Editor Tutorial

Archetype Window
F5 - Opens up Archetype Editor

The Archetype Window is where you will create "blueprints" to create objects in game. Back ups of archetypes are made if you save or delete an archetype.

Archetypes
The box at the top is a list of all the archetypes currently available. Select one in order to modify it.

Name
The name box is used to rename the given archetype to something else, or to create a new archetype with that given name.

Rename
Renames the selected archetype using the name in the name box.

Copy
Copies the selected archetype using the name provided in the Name box. You aren't able to name two archetypes the same name.

Delete
Deletes the selected archetype.

New
Creates a new archetype with the name in the Name box.

Reload Archetype
If you don't like the changes you made to an archetype, you can reload the archetype from the saved file.

Save
Saves the given Archetype and updates all objects who use this archetype. An object is only modified if it is using the default value that the archetype provided. For example, if we modified the light offset in an archetype, all objects that use that archetype that haven't modified the light offset will have that updated. If you remove a component, objects will only remove that component if they didn't modify it. If the archetype has a component added, all objects will have that component added.

Components
A drop down list of all the components you can add to an object. Press the Add Component button to add the selected component.

Clicking on a component will expand it and will display options for you to modify.

You can click Remove Component to remove the component from the archetype, and modify any of the available options in the component.

Controls
Control + 9 - Go into Editor Mode

F6 - Opens up Room Editor

Control + L - Load the current room and play it.

W, A, S and D - Camera movement

Q - Move camera up

E - Move camera down

Left click - If in Object mode, you can move an object around if you click on it and move it around on the XZ plane. If you hold control, you can move the object on the XY plane. If in floor mode, adds to the floor.

Right click - If in Floor mode, it removes the selected floor.

Rooms


A drop down box of all available rooms.

Name
A box used to rename rooms or create a new room with the given name.

Load Room
Loads the selected room in the drop down box under Rooms.

Rename
Renames the room with the given name in the Name box.

Copy
Copies the selected room with the name in the Name box.

Delete
Deletes the room.

New
Create a new room with the name in the Name box.

Save
Saves the loaded room and creates a back up of the old one.

Editor Mode
In this drop down box, you have two options. You have Object mode and Floor mode.

In Object mode you can move objects around, and in Floor mode you can place the floor of the room. The walls do not show up in Floor mode, so if you want to see the walls go to Object mode.

Translate
Use the mouse to translate an object you clicked on the XZ plane. Hold control to translate an object on the XY plane instead. You can also hold Shift in this mode and click on an object to make a clone of it.

Rotate
Rotate the selected object. Hold X to rotate around the X axis, hold Y to rotate around the Y axis, or hold Z to rotate around the Z axis.'

Scale
Doesn't do anything yet.

Select
Only selects the object in the editor. Useful if you want to select an object without moving it.

Snap to Grid
Toggles whether or not you snap to the grid when moving objects.

Archetypes
A drop down list of archetypes you can create instances of. Press Create Object to create an instance of that object.

Resize Room
Using the boxes, X and Y, you can modify how big the room is in tiles. If you shrink the room, you run the risk of cutting off some of the room so be careful.

Resize Grid
Using the boxes, X and Y, you can modify how big each tile is.

Objects
A list of objects in the room that you can modify. If you click on an object, this will change to that object. If you press Delete Object, the selected object will be deleted.

Components
Adding and removing components is just like the Archetype window, so refer to the Archetype window section for how to use this.

Back ups
In the case that something goes wrong, every save of an object or a room is backed up. The location of the back up is %APPDATA%\DigiPen\NovaGame\Backup if you ever need to recover anything.