Crayon Physics Unofficial Game Blog: March 2008

Generally creating levels for Crayon Physics (Beta version) not that hard and can be done in different methods. This method what i want show need Photoshop and of course Level Editor. I hope these videos little help but generally youtube quality very poor.

First step copy editor to crayon folder , this help make fast testings your created levels.

Video Part 1:

00:00 Open editor and create lavel name: here level name a1
00:28 If you have any idea for design your level you can start drawing. I try make Moon Level with lower gravitation.
First need draw all static objects (hold shift key and draw using mouse)
02:09 All levels need goal point (one or more). Goal point (default star graphic) you can set pressing X. Goal point will be placed in mouse pointer spot.
Next move pointer to place where you want place start ball and press Z.
02:45 We make also Rocket Object who will start up. This object you must draw without Shift holding. Allready we can draw only square.
03:12 Press S key to save level
03:20 Level located in general folder where located editor, you must rename this file and add .xml extension (this needed when you want load level in editor - for load level you can use L key but when you want load level after editor closing you must in editor startuo write as level name a1.xml not a1)
03:37 After renaming you can copy this in to data/levels folder
04:21 Check now data/gfx folder here located newly created background level graphic and code and object (rocket) graphic and xml code. We need this files for use in Photoshop.
04:39 Now harder part for users who dont know how Photoshop workin in layers. First prepare any paper background you can found in google.
Open photoshop and open newly created graphic background here a_background.bmp and open your paper background
04:48 Must be active level background graphic. Now from menu bar choose Layer/Duplicate Layer
05:05 Now you can copy paper background to level background and switch duplicated layer in top (layers window in right side) and change Opacity layer to 40% - we need visible drawings.
06:08 Load crayon brush from Brush Tool (if you not have crayon brush you can use any other or download from web)
06:24 Now we need create next layer for drawing from menu bar choose layer/new/layer , and start drawin using brush tool , you can resize brush and change colors of course.

Video Part 2:

00:32 When you finish drawing all static parts you can draw background draws - like here stars and earth :)
01:10 If colours to agressive you can change contrast. Now delete duplicated Layer not needed anymore.
01:55 Background ready you can Save As .bmp and replace old file generated in editor.
02:46 Now open object .bmp file (rocket object) here named a_obj_20.bmp, generally we not need edit this file because we want create transparent object. But we can check now resolution this object. Go to Image/Image Size and check resolution. You can close now this graphic and make new (file/new).Write now resolution and choose Transparent background
03:00 Now you can draw Rocket
04:27 We want nice transparent object and we must save this as .png (save as/ choose .png format) Close Photoshop
04:57 Now you can delete object in bmp format and edit object xml file and change name to new named .png - here edited a_obj_20.xml file and renamed a_obj_20.bmp to rocket.png
05:39 Now we need edit level file because want change some gravity settings and create rocket who start up. Open in levels folder a1.xml and find line (World gravity_x="0" gravity_y="10" iterations="10") change y value to 3 (you can make 0 for space or -1 for water) you cn change also x value if you have something like strong wind :)
Find also line with last object for me is (Body gfx_file="data/gfx/a_obj_20.xml" id="21" is_static="0" shape="0"), we need change here Force y value from 0 to -4000 (Force x="0" y="-4000") depends what high force you want :)
For test level you need also edit level_list.xml in data folder and change (Level completed="1" filename="data/levels/level_01.xml" position="1") to (Level completed="1" filename="data/levels/a1.xml" position="1"). Now you can start Crayon and test :) Good Luck