_ _ __ _ _ _ /_\ _ __ ___| |__ __ _ _ __ / _\ |_ _ _ __| (_) ___ ___ //_\\| '_ \/ __| '_ \ / _` | '__| \ \| __| | | |/ _` | |/ _ \/ __| / _ \ | | \__ \ | | | (_| | | _\ \ |_| |_| | (_| | | (_) \__ \ \_/ \_/_| |_|___/_| |_|\__,_|_| \__/\__|\__,_|\__,_|_|\___/|___/ _____ _____ _ / ___| |_ _| | | \ `--. _ __ __ _ ___ ___ | |_ __ __ _ ___| | __ `--. \ '_ \ / _` |/ __/ _ \ | | '__/ _` |/ __| |/ / /\__/ / |_) | (_| | (_| __/ | | | | (_| | (__| < \____/| .__/ \__,_|\___\___| \_/_| \__,_|\___|_|\_\ | | |_| Space Track level creation guide v1.0 ================================================================================ Table of Contents ================================================================================ 1. Introduction 2. Level creation 3. Obstacle creation 4. Medal time edition 5. Community Edition 1. Introduction ================================================================================ Space Track is an iPhone game, but there is a PC Lite version release, that allows you to create your own level. If there will be enough interest in the gaming community in creating such levels then we will release a community edition on iPhone with levels created by you. The level creation process is quite simple once you get a hang of it. This guide will explain everything you need to now step by step to create a unique gaming experience in the Space Track game. 2. Level creation ================================================================================ To create your own levels, first thing you need to do is to edit an existing level file. To do that, go to the installation folder of the Space Track PC demo, and find the “Levels” folder. After installing the game on the default path this folder should be here: “C:\Program Files\Anshar Studios\Space Track\DataSkyLite\Levels” In Space Track demo version there are six level files that you can edit: 1.lvl, 2.lvl, 3.lvl, 7.lvl, 8.lvl, 9.lvl, which are representing as follows the 1-3 levels of the two worlds in the game. To edit a level file simply open it with any text editor, like for example windows notepad. In order to do that, click the right mouse button on the level file, choose the “Open with…” then “Choose program…” option and select the program you would like to use. Remember to backup the original level file or you will lose the overwriting them with your own creations. If you lose a original level and won’t have a backup, you can always reinstall the game, and the original levels will be restored. Below you can see a fragment of a level one file 1.lvl: -N1T1T1T-N -N0N0N0N-N -N0N0N0N-N -N0N0N0N-N The level information is kept in the following way, the whole level consist of elements called obstacles, which have two parameters: height and type. For example this setting will create a single plain track element, of the lowest height: “0N”. The level can be five obstacles wide, so the following line: 0N0N0N0N0N Creates a five elements wide plain track of the lowest height. To not create an obstacle use “-N”. So this line: -N-N0N-N-N Creates a single track element in the middle, leaving the left and right side empty. Each level has to finish with a tunnel, without it, you can’t win the race. Below is a full working example of a very short and simple level requiring a single jump in the middle of the track: -N-N1T-N-N -N-N0N-N-N -N-N-N-N-N -N-N0N-N-N -N-N0N-N-N As you can see I used a “1T” setting, to create a tunnel on the end of this level, standing one unit above the zero level. Try to replace the 1.lvl with this example and play it in the game. As you already know, the level can be 5 elements wide. The length of the level is limited only by the iPhone memory, but we suggest not to exceed 150 elements. Now let’s check out the height parameter. There are nine different height ranges for an obstacle, from zero to nine. So to create a highest possible plain track element in the game you would have to use the following setting: “9N”. Below you can see a sample level, that increases height level every two element lengths: 2N2N3T2N2N 2N2N2N2N2N 1N1N1N1N1N 1N1N1N1N1N 0N0N0N0N0N 0N0N0N0N0N Now you know everything about simple level creation. Try to experiment a little on your own with this, before you start to use custom obstacles. 3. Obstacle creation ================================================================================ There are many predefined obstacle types in Space Track, some you already know, like “N” or “T”. Below is a complete list of obstacles created by us: N– plain track element F – plain track element with fuel T – a tunnel Y – a tunnel with a single plain track element above it M- a moving up and down one level obstacle B – a moving up and down one level obstacle, twice as fast as the M obstacle O- a moving left and right horizontally obstacle P - a moving right and left horizontally obstacle To use a different obstacle in a level, you do it in the same manner as you used the “T” or “N” obstacle. For example, a level consisting of one moving obstacle in the middle of a long tunnel woul look like this: -N-N1T-N-N -N-N1T-N-N -N-N1T-N-N -N-N0M-N-N -N-N1T-N-N -N-N1T-N-N -N-N1T-N-N -N-N0N-N-N After fourth element on this track there will be a moving up and down obstacle in the tunnel, so the ship will most likely crash, try this level out:) The obstacles are stored in a file with “.obs” extension in the Levels folder, the same one the levels are stored in. Obstacles can be edited in a similar way the levels can. Every obstacle has a few parameters that characterizes them, one of the parameters is “type”, depending on the type of the obstacles the other parameters may vary. Here is a list of three obstacle types with the explanation of their parameters: Type 1: tunnel Parameters: Number of bricks above the tunnel Type 2: moving Parameters: Total road length Speed in x axis Speed in y axis Speed in z axis Type 2: moving_rotated Parameters: Total road length Speed in x axis Speed in y axis Speed in z axis As you probably figured out already, you can create your own custom obstacles. So for example, if you want to create an obstacle, that is moving up and down nine levels, like an elevator, you create a file, name it some not yet used letter, like “E.obs”, edit it and paste: // obstacle type moving // road length 9.0 // speed x -0.5 // speed y 0.0 // speed z 0.0 And then you edit a level and paste for example: -N-N1T-N-N -N-N0N-N-N -N-N0E-N-N -N-N0N-N-N -N-N0N-N-N You will then have a very high going elevator obstacle in the middle of the track! Remember that the obstacle files you create have to be in Levels folder of the DataSkyLite folder, where all the other obstacles and levels are. 4. Medal time edition ================================================================================ Assuming you now know how to create your own custom levels, and your own custom obstacles, it would be nice to be able to edit times for medals in you new levels. In order to do that you will have to edit the MedalTimes.escr file in the Levels folder. In there are stored all the times for all the levels in the game, going from level one down. The first times should be on the top of the file and look like this: //level 1 - bronze, silver, gold 30.5f 28.3f 26.52f Changing it to something like that: //level 1 - bronze, silver, gold 1.5f 28.3f 26.52f Will change the time you need to have finishing the first level race to 1.5 seconds to earn a bronze medal. Now you know how to easily change the medal times in levels, remember that Space Track demo uses times for levels 1-3 and 7-9. 5. Community Edition ================================================================================ We encourage you to send us your custom made levels. If we receive a considerable amount of levels, we will release a community edition of the Space Track on iPhone, with levels created by you! Sent all the levels to anshar@anshar.eu If you have any question regarding the level creation, do not hesitate to ask us on the same address anshar@anshar.eu Good luck!