49 lines
2.3 KiB
Markdown
49 lines
2.3 KiB
Markdown
# Design rules
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The numbers and rules that matter when you design a level for this engine. Background and sources:
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[Engine facts and limits](../reference/engine-limits.md).
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## Sizes to design with
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|---|---|
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| one grid cell | 1 unit |
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| llama | 0.6 tall, walks 1.1 units/s |
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| jump up | ≤ 0.35 (0.5 fails) |
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| jump across, with a run-up | ~1.3 (from standing much less) |
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| easy parkour | gaps 0.3 with +0.2 height, platforms ≥ 1.5 long |
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| steps without jumping | none – use slopes or walls without collision |
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| draw distance | the fog end of the zone: 8–16 cells in the originals |
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| objects visible | within ~12.5 units of the llama |
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## Rules that keep the level working
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1. **One player start**, with nothing solid right behind the llama (start camera).
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2. **Exit = LevelDoor + floor with collision material 16 in the same cell.** Target (1, 9,
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chapter) in TestLevel – never (7, 7, 7).
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3. **A death floor or death plane** under every place the llama can fall to.
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4. **A checkpoint** before every hard part.
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5. **TestLevel chapter 1 or 32–49** for new levels.
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6. **Guards and box walkers need their waypoint boxes** (and guards an event bit someone sets),
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or the game removes them.
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7. **Every area must be visible from where the camera is**: with visibility regions, check the
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masks (*Check for problems* reports regions nothing can see).
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8. **Stay within the budget**: 16 MB level memory, 127 texture pages, 128 sounds – the import
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preview and *Check for problems* show where you are.
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The editor and both level builders enforce the data-level rules (tiles inside the grid, vertex
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colours, type fields, collision cells) automatically. *Check for problems* reports the rest.
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## Good habits
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* **Play-test often** (F5). The engine is unforgiving and a small change can stop the exit or
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hide an area.
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* **Look at the originals.** Open an original level in the editor and see how it builds doors,
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cameras and enemy paths; the [debug view mod](../tools.md#debug-view) shows collision and
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invisible objects in the running game.
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* **Keep levels compact.** Short sight lines hide the draw distance and keep the frame rate up.
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* **Copy numbers** (speeds, parameters, waypoint fields) from original objects that already do
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what you want.
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