Now, you made your own map, saved it, but no matter how much you try entering it in-game, you only get a message saying that your map cannot be loaded. The sole most common reason for that is that you haven't added any platforms.
What are platforms?All the graphics that you place on your map are just that - graphics. You can place them in whatever way you want, and achieve a lot of different effects that way. You can put houses in the background, trees, make bridges, or place lone pieces of wood in the grass - however, the server needs to know where you can actually walk.
This is what platforms are for: Whenever there is a platform, the server knows you can walk there. Platforms are completely separate from the graphics of the level, and even though they show up in the map editor, you won't see them on the minimap or in the game.
How do I make platforms?To make a new platform,
- Click the icon with the blue circle on the left.
- Click on the map where you want your platform to start. You will see a blue circle where you clicked.
- Click on the map where you want your platform to end. You will see another blue circle, as well as a line that connects both circles. That is the platform you walk on.
You can repeat step 3 as many times as you want, and all the lines will belong to the same platform. To start a new platform, hit the "Escape" key, or click on the "Arrow" tool on the left.
Important: A platform can only ever go to the right. Meaning, if you clicked to start your platform, you must click again somewhere right of where you started. You cannot click left of where you started, the server will reject your file if you do!
How do I change platforms I made?To change a platform, click on the arrow tool on the left, and then on the platform that you want to change. If several items or platforms are located on the very place you clicked, you will see the same menu pop up that lets you choose from one of the graphics that you already placed on the map. Platforms are named "Path 0", "Path 1", ... in that menu.
After you selected a platform, the following keys work:
- Your delete key deletes the entire platform.
- Your backspace key deletes the last circle you added (this also works while you are "drawing" your platform).
- Your arrow keys let you reposition the circle you are currently at. By default, you are at the last circle after selecting a platform.
- Your "Page Up" and "Page Down" keys let you select a different circle to change.
How do I make holes, or pits?If someone walks over the end of your platform, they automatically fall down. You don't need to do anything special for that. This has one limitation, though: The server will not let you fall out of the map.
If you run over a platform, or you jump in a way so that you wouldn't land on a platform, the server simply doesn't let you jump. If you want to make a "bottomless" pit, like on bridge in the High Plains of Saliko, you need to put a platform outside the map, where you would land. You should also change the flags of that platform to instantly KO anyone who falls on it.
How do I change the flags of a platform?Select the platform you want to change, and then click on "Adv." on the left. There, under "Segment Flags" change the number to whatever effect you want to achieve (you can combine numbers by adding them up). Only use them if you know exactly what you are doing.
If I enter the map, all pets stay on one platform.Pets and monsters won't work properly, until you tell the server from which platform monsters can go to which other platform. You do this by adding "Jump Hints".
To add jump hints, click the green arrow with the two circles:
Once you clicked this icon, click on the platform monsters can jump from. The icon will change to pink. Next, click on the platform monsters can jump to. You will see an arrow connecting both platforms. Do this for all platforms and around all positions you want monsters to switch platforms at.
How do I let players jump down through a platform?At the position you want players to jump down through a platform, add a jump hint pointing to the platform below.
How do I make jump hints that monsters can use, but players can't?Select the jump hint, and check "No AJ".
How do I make monsters fly in the air?Click no "NJT" (No Jump To) on the left, and add the platform as you usually would. This makes a platform that monsters can move on, but that players can't jump on to.
If I enter the map, my platforms are glitchy, and I'm zooming through the map.Once you load your map, the server keeps it in memory so it doesn't have to check the file all the time. Because of that, the file the server uses and the file that you have no longer match up if you change the platforms while your map is loaded.
To fix that, make sure everyone leaves your map for at least five minutes. This will make the server unload your map. After that, you can enter it again and it will use the newest version.
In addition, uncheck "Use Cache" in your game client's options while you are testing your map. This makes sure that your game client always uses the most recent version, but it makes maps load a lot slower - so don't forget to check it again when you are done.
Are there any other limitations?Yes:
- There is a limit of platforms you can have. Usually you won't hit it, but if you add several dozens of platforms, don't be surprised if the server rejects your file.
- There are also limits on the number of jump hints, platform segments and similar. You also won't hit them, unless you go completely overboard.
- If you move a platform with your arrow keys after adding jump hints, you have to delete all jump hints from and to that platform and add them again, or they will be dangling and no longer be saved.
- Platforms cannot go straight up, nor can they go straight down.
- You cannot spawn on platforms that KO you, or that you cannot leave. If all your platforms are like that, your map still won't load, because you don't have any valid platforms to enter the map at.
