DXTre3D editor

Editor Guide: DXTre3D v2.xx

Guide version 2.0 (xx.xx.2007)
Author Sakul
Also contributed by: Miro

About the tutorial:

Since this Editor is still under development, this tutorial is not final. I will add to it and modify it over time. It may also happen that some procedures or functions will be changed in future versions, so don't be surprised if something changes do a little differently than it is written in the instructions. See defining a climbable wall or marking sectors and picking them up.
This guide was created because I was unable to find a Czech translation of the original guide on the Czech internet. And since my English is not so good to start translating the original, this tutorial is made from mine experience with the editor and from excerpts of the translation of the original. Of course, I would welcome any comments on the instructions, possibly additions or clarifications.
In this manual, there are red descriptions. I'm not sure about these functions, or I don't know what they mean. Furthermore, there are also green descriptions that highlight the latest updates to the tutorial.

Acknowledgments:

This guide was created at the very beginning as a tool for myself, because the editor is quite extensive and I sometimes forgot how to do something and so I started writing it down. Later I also created a website website www.sakulraider.cz, on which I mainly deal with this editor. For beginning authors I gave this guide is available. Unfortunately, it turned out to be not detailed enough and for beginners the authors are rather confusing. And that is precisely why this version was created, which I hope will be sufficiently detailed and understandable. However, it could not have been created without the contribution of these beginning authors. Therefore, I would like to thank them now.
The following people have also made a significant contribution to the manual. I have to start Miss Croft. Although she does not deal with the Dxtre3D editor, she helped me in the beginning. He has several levels created in the TRLE editor and it's just a shame that they don't create more. Another person who helped me a lot, especially with translations, is Arakanga. She also deals a lot with the TRLE editor and recently the Dxtre3D editor. Then there are others Pablo Fuentes, Hofer, Artefactor and from Slovakia it is Miro. They all work in the Dxtre3D editor and with their comments contributed to the improvement of the guide and its approach to beginning authors. Some even contributed updates not only this manual. There would certainly be others (Eva Kořínková) who contributed and will continue to contribute to this, or other instructions. Of course, my thanks also belong to them.

Contacts:

Nick (Website Admin) - Sakul
E-mail - SakulRaider@seznam.cz
Skype - sakulraider
Website - www.sakul.cz

Links:

Here are some links to sites dealing with the subject of level editing for the game Tomb Raider.
www.dxtre3d.sakul.cz - The only Czech site dealing with DXTre3D Editor.
www.dxtre3d.com - Turbo Pascal page. Home page of DXTre3D Editor.
www.trsearch.org - And as the last page containing many items, to your levels.

Foreword:

Before starting to work with the editor, read the following lines carefully.
How it all actually started :
It's been a while since Tomb Raider 5 was released. It included the long-awaited level editor (TRLE). Many fans of this game have thrown themselves into creating their own levels. Unfortunately, most of them soon ended their work. The reason was simple. TRLE editor is not a particularly simple program and is just a 150 page manual it testifies to something. I couldn't resist then and installed the editor. Unfortunately my English knowledge, it was tiny and so I didn't get very far. That's why I put it off indefinitely.
It's been about 3 years now since I finally got the internet so I could start surfing the TR sites. I was surprised how many amateur levels there are. I was also surprised by the number of different ones programs for level editing and everything related to TR. It was a time when I met the unofficial editor for the first time. This editor really impressed me with its simplicity. I found it much more comprehensible than TRLE and, above all, clearer. That's why I was not lazy and you have installed this DXTre3D editor. The main twist came when I managed to create your first room and start the game here. At this point there was no going back and I made a decision learn how to create levels.
It was very difficult in the beginning. There were no instructions in Czech, and I had an older version in English. That's why everything went very slowly for me, because I learned everything by trial and error. Gradually however, I began to penetrate into the secrets of creation and began to understand how things are done. With each new knowledge, my enthusiasm also increased. It didn't take long to create my first level. Here I would like to put the term "It didn't take long" into perspective, so that no one might think that it will start creating levels during the week. It's been about five years since my first try with the editor months before my Sakul House level was officially released. Your position is a little different now because I wrote detailed manual and also created a website that deals intensively with this editor (www.sakulraider.cz). Therefore, if anything goes wrong or you do not understand, you can contact me with questions.

For whom the editor is intended and what to expect from it:
Before you start working with the editor (learning in it), it is good to clarify whether you will be able and willing to devote most of your free time to it. Believe that i with the instructions, it will go (rather not) very slowly at first. If you come across try to solve any problem yourself. That's the only way you can learn something. If you will just copy the manual and at the first problem you rush to the forum with a bunch of questions, nothing you won't learn. On the contrary, you will develop a habit of constantly asking something and then just copying it. Therefore, try as much as possible to understand the procedures being performed. Why this or that is done this way and not otherwise. If you understand the function correctly, you will be able to deduce a lot. Then you can continue with the more complex ones things will help a lot. Learn to rejoice even in small successes, which will be few and far between in the beginning.
What is good to know?
In order to be able to work effectively with the editor, you will need to know the basics of working on a PC. You may be surprised, but even in today's computer age, when almost every second person has one at home, few people know how to control it and understand it at least a little. Most people have a computer because only things. And that's how groups of people could be divided into computer game players, internet surfers and then the rest who use it for anything else. First 2 groups with computer practically cannot handle. That they can run it, install and run the game, or enter into the address bar of the browser the address of some website makes them single-purpose users. As soon as a problem occurs, they are at their wits end and call the service or a friend to fix it for them. Such people probably don't get along very well with an editor. That's why it's good to master some of the basics. For example, you simply cannot do without file management (copying, renaming, creating a TXT document, etc.).
Why did I write all this here if it has nothing to do with the editor? But they are related. I'm quite annoyed by a person who tells me how good he is with a computer, when asked: What kind of computer do you have? He will answer with the words Dell or Compaq. It is difficult to explain to such a person that the editor does not work for him because he does not have it installed Direct-X 8.1 interface. Or something similar.
Now a few words about the editor itself. Be very careful what you do when working with sexakra. Most actions cannot be undone, as is the case with Word, for example. That's why save your project as often as possible!!! But also be careful about saving. Never save your project until you have tested your changes. You can easily make your work even more unpleasant. I do it by making changes I will test them right away and only if everything is fine will I save the project. It's also good to save alternately into several copies. If you find a mistake in time, you still have the option to return to an older save. From the beginning, the vast majority of beginners underestimate this fact (including me). However, the loss of even just a week's work hurts you greatly quickly learn to save and save and save.
And one last thing. This editor is not "DUPPROOF", that is, that he will obediently fulfill your orders, even if they are wrong. So don't be unnecessarily upset about a non-functional project. For example, they will let you in completely with ice calmness level designed for TR-1 to create the sky, triangular pillars and even you will be able to do a camera fly-by there. You can imagine how it will work in the game. That's why you also need to know the options perfectly of the given part of TR and know what you can afford and what you can't.
I hope I didn't discourage you to begin with. If, however, you are now wondering whether to go for it at all, so i succeeded. I made you think about the Editor. And I will continue to do this, so don't wait, that you will have it easy. I didn't have it easy either, so why should you?

System Requirements:

CPU - Pentium 500MHz
RAM - Min 64MB (recommended 256MB or more)
VGA - 3D accelerator with Min 4MB Ram in 16-bit colors
HDD - 500MB free space for swap file
Monitor resolution - 1024x768
DirectX - 8.1 and higher
OS - Windows 98SE, ME, 2000, XP
 
So these are probably the most basic requirements for the successful operation of the editor. Of course it is possible that it will work for you even on a worse configuration, but there you can no longer talk about problem-free and smooth operation.

Installing and commissioning the editor:

The installation itself is quite simple, just follow the on-screen instructions. It is no different from installing any other program. And because installing programs it belongs to the basics of working on a PC, it is not necessary to discuss it further here.
Perhaps the only thing worth mentioning here is the setting of language support in this editor. In addition to English, it is possible to choose another language in the editor, or even there upload some additionally. I have translated this editor to make it easier for beginning authors completely in Czech and therefore I will describe here how to install this Czech language. This one by the way you can download the Czech language on my page. So now to install the Czech language :
Copy the Czech file "Czech.lng" to the "Languages" directory. Then start the editor, open the "File" menu and put "Config...". In the "More Options" field, click on "Browse" and search translation file. Confirm the "OK" window. If the editor is still in English, go to the menu "Help" and enter "Switch Language". The editor should now be completely in Czech. Via the "Switch Language" menu, it is possible to switch while the editor is running language for translation, or original English.