Obed Documention
Accompanying Obed V1.102, updated 3/1/99
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Marathon is a trademark of Bungie Software Inc.  "Obed" is neither produced, nor
officially endorsed by Bungie.  Please send all comments, complaints, or
questions to

Stephen Schlueter
sschluet@alum.mit.edu
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================
General overview
================

This document gives in-depth descriptions of the map editor and its features.

For brief description about how to create a simple playable map, please see the
"obed_readme.rtf" file (viewable with WordPad).  Obed_readme.rtf also gives
examples of convex, non-convex, clockwise, and non-clockwise polygons-- crucial
for proper map function.

When in doubt, open an existing map (non-Bungie-- Bungie maps are a little
different) using the editor and find out exactly how someone else accomplished
what you're trying to accomplish!

It is recommended that you don't load the ENTIRE Bungie Map.sce2 file into the
editor, since it is so large (>20 MB!) and will gobble up your memory.
Instead, use the "Append Levels" option in the File menu to load one or two
levels at a time.
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Some quick comments about maps, how they're defined, and their limitations
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Marathon (TM) maps are made up of polygons.  The polygons define a volume
through which players can move (you can think of a single polygon as a room
with no doors or windows).  A polygon in an M2 map is defined by a single
floor height, a single ceiling height, and a set of 2-dimensional vertices
(corners).  This forces rooms in M2 maps to have non-sloping floors and
ceilings and only vertical walls.

Polygons can be attached to other polygons to create a complex maze or room.
By altering the floor and ceiling heights of adjoining polygons, it is
possible to create stairways, pits, pedestals, and much, much more.  You can
attach polygons to every edge of a polygon, but only one polygon can be
attached to each edge.  This means that you can't create overhanging balconies
or other such structures, though clever map-makers can create many
alternatives.

A "Side" describes the texture that can be seen on the wall of a polygon.  A
side exists when there is no other polygon attached to the edge of a polygon
(this is a FULL side, just a plain wall).  Other types of sides may exist if
polygons are attached.  These sides are "Low"-- when the attached polygon's
floor is higher than the floor of the original polygon; "High"-- when the
attached polygon's ceiling is lower than the original polygon; and "Split"
when both of these statements are true.

Sides have three possible textured areas-- Primary, secondary, and transparent.

Primary: Used for all types of sides.
	Defines the entire non-transparent texture for a "full" "high" or "low" side.
	Defines the texture that extends from the ceiling for a "split" side.

Secondary: This is used for "split" sides only.  It defines the texture that
	extends from the floor.

Transparent: This is usually used only with split sides.  It defines the texture
	that is mapped into the region between the floor and ceiling.
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=============
Key Shortcuts
=============
Delete- delete selected objects

Arrows- move selected objects 128 units.  Hold CTRL for fine adjust (16 units),
	or hold SHIFT for coarse adjust (1024 units).

Numeric Pad Arrows (Num Lock ON)-
	Pan view area left, right, up, or down.  (CTRL for finer movement)

Numeric Pad 5 - Center view at 0, 0 or selected object

Numeric Pad * - Zoom in
Numeric Pad / - Zoom out
Numeric Pad - - view previous level (if it exists)
Numeric Pad + - view next level (if it exists)

Home/End- rotate selected objects (CTRL for fine adjust, SHIFT for coarse adjust)

PAGEUP- Raise polygon 128 units (SHIFT for ceiling only, CTRL for floor only)
PAGEDOWN- Lower polygon 128 units (SHIFT for ceiling only, CTRL for floor only)

G- toggle grid on/off
SHIFT 1..8 - Toggle layer visibility

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=================
Toolbar Functions
=================
Toolbar visibility can be turned on or off from the View menu.  The menu also
displays the names of the toolbars as referred to in this document.

Maptools toolbar
----------------
Button functions (left to right):

1. Select tool
2. Rotate tool
3. Polygon tool
4. Ellipse/circle tool
5. Hammer tool
6. Stair tool
7. Bend tool
8. Object (item) tool
9. Pan tool
10. Zoom in
11. Zoom out
12. Grid-snap state
13. Map home/center on selection
14. Find map object 
15. Walkthrough

Visibilities toolbar
--------------------
1. Grid visibility
2. Polygon visibility
3. Point visibility
4. Line visibility
5. Side visibility
6. Object (item) visibility

7. Shade polygons with floor textures
8. Shade zone-border polygons (blue)
9. Shade platform polygons (red)
10. Shade all special polygons (gray)
11.  Shade polygons according to height

Elevations toolbar
------------------
1. Raise ceilings of selected polygons 128 units (key shortcut: SHIFT-pgup)
2. Lower ceilings of selected polygons 128 units (key shortcut: SHIFT-pgdn)
3. Raise floors of selected polygons 128 units (key shortcut: CTRL-pgup)
4. Lower floors of selected polygons 128 units (key shortcut: CTRL-pgdn)
5. Raise ceilings and floors of selected polygons 128 units (key shortcut: pgup)
6. Lower ceilings and floors of selected polygons 128 units (key shortcut: pgdn)

(SHIFT+pgup/pgdn moves ceiling, CTRL+pgup/pgdn moves floors)

Layers toolbar
--------------
1. "All" -- toggle visibility of all layers on/off
2. digit -- toggle visibility of a particular layer

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The Maptools Toolbar
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Select tool
-----------
This tool allows the user to select or move any currently visibly map object.
Objects are visible when the layer number of the object is set in the layers
toolbar or if the object is already selected.

A move operation may be reversed if "Undo Move" is immediately selected from
the Edit menu.

A single object may be selected using the select tool by clicking on the
object with the left mouse button.  Multiple object can be selected by
clicking while holding the SHIFT key.

Dragging the mouse with the left button held down can have different effects.
If the button was pressed when the mouse pointer was on an object, the object
will be selected and dragged across the map.  If the pointer was not near
any objects, an dotted-line area-selection box will appear.  All objects within
the box are selected.  Area selection can be forced by holding down the
CONTROL key before holding down the left mouse button.

Double-clicking on an object with the left mouse button brings up the
properties dialog for that object.


Rotate tool
-----------
The rotate tool works exactly like the select tool, except that dragging the
mouse with the left button held rotates SELECTED objects rather than moving
them.  Objects are rotated around the average of all selected points (as
indicated by the blue crosshair that appears when the rotate tool is active).
The crosshair is updated whenever an object is selected or deselected.

A rotate operation may be reversed if "Undo Move" is immediately selected from
the Edit menu.

Polygon tool
------------
The polygon tool places polgons on the current level.  Use the left mouse
button to place vertices (maximum of 8) and the right mouse button to close
the polygon.  The polygon is also closed when 8 vertices have been placed
or the left mouse button is clicked on the first vertex.

Properties of newly-created polygons are set to those of the current default
polygon (use the "Set AS Default" button of the polygon properties dialog
to set the default polygon).

The ESCAPE key aborts polygon creation.

Valid polygons are convex and clockwise.  Invalid polygons appear orange or
yellow in the editor.

Ellipse tool
------------
This tool can be used to create circular or elliptical (oval) rooms.
Dragging with the left mouse button defines the bounding-box of the circle
or ellipse.  A dialog will then appear, allowing for customization of
shape properties.  When properties have been set, clicking the "OK" button
signals the editor to fill the elliptical region with appropriate polygons.

Selecting "Temporary perimeter points" shape type from the dialog will
inhibit creation of polygons.  Instead, map points will be placed around
the perimeter and at the center of the elliptical area, creating a template
for manual polygon placement.

Hammer tool
-----------
The hammer tool is used to merge two different points or to add a new point
along the edge of a polygon.

To merge points, drag with the left mouse button from one point to
the other-- sides and lines will be attached appropriately.

To add a new point, click with the left mouse button on the edge of a
polygon (polygons sharing this edge must have 7 or fewer vertices).

Tip: do not click too near an existing point-- the editor will not
let you create a point if it is too close on the screen to an existing
point.

Stair tool
----------
Drag with the left mouse button to define the center of the stairway's
path (a straight line appears while dragging, showing the path).  A
dialog will appear, prompting properties for the stairs.

The "Length" of a step is the direction parallel to the path.
The "Width" of a step is the direction perpendicular to the path.

If both "specify length of each step" and "specify number of steps"
checkboxes are checked, the path defined by your drag will only define
the origin and direction of the staircase (not the extent).

If only "specify length of each step" is checked, the number of steps
created will be automatically adjusted so the overall length of the
staircase best matches the length of the dragged path.

If only "specify number of steps" is checked, the length of each step
is automatically adjusted so the specified number of steps fits within
the dragged path.

"Skew" settings allow the user to create steps that are not
perpendicular to the dragged path.  Different skew values for the
first and last steps allow a fan-like pattern of steps to be created.
(for example, try -30 and 30 for the skew values)

Spiral staircases may be created by using the bend tool after creating 
a straight staircase.

********
CAUTION: Too many stairs in a row will in some cases cause
Marathon to crash.  To avoid crashes, never allow your line of sight
to pass through more than 15 transparent sides (like the boundary
between each stair).  The upper-left corner of the walkthrough mode
displays a number that tells you the number of transparent sides
visible in the displayed viewscreen.  To warn you of possible
Marathon crashes, this number turns red when it exceeds 16.
********


Bend tool
---------
The bend tool can be used to make curves, spirals, and other complicated
forms.  Only polygon vertices are relocated by the tool-- the bend tool
does not actually bend the edges of the polygons and it does not affect
the placement of items or map annotations (text).

The bend tool is intended for use on groups of polygons such as stairs
created with the stair tool.  To bend the group of polygons, first select
all polygons or vertices of interest using the select tool.  Now with the
bend tool, define the origin of the bending spine (such as one end of the
set of stairs) by clicking with the left mouse button.  Then click at a
second point (such as the other end of the set of stairs).  A blue
crosshair will appear at each of the places you just clicked.  Movement
of the mouse now determines how much the selected polygons will be bent.
When the mouse is moved, red points will appear, corresponding to the
resulting bent shape.

Move the mouse to adjust the position of the points to your liking.  If you
wish to cancel the bend operation, press ESC and the selected polygons will
remain unchanged.  To perform the bend indicated by the red points, click
the left mouse button.  The vertices that you initially selected will now be
moved to the locations of the red points.  The bend operation is complete.

A bend operation may be reversed if "Undo Move" is immediately selected from
the Edit menu.

Object (item) tool
------------------
Items such as player starting points, weapons, ammo, monsters, and scenery
objects like bones or blood are placed using this tool.  Clicking with the
left mouse button places an object of the current default type.  To change
the default type, place an item on the map and edit its properties (by
selecting it and then clicking it with the right mouse button or selecting
"Selection Properties" from the Edit menu).  The property dialog for that
item should appear, allowing you to change the item's type, heading, etc.
Set the item's properties to whatever you want and press the
"Set AS Default" button.  Click OK to dismiss the dialog box.  Any new items
that you create with the Item tool with have the same properties as the
item you just "Set AS Default."

Pan tool
--------
This tool is used to slide the map around on the screen.  Just hold the left
mouse button and drag the mouse.  The numeric-keypad arrows (numlock ON) can
also be used to move the view area.

Zoom in / Zoom out
-----------------
Magnifies/Demagnifies the current view, focusing on the center of the window.

Grid-snap state
---------------
Causes vertices, items, etc. to be placed only at grid intersections.  Grid
size can be adjusted from the Edit/Editor-Settings menu selection.

Map home/Center on selection
----------------------------
This button centers the view area on the current selection.  If there is no
current selection, the view is centered at map coordinate 0, 0.

Find map object
---------------
This button allows you to select a polygon, side, line, etc. by its ID
number alone.  This is useful when trying to locate teleporter destinations,
etc.  The "Utilities" menu contains other similar functions.

Walkthrough
-----------
Walkthrough mode allows you to view your map from a 3-D perspective, roughly
as it would appear while you're playing the game.

To enter walkthrough mode, select the polygon in which you wish to appear.
Then click the walkthrough toolbar button.  A 3-D view window will be displayed.

"Q" increases display resolution (and decreases speed of computation)
"A" decreases display resolution (and increases speed of computation)
arrows-- forward, backward, turn left, turn right
Z, X-- sidestep
D, C-- move up, move down
ESC, close window, or select main window to quit walkthrough

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Additional documentation will be released as it becomes available.
Feel free to send questions or comments to me at

sschluet@alum.mit.edu

Thank you for registering Obed!
-Stephen Schlueter
