--------------------------------- Delirium Level Making HOWTO --------------------------------- I have included two simple tools with this game. Naturally, those are the very same tools I used to make the level packs for the game. Here's sort of a guide on how to create levels and finally stuff them into one file - a level pack, as I call them :) As you have probably guessed, 'Editor.exe' is the level editor and 'Lpack.exe' is the level packer. --------------------------------- 1. CREATING LEVELS --------------------------------- Okay, fire up the editor. You should see a white grid and a block selection listbox. Select a color and click on the grid with your left mouse button. A block will appear. Cool.. now, on any block, click your right mouse button. It disappears. Isn't this just neat? You decide :) By the way, you can use ALT + # (# is 1,2,3,4,5 or 6) shortcut for switching the color. One more thing. The "Preview stacked" checkbox. Check it, and you see how the blocks would look when they have collapsed. Note that it doesn't display the disappearing blocks, so three-or-more groups of a same color will disappear in the game. Oh, and don't mind the "Level name" field. I originally planned each level to have its own name, but I got lazy and abandoned the idea. Was too lazy to remove that field ;) When you have made a cool looking level, you should save it. If you plan to use it in a level pack, I recommend you to name it something like 'l01.lvl' or 'level001.lvl'. The next level would be 'l02.lvl' etc. These kind of names make the creation of the level pack a lot easier. Oh, and if you plan to include 10 or more levels, please add those zeros (etc. 'foobar001.lvl') to the file names, otherwise they end up in wrong order. --------------------------------- 2. CREATING A LEVEL PACK --------------------------------- This is where things get scary. 'Lpack.exe' is a command line tool. If you don't want to use command prompt, jump to chapter 3. Open you command prompt and change to the dir where 'Lpack.exe' is. If you type 'lpack' and press ENTER, it'll display some help. So, let's say you have named your levels in 'levelXX.lvl' style. Type the following (assuming that 'Lpack.exe' and the levels are in the same folder): lpack level*.lvl It will ask for the filename of the level pack you're about to create. Type something, like 'mypack.lpk' (you don't have to include .lpk if you don't want to - but it doesn't hurt either). Then it will ask a name for your level pack. Again, type something. This name will show up in the level pack selection menu in game. Now you must decide the time limits. It asks for the maximum time limit first. Type something, like 2:00 (2 minutes, 0 seconds). Do the same for minimum limit, like 0:50 (zero minutes, 50 seconds). Now it will loop through your level files and stuff them in. If you have named your levels correctly, the level order should be right. NOTE: The wildcards (i.e. 'level*.lpk') should work at least in Windows 2000 and XP (I don't know about Win9x), but if there are problems using them, you can always type the level files by hand, like this: lpack l01.lvl l02.lvl l03.lvl l04.lvl (etc.) or use the way described next, in chapter 3. --------------------------------- 3. CREATING A LEVEL PACK - ANOTHER WAY --------------------------------- So you don't like using command line? No problemo. If you follow these directions, you should do fine. I have written a simple script ('Pack.bat') which does the job, if the following conditions are met: 1. 'Lpack.exe' is in the same folder with 'Pack.bat' 2. All your levels are in the same folder with 'Pack.bat' 3. Your levels are named in 'lXX.lvl' style So, just make your levels and save them with correct names (i.e. 'l01.lvl', 'l02.lvl' etc.) and double click the 'Pack.bat'. It will do the job. See the previous chapter for the details. Now, let's say you want to create several level packs, using 'Pack.bat'? Good way is to set your folder tree like this: [TOOLS] (here are the 'Pack.bat' and 'Lpack.exe') | | +-----[LEVELPACK 1] (here are levels for one level pack) | | \-----[LEVELPACK 2] (here are levels for another) So, when you pack the level pack #1, copy all the levels from its folder to the TOOLS - folder and use 'Pack.bat'. Then, delete the levels from TOOLS and copy all the levels from pack #2 folder and use 'Pack.bat' again (type in a different file name, of course). --------------------------------- 4. PLAYING YOUR LEVEL PACKS --------------------------------- Easy, just copy your .lpk - files to the DATA - folder and start the game. They should be available at the selection menu. --------------------------------- 5. FINAL WORDS --------------------------------- If you make a nice level pack, you can send it to me if you want. If it's good, I'll place it on the Delirium home page. Additionally, if you have any questions - just drop me a mail and ask (lsoft@mbnet.fi). By the way, all levels and level packs you have made are completely your own property. You can do whatever you want with them, you can even sell them if you think that's what you want. However, you must state that those level packs are NOT made by me. Even if I put your level pack to the Delirium home page (with your permission, of course) I won't give any support whatsoever concerning them. I only verify that they work before placing them available. If someone's interested to know: one level pack can contain up to 256 levels, and Delirium on the whole supports 128 different level packs. Should be enough, even if you got *really* into the "art" of level making :) NOTE: I'd like to point out that these tools are completely unsupported public domain. I don't guarantee that they even work, and most certainly I'm not responsible for any damage these programs might cause. I just say that they worked all right for me. Happy level making! - Mika Halttunen