Copyright: (C) 1995 EnQue Software


The Six Feet Under Level Editor Contents
The Six Feet Under Level Editor

Version 1.00 (C) 1995 EnQue Software

EnQue Software

25700 East 203rd Street

Pleasant Hill, MO  64080

FAX/Voice: (816) 987-2515

24-hour BBS: (816) 566-2956

E-mail Addresses: KHuck116@aol.com or DrBoyd@aol.com

About the Editor

The Challenge

Overview

The Objects

Entrance

Exit

Space and Dirt

Rocks

Gems

Barriers

Critters

Bombs and Timed Bombs

The Sphere of Life

Clock

Lava

Bonus

Tutorial

Your First Level

The Sample Levels

The Menus

File Menu Commands

Edit Menu Commands

Tool Menu Commands

Options Menu Commands

The Test Menu

The Help Menu

 Registration

General Information

Six Feet Under order form


The Challenge

Are you bored with the same old levels?  Can you crush critters in your sleep?  Then get off the couch and create your own!  Use our level editor to challenge your friends and other Six Feet Under players; and if you think your levels are "killer" enough, E-mail them to us through AOL, CompuServe, or the Internet or upload them to our BBS and we'll give 'em a shot.  If we bang our heads against the wall, we will include your level(s) in Six Feet Under version 2.00 (summer '95 release), and put your name in the credits!  The level(s) you designed will appear for all to attempt.

We have plans to release at least 100 levels in version 2.00, so feel free to submit several entries. We will take the top 100 prior to release, so get your entry in soon!  Feel free to upload your levels (and the game itself) to any and all on-line service and BBS's.  The level editor is free, and the unregistered version of the game can be used in conjunction with the editor to play any level created.  If you do register the game now, you get access to all 50 levels, as well as the registered version of Six Feet Under 2.00.

Here are a few things to think about when designing your level(s).

Make your levels easy to execute, but difficult to figure out, or turn the table and make them easy to figure out and "killer" to execute.  Consider a "theme" if you create several levels, such as:

1)  easy to complete kids levels

2)  mind-bending puzzler levels

3)  hand-eye challenging levels

4)  GIANT levels

5)  maze levels

...and the list goes on - be creative!

Don't feel like the level has to be overly complex or large to be good.  Some of the "baddest" levels are single screen.

Be creative; the more levels you create, the more "sinister" you become!

Be sure the level can really be completed.  Testing you own levels is one of the toughest parts of creating really great levels.  Don't waste other's time by asking them to try to finish an impossible level.

Create a "hints" file for your levels and send it to us or include it with your levels.


Overview

The level files for Six Feet Under (SFU) are plain ASCII text, and can be created or edited with any text editor, like Windows Notepad or DOS Edit.  However; editing the level files with a text editor can be painstaking and tedious.  Enter the Six Feet Under Level Editor.  The level editor is absolutely the fastest and most enjoyable way to modify or create new levels for SFU.  By using the actual game graphics the editor lets you see exactly how your level will look when running the game.  Add powerful cut, copy, paste and fill tools, and you have everything you need to spend less time on aesthetics and more time on puzzle logic.


Entrance

Each level has a position that marks where the player will begin.  The graphic of the man is used to mark this position.  To mark the entrance, select the man graphic from the graphic menu with the mouse and click on the desired point of entrance.  Each level must have one entrance.


Exit

Each level also has a position that marks where the player will exit the level.  The door graphic is used to mark this position.  To mark the exit, select the exit graphic from the graphic menu with the mouse and click on the desired exit point.  Each level must have at least one exit, but can have several.  The exit can also be either hidden or shown.  To toggle its attribute, click the mouse again on the exit.

Attributes:

Shown (no letter)

The exit is closed on level start.  The player must collect the required number of gems to open the exit.

Hidden (H)

The exit is open on level start, and looks exactly like a space.  No collected gems are required to walk through this type of exit


Space and Dirt

 and

Dirt is the most commonly used space filler for a level.  The player can freely tunnel through dirt objects, leaving empty space behind.  All inanimate objects will fall down the screen through space, and come to rest if they contact a dirt surface.  Dirt is primarily used to hold up objects, and give the player a medium to channel pathways for critters to follow.  Creative use of dirt (I know, that sounds pretty silly) will increase the number of ways to interact with any given level.


Rocks

Rocks are inanimate objects that have sufficient mass to squash the player like rotten fruit.  They will fall through space until they strike any solid surface.  Rocks can be left-leaning, right-leaning, or perfectly balanced.  For unbalanced rocks, if any space exists in the direction they lean, they will teeter and fall in that direction.

Attributes:

> (right leaning)

The rock will fall down and to the right if space is available.

< (left leaning)

The rock will fall down and to the left if space is available.

= (balanced)

The rock will fall down only.  Balanced rocks can be stacked as tall as desired.


Gems

In every level the player must collect the required number of gems to make the exit open.  Gems are like rocks in that they can fall on you with undesirable results.  They also will fall through space until they strike any solid surface and can be left-leaning, right-leaning, or perfectly balanced.

Attributes:

> (right leaning)

The gem will fall down and to the right if space is available.

< (left leaning)

The gem will fall down and to the left if space is available.

= (balanced)

The gem will fall down only.  Balanced gems can be stacked as tall as desired.


Barriers

Barriers are used to define the outer walls of the level.  They can also be anywhere in the level itself!  The player or critters cannot move through any of the barriers, unless the barrier is first destroyed with a bomb.  Of the ten barriers available, only the metallic barriers:

, [image] and

are durable enough to withstand a bomb blast.  Use these barriers when you need an inpenetrable wall.


Critters

Critters all behave in the same fashion; they track through space, following the surface of all other objects.  If any critter gets within one cell of the player, its next move will be a hostile one, resulting in the elimination of the player.  Critters can be crushed by rocks, which causes them to explode into gems.  Nine gems will be created if the explosion occurs in either empty space or dirt.  Other objects directly next to the explosion can cause fewer gems to be produced (such as exploding next to a barrier).  Critters can also be destroyed by a bomb.


Bombs and Timed Bombs

 and

Bombs are one of the most useful objects you can have in a level.  You can either place them in the level itself, or you may choose to have the player start up with any given number already in possession (see Settings).

Timed bombs are bombs that have the fuse lit.  A timed bomb will explode after 1 to 9 seconds.  When you place a timed bomb in a level, you may set its count down time by its attribute.  After the set number of seconds have expired, the bomb will explode.  When editing your level, simply click on the timed bomb to increment its count down.

When a player picks up a bomb, (even a lit one) he defuses it for later use.  When the player places a bomb, (to either the left or right by pressing [Space]), it is fused for three seconds.  At that point it is exactly like a bomb you placed in the level with an attribute of 3.

Attributes:

1-9 (seconds)

The timed bomb will explode in precisely the set number of seconds from the time the level begins.


Sphere of Life
The Sphere of Life

The sphere of life gives the player "an extra man" when picked up.  This gives another chance at any level in case the current man meets an untimely demise.


Clock

The clock object can be placed in a level to give the player more time.  For each clock the player picks up, ten seconds are added to the time remaining to complete the level.  Clocks can be used in strategic places to force a player to go through whatever obstacles you design in order to obtain enough time to finish a level.


Lava

Lava can really add an element of panic to a level.  Lava grows through space and dirt until it fries the player.  Lava grows quickly through empty space, and more slowly through dirt.  Lava also has an attribute that sets the overall speed at which the lava grows.  It can be set to grow very quickly or more slowly.  Lava cannot penetrate barriers, rocks or gems, although it will fry a critter as readily as the player, so it can be manipulated to the players benefit.

Attributes:

0-9 (expansion rate)

The rate at which the lava will expand.  At zero the lava will expand over 10 times a second.  At nine the lava will expand about once every second.


Bonus

Bonus objects are items that give extra points when picked up.  They do not fall like rocks, so they can be counted on to stay at their set position until picked up.


Tutorial
Your First Level

The first step in designing your level is to choose a barrier and draw the four walls.  Simply move the mouse cursor to the list of barriers and left or right click.  You will notice at the bottom right of the graphic menu the object you selected will appear under the Left or Right mouse button selection.  This is to show you what object you have assigned for painting with that button.  Now use that object to draw the four walls by "painting" with the mouse button in the level window.

Next you should choose a place for the exit.  Simply select the exit icon from the grapic menu and click to place it in the level.  This is the door through which the  player will walk to exit the level.  You can have one exit, or you can have several.  For this tutorial, lets place one.  Move the mouse cursor to the center of the right wall and click.

Next we will choose an entrance for the level.  Select the man icon from the graphic menu and click somewhere in the left side of the level.

Now we will give the player something to pick up.  Select the ruby icon and click anywhere within the four walls.  Do the same with the other four gems such that you have all five gems within the level.

The last step is to save the level.  Go to the File menu and select Save As, type in the name for your level (like MYLEVEL.TXT) and click on Ok.  You will notice the name of your level now appears in the title area of the level window, along with the size of the level defined by the barriers you drew in the first step!

Now we are ready to test the level.  Click on the test menu and the level will begin.  Move the man to pick up each gem (they may fall first if you placed them in empty space).  You will notice that after the fifth gem is collected the exit will open.  Walk through the door to end the level and return to the editor.  You may also return to the editor at any time during level testing by closing off the window.


The Sample Levels

Many times the best way to learn is by example.  We have included several levels with the editor to get you started doing just that!  Simply open each level with the editor (Select Open from the File menu), click to back up one directory, and select one of the .TXT files.  When the level comes up, examine the contents.  Then click on the test menu selection to play the level and see how the objects behave.  Feel free to modify the level and play it again to see what your changes did to make the level different.  Don't be afraid to experiment.  Many of the best effects are discovered by accident!


File Menu Commands

New

Select this command to begin editing a new level.  The level window is cleared and the filename set to untitled.

Open

Select this command to open a existing level file for editing.

Save

Select this command to save a level file to disk.  If the level file is new, you will be asked for a file name.

Save As

Select this command to save the current level to any file name.

Exit

Select this command to exit the editor.


Edit Menu Commands

Undo

Select this menu item to undo the last operation performed.

Cut

Select this menu item to cut a region from the level window to the clipboard.  The region will be cleared to blank space.  The mouse icon will turn from the arrow cursor to scissors to indicate you may click and drag the mouse to specify the region to cut.  When finished the cursor will automatically switch to paste.

Copy

Select this menu item to copy a region from the level window to the clipboard  The region will remain unchanged.  The mouse icon will turn from the arrow cursor to scissors to indicate you may click and drag the mouse to specify the region to copy.  When finished the cursor will automatically switch to paste.

Paste

Select this menu item to paste in a region cut or copied to the clipboard.  The mouse icon will turn into a paste cursor to indicate you may click on the point (top left corner) to start the paste.  When finished, the cursor will automatically switch to paint.


Tool Menu Commands

Paint

Select this menu item to enter paint mode.  Use the left or right mouse button to "paint" objects into the editor window.  You may hold down either mouse button and move the mouse, or you may single click to drop each object.  Use the left and right mouse buttons on the graphic object menu to select an object for painting.

Fill

Select this menu item to enter fill mode.  Click the mouse on each area to fill.  All cells with the same object will be filled with the current draw object.

Fill Vertically

Select this menu item to enter fill vertical mode.  Click the mouse on each column to fill.  All cells in that column with the same object will be filled with the current draw object.

Fill Horizontally

Select this menu item to enter fill horizontal mode.  Click the mouse on each row to fill.  All cells in that row with the same object will be filled with the current draw object.


Option Menu Commands

Settings

Select this menu item to pull up the settings dialog box.  These parameters set the WAV files used for the sound effects for the level, the MIDI file for background music, and elements such as time allowed for the level, the number of gems needed to collect before the exit will open, and any bombs that the player will have when the level begins.  The level title that is displayed during game play may also be entered.

View 1x

Select this menu item to view the level at full size.  This is the maximum level of zoom.  Attributes are only shown in View 1x mode.

View 4x

Select this menu item to view more of the level.  This allows four times the area of the level to be viewed over View 1x.

View 16x

Select this menu item to view very large levels.  Sixteen times the area is shown over View 1x.

Show Attribute

Select this menu item to toggle the display attribute.  The display attribute is a text character that indicates more information about the object that is in the cell.  For example, gems and rocks can be left-leaning ( < ), right leaning ( > ), or perfectly balanced ( = ).  Lava has a digit (0-9) indicating the speed at which it grows, and timed bombs have a digit (1-9) to indicate the number of seconds until they explode.  To set an attrribute, first be sure this menu item is checked, and then click on the cell to toggle the attribute for the item.  If no text is shown in the cell, then no attribute is available.


The Test Menu

Test

Select this menu item to save the level and test the level in the game itself!  After a moment Six Feet Under will begin with the level.  To return to the editor, simply close the game, or finish the level and walk through the exit.


The Help Menu

Contents

Select this menu item to get help on using the editor.

About

Select this menu item to see information about EnQue Software.


Registration Information
If you have enjoyed playing Six Feet Under, and would like to register the game, just send $15.00 to:

EnQue Software

25700 East 203rd Street

Pleasant Hill, MO  64080

FAX/Voice: (816) 987-2515

24-hour BBS: (816) 566-2956

E-mail Addresses: KHuck116@aol.com or DrBoyd@aol.com

If you wish, you may register the game by VISA or MasterCard.  Simply FAX, E-mail, or call our 24-hour BBS.  Please include your full name, card number, expiration date, shipping address and Six Feet Under serial number.  Your Six Feet Under serial number can be found under Gold Key in the Help menu of the game.  You may also register by check or money order, and then wait for our speedy postal service to do their job.  For your convenience,  we have included an order form that you can print out and mail in.  Just click on order form,  go to the File menu and select Print Topic, or simply jot the information down on a sheet of paper.

Once we receive your registration fee, we will provide the gold registration key that unlocks all additional levels.  If you wish, we will also put you on our mailing list to receive new games as they becomes available.


Order Form
Six Feet Under Order Form

EnQue Software

25700 East 203rd Street

Pleasant Hill, MO  64080

FAX/Voice: (816) 987-2515

24-hour BBS: (816) 566-2956

E-mail Addresses: KHuck116@aol.com or DrBoyd@aol.com

Here is my $15.00.  Please send me the gold registration key for Six Feet Under.  My serial number  is ______________.

[   ]

Yes, I would like to be included on your mailing list for the next version of Six Feet Under.  Also please send any new games as soon as you release them.

[   ]

No, I would not like to be included on your mailing list, but please send the gold registration key.

Name:   ___________________________________________

Address:  __________________________________________

City: _________________________________  State: _______

Zip: __________-________  Country: ____________________

[   ] Visa                Number:______________  Exp Date:_____

[   ] MasterCard    Number:______________  Exp Date:_____

[   ] Check or Money Order