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Editing and Testing
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The Game Editor

## Editing and Testing

### Editing a Level

Use Edit Any Level or Edit Next Level on the Editor menu to start editing an existing level or use Create Level to start editng a new level.

If you choose a System level, you are warned that you will have to save it in one of your own games. Otherwise, the default is to save the level back where it came from, but you can vary that.

### Painting Objects in a Level

The picture below shows the menu bar and the edit toolbar, which appears when you first choose Create Level, Edit Any Level or Edit Next from the Editor menu and so change from Play to Edit mode. It disappears when you go back to Play mode. Note also that, in Edit mode, false bricks and hidden ladders are made visible in the playing area.

The three icons on the left of the edit toolbar have the same actions as the menu options Create Level, Edit Any Level and Save Edits. The other eleven icons are for editing and painting objects in your level.

From left to right the other eleven icons are edit name or hint (light bulb), empty space (background), hero, enemy, brick (can dig), concrete (cannot dig), trap or false brick (can fall through), ladder, hidden ladder, pole or bar and gold nugget.

The light bulb icon pops up a dialog in which you can create or edit your level's name and hint. Both are optional, but they are essential for tutorial levels and it is usual to provide them with very difficult levels (see the “Vengeance of Peter W” game).

When you click on one of the other 10 icons, the mouse becomes a “brush” that paints that icon. Initially the brush is set to “brick”.

You paint either by pointing and clicking the left mouse button, to place a single object in a square, or by holding the left mouse button down and dragging the mouse, to fill a line or area, such as a long ladder, a large block of bricks or a concrete floor. Painting stops wherever you release the mouse button. If you make a mistake, you can use the empty space icon to erase it.

The hero icon works differently, because there can be only one hero. When you paint the hero, he moves from his previous position to wherever you release the mouse button.

### Saving Your Work

When you have finished painting, save your work using the disk icon or Save Edits in the Editor menu or Save Edits in the Game menu. You must always save into your own games, never into the System games.

If you are creating a level, you use the Level Selection Dialog to assign it to a game and level number. You use the same dialog if you have been editing a level, but the default is to save it where it came from. You can change the game and level, to get a “Save as...” effect. If you have been editing a System level you must save it as a copy in one of your own games.

### Adding a Level Name and Hint

On the Save version of the Level Selection Dialog box is a button marked Level Name and Hint. You can use this to put the finishing touches on your level by adding a name and hint. Both are optional, but they are essential for tutorial levels and it is usual to provide them with very difficult levels (see the “Vengeance of Peter W” game). Of course you can also use the light bulb icon, at any time, to add or edit a name and hint.

### Testing a Level

After saving an edited level, you can test it by using Play Any Level in the Game menu. By default the game and level number are remembered and you can get straight into the level with just a few clicks. If you then want to edit some more, the same is true when you use Edit Any Level again.

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