Inksmoto-0.7.0

From X-Moto
Jump to: navigation, search

Tutorial: First steps

This part of the tutorial learns the basics to be able to create a level.

Quick look at inkscape

Inksmoto 060 01.png

Here is the list of useful tools from Inkscape to create Xmoto levels:

  1. The selection tool
  2. The path editing tool
  3. The sculpting tool
  4. The zoom in/out tool
  5. The rectangle tool
  6. The circle tool
  7. The star tool
  8. The hand draw tool
  9. The bezier curves draw tool
  10. The Xmoto properties menu

To learn how to use Inkscape you can use the official Inkscape tutorials: Inkscape2.png

You can also get tutorials on YouTube.

The Xmoto extensions

The Xmoto extensions from the Effects menu allows you to set Xmoto properties to Inkscape objects in the drawing.

Here is a description of the different entries of the Xmoto menu:

  • Blocks
    • Change Block Properties: Change the properties of the selected blocks.
    • Change Block Texture: Change the texture and edge effects of the selected blocks.
  • Entities
    • Checkpoint: Convert the selected shapes into a checkpoint.
    • Strawberry: Convert the selected shapes into a strawberry.
    • End of level: Convert the selected shapes into a end of the level.
    • Particle Source: Convert the selected shapes into a particle source (fire or smoke).
    • Player Start: Convert the selected shapes into the start position of the player.
    • Sprite: Convert the selected shapes into a sprite (with many parameters for the sprite).
    • Wrecker: Convert the selected shapes into a wrecker.
  • Joint
    • Add Pin Joint: add a pin joint between two physical blocks.
    • Add Pivot Joint: add a pivot joint between to physical blocks.
    • Jointed Line...: create a line of jointed blocks
  • Level
    • Set layers properties: Set which layers are for background and what are their scrolling parameters.
    • Set sky properties: Change the sky of the level.
    • Set level properties: Mandatory options for the level, like its name and id.
    • Set other level properties: Allow sprite replacement of the /strawberry/wrecker/end of level/. Add a music to the level.
  • Other
    • Install keyboard shortcuts: Install the Inksmoto specific shortcuts.
    • Inksmoto tutorial: Display the link of this tutorial on the wiki.
    • Launch level in X-Moto: Launch the level in Xmoto.
    • Show the object informations: Show the Xmoto properties of the selected shapes.
    • Get new textures and sprites: Download new textures and sprites from the Internet.
    • Recreate last.lvl: Recreate the last.lvl level to reload it into Xmoto.
    • Copy: Copy the xmoto properties of an object.
    • Paste: Paste the xmoto properties stored into the selected objects.
    • Change id: Change the id of an element (mandatory use for entities).
    • Begin recording a trace session: For unittesting.
    • End recording a trace session: For unittesting (the generated tests are in ~/.inkscape/extensions/cur_tests).
  • Zones
    • Convert into Zone: Convert the selected shapes into zones (currently, only rectangular zones are used).

Install the Inksmoto shortcuts

You should begin by installing the Inksmoto specific shortcuts. Use the menu entry Effects->X-moto->Other->Install keyboard shortcuts.

Then restart Inkscape to enable them.

The shortcuts are:

  • "t": change texture of the selected blocks
  • "b": change properties of the selected blocks
  • "p": add a pin joint between two physical blocks
  • "o": add a pivot joint between two physical blocks
  • "d": change the selected objects into checkpoint
  • "y": change the selected objects into strawberry
  • "s": change properties of the selected sprites
  • "z": change the selected objects into zone
  • "w": change the selected objects into wrecker
  • "u": change the selected objects into a particle source
  • "r": change the selected objects into the player start
  • "e": change the selected objects into the end of level
  • "a": set layers properties
  • "n": set level properties
  • "h": set other level properties
  • "k": set sky properties
  • "x": launch the .lvl into Xmoto
  • "l": recreate last.lvl into the home directory (in .inkscape/extensions/)
  • "c": copy the xmoto properties of an object
  • "v": paste the xmoto properties stored in the selected objects
  • "i": change the id of an object

Drawing a simple level

Let's draw a simple level using only the Rectangle, Circle and Star tools.

First, set the zoom of Inkscape to 100% (defaulted to 35% when you create a new svg), then draw your level.

Here's is a simple level drawn using the Star tool and the Rectangle tool for the shapes and the Circle tool for the two little circles: Inksmoto 050 02.png

Set level properties

Now that the shapes of the level are drawn, we have to assign them Xmoto properties. For example, we want some shapes to be solid blocks, some others to be background blocks, change their texture...

Example

To change solid blocks texture, select them, then go to the Xmoto effect menu and use the menu entry Effects->X-moto->Blocks->Change Block Texture (or press 't').

Inksmoto 050 03.png

The Block textures window opens.

Inksmoto 070 1.png

Click on the white thumbnail to select the texture we want. The Texture Selection window pops up:

Inksmoto 070 2.png

Double click on the texture wanted for the blocks. Now the Block textures window displays the right texture:

Inksmoto 070 3.png

Press OK. The texture is then displayed in Inkscape:

Inksmoto 050 07.png

Repeat the same procedure to change the texture for the three other blocks.

Now, we want to set them as background blocks. Select them, and use this menu entry: Effects->X-moto->Blocks->Change Block Properties (or press 'b').

Inksmoto 050 08.png

The Block properties window opens. Check Background block then press OK.

Inksmoto 070 4.png

Now we have to set the level start and its end.

Select the first circle and use this menu entry: Effects->X-moto->Entities->Player Start. Then select the second circle and use this menu entry: Effects->X-moto->Entities->End Of Level.

The level looks like this:

Inksmoto 060 02.png

Save the level

Now that our level is drawn and its shapes have Xmoto properties, we have to set the properties of the level, like its name, author, ...

Use the Xmoto menu entry Effects->X-moto->Level->Set level properties. The Level properties window pops up:

Inksmoto 070 5.png

Entries in this window (bold ones are mandatory):

  • lua script: If your level has a lua script, enter the lua file with its full path.
  • level id: The id of the level (only letters, digits and underscore, no space).
  • level name: The real name of the level.
  • author: The author of the level (you).
  • description: A message to add to the level.
  • border texture: Choose the texture which be displayed around the level.

Test the level in Xmoto

Now our level is ready to be tested in Xmoto. Use the Xmoto menu entry Effects->X-moto->Other->Launch level in X-moto (or press 'x'). The Launch level in X-Moto window pops up:

Inksmoto 050 12.png

If the Xmoto executable is present in your PATH (under Linux and MacOSX), you don't have to fill the parameter. If you're under Windows or you want to use a specific Xmoto executable, then enter your Xmoto executable with its full path.

Here is the level in Xmoto:

Inksmoto 050 13.png

Get the .lvl in order to upload it

Now that the level is ready, we have to upload it to the Xmoto website http://xmoto.tuxfamily.org/index.php?page=sendyourlevel

You have to send the level as a .lvl file, not a .svg

  • svg: Vector graphic format
  • lvl: Xmoto level

There's two ways to get the .lvl:

  • When you launch the level in Xmoto from within Inksmoto, the file last.svg and last.lvl are created in the Inkscape home extensions directory:
    • Linux & MacOSX: ~/.inkscape/extensions
    • Windows: C:\Documents And Settings\<USER>\Application Data\Inkscape\extensions\
      • To open Application Data you might have to do Start->run...(or Win-Button+R)->%APPDATA%
  • You can also save the svg and the lvl separately using File->Save a Copy... and choosing the appropriate file format (X-Moto Level (*.lvl)).

Svg file of the tutorial

Here is the corresponding svg file of the tutorial level: Media:Tutorial_050.svg

Tutorial: What's new in 0.7.0

Optimize inksmoto: conversion from svg to lvl is now up to six times faster

Replace Tk with Gtk for windows toolkit

Extend range of edge texture depth to negative values

Per Block Smoothness

Use the theme scale/depth for default value of edges

Add support for checkpoints

Allow sprites free rotation degrees

Support for Inkscape versions 0.47, 48.1, and 0.48.2