Dark Stone
Quest Editor Tutorial

Chapter 1: Creation of the Sites

In Darkstone there are 2 different graphic sites: The outside and the dungeons. In this chapter, you will learn how to create rooms in each place in order to use the basic functions of QuestEdit.

1: Create a room outside

A: Properties

In hierarchy mode, place your mouse on the editor window, right click, then select Add Room.
Fill in the properties window with the following parameters. Eye

Key: Identification key of the room. (ex: House1)
Name: The name of the room. This name will be the one which appears in Darkstone in the list Places visited. Click on the name button and enter the name of the room. (ex: Boris' House)
Land: Entrance of the dungeon from the outside (each land has 2 entrances). (ex: 1 -Ardyl)
Level: The location of the room (ex: Outside)

The other parameters are not necessary for this room, we will explain it in part 3 and 4 of this chapter.
- Click Ok to validate.

NOTE: To get the room properties window, double click with the left mouse button in the square representing your room or with the right mouse button (which makes the popup menu appear) then select Properties.

B: 3D edition

After you have entered the properties of your room, a square zone will appear in the edition window, this is the roomzone. Click with the right mouse button inside this roomzone then select Edit. A 3D view is now visible in the edition window. The camera functions allow you to move in this 3D view.

Here are the camera functions: Camera Functions
Rotation
Translation (Movement)
Zoom
Elevation

- Click on the Rotation icon, then in the 3D view, move the mouse with the left mouse button and hold it to rotate the view. Try other functions to get used to them.
- Now that you know how to move in this 3D view, let's start to build the room.

For this, we need the Block functions Block Functions

- Click on the Draw icon Draw. In the 3D view click with the left mouse button to create a 10 by 10 square of grass. Eye (You can hold down the left mouse button to draw faster.)
- When it's done, click on the Style icon . In the style window select block Decorate wall House then validate.
- In the 3D view, click on a block which will be inside your grass area and fill it. Remember to leave 2 blocks of grass on each side of the house. Eye
- Now it is necessary to place a door, click on the Style icon , and choose Open wall House, then validate. In the 3D view, click on the wall where you want to place your door. Eye
- Some trees would be welcome. Click on the Style icon and choose Decorate grass, validate and in the 3D view, select a block where you want to put a tree and click on the same block as many times as you wish to obtain the tree you want. Eye
- Click again on the Style icon and choose the block Sand, then validate.
- In the 3D view click on all blocks around your grass square to make an automatic transition from grass to the sand. Eye
- Select the Delete Block icon to delete the full sand blocks that you just created to earn some extra space. Eye

IMPORTANT: All the rooms created for the outside must be surrounded by a transition block or by a full sand block. All the rooms must always have a square or rectangular contour. The rooms shouldn't be too big because you won't be able to insert them in your land or dungeon when you generate the levels.

Now that you have built the outside, exit from the editor 3D view by clicking on the hierachy icon (in view toolbar). Lets go to the dungeons.

 

2: Create a room in a dungeon.

A: Properties

In hierarchy mode, right click on the editor window and select Add Room from the popup menu.
Fill the properties window with the following parameters. Eye

Key: Identification key of the room (ex: Room1)
Name: The name of the room. This name will be the one which appears in Darkstone in the list Places visited. Click on the name button and enter the name of the room. (ex: The Treasure Room)
Land: Entrance of the dungeon from the outside (each land has 2 entrances) (ex: 1 -Ardyl)
Level: The location of the room. (Inside Level 4)

NOTE: The Import function allows you to use the rooms you have made before. You can choose them in the folder:
..\Darkstone\data\customQuest\name of quest\name of room.CDF

B: 3D edition

In the edit window, right click inside the roomzone (blue borders for the dungeon rooms) representing the new room then select Edit to switch to 3D view.
- Click on the Style icon . In the style window select the block Decorate floor to draw one 10 by 10 square. Eye
- Click again on the Style icon , then choose the block Decorate wall and draw the walls of 4 small rooms, one on top of another. Eye
- Click on the Style icon . Choose the block Open wall and place 5 openings, including one outside. Eye
This room seems a little empty, lets see how to make it more attractive. Edit FunctionsThe decorations are accessable via the Edit icons menu.

- Click on the Add Generic Trap icon to access decoration objects.
- Choose Entrance Marker in the style window, and place it in the entrance of the room Eye. This object is important because it indicates where you arrive when you use the option Places visited in the game.
- Click on Add Generic Trap then choose the object Torch. Place torches on the wall. These objects are the light source in the game, so it's important to put some everywhere. Eye
- Use rotate to rotate the object 90° by simply clicking on the yellow square assigned to the object on the floor.
- Click again on Add Generic Trap to choose a new object. Select Door and put it in the 5 openings of your room. Eye
- Now we can fill the room with other objects.
- Click on Add Generic Trap then choose the objects you want and put them in the room. Eye
- Use this icon to delete a object and to move it.

The rooms that you have created are sitting areas and used the most, but there are other rooms for special use. They are the dungeon entrances and personalized levels.

 

3: Create a dungeon entrance.

This place is used to enter a level. You can personalize it how you want.

A: Properties

In hierarchy mode , right click in the editor window and select Add Room from the popup menu.
Fill the properties window with the following parameters. Eye

Key: Identification key of the room (ex: Entrance1)
Name: The name of the room. This name will be the one which appears in Darkstone on the Places visted list. Click on the name button and enter the name of the room. (ex: The Tomb)
Land: Dungeon entrance from the outside, each land has 2 entrances. (ex: 1 -Ardyl)
Level: The location of the room. (ex: Outside: Click on it again for the option Entrance.)
- Check the option Entrance to set your room as the entrance of the dungeon.
- Click Ok to validate.

B: 3D edition

- Right click inside the roomzone Entrance1 then select Edit.
- Click on the Style icon then in the style window select the grass block and draw a 10 by 10 floor. Eye
- Delete the grass blocks with to obtain the following picture: Eye
- Select the block Water with the Style icon and fill the blocks that you have deleted except for the left top block.
- Click on the Choose block icon (this icon allows you to choose some specific blocks and to place them manually).
- Choose the block borne5 then click on the remaining block.
- Click on and choose the block sand then surround the room with them. (remember the outside room must be bored by sand blocks.)
- Click on the Add Generic Trap icon to have access to the decoration objects.
- Choose Entrance Marker in the window selection then place it at the entrance of your room. Eye
- Now lets see what particularities make this room a dungeon entrance.

C: Editing the state machine

Activate the hierarchy edition mode . Right click in the edition window, then select Add Machine.
Choose stairs and enter staircase1 for enter new key Eye then click Next.
Fill the properties window of the state machine with these following parameters. Eye

3D object: The 3D object to use. (ex: ENTRY3)
Type of stairs: Upstairs or downstairs. (ex: Entrance level)
Loading sequence: The scene to show when the level is loading. (ex: Well)
When it's done click on Ok to validate.

Move with the frame of staircase1_0 and drag it to the roomzone Entrance1.
Switch to the 3D edition of the place Entrance1 (right click in the roomzone and select Edit) then move with staircase1_0. Eye
Put the high collisions around the dungeon entrance staircase1_0. Eye

NOTE: The player and the missiles (fire balls, arrows, etc) can't pass through these collisions. The low collisions prevent the player from passing but don't stop the missiles.

 

4: Create a personalized level.

The personalized level is a dungeon entirely created by yourself. No room and not even monsters will be generated by the computer on this level. You will have to place the monsters, entrance and exit of the level.

A: Properties

In hierarchy mode , right click in the editor window and choose Add Room from the popup menu.
Fill the properties window with the following parameters. Eye

Key: Identification key of the room (ex: Custom1)
Name: The name of the room. This name will be the one which appears in Darkstone in the Places visited list. Click on the name button and enter the name of the room. (ex: The monster lair)
Land: Entrance of the dungeon from the outside, each land has 2 entrances. (ex: 1 -Ardyl)
Level: The location of your room. (ex: Inside Level 1)
Check the option level to define your room as a personalized level.
Click on Ok to validate.

B: 3D Edition

- Right click inside the roomzone Entrance1 then select Edit.
- Click on the Style icon then in the style window select block Decorated floor and draw a 6 by 6 block floor. Eye
- Click again on the Style icon then select the block Decorated wall.
- Surround this room twice with this block to obtain full walls. Eye
- Delete the surround blocks to have a transition towards the dark (specific to the personalized levels). Eye
- Click on Choose block and choose the a9 block (place for the stairs) and place it on one of the outside walls.
- Do a rotation of the block with rotate Rotate Block if necessary.
- Click on Add Generic Trap and choose the object StairDown and place it in the a9 block. Eye
- Click on Add Generic Trap and choose the object Torch and place them on the walls of your level.
- This level is linked to the entrance of the dungeon Entrance1 created before, the stairs must correspond.

C: Edit the state machine

In hierarchy mode , right click in the editor window and choose Add Machine from the popup menu.
Choose stairs and type staircase2 for enter new key Eye then click Next.
Fill the state machine properties window with the following parameters. Eye

3D object: 3D object to use (ex: CORDE)
Type of stairs: (ex: Exit Level)
Loading sequence: The sequence to display when the level is loading. (ex: Well)
Click on Ok to validate.

Move with the frame of staircase2_0 and slide it in the RoomZone of custom.
Go to 3D edition of custom1 (right click in its RoomZone then choose Edit) and move with staircase2_0. Eye
Every type of area has been deveopled, we are going to proceed with the characters...

Chapter 2: Creation of the characters
Story | Quests | Skills | Spells | Armoury | Enchantments
Character Info | Downloads | Shortcut Keys
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