Tips & Tricks

RESIZE Your Cubes

1. The more cubes you have, the bigger the file.
2. Extend cubes in order to replace unneeded cubes. Here's an example:

You've got a hall 5 cubes long.
Each cube measures 20 units. That's 100 units of hall.
You're using five cubes, when only one is needed.
Delete all but one of the cubes, usually an end one.
Select the side of the cube that the other cubes were attached to.
Click This menu correspondes to the number pad on the right of most keyboards.
"9" on your keypad, or on the menu will extend that cube. Just hold it down until the cube is 100 units long. Ta da!

You'll have to make sure that the extended cube is next to a cube the same size if you want them to be connected. (Five cubes have five walls. One cube has one wall. You do the math.)

It may be helpful to do this at the end, after you know where everything goes. However, you've got to remember to reconnect cubes!!! You'll get the feel after a while. And soon you'll have great levels that aren't 100K in size.

Are Textures WARPED From Stretching Cubes??

Press Alt+M .....this marks all cubes.
Open the Texture Edit Box
Open "Align" and select Reset Marked. That's it !!

** This will not reset added wall textures like grates, etc... **

Use The Curve Generator. Having Trouble?

It helps if the two cubes being connected are the same size. DMB will do some funny things otherwise, and it's never fun fixing that.
In order to make sure my levels are even, when i make a curve i plan where it's going to go, then build to that point from the cube i want to start at. This ensures an even distance.
Just select the side you want to start from, make it the Other Cube, then select the 2nd cube's side, and select Curve Generator (Tools). Click okay on the window that follows, then adjust the tunnel as you need to. "P" twists or untwists it. "]" and "[" move the axis furthur or closer from the selected cube, (you'll see what i mean). That's it. Hit "G", and tell it to keep it.
If you have any problems with this, let me know, i can try to help.

Alternative Lighting

Sometimes, regular lights just don't look good where they need to be. But you can still light those trouble spots using invisible lighting. I don't know if anyone else has tried this yet, but it's worked well for me.

Insert an invisible wall.
Now change the texture on both sides of the wall to "empty" (empty is in the tex list)
The "empty" texture is a light texture, and will act just like regular lights when you set you're lighting.
You can also apply "empty" as a tex2 to already textured walls.

The PASTE ALL Feature is a Lifesaver

Go to my Textures page and read all about it.

Think About WHY You're Making the Level

1. Who's going to play it, and why? Is it a multi-player level? Or is it a Mission level with robots? This is important to the design.

2. Multi-Player levels are my raison d'etre, so i'll let you in on what i know.

There are two ways to go. Halls or rooms. It's that simple. But don't worry, it gets harder.
Size is important too. Really big rooms should be avoided. With 4 or more players, lag has more of a chance occurring.
Making easy escapes is something that has caught on, and i admit, i like it... i.e. Make a hall, then put a door in the middle, now there are three places to go, down the hall, up the hall, or through the door. Free moving levels are distinct. Whereas, levels that make you go a certain way (forward or back) are fun as well. It's up to you and what you think will be most fun.
What's all this talk about fun?!?! Well...have FUN with your level. Make switches and hidden rooms. Energy draining walls are always fun! Use what you have to the fullest potential.

Use Time-Saving Proggies Like:

Click here and select the What's New section for Descent Block Builder 95.