--Tutorial Archive--


Untitled Document
Loops and Solidity Tags SSRG MAIN PAGE

Ok, the final page of the basic elements of level design. This is probably the one that most people find hard to grasp, especially later on in the game.

First of all we need to sort out the most basic usage of solidity tags - loops. Wherever there is a loop in sonic 2, there is at least 1 tag - but usually at LEAST 3. See below:


Click to show enlarged image

1) First tag places sonic in the higher plane - note that it does not toggle planes, it makes sure he is in the higher plane.
2) Mid point around the loop another tag places sonic in the lower plane.
3) Finally, tag places sonic in the higher plane when going right and lower plane going left.

This process gets sonic around the loop made of four tiles. Now lets construct our own. Remember that in any other level, it's a good idea to see what tags go where when trying to replicate other solidity dependant geometry.

First of all, construct a simple loop in SonED, as shown here using tiles 19, 1A, 29 and 2A:


Click to show enlarged image

Move the bridge out of the way for now - we can use the bridge objects for our tags around the loop. Once the rings are somewhere logical, make the following tags from the bridge and bridge stake objects:
03 02 00
03 12 00
03 91 00

Place 03 02 00 at the beginning of the loop as in the top image. Place 03 91 00 just above the centre of the loop as in the top image, and finally place 03 12 00 at the end of the loop. Save and test - you should find that the loop works flawlesly (minus the dropping into a bizzare inescapable waterfall, but we can work on that).

If tags don't perform the way you want them to, download this. It's a guide I've compiled of the solidity tags.

Now, if you've been paying attention to anything I've said over the last 5 pages I'm confident you should be able to recreate this scene in it's entirety without me having to tell you which tiles I used. Just look at the screenshot and find the tiles in SonED, paying special attention to the wall tile; it's a walk-through wall.


Click to show enlarged image

The tag that needs to go near the wall is 03 12 00, according to the Tag guide. You can use the tag already in the wall thats there to prevent the player from falling through the wall. Once you've finished this minor exercise you should be ready for the basic Emerald Hill level editing, and if you're clever enough to adapt the basic principles to any other level (and game), then you should be well on your way.

Feel free to make other changes to the level from here and see what you come up with - I hope that throughout the course of this simple tutorial you thought about very simple and basic things, such as why certain tiles are being used in these places and why the look right. I'm actually interested to see what people do from here on.

Good luck!

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