Marker World Editor Tutorial

This tutorial will cover the basics of the Marker World Editor so that you can create your own custom levels.  To begin, load up the editor by passing the parameter editor to the the MarkerWorld.exe executable (for example:  MarkeWorld.exe editor) or by running the Marker World Editor batch file which does this for you.

The editor itself is very basic.  Entire levels are created by using only your mouse (this may require a steady hand :).

Mouse Modes

There are four different modes which control the behavior of using your mouse.  Pressing the Cam, Draw, Stat, or Dyn button will select a mouse mode.  The button text will be written in capital letters indicating the current mode.

• Cam - the left mouse button will pan the camera.  This mode can be selected by using the keyboard shortcut 'A'.
   

• Draw - objects drawn are for visual purposes only and will not collide with the player or shapes the player draws.  This mode can be selected by using the keyboard shortcut 'S'.
   

• Stat - objects drawn are static object which will collide with the player and the shapes the player draws.  The bulk of your level will most likely be created using this mode.  This mode can be selected by using the keyboard shortcut 'Z'.
   

• Dyn - objects drawn are dynamic objects which will behave in the editor as they do in the game.  This mode is simply for testing (and playing around) within the editor.  These objects are NOT saved as part of a level.  This mode can be selected by using the keyboard shortcut 'X'.

Deleting Objects

Static, dynamic, and draw-only objects, stars, and the player star location can be deleted from the level by right-clicking the object.

The Red Rectangle

The red rectangle in the background of the level being edited represents the actual traversable space of a level.  The red area will have the dimensions specified when a new level is created.  The player cannot travel anywhere outside of the red rectangle.  Anything outside of this rectangle is visible only when viewing the overview of a level (pressing 'Esc' in the game).  Due to this limitation, only objects drawn in Draw mode can appear outside of the red rectangle.

If you wish for the background to always match the size of the rectangle, create a level with a width to height ratio of 4:3.

Palette Colors

A palette of brush colors are available for selection at the top of the editor.  Each color can be modified by going to Color > Editor Color, with the exception of the multicolored icon which creates random colors (as used in the game) when drawing with your brush.

Adding Stars, Player Start Location - Right-Click Menu

Stars are added to a level by simply right clicking the blank area of a level (that is within the red rectangle) you wish the place a star and clicking 'Add Star Here' from the popup menu.  Be careful when using the right mouse button as it also serves to delete objects in the level.  The player start location is placed in the same manner.  Right click a blank area of a level and select 'Player Stars Here' from the popup menu.  Only one player start location can exist in a level.  If you want to move the player start location after one has already been placed, simply right click the new location and select Player Starts Here again.

The absence of a Player Start Location in a level will cause the player the spawn at world location (0,0).

For convenience, you can test a level from within the editor by right clicking a blank area of a level and either selecting 'Play Level' or 'Play From Here.'  Selecting 'Play Level' will load the level as it would in game (spawning the player from the player start location) whereas selecting 'Play From Here' will load the level and spawn the player from the location that was right clicked in the editor.

Limitations

The width and/or height of objects drawn is limited to 1024 pixels.  If an object is drawn that exceeds this limitation the object will not appear in the level and warning will appear in red at the bottom of the editor.  To get around this limitation, simply draw separate objects so that each does not exceed the 1024 pixel limit.

There is an additional limitation to how many units long an object drawn may be.  This can conceptually be thought of as the amount of 'ink' left when drawing a particular object.  This limit is indicated as 'Units remaining' at the bottom of the editor and applies only to static and dynamic objects drawn.  When the 'Units remaining' is 0, the object is as long as it is allowed to be.  To get around this limitation, simply draw separate objects.

Loading Custom Levels In Game

Custom levels must be placed in the 'CustomLevels' subfolder in the Marker World directory.  To load a custom level in game, press 'Esc' to bring up the menu, click 'Load Levels', then click 'Custom' to view the levels available for loading.  Click the level you want to load to play.