Figure 4

Most of the screen is devoted to the map of the level. On this map you draw where each of the game objects should be placed. Below the map is the Status Line, then the Object Menu, and finally the Recent Menu. On the right edge of the screen is the Command Menu. The top five buttons in the Command Menu are New, Open, Save, Play, and Exit. The bottom four buttons in the Command Menu are Copy, Cut, Paste, and Undo.

To begin drawing your level map, use the left mouse button to select an object from the Object Menu. When you click on an object, that object becomes the current object, and is copied to the Recent Menu. The current object’s name is displayed in the left box of the status line. Move the mouse cursor to the map area, then click in the squares where you want the current object placed. If you want to place several copies of the current object in a line or in a rectangle, you can drag out an area by pressing the left mouse button in one square, moving the mouse pointer to another square, then releasing the left mouse button. All of the squares within the drag box will be filled with the current object.

To place another object, click that object in the Object Menu. This new object becomes the current object, and you can place copies of this new object in the map. If you do not see the object you want in the Object Menu, you may need to scroll the menu. The Object Menu may be scrolled by clicking one of the small arrow boxes at either end of the menu.

You may also change the current object selection by clicking on an object in the Recent Menu. Also, if you right-click on any object in the map, that object becomes the current object. This last option is very convenient. If you are editing a level, and you have one object on the screen but would like another copy, just right click on the object that is already on the map, then left click in the new square.

You can scroll around the map by moving the mouse cursor to the edge of the screen. The maximum size of a level map is 128x128 characters. Most levels are around 40 characters on a side. You may copy, cut, and paste rectangular regions of your map using the Copy, Cut, and Paste buttons in the Command Menu. After selecting Copy or Cut, drag out the region to be affected. The objects in the selected region will be copied to an internal buffer, and the Paste Mode will be pre-selected. As you move the mouse cursor around the screen, an outline box is drawn to show where the objects will be placed.

Click the left mouse button, and the objects will be drawn to the screen. Multiple copies of the buffer can be placed by clicking the left mouse button on various squares of the map. To leave Paste Mode, click on any of the objects in the Object Menu.

Each level that you design should have a level name and a file name. The level name is the name that appears in the Status Bar as the level is being played. The file name says where the level is stored on the disk. The Status Line on the display is divided into four sections: the current object name, the level name, the file name, and the theme. If you click on the ‘level name’ section, a window will pop up, into which you can type the name for the level. This name should be less than 40 characters long. If you click on the ‘file name’ section, a window will pop up where you can enter the file name for the level.

Whenever you want to test out your level, either type ‘p’, or click on the ‘Play’ button. When you complete the level, or when you quit from the level, you will be returned to the Level Editor. Be sure that you have placed Igor somewhere on the map before you try to play the level! Also, a level must have a complete set of monster body parts.

When you are finished with your level, save it to disk by clicking on the ‘Save’ button. When you want to edit a level you have previously designed, click on the ‘Open’ button. A list of all your levels will be displayed. Simply click on the level of interest, then begin editing.

Once you have designed some levels of your own, there will be a new command on the Main Menu: Load Level. If you click on that command, a list of your levels will be displayed. Click on a level, and the program will begin playing that level.