you know the name of the file you'll like to edit, enter it at the prompt with the full path. If you encounter the dialogue box, use the left and right arrow keys to change sections. If you'll like to changes drives, keep on pressing the left or right arrow keys until you hit the bottom part of the DirBox. Press Enter. Enter your new drive. Use the left arrow keys to return back to the file selection menu. When you have found the file to edit, just press ENTER. Pretty easy, heh??? To Load a Map during editing, press L. Answer correctly at the prompts. To Save a Map during edition press S. Enter Y at the prompt. At the next prompt, enter a file name. If you want to save it as the same name as you loaded the file, just hit ENTER. Editing the Map in Normal Mode ------------------------------------------------------- In normal mode, you can edit what landscape on the screen and place where Ziel starts off at that map. The cursor space is controlled by arrow keys. Press the Up arrow to move up. Press Down arrow to move down. Press the Left arrow to move left. Press the Right arrow to move right. Pretty obvious right??!!! At each sector on the map (each cursor space) has 2 tiles.The tiles are stacked so you can get more variety with less tiles. For example, you can have a tree stacked on top of grass or a water curve on top of a sand tile. To change the default tile, press the SPACE BAR. It will show the number of the current tile and ask for the number of the first tile. Enter the number between 1-50 and press ENTER. Then, it will ask for the number of the second tile. Enter another number between 1-50 and press ENTER. You now have reset a tile. Congratulations. For information on the tile sets, please view the tile section above. To place where Ziel will start off when entering that map, move the cursor space to the appropriate sector. Press P and Ziel will appear there. Magic?? Hardly... Editing a Map in Collision Mode --------------------------------------------- In Collision Mode, you get to specify which tiles are walkable and put up to 8 objects. To get to Collision Mode, press W. Press the SPACE BAR. If it asks (1,2,3) you know that you're in collision mode. Press Enter. If it doesn't show (1,2,3), press W again. You should now be in collision mode (there are only two editing modes, unless your so brilliant that you added another level to the editor) In Collision Mode, the screen will be filled with little coloured boxes on top of the graphics tiles. Other characters, such as the bad guys also appear. To edit the collision status of the tile, press the SPACE BAR and then type in 1, 2, or 3. The corresponding meaning with each number appears below: #1: No Colour --> Walkable tile (ex. grass, floor) #2: Light Blue --> Unwalkable tile. (ex. tree, shrubs, rocks) #3: Light Red --> Warp tile (ex. door, cave) To place an object, enter the a letter between A and H. Although you can place more than 8 objects on the map, the Ziel game engine would ONLY RECOGNIZE 8 OF THEM. So consider that 8 objects is the maximum. For more information on object tiles, please refer to the object section above. Other Editing Commands --------------------------------------------- Just a few more note to tidy things up. Hit W to toggle between normal editing mode and collision editing mode. Hit D to tell Ziel which screen to load when he goes North, South, East, West and Warp. Just enter the correct file name of the map. If a direction does not exist, just type in "none" (without the quotations of course). At the end, you will also have to enter the set name. Normally "set.1" will do just fine. Hit T to add dialogue to characters and signs. There is a maximum of 5 pages of dialogue. Hit F1 or H to get a help page. Quitting --------------------------------------------- Press Q or F10 to quit. Answer accordingly at the prompt. Final Words --------------------------------------------- To stay current on Ziel developments, pay a visit to Ziel Quest's Development Home Page at http://members.tripod.com/~ziel/ziel.htm Editing a map isn't hard as it sounds. Have fun!!! Jay Cook. Documentation rewritten by Jason Downey.