Zugg Software :: Editing your Map

Editing your Map

While the Automapper does a fairly good job automatically mapping simple areas, you will often want to tweak the map yourself to make it look better or more accurate. Sometimes, for example when mapping a maze, you might turn off the automapper and create a map completely from scratch. Once a map has been made, it is a very useful speedwalking tool, so even though you might have to create a map by hand, it still beats using paper. This section will cover all of the manual editing functions.

To use any manual editing functions, your mapper must be in Map Mode so that the drawing tools are shown to the left of your map, and have the map unlocked.

Creating a map with the keyboard

To add rooms to a map quickly and easily, select "Keyboard Creation" from the Zone menu and the map will be put into Map mode. Now the keys on the keypad can be used to move around and create rooms as you go. These keypad keys will also work while the Room Properties window is open, so you can type the Room Name and Description, then press a keypad key to move in a direction and create a new room. This allows you to create a map offline very quickly.

Selecting Objects

To select a room or a link between rooms, click on it with the left mouse button. The selected object will highlight (default is red). To select multiple objects, hold down the Shift key when you click on new objects. Shift-clicking toggles the selection status of an object, so to de-select it, just Shift-click a second time.

You can also select multiple objects by drawing a box around all the objects you want selected. Simply click in an open area on the map, hold down the left mouse button, and move the mouse to display the selection box. When you release the mouse button, everything within the selection box will be selected.

Moving Rooms

To move a room (or all of the selected rooms), click on the room with the mouse, hold the left mouse button, and move the mouse to drag the room to a new location. Release the mouse button to drop the room in the new location.

You can also move a room or selection of rooms using the Move dialog in the Edit menu. This dialog allows you to specify the number of squares to move the room in any direction, including up and down. Using the Move menu is the only way to move rooms to a different level (up or down).

Deleting Objects

To delete objects, select the objects as described above, then click the Delete tool in the drawing toolbar on the left of the map. Or just press the Delete key on the keyboard. Deleting a room that is connected to another room will cause all links to become unattached stubs.

Adding New Rooms

To add a new, blank room to the map, click the Add button (rectangle tool) in the toolbar on the left of the map and click on the map where you want to add the room. Select Properties from the Edit menu to enter a room name and description for this blank room.

Linking Rooms

Connections between rooms are called links and are added with the Link (line) button in the toolbar on the left of the map. To connect two rooms together, click the link tool, then click the edge of the first room (or just inside the edge) then click the edge of the second room (or just inside the edge). A line will be drawn between the edges of the two rooms. The top edge of the room represents north, the bottom edge: south, the right edge: east, the left edge: west, and so on. The diagonal corners of the room represent the diagonal movement directions.

The above method for adding a link is called the two-click method (because you click twice: once on the first room, and once on the second). You can also add a link using the click and drag method. To do this, select the Link tool. Then, click on the edge of the first room, but hold down the mouse button. Then move the mouse to the edge of the second room and release the left button.

You also use the click-and-drag method to move a link. Click on the end of the link you want to move and hold down the left mouse button. Move the mouse to the new place you want the link connected to and release the button. The link will be changed to point to the new room or direction.

Links are deleted just like rooms: select the link then click the Delete tool or press the Delete key.

Links can also have both ends pointing to the same room. This is displayed by a little circle on the side that you would leave the room from.

Links can Bend

Sometimes you need to connect two rooms that are not adjacent to each other. While the mapper tries to draw the link properly, sometimes it will be drawn through other rooms making the map look ugly. You can add bends to a link to change how the link is draw so that it can be drawn around other objects.

To add a bend to a link, right click somewhere on the link and select Add Bend from the context menu. When the link is selected, the bend is shown as a square box. You can click on this box, hold down the mouse button, and drag it to another location on the map. If the Snap To Grid option is on in the Options menu, the bend can only be placed in certain locations on the map to make it easier to line up straight lines. You can turn off the Snap To Grid option to drag the bend to any location on the map. You can add as many bends to a link as you want. Using this feature you can even create a circular link!

To delete a bend that you no longer need, right click on the square box that represents the bend and select Delete Bend from the popup menu.

One-way links and Doors

Sometimes on a MUD you move in a direction and then cannot go back. This is called a one-way link and is represented by an arrow on the map. To change a link into a one-way link, right click where you want to put the arrow-head and select One Way from the context menu.

To add a door to a link, right-click the link and select Door from the context menu. When you walk across a link that contains a door, the mapper will automatically send an "open door" command to your MUD that you can configure in the map properties, Strings and Doors section.

Adding Labels

You can add text labels anywhere on the map by clicking the Text tool in the toolbar to the left of the map. Then, click on the place on the map you want to put the upper-left corner of the label. A text-edit dialog will display for you to type in the label you want.

To move a label, just drag and drop it like you would move a room. Labels can be selected and deleted just like rooms. To change the text in a label, double-click the label to open the text-edit dialog.

Stacking and Merging Rooms

Any number of rooms can occupy the same location on the map. If there is more than one room in the same spot on the map, they will be drawn slightly offset to indicate the stack. To remove rooms from a stack, simply drag and drop the room somewhere else.

You can combine all rooms in a stack using the Merge command in the Edit menu. The name and description of the room on the top of the stack is used for the combined room.