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MISSION TOPIC - CLOSE WINDOW WHEN FINISHED

Creating A SWAT3 Map

Introduction

If you've never edited in 3D before, this introduction will help you get into Worldcraft quickly.

 

    Editing in three dimensions on a two dimensional monitor means that the subject (in this case, a SWAT3 map) must be displayed in several different perspectives. Worldcraft, like many CAD programs, uses four perspectives to render what you're editing (shown below in figure 2.1):


Figure 2.1 - The Four Perspectives

In clockwise order, starting at the top, left window:

Use the three settings in the "View" menu to change the type of rendering performed in the 3D view, in order: 3D Wireframe, 3D Filled Polygons, and 3D Textured Polygons.


Camera Tool

    Select the Camera tool to move around in the 3D view - hold down the left mouse button to rotate and tilt the viewpoint, the right mouse button to strafe (move side to side) and change the altitude of the viewpoint, and the W and S keys to move closer and further away from the objects in the viewport. The A and D keys will also strafe from side to side

    You may also move around the 3D view using controls similar to a first-person game by pressing Z. Now, your mouse rotates your view, and you can use W and S to move forward and back while using A and D to strafe left and right. To end this mode, simply press Z again.

    Most editing is done in the 2D views. To move around in the views, use the side scrollbars or hold down the spacebar and the left mouse button to drag the view. You can zoom in and out on the objects in the view with the plus and minus keys on the right keypad.

 

Basic Tools

Creating maps with Worldcraft is similar to using most drawing tools. You can use the mouse for pretty much everything - drawing objects, modifying their properties, moving them and changing their shape, etc.

Block Tool

    Creating solid objects is easy. Select the block tool on the left toolbar. In the top, right view, click the left mouse button and drag a box. The box is drawn in all three 2D views.


Figure 2.2 - Creating A New Block Object

Figure 2.2 shows the three steps of creating a new object:

  1. Drag a box out.

  2. Release the left button - you can resize the box in the other views here.

  3. Press ENTER to create the object.

 
Figure 2.3 - "Objects" Drop-Down List

    You can create several different types of objects: a plain box, a wedge, a cylinder, and a spike. Select the kind of object you want to create before you press ENTER by clicking on the "Objects" drop-down list (shown in figure 2.3) on the right toolbar.  

Pointer Tool

    Select the pointer (selection) tool (shown in figure 2.7). Click on the center handle of an object or on one of its lines to select it. You can now manipulate the object by stretching it, rotating it, and slanting it. Click on one of the handles surrounding the object and drag with the mouse to change its shape. To select another manipulation mode, click and release inside the box without dragging the mouse. You'll notice that the number of handles around the box changes each time you click it:

    If you want to select more than one object, hold down the CTRL key and click on more objects. You can also drag a "rubber band" around several objects to select everything within the region. Simply drag out a box with the pointer tool (much like you did to create a solid) that encompasses the objects you want to select. Then press ENTER to select those objects. You can manipulate multiple objects as easily as you manipulate one. As a model becomes more complex, the easiest way to select an object is in the 3D rendered view.

Making A Level

The simplest enclosed level you can play in SWAT3 requires the following:

    You might think that you'd be able to create a room with just one box, but that's not the case. In editing maps, every solid object you create with the block tool is exactly that: a solid object! To create a cubic room, you need to create one solid for each wall, for a total of six solids.

    Creating six solids seems like a lot of work for a simple room! Worldcraft makes this task easier by providing you with a hollowing tool. This tool allows you to hollow any solid object to have walls of a specified thickness. So, you need only create one solid cube and use the hollow tool to make it a playable room. Here's how:

  1. First, create a box with the block tool. Make sure you adjust its height in one of the bottom two views after you create it (the default height is 64 units, if you create the object in the X/Y view, which is not high enough to allow a player inside after the object has been hollowed.)

  2. Then, select the object with the selection tool and choose Hollow from the Tools menu. You'll be prompted to enter how thick you want to make the walls: the default value of 32 is fine. Press OK.

The box you created will be turned into six solids, one for each wall.

 


Figure 2.4 - Hollowing A Cube

    Now it's time to add the cell, SWAT start and light entities. Entities differ from solid objects in that they're just a point in space - a placeholder for something to appear when the level is played. Other examples of entities include character start points, event triggers and spotlights.

Entity Tool

    To create an entity, select the entity tool (it resembles a light bulb). Click the left mouse button in the top, right view to begin placement of the entity.

  

Drag the center of the crosshair so that it's inside the room in all three views. Now, select the cell entity from the object bar (the same place where you chose which kind of solid to create.) Click on the objects list (Figure 2.3) and scroll down to the cell entity. Press ENTER to create the object.  


Figure 2.5 - Placing An Entity

   

Repeat the entity placement process using five swt_start entities (the starting points for the SWAT leader and four assaulters), the waypointnode entity, and the light entity. After placing the light entity, click the pointer (selection) tool. Click on the light entity in the map views, then right click the entity and select Properties. You should see a screen similar to figure 2.6. By default the Enabled is set to On. Select the End Range attribute and set the range to 500 (or higher). Simply close the Object Properties box when finished.


Figure 2.6 - Object Properties

2.0 Update: Automatic SWAT Start Points

While at least one group of five SWAT start points is expected by the game in order to play in standard mission mode, no additional points are needed, even if there is more than one entry point! Upon defining an entry point in Worldcraft and subsequently in the missioninfo.dat file, the game will automatically decide where to place the officers upon game start based on the AI mapping generated when the map is built.

The final step is to apply texture to the room itself--otherwise, there would be no visual reference in the room, just black walls. Selecting the pointer tool, drag a box around the room in one of the 2D views. Hit the Enter key to select the object. In Current Texture selection box (shown in figure 2.7), click the arrow to bring up the available textures and select one.

Now click the Apply Current Texture tool button and the selected texture will be applied to all room surfaces. 

Choose "3d Textured Polygons" from the View menu to see the results of the texturing.


Figure 2.7 - Texture Selection Box