This FAQ will hopefully answer any questions you may have about map editing, before you are forced to post on the UniBall message board or ask someone. The format of this FAQ will be as follows:
Because I was bored. And to inform map makers of some of the limitations, and to help potential map makers get on their feet and start producing maps. A quick note: I am not a veteran map maker by any measure - I've never released a map of any sort. This FAQ is not going to concentrate on good map making and bad map making. Instead, it will concentrate on the the more "technical" aspects.
- How do I go about creating a map? (In other words, map editor, and how to install it)
First, you'll have to get a map editor. Download "UniMap" from UniBall Central, at http://www.uniball-central.com/files.php. Or use the link on the left sidebar of this page. Right click on it, and choose "Save Target As..." and save it to your UniBall folder (this is important!). Or Shift+Left Click on it, and save it to your UniBall folder. It depends on your browser. That's all you have to do to install it!
- Whoa, the interface of this program is complicated! How do I go about creating a map with it?
It's actually rather simple. You can figure out how to use the program through experimentation...or you can just keep reading. A description of each item follows. Oh, and here's a labelled screenshot to help you follow along. (click on that sentence to view the screenshot)
File (menubar)
Opens a menu which allows you to create a new map (New), open a map (Open), save a map (Save), save a map with a different filename (Save As), and exit UniMap (Exit). Should be fairly basic.
View (menubar)
Opens a menu where you can toggle the map overview on and off. (Map Overview)
Map Settings (menubar)
This doesn't open a menu, instead, it opens a window where you can change the map settings. You can read about the options further on in this FAQ.
Help (menubar)
Opens a menu where C:\ (the creator of UniBall and UniMap) taunts you by not giving you any help. (Nope!)
Player Spawn (labelled as #1)
Allows you to place player spawn points on the map.
Ball Spawn (labelled as #2)
Allows you to place ball spawn points on the map - each ball spawn will spawn a ball.
Goal Zone (#3)
Allows you to place goal zones on the map (the goals that look like glowing boxes).
Bumper Goal (#4)
Allows you to place bumper goals on the map (the goals that look like pinball bumpers).
Goalies (#5)
This allows you to place goalies on the map.
Selection Box (#6)
This box lets you pick between the different types of player spawns, ball spawns, goal zones, etc.
Smart Walls (#7)
By checking this option, you enable smart walls. Otherwise, they just place the single version of themselves down.
Blend Walls (#8)
By checking this option, you enable the blending of walls. This will "blend" two differently colored walls into each other.
Wall Selection Box (#9)
This box allows you to choose between the different types of walls.
Overview (#10)
This area shows a general overview of the map, allowing you to see the "whole picture".
Map Editing Area (#11)
This is where you create your map. Just choose a map object from the left, and click somewhere in this area to place it inside your map. Easy, no?
Coordinates (#12)
The coordinates of the area where your cursor is currently pointing are displayed here, in the format "Position: x, y".
Some of the items here will be further explained later in the FAQ.
After clicking on the "Map Settings" menu item on the menubar, a dialog box will pop up. It will look somewhat like this. Using this dialog box, you can set the Author, the Score Limit, the Time Limit, Player Limit, and Game Type.
Author (textbox)
Generally, you will want to stick your nickname here as the author of the map.
Score Limit (checkbox)
Check this box if you wish your map to have a default score limit. Then, using the box to the right, set the default score limit. In a game, once the score limit is reached, a winning team is declared, and the game starts anew.
Time Limit (checkbox)
Check this box if you wish your map to have a default time limit. This is measured in minutes. In a game, once the time has elasped, the team with the highest number of points win, and the game starts anew.
Player Limit (listbox)
There isn't a checkbox beside this value, because you don't have a choice. Every map must have a player limit. This is the max number of players that can play on the map at one time.
Game Type (combobox)
Again, you don't have a choice. This is the type of game your map is. As of now, you can choose between Hockey and Dodgeball.
Make sure to fill this dialog box out every time you create a map.
- OK, now what are these five buttons on the right side of the map editor for?
Yep, another one of those tables. If you want to see an example of what each button places on the map, each of the names is a link to a screenshot.
Player Spawn
Places a player spawn point for the color you select. This also determines the number of teams. Placing only the red and blue spawns down creates a two team map. Placing red, blue, and green creates a three team map. And placing all four down creates a four team map.
Ball Spawn
Places a ball spawn down for the color you select. Each ball spawn will spawn one ball of that color.
Goal Zone
Places a goal zone down for the color you select. These goals are the type that respawn the ball when you shoot the ball into them.
Bumper Goal
Places a bumper goal down for the color you select. These goals bounce the ball away when the ball gets shot into them.
Goalie
Places a goalie down. Choose from the four colors, and choose whether it's horizontal, or vertical.
Simply pick a wall type from the black box at the bottom left, point, and click. They all do the same thing, except for the last one. The last one is used to place forcefields down.
- What are those two checkboxes above the wall selection box for?
The first checkbox, Smart Walls, places walls that look like one long continuous wall. Unchecking this box will produce singular wall units. View a comparison here. The top wall is done with Smart Walls checked. The bottom one isn't.
The second checkbox, Blend Walls, will make the different walls "blend" into each other. You can't check this box unless Smart Walls is also checked. View a comparision here. The top one is with Blend Walls off. The bottom one is with Blend Walls on.
- Are there any limitations on the amount of objects I can place?
Make sure that your map doesn't exceed any of these values. Otherwise, interesting things may happen, one of which could be the locking up of your UniBall game. Just be careful. However, you may be able to exceed some of these values without any serious effects.
Goalies can travel through bumpers, in their mindless pursuit of the ball. They can also travel through forcefields, and goal zones. The only thing that a goalie can't go through is a wall. Also, placing the goalie so their path could end up directly beside a wall will make them stop. Look at this image, and you'll understand. In addition, do not place goalies directly beside a wall - they won't be able to move.
- What about bumpers? Anything of note about them?
Placing bumpers directly beside any other object so they overlap usually won't crash the game. However, depending on what the tile is, the bumpers can become "sticky", and will sometimes stop your ship from moving for a while. Do not place a bumper directly beside a player spawn point, as it will capture your ship and prevent it from moving anywhere. All you'll be able to do is spin.
- Hmm. Anything that I should know about placing balls?
Placing balls directly beside a player spawning point will create an effect similar to when you get hit and can't pick up the ball.. It won't be possible to pick the ball up until the player (and all other members of that team) move a short distance away.
Bumpers can be scored on by both neutral and colored goals. Regardless of what hits them, a point will be recorded for the team color that the bumper is. (supposedly) For example, a green ball is shot against a red bumper - a point will be given to the red team.
Neutral balls can score only on colored goals. They will just pass through neutral (white) goals.
Colored balls can score on neutral goals, in which case a point will be given to the color of ball shot in. For example, if a red ball was shot into a neutral goal, a point will be given to the red team. In addition, colored balls could possibly be used to score on the same color goal, for example, blue ball into blue goal. (C:\ hasn't given a definitive answer on this) The ball will pass through all other goal colors.
In addition, colored balls are also used in dodgeball, where they are shot at opposing team colors to score a point. (ex. a green ball is held by a green ship, and shoots it at a red/blue/yellow ship to get a point)
If it happens that a situation occurs where there's an opportunity for a point to be scored for a team which has no spawning spot, the goal will not be recorded. For example, there's a yellow goal somewhere in a map which only has red and blue player spawns. A ball is shot towards it, and it enters. This is what should happen: the ball will respawn, and no goal will be recorded for the yellow team, as they do not exist. However, it is not recommended to completely forgo walls because of this. An outer wall should still be placed, as without one, players could leave the map. In addition, they could carry the ball across the goal as well, without scoring a point, and respawning the ball. (carried balls don't score goals, unless the goal that would be scored is to carrier's team's benefit - ex. blue ship carries a neutral ball into a blue goal - it will score, but it wouldn't have scored on red, green, or yellow goals)
The only difference between dodgeball and hockey modes of play is the ability to get points by shooting colored balls at other teams in dodgeball. However, neutral balls in dodgeball can't be used as a dodgeball, because all the teams can pick it up. Yes, this does mean that a hybrid map could be created. To create a hybrid map:
Create a map with the dodgeball game type.
Add at least one colored ball, because a map can't be dodgeball without one.
Optionally, also add neutral balls.
Add goals and/or bumpers, making sure to keep the information above in mind.
In the end, this means that the teams could score points by either shooting the colored balls at other ships, following dodgeball rules, or, they could score points by shooting the colored and/or neutral balls at the goals/bumpers, following the restrictions outlined above. Both of these situations will give the same 'type' of points. (the game doesn't differentiate between points scored by a goal, or points scored by hitting someone with a ball) To clarify, assume that it is a two team game, with a score limit of fifty. Red scores forty points through the dodgeball style of play, and only ten points through the hockey style of play. Meanwhile, the blue team scores twenty points through dodgeball, and twenty-nine points through hockey. Although it was probably harder to score the hockey goals, red still wins, because dodgeball and hockey points have the same value.
The game would be won by whichever team reaches the score limit first, or whoever has the highest score at the end of the time limit, depending on the victory conditions for the map.
To create a properly working game, at least one red player spawn must be placed on the map. For each team after that, the order goes, blue, green, yellow. This means that it is not possible to create a two team map that doesn't use the red and blue spawns. Also, this means that a three team map has to use the red, blue, and green spawns. If the necessary spawns are not placed, the players will be spawned in the upper left corner of the total playing field, usually putting them outside the map.
- OK, I've completed my masterpiece! How do I test it out, and where should I submit it?
To test your map out, you can make a copy of your map, and rename that copy "map.ubm". Then just choose "Play Offline" when you start UniBall up, and there you are. However, it may be easier to obtain Coxton's UniMapper program. It's a very convenient program. The readme included should explain all you need to know.
Unfortunately, as of this writing, C:\ is not accepting any more maps for placement on the server. However, you can always send the maps to UniBall Central. Just make sure to follow the guidelines!!
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