BZFlagWiki - User contributions [en]

Talk:BZW

2012-07-28T03:45:30Z

Prestidigitator: BZW object property lists reformatted

The <nowiki><properties></nowiki> lists on each of the pages for world objects (e.g. [[box]]) do not seem to be rendering in the generated wiki markup. I'm guessing this is intended to be a custom tag handled through a MediaWiki extension, but it seems like these could just be replaced with simple formatted item lists if maintaining the extension is an issue. Thoughts? --[[User:Prestidigitator|Prestidigitator]] 07:25, 23 July 2012 (UTC)

I've gone ahead and replaced all the <nowiki><properties></nowiki> tags with definition lists (formatted like "<nowiki>;term: definition</nowiki>" in wiki markup). There were one or two pages formatted visibly with lists, but they used bulletted lists and explicit bolding. They looked okay, but I've replaced them too for consistency. I suggest if it is desirable to customize the formatting a bit (such as putting the term and definition on the same line) it should be done through wiki CSS customization of definition lists rather than by editing each page. --[[User:Prestidigitator|Prestidigitator]] 03:45, 28 July 2012 (UTC)

Linkmaterial

2012-07-28T03:36:34Z

Prestidigitator: /* Properties */ properties formatting

[[Linkmaterial|LinkMaterial]] allows you to set the texture of the teleporter window to anything you would like it to be.

==Properties==
valid parameters for a LinkMaterial are:

;name: LinkMaterial
;texture: set the texture (must be .png but don't include the extension unless on the Internet)
;addtexture: add a texture (again, no extension is needed)
;notextures: don't use textures.
;notexcolor: don't apply the [[Color(BZW)|color]] to the texture
;notexalpha: don't use the texture's alpha channel
;texmat: specify a [[TextureMatrix|texture matrix]]. -1 for no texture matrix. (addtexture must be used before texmat)
;dyncol: specify a [[DynamicColor|dynamic color]]. -1 for no dynamic color.
;ambient: ambient color
;diffuse: diffuse (main)[[Color(BZW)|color]]
;[[Color(BZW)|color]]: synonym for diffuse
;specular: specular [[Color(BZW)|color]]
;emission: emission [[Color(BZW)|color]]
;shininess: shiny!
;resetmat: restore default values

==Code==
{|
|
#The Generic Teleporter Material
dynamicColor
name Linkdyncol
red limits 0 0.25
red sinusoid 2 0 1
green limits 0 0.25
green sinusoid 2 0.666667 1
blue limits 0 0.25
blue sinusoid 2 1.33333 1
alpha limits 0.75 0.75
end
textureMatrix
name Linktexmat
shift 0 -0.05
end
material
name LinkMaterial
dyncol Linkdyncol
diffuse 0 0 0 0.5
nolighting
addtexture telelink
texmat Linktexmat
end
|}

=Hints=
Nolighting is almost always a preferred option in a LinkMaterial.

Zone

2012-07-28T03:33:31Z

Prestidigitator: /* Code */ properties formatting

A Zone is a rectangular [[BZW]] map structure for spawn or flag zones. The zone lets you create a specific area for a certain flag or a certain team to spawn.

==Code==
The code for a zone is as follows:
zone
name example_zone
position 0.0 0.0 0.0
size 1.0 1.0 1.0
rotation 0.0
# Add two GM, one OO
zoneflag GM 2
zoneflag OO
# cause laser, shockwave
# good and bad flags to spawn in the zone
flag L
flag SW
flag good
flag bad
team 0 1 2 3 4
safety 1 2 3 4
end
Valid parameters for the zone are:
;position: Defines the position of the zone in the word (x/y/z)
;size: Defines the size of the zone (rectangular prism)
;rotation: Defines a rotation around the Z axis for the box, in degrees.
;zoneflag: Generates the flag listed inside this zone (adding "flag n" for the quantity). The flag will be generated specifically for the zone, regardless of BZFS options. One flag per call. Remember to use the -fb option in the option object.
;flag: Listed flag will spawn in the zone. The flags must be be specified for the server via BZFS options. One flag per call.
;team: Team players will spawn (0 - Rogue, 1 - Red, 2 - Green, 3 - Blue, 4 - Purple).
;safety: Team flags listed here will fly to the closest safety zone when dropped (1 - Red, 2 - Green, 3 - Blue, 4 - Purple)

==Function==
Zones are used to define spawn positions in within the XY volume of the Zone. The Z value for the spawn position will be the lower bounds of the volume in Z. Normal spawn rules still apply for spawns generated by zones and may disqualify a spawn from happening in a zone (Z clearance, shots, players, etc..). When multiple zones of the same type are defined, a random one is used for each spawn, if possible.

==Appearance==
Zones have no appearance in a map other than what they define (ex: flags or tank spawns).

==History==
Zones were added to BZFlag in version 2.0.0.

==Editor Support==
The zone object is not supported by any known editors.
==Notes==
Working with flag zones make sure you have enough clearance for flags, default flag height is 10 world units. A dropped flag will stay in a short tunnel if _flagHeight is less than 1.

If the zone is not on the ground, be sure to set -fb or -sb, or your spawns will always be on the ground.
[[Category:Map Making]]
[[Category:Map_Objects]]

Weapon (object)

2012-07-28T03:32:01Z

Prestidigitator: /* Code */ properties formatting

A weapon object is a [[BZW]] map structure that defines a fixed weapon effect. This is also called a '''world weapon'''.

==Code==
The code for a weapon object is as follows
{|
|
weapon
name example_weapon
position 0.0 0.0 0.0
rotation 0.0
color 0
tilt 0.0
initdelay 10.0
delay 10.0 3.0 5.0 3.0
type SW
trigger oncap
eventteam 1
end
|}
Valid parameters for a weapon object are:

;name: the name of the weapon, generally unused.
;position: the position in world units for the effect to begin at
;rotation: the orientation in degrees for the effect to fire in.
;color: the color the weapon should be. 0: rogue, 1: red, 2: green, 3: blue, 4: purple 5: observer, 6: rabbit - note there is no observer super bolt texture
;tilt: the vertical tilt in degrees for the effect to fire in.
;initdelay: the delay to wait after the server starts before the effect is triggered.
;delay: a list of delays to loop through after the startup delay. (optional)
;type: the [[FlagCode]] for the flag effect to use for the weapon. Using V or A for example would create a high speed bullet while using SW would create a shockwave.
;trigger: if a delay is not used, when to trigger the flag, currently only oncap is valid.
;eventteam: the team to use when looking at oncap weapons. Use numeric values 1 - red 2 - green 3 - blue 4 - purple. Explodes when the flag of that team is captured.

The weapon object can be used as many times as desired on a map.
The flag for the weapon must be specified in options. If a worldweapon is desired, without a corresponding flag on the ground, it can be specified without a quantity. +f <flag>

==Appearance==
The weapon object will produce a weapon effect that is exactly the same as similar effects produced by players.

Be sure to note that if you specify an observer shot color and set the shot type to SB (SuperBullet) a white box will appear because there is no texture for an observer super bolt.

==History==
The weapon object was added in [[BZFlag 2.0.0|v2.0.0]].

==Editor Support==
The weapon object is only fully supported by the [[BZWTools]] blender plug-in.

[[Category:Map Making]]
[[Category:Map Objects]]

Teleporter

2012-07-28T03:30:25Z

Prestidigitator: /* Code */ properties formatting

A [[Teleporter]] is a [[BZW]] map structure that defines a object which transports the user to another teleporter in a different part of the world/map.
To be used effectively, one or more teleporters must be combined with [[link|links]].

==Code==
[[Image:Teleporter.jpg|frame|right|Teleporter with the default textures]]
The code for a teleporter object is as follows
{|
|
teleporter example_teleporter_name
position 0.0 0.0 0.0
size 0.125 5 20
rotation 0.0
border 1.12
end
|}

Valid parameters for a teleporter are

;name: efines a name for the teleport (3.0+ only - put the name after the word 'teleporter' in 2.0). This is used when [[Link|linking]] teleporters together.
;position: defines the center of the teleporter in X and Y and the bottom of the teleporter in Z.
;rotation: defines a rotation around the Z axis for the teleporter, in degrees.
;size: defines the distance from the center to the side of the teleporter in X and Y, and the total height of the teleporter in Z.
;border: defines the yellow caution border around the teleporter entry point.

Note: Teleporters are entered through X. As such, it is recommended to keep X fairly small (.125 works well). However, if X is zero, it will cause BZFlag bugs. If you need to enter a teleport from Y, rotating it 90 degrees is the suggested solution. X shouldn't be larger than the border size either, or else the shimmering portal will extend outside the teleporter frame, and create an invisible wall in between. Teleports are 2-sided, not 4.

==Appearance==
Teleporters appear with a yellow/black caution texture on the outer border of the object and with a pulsing texture in the middle.

#Teleporters may be textured with a magic material name , LinkMaterial.
#There is no need for "matref LinkMaterial" in the teleporter definition.

dynamicColor
name LinkDynCol
red limits 0 0.25
red sinusoid 2 0 1
green limits 0 0.25
green sinusoid 2 0.666667 1
blue limits 0 0.25
blue sinusoid 2 1.33333 1
alpha limits 0.75 0.75
end
textureMatrix
name LinkTrix
shift 0 -0.05
center 0 0
end
material
name LinkMaterial
nolighting
addtexture telelink.png
texmat LinkTrix
dyncol LinkDynCol
end

==History==
The teleporters first appeared in BZFlag 1.0.0. In [[BZFlag 2.0.0]], they were redesigned, introducing the name field, making link creation easier for designers.

==Editor Support==
Supported by all known editors.

[[category:Map Making]]
[[category:Map Objects]]

Sphere

2012-07-28T03:29:29Z

Prestidigitator: /* Code */ properties formatting

The sphere is a [[BZW]] Object that defines a sphere in the game arena.

==Code==
[[Image:Sphere.png|right|frame|300px|Appearance of a simple sphere.]]

This is a reference of all the options available in a sphere object with parameters.
{|
|
sphere
name OBJECT_NAME
divisions 4
flatshading
hemisphere
position X Y Z
size X Y Z
radius RADIUS
rotation ANGLE
shift X Y Z
scale X Y Z
shear X Y Z
spin ANGLE NORMAL_X NORMAL_Y NORMAL_Z
phydrv PHYSICS_NAME
smoothbounce
matref MATERIAL_NAME
end
|}

Valid properties for a [[sphere]] are

;name: defines the name of the sphere, it is not required, and often unused
;divisions: defines the number of subdivisions (pieces) of the sphere
;flatshading: enables flat shading, smooth shading is the default
;hemisphere: only draw the top half of the sphere
;position: defines the center point of the sphere
;size: defines the size of the sphere
;radius: sets all size values to the same value
;rotation: defines rotation for the sphere
;shift: shifts the sphere (repeatable)
;scale: scales the sphere (repeatable)
;shear: shears the sphere (repeatable)
;spin: spins the sphere around vector n (repeatable)
;phydrv: attaches a physics driver to the sphere
;smoothbounce: makes ricochets use normals
;matref: defines a material for the sphere to use

==Appearance==
By default, the sphere is a perfect sphere, with a red brick texture around the outside. You can, however, make the sphere elongated on one side (just don't use the radius option).

==History==
The sphere object has been supported since [[BZFlag 2.0.0]]. In previous versions of BZFlag, this object will not work.

==Editor Support==
Editors that support the sphere object include [[Blender]] using the [[BZWTools]], [[Wings3D]] using the [[BZW Exporter for Wings3D]], and [[pyBZEdit]]. [[BZEdit]], [[BZFed]], and [[IBZEdit]] do NOT support the sphere.

[[Category:Map Making]]
[[Category:Map_Objects]]

Pyramid

2012-07-28T03:27:59Z

Prestidigitator: /* Code */ properties formatting

A Pyramid is a [[BZW]] map structure that defines a polyhedron having a polygonal base and triangular sides with a common vertex in the world.

==Code==
[[Image:PyraAppearance.png|frame|right|A pyramid with the default blue marble texture]]
The code for a pyramid object is as follows
{|
|
pyramid
position 10 20 30
rotation 45
size 1 2 3
end
|}

Valid parameters for a pyramid are

;position: defines the center of the box in X and Y and the bottom of the box in Z.
;rotation: defines a rotation around the Z axis for the box, in degrees.
;size: defines the distance from the center to the side of the box in X and Y, and the total height of the box in Z.
;matref: reference to a predefined [[material]]. (requires [[BZFlag_2.0.9|v2.0.9]]+)
;phydrv: reference to a predefined [[physics|physics driver]]. (requires [[BZFlag_2.0.9|v2.0.9]]+)
;drivethrough: lets a player drive into the pyramid without the oscillation overthruster flag.
;shootthrough: lets a player shoot into the object without the super bullet flag.

Pyramids do not support the use of [[Material]] or [[Physics Drivers]] before [[BZFlag_2.0.9|v2.0.9]] . The [[meshpyr]] object replaces the pyramid object starting from [[BZFlag 2.0.0]] and supports these features. In [[BZFlag_2.0.9|v2.0.9]] the pyramid will be rendered as a [[meshpyr]], if required by one of the properties.

Pyramids (after [[BZFlag_2.0.9|v2.0.9]]) support the argument "bottom matref <yourmaterialgoeshere>". This command will texture only the bottom of the pyramid with the chosen material.

==Appearance==
The pyramid object has a marble blue texture on all sides by default. This texture is a darker version of the texture for [[WaterLevel|waterLevel]] objects.

==History==
The pyramid is one of the original objects supported by BZFlag and has been a mainstay of maps since the very beginning. Pyramids are heavily used by the software when generating random maps. As of [[BZFlag 2.0.0|v2.0.0]] the [[meshpyr]] object replaced the pyramid to add support for [[Material|Materials]] and [[Physics Drivers]]. The original pyramid definition left unchanged, in order to maintain functional compatibility for older maps.

==Editor Support==
The pyramid object is supported by all known editors.

[[Category:Map Making]]
[[Category:Map_Objects]]

Meshpyr

2012-07-28T03:26:53Z

Prestidigitator: /* Appearance */ properties formatting

[[Image:MeshpyrAppearance.jpg|right|thumb|400px|Several meshpyr, with the one in the middle having the default texture]]
A meshpyr is a [[BZW]] map object that constructs a specialized [[Mesh|mesh]] that has the geometric appearance of a [[Pyramid]]. It replaces the [[pyramid]] object as of [[BZFlag 2.0.0|v2.0.0]] and is compatible with [[material|materials]] and [[physics|physics drivers]].

==Appearance==
An meshpyr without a material definition will use the default material used by a standard [[pyramid]] object. Geometrically a meshpyr is identical to a standard [[pyramid]] object.
{|
|
meshpyr
name example 1
position 0.0 0.0 0.0
size 15 15 15
rotation 0.0
matref Mymaterial
phydrv MyPhydrv
end
|}

Valid parameters for the Meshpyr object are:

;name: name
;position: positon on map
;rotation: rotate on z axis
;size: size amount
;matref: apply a material/texture here
;phydrv: assign a physics driver

==Editor Support==
The meshpyr object is only fully supported by the [[BZWTools]] blender plug-in.

[[Category:Map Making]]
[[Category:Map_Objects]]

Meshbox

2012-07-28T03:25:48Z

Prestidigitator: /* Code */ properties formatting

The meshbox is the 2.0 update to the original [[box]] object in BZFlag 1.0. The main difference between the [[box]] and the Meshbox is that the meshbox supports new features in BZFlag 2.0, such as physics drivers and textures.

==Code==
A very basic meshbox will include:
{|
|
meshbox
position 0 0 0 # x-pos, y-pos, height
rotation 0 # rotation in degrees
size 10 10 10 # x-len, y-len, height
end
|}

As with the [[box]] object, position defines where the meshbox should be located. Rotation defines the angle it should be rotated to (about the Z-axis), and size defines how big or small the object should be. Now, if you're looking for something a little fancier, you can try code similar to this:

{|
|
meshbox
name example
position 0 0 0
rotation 0
size 10 10 10
shift 0 0 0
shear 0 0 0
scale 0 0 0
spin 0 0 0 0
outside matref my_cool_wall
top matref my_cool_roof
phydrv example_physics
obstacle
end
|}

Valid parameters for a meshbox are:

;name: defines the name of meshbox, often unused
;position: defines the position of the meshbox in X-pos, Y-pos and the height of the meshbox in Z.
;rotation: defines a rotation around the Z axis for the meshbox, in degrees.
;size: defines the distance from the center to the side of the meshbox in X and Y, and the total height of the meshbox in Z.
;shift: shift the meshbox (repeatable)
;shear: (repeatable)
;scale: defines the scale of the meshbox in x,y, and z, 1 is the default, lower values make it smaller (repeatable)
;spin angle: rotate the meshbox around a vector by angle. The vector <nx, ny, nz> must be a unit vector. Because the BZFlag client doesn't clip objects against the ground, it is advisable to ensure that the meshbox is rotated up and away from the ground. Otherwise, the meshbox will appear to be super-imposed on the ground, rather than embedded into it. (repeatable)
;phydrv: reference to a predefined [[physics|physics driver]].
;matref: reference to a predefined [[material]].
;obstacle: ??

So what's the difference here? Well, this object will be treated as an obstacle. The outside walls (as opposed to inside, top, or bottom) will appear with the "my_cool_wall" [[material]], and the roof (top) will have "my_cool_roof." Of course, if you want a [[material]] on all sides of the object, you can simply omit the "top" specification at the start of the line, and simply have: "matref my_cool_material." Also, you can specify a [[Physics | physics driver]] to the object, to influence tank behavior a bit.

==Appearance==
By default, a meshbox will have red brick walls, and a grey stone roof. However, if a [[material]] is specified by the map creator, the appearance depends on the designer's choosing. Contrary to a [[Box]], a height 0 meshbox at ground level ''is not'' visible.

==History==
The meshbox was added in [[BZFlag 2.0.0]].

==Editor Support==
The meshbox IS supported by [[pyBZEdit]], [[Blender]] with the [[BZWTools]] plugin, and the [[BZW Exporter for Wings3D]]. The meshbox is NOT supported by [[BZEdit]], [[IBZEdit]] or [[BZFed]].

[[Category:Map Making]]
[[Category:Map_Objects]]

Mesh

2012-07-28T03:24:11Z

Prestidigitator: /* Code */ properties formatting

A mesh is a [[BZW]] map object that defines an arbitrary three dimensional shape. A mesh is defined as a series of faces containing 3 or more points(vertices) in three dimensional space.

==Code==
The code for a mesh object is as follows, this is only an example
{|
|
mesh
name example_mesh
#
# Material properties and physics applied to a mesh apply to all faces
# that follow the setting. Mesh faces will alter their own
# properties without affecting the state of the mesh properties.
#
inside 5.5 4.5 1.2 # add an inside point (repeatable)
outside 0 0 1000 # add an outside point (repeatable)
vertex 100 200 300 # add a vertex (repeatable)
normal 1.0 0 0 # add a normal (repeatable)
texcoord 0.1 0.75 # add a texture coordinate (repeatable)
shift 0 0 0 # (repeatable)
scale 1 1 1 # (repeatable)
shear 0 0 0 # (repeatable)
spin angle nx ny nz # (repeatable)
phydrv example_phydrv # assign a physics driver
smoothbounce # ricochets use normals
noclusters # render each mesh face individually
# (this can be useful for occluders)
face # start a face (repeatable)
# faces must be convex polygons
vertices 1 4 0 3 5 # list of vertices (requires at least three)
normals 2 6 0 4 7 # list of normals (optional)
texcoords 0 3 2 4 9 # list of texture coordinates (optional)
phydrv example_phydrv # assign a physics driver
smoothbounce
noclusters
drivethrough
shootthrough
passable
matref
endface # end the face
#
# The drawInfo element can be added to increase the rendering speed
# of the mesh object. If the client is capable of using this data,
# then it is used to draw the mesh instead of the face information.
#
end # mesh
|}

Valid parameters for a mesh are

;name: The name of the mesh
;vertex: this is a 'corner' of your mesh - a point where faces connect. (at least 3 are required)
;normal: a unit vector describing the direction light will reflect off the object
;texcoord: this is used for mapping textures onto the mesh. This will link a point of the 2-Dimensional texture to a vertex on the 3-Dimensional object. (0,0) refers to the lower left corner of the texture, (1,1) refers to the top right. Textures are defined in the [[material]] object.
;inside: an arbitrary vertex placed on the inside of the mesh object. This keeps tanks from driving or spawning inside the object.
;phydrv: Assign a physics driver as defined in the [[physics]] object.
;smoothbounce: shot will ricochet from the face in the same direction as the defined normal.
;noclusters: Render each face individually.
;shift: places the mesh using <x y z> coordinates
;scale: resizes the mesh along the x, y, or z axis
;shear: repeatable
;spin: spins the mesh <angle> number of degrees, <n> number of rotations along one or more of the x, y, or z axis
;drivethrough: Tanks can drive through this mesh.
;shootthrough: Tanks can shoot through this mesh.
;passable: Tanks can both shoot and drive through this mesh
;matref: Assign a [[material]] to all below faces.
;face: Start a face (required), see below:

Valid parameters within the face sub-object:

;vertices: Numbered list of vertices for this face. (requires at least three)
;normals: Numbered list of normals for this face.
;texcoords: Numbered list of texture coordinates for this face.
;phydrv: Assign a [[Physics|physics driver]] to this face only.
;smoothbounce: use normals to determine shot ricochets for this face.
;noclusters: ?
;drivethrough: Tanks can drive through this face.
;shootthrough: Tanks can shoot through this face.
;passable: Tanks can both shoot and drive through this face
;matref: Assign a [[material]] to this face.

Meshes have full support for [[Material]] (wherein custom textures can be defined) and [[Physics Drivers]].

==DrawInfo==
[[DrawInfo]] can be added to the mesh object to increase rendering efficiency, allowing the designer to specify which details will be seen from certain distances. It can also be used to rotate a mesh object, though tanks can not interact with the moving object.

==Appearance==
The shape of a mesh will vary greatly as by its very nature it can be defined to look like anything. Unless a material is defined and applied, the default "mesh.png" texture will be applied to all faces of the mesh.

==Simplified Examples==
{|
|Simple Cube
mesh
vertex -10 -10 0
vertex 10 -10 0
vertex 10 10 0
vertex -10 10 0
vertex -10 -10 10
vertex 10 -10 10
vertex 10 10 10
vertex -10 10 10
face #south
vertices 0 1 5 4
endface
face #east
vertices 1 2 6 5
endface
face #north
vertices 2 3 7 6
endface
face #west
vertices 3 0 4 7
endface
face #bottom
vertices 0 1 2 3
endface
face #top
vertices 4 5 6 7
endface
end #mesh
|Simple billboard with texcoords
mesh
vertex -10 0 0
vertex 10 0 0
vertex 10 0 10
vertex -10 0 10
texcoord 0 0
texcoord 1 0
texcoord 1 1
texcoord 0 1
matref myBillboard
face
vertices 0 1 2 3
texcoords 0 1 2 3
endface
face #backside
vertices 1 0 3 2
texcoords 1 0 3 2
endface
end #mesh
|Simple Jump-through floor
mesh
vertex 0 0 9
vertex 10 0 9
vertex 10 10 9
vertex 0 10 9
vertex 0 0 10
vertex 10 0 10
vertex 10 10 10
vertex 0 10 10
face #south
vertices 0 1 5 4
drivethrough
endface
face #east
vertices 1 2 6 5
drivethrough
endface
face #north
vertices 2 3 7 6
drivethrough
endface
face #west
vertices 3 0 4 7
drivethrough
endface
face #bottom
vertices 0 1 2 3
drivethrough
endface
face #top
vertices 4 5 6 7
endface
end #mesh
|}

==Inside Points==
An inside point allows the mapper to make a mesh solid. This means that regardless of what the player tries to do, they will not be able to go through the object, or end up spawning inside a mesh unintentionally. When you drive through a box, especially with the Oscillation Overthruster flag, you will be inside of a building and sealed to it. Without inside points, especially to larger meshes, you will just end up on the inside of it and be able to shoot and drive normally. This is sometimes intentional, but usually not wanted. Inside points remedy this.

In order to have successful inside point coverage, you need to make sure all faces of your mesh are in "line of sight" to the point you specify. This means that all faces have direct vision to that point, just as if that point was a point of light and all the faces were eyes. Only what can be seen through a straight line will be considered the inside for that face.

Illustration is better than words, here is an image drawn up by '''Spazzy McGee''' from the forums.

http://img205.imageshack.us/img205/2140/insides.jpg

(Original forum post http://my.bzflag.org/bb/viewtopic.php?p=139382#p139382)

==Editor Support==
The mesh object is supported by the [[BZWTools]] blender plugin, the Wings3D Exporter and hand coding.

==History==
The Mesh object was added with the [[BZFlag 2.0.0|v2.0.0]] release of BZFlag.

[[Category:Map Making]]
[[Category:Map_Objects]]

Link

2012-07-28T03:21:45Z

Prestidigitator: /* Code */ properties formatting

A Link is a BZW object which creates a link (route) between two [[Teleporter|teleporters]].

Links go in hand with [[Teleporter|teleporters]].
{|
|
==Code==
link
name example_link
from *
to *
end
|}
Valid parameters for a link are:

;from: From what [[Teleporter|teleporters]]
;to: To what [[Teleporter|teleporters]]

In either of the from/to parameters, "*" or "?" can be used to make multiple matches. To specify which side of the teleporter you are linking you can use the ":f" (forward) or ":b" (backward) after the name of the teleporter. Ex: tele:f

==Links for groups==

Links for [[Teleporter]] done inside a [[define]] are done by naming your [[group]].

define blah

teleporter tele
position 0 0 0
size .125 10 10
border 1.5
end

enddef #blah

group blah
name green #important part
shift 200 200 0
end

group blah
name red #important part
shift -200 -200 0
end

link
from green:tele:*
to red:tele:*
end

link
from red:tele:*
to green:tele:*
end

Your group must have a name as a reference.

==History==

==Editor Support==
The link object is supported by all known editors.

[[Category: Map Making]]
[[Category: Map_Objects]]

Group

2012-07-28T03:21:00Z

Prestidigitator: /* Code */ properties formatting

The group object allows a map-maker to bring together a number of elements and refer to them as a single object. The group of elements is created in the [[define]] object and then called by name with the group object. The group of elements can then be placed, copied, and/or modified as a whole instead of having to re-create separate objects. Group creates an "instance" of something defined.

Unlike most other objects, the group object can come before the definition in the bzw file. This may help make the bzw file more readable.

== Code ==
{|
|
group my_group
shift 0 0 0
scale 1 1 1
rotation 0
shear 0 0 0
spin 0 0 0 0
team 0
tint 1 1 1 1
drivethrough
shootthrough
phydrv my_phydrv
matref my_material
end
|}
The valid parameters for groups are:

;shift: Shift the group (repeatable)
;scale: Scale the group (repeatable)
;rotation: Rotate the group (in degrees)
;shear: Shear the group (repeatable)
;spin: Spin the group (repeatable)
;team: Redefine all [[base]] colors within group.
;tint: Hierarchically tints objects within group.
;drivethrough: Make all objects in group drivethrough.
;shootthrough: Make all objects in the group shootthrough.
;phydrv: Apply [[physics]] to all objects/faces within group.
;matref: Apply [[material]] to all objects/faces within group.

An in-depth explanation of the 3d-transformations of shift, scale, and shear can be found [http://kapsi.fi/jpa/stuff/bzw/transformations.php here]

== Editor Support ==
There are currently no supported editors: groups are normally most useful when editing by hand.

==History==
The group definition object was added with the [[BZFlag 2.0.0|v2.0.0]] release of BZFlag.

[[Category:Map Making]]
[[Category:Map_Objects]]

Cone

2012-07-28T03:19:38Z

Prestidigitator: /* Code */ properties formatting

The cone object is a [[BZW]] object that defines a cone in the game arena.

==Code==
[[Image:ConePic.png|right|frame|300px|Cone Appearance]]
To place a cone into your map file, the following template is suggested:
{|
|
cone
name example_cone
divisions 16
flatshading
position 0 0 0
rotation 0
size 10 10 10
shift 0 0 0
shear 0 0 0
scale 1 1 1
spin angle nx ny nz
phydrv physics_driver_name
smoothbounce
matref material
bottom matref material2
end
|}
Valid parameters for a cone are:

;name: defines the name of cone, often unused
;divisions: defines the number of subdivisions (number of sides) in the cone, a higher value leads to a slower map with more detail
;flatshading: defines the use of flat shading, smooth is the default
;position: defines the position of the cone in X-pos, Y-pos and the height of the cone in Z.
;rotation: defines a rotation around the Z axis for the cone, in degrees.
;size: defines the distance from the center to the side of the cone in X and Y, and the total height of the cone in Z.
;shift: shift the cone (repeatable)
;shear: (repeatable)
;scale: defines the scale of the cone in x,y, and z, 1 is the default, lower values make it smaller (repeatable)
;spin angle: rotate the cone around a vector by angle. The vector <nx, ny, nz> must be a unit vector. Because the BZFlag client doesn't clip objects against the ground, it is advisable to ensure that the cone is rotated up and away from the ground. Otherwise, the cone will appear to be super-imposed on the ground, rather than embedded into it. (repeatable)
;phydrv: reference to a predefined [[physics|physics driver]].
;smoothbounce: defines that shot bounces use normals
;matref: reference to a predefined [[material]].
;bottom matref: defines a different [[material]] for the bottom surface (optional)

==Appearance==
The cone, by default, has the red brick wall texture on the curved surface, and the grey roof appearance of a normal box on the bottom. However, using [[material|matref]] one can change the appearance of the cone.

==History==
The cone object has been supported since [[BZFlag 2.0.0]]. In previous versions of BZFlag, this object will not work.

==Editor Support==
Editors that support the cone object include [[Blender]] using the [[BZWTools]], [[Wings3D]] using the [[BZW Exporter for Wings3D]], and [[pyBZEdit]]. [[BZEdit]] and [[BZFed]] do NOT support the cone.

[[Category:Map Making]]
[[Category:Map_Objects]]

Box

2012-07-28T03:17:44Z

Prestidigitator: /* Code */ properties formatting

A Box is a [[BZW]] map structure that defines a rectilinear parallelepiped in the world.

==Code==
[[Image:BoxeAppearance.png|thumbnail|399px|right|Default boxes in [[BZFlag_3.0|3.0]]]]
The code for a box object is as follows
{|
|
box
position 10 20 30
rotation 45
size 1 2 3
end
|}
Valid parameters for a box are

;position: defines the center of the box in X and Y and the bottom of the box in Z.
;rotation: defines a rotation around the Z axis for the box, in degrees.
;size: defines the distance from the center to the side of the box in X and Y, and the total height of the box in Z.

'''In versions 2.0.8 and older, boxes do not support''' [[material]], custom textures, or [[Physics_Drivers|physics drivers]]. The [[meshbox]] object replaces the box object and supports all these features and capabilities.

'''However, as of June 6, 2006 (SVN revision 13013, version 2.0.9)''', bzfs will convert the box object to a mesh when necessary. This feature allows them to be textured and have physics drivers assigned to them.

{|
|
box
position 0 40 0
size 5 5 10
rotation 0
'''top matref something1'''
'''sides matref something2'''
'''y+ matref something3'''
'''y- matref something4'''
'''bottom matref something6'''
'''texsize 1 1'''
'''phydrv physics_driver_name'''
end
|}

;x+ , x-, y+ , y-, z+, and z-: Assigns a [[material]] to a specific side of the box
;top: Assigns a [[material]] to the top (z ) of the box
;bottom: Assigns a [[material]] to the bottom (z-) of the box
;sides or outside: Assigns a [[material]] to the x , x-, y , and y- sides of the box
;texsize: Texture sizes, changes how the textures scale on the object.
;texoffset: Controls the offset of the texture
;phydrv: Reference to a predefined [[physics|physics driver]].

More information that needs to be merged into the wiki, as well as the BZW manfile: [http://my.bzflag.org/bb/viewtopic.php?t=8199 Smart Boxes and Pyramids]

==Appearance==
Box objects by default have a red brick texture on the vertical sides, and a white plaster texture on the top and bottom. A box of height 0 on ground level ''is'' visible.

The texsizes of boxes and boxes made of meshes (e.g. meshbox and box with one of the new properties) can be different. The size depends on the chosen display quality setting in the options menu.

{|{{Prettytable}}
|-
| {{Hl3}} |'''Box type'''
| {{Hl3}} |'''texsize with quality setting experimental in [[Versions|2.0.x]] and high in [[Versions|2.99]]'''
|-
|box (old style box)
| -2.0f -2.0f -8.0f -8.0f
|-
|meshbox
| -8.0f -8.0f -8.0f -8.0f
|-
|box with one meshbox property
| -8.0f -8.0f -8.0f -8.0f
|}

{|{{Prettytable}}
|-
| {{Hl3}} |'''Box type'''
| {{Hl3}} |'''texsize with lower quality setting than in the above table'''
|-
|box (old style box)
| -2.0f -2.0f -8.0f -8.0f
|-
|meshbox
| -2.0f -2.0f -8.0f -8.0f
|-
|box with one meshbox property
| -2.0f -2.0f -8.0f -8.0f
|}

This will cause the textures to scale differently for some players in X and Z axis. This can not be solved by adjusting the texsizes in map. The advice is not to mix old style boxes, meshboxes and boxes with one meshbox property, all in the same map.

In [[BZFlag 3.0]] quality level experimental will become the new level high.

==History==
The box is one of the original objects supported by BZFlag and has been a mainstay of maps since the very beginning. Boxes are heavily used by the software when generating random maps. In [[BZFlag 2.0.0|v2.0.0]] the box was replaced with the [[meshbox]] object to support [[Material|Materials]] and [[Physics Drivers]]. The original box definition was left unchanged, in order to maintain functional compatibility for older maps.

==Editor Support==
The box object is supported by all known editors.

[[Category:Map Making]]
[[Category:Map Objects]]

Base

2012-07-28T03:16:09Z

Prestidigitator: /* Code */ properties formatting

A base is a [[BZW]] map object that defines structure very similar to a standard [[box]], but has with the specific properties of being a base for [[CTF|capture the flag style]] game play modes. In standard CTF games, each team (excluding rogues) will be allocated one or more bases to which they must take an opposing team's flag to to capture.

==Code==
[[Image:BasesAppearance.png|right|frame|300px|Base Appearance]]
The code for a box object is as follows
{|
|
base
position 10 20 30
rotation 45
size 1 2 3
color 1
oncap SW
end
|}
Valid parameters for a base are

;position: defines the center of the box in X and Y and the bottom of the box in Z.
;rotation: defines a rotation around the Z axis for the box, in degrees.
;size: defines the distance from the center to the side of the box in X and Y, and the total height of the box in Z. A Z size of 0 creates a thin base with no thickness or walls.
;color: defines the team to which the base is allocated:- 1: red, 2: green, 3: blue, 4: purple. Because [[rogue]] is not a team, there is no such thing as a "rogue base", nor is there a rogue team flag.
;oncap: if specified, indicates that a [[weapon (object)|world weapon]] with the specified [[FlagCode]] is to be automatically generated and fired whenever a flag is captured at this base.[[ShockWave]] is a very common [[FlagCode]] to use here.

Bases do not support the use of [[Material]] or [[Physics Drivers]]. You will have to supply the -mp and -c server directives for the bases to appear. A team's flag is automatically spawned in the middle of their base when a minimum of one player from two or more teams have connected to a CTF game.

==Appearance==
The vertical walls of a base a colored striped texture, unlike the standard [[box]]. The top and bottom of the base are textured with a colored base logo. The color if the textures corresponds to the team that owns the base, for easy recognition. A base with a Z size of 0 will not have any vertical walls.

==Editor Support==
The base object is supported by all known editors.

==History==
The base is one of the original objects supported by BZFlag and has been a mainstay of CTF maps since the very beginning. Bases added automatically for random CTF maps by the [[BZFS]] server.

[[Category:Map Making]]
[[Category:Map_Objects]]

Arc

2012-07-28T03:15:25Z

Prestidigitator: /* Code */ properties formatting

The arc object is a [[BZW]] object that defines an arc or cylinder in the game arena.

==Code==
[[Image:Arcmats.jpg|right|thumb|400px|Appearance of an arc with solid color materials. The words show the names used to map materials to various sides. Obviously, the bottom matref is not shown.]]
To place an arc into your map file, the following template is suggested:
{|
|
arc
name example_arc
divisions 16
flatshading
angle 360
ratio 1
position 0 0 0
rotation 0
size 10 10 10
shift 0 0 0
shear 0 0 0
scale 1 1 1
spin angle nx ny nz
texsize -2.0 -2.0 -8.0 -8.0
phydrv physics_driver_name
smoothbounce

## You can give the entire arc a single material with the lone 'matref' property,
## or you can give different parts different materials, as shown below
matref material0
top matref material1
bottom matref material2
inside matref material3
outside matref material4
startside matref material5
endside matref material6
end
|}
Valid parameters for an [[arc]] are

;name: defines the name of arc, often unused
;divisions: defines the number of subdivisions in the arc
;flatshading: defines the use of flat shading, smooth is the default
;angle: defines the sweep of the arc, 360 indicates a full circle
;ratio: defines the ratio to make a hollow arc, the parameter is (outrad - inrad) / outrad.
;position: defines the position of the arc in X-pos, Y-pos and the height of the arc in Z.
;rotation: defines a rotation around the Z axis for the arc, in degrees.
;size: defines the distance from the center to the side of the arc in X and Y, and the total height of the arc in Z.
;shift: shift the arc (repeatable)
;shear: (repeatable)
;scale: defines the scale of the arc in x,y, and z, 1 is the default, lower values make it smaller (repeatable)
;spin angle: rotate the arc around a vector by angle. ONE of nx, ny, and nz should be 1, the others should be 0. (repeatable)
;texsize: texture sizes, changes how the textures scale on the object. In [[BZFlag_2.0.0|2.0.x]] standard [[Box|boxes]] have "texsize -2.0 -2.0 -8.0 -8.0", in [[BZFlag_3.0|3.0]] [[Box|boxes]] will have "texsize -8.0 -8.0 -8.0 -8.0" so choose the appropriate texsize if you want the arc(s) match the [[Box|box(es)]] exact look.
;phydrv: reference to a predefined [[physics|physics driver]].
;smoothbounce: defines that shot bounces use normals
;matref: reference to a predefined [[material]].

==Appearance==
The arc, by default, has the red brick wall texture on the sides, and the grey roof appearance of a normal box on the top. However, using [[material|matref]] one can change the appearance of the arc.

==History==
The arc object has been supported since [[BZFlag 2.0.0]]. In previous versions of BZFlag, this object will not work.

==Editor Support==
Editors that support the arc object include [[Blender]] using the [[BZWTools]], [[Wings3D]] using the [[BZW Exporter for Wings3D]], and [[pyBZEdit]]. [[BZEdit]] and [[BZFed]] do NOT support the arcs.

[[Category:Map Making]]
[[Category:Map_Objects]]

Physics

2012-07-28T03:13:27Z

Prestidigitator: properties formatting

Physics, or Physics Driver, when applied to an object, will affect a tank touching it in some way. Physics can be applied to any 2.0 object, namely: [[mesh]], [[meshbox]],[[meshpyr]],[[sphere]],[[cone]],[[tetra]], and [[arc]]. Similar to [[material|materials]], they can not be applied to the [[box]] or [[pyramid]] objects unless the server ([[BZFS]]) is version 2.0.9 or later.

The valid parameters for physics are:

;name: Name of the physics driver, for reference
;linear: Cause a tank to move linearly at the given velocity (x/y/z). For example linear 5 0 0 would cause any tanks on the object to move at a velocity of 5 towards X+ (the side of the map with the highest value of X).
;angular: Cause a tank to rotate at the given velocity,(Rotation velocity, x/y coordinates of the centre).
;slide: Cause the tank to accelerate slowly during the time given. (i.e. Makes a 'slippery' surface.)(Time until max velocity (> 0.0 enables)
;death: Causes the tank to die on contact. Player sees the given message

== Working with Physics ==

Physics drivers are applied to objects to affect tanks. Physics can be applied to all BZW world objects, including individual mesh faces.
From bzw man page:

physics
name example_phydrv
linear 0.0 0.0 0.0 # x/y/z linear velocities
angular 0.0 0.0 0.0 # rotation freq, x/y coordinates
slide 0.0 # time until max velocity (> 0.0 enables)
death Message goes here. # the 'death' property requires a non-blank message
end

Death - Kills the tank and gives specific message. Example:

physics
name landmine
death Oops!You hit a landmine!
end
meshbox
position 0 0 0
size 10 10 5
phydrv landmine
end

Slide - Reduces the friction of surface. Value specified determines time to reach full speed. If you set value of 1, it takes one second to reach maximum speed on surface. Slide feels like slippery ice and makes accurate shooting difficult.

physics
name slippery
slide 0.5
end
meshbox
position 0 0 0
size 10 10 5
phydrv slippery
end

Avenue - Linear and angular make the tank move. Linear motion can be used to make escalators, trampolines etc. Values given are motion in x/y/z. Usually, you want Z to be zero, so that it won't throw tank into air. Note that physics driver does not imply moving texture. This example makes a physics driver, moving 10 units per second in x-axis direction, and applies it to meshbox 200 units long in x direction.

# Simple box with horizontal physics driver:
physics
name moving
linear 10 0 0
end
meshbox
position 0 0 0
size 200 10 5
phydrv moving
end

Trampoline - Setting Z axis motion to higher value than zero makes a trampoline.
Value defines the initial vertical velocity tank gets.Note that it is relational to the height of the trampoline. You can calculate how high tank goes as follows:
Height = ( velocity ^ 2 ) / ( 2 * gravity )
Default gravity is 9.81, so in our example:
Height = ( 50 ^ 2 ) / ( 2 * 9.81 ) = 2500 / 19.62 = ~ 127 units
However, the equations of physics can only be used as estimates, and are usually not accurate to one decimal point. This is because bzflag does not attempt replicate all aspects of real world physics, as can be easily observed.

# Trampoline
physics
name trampoline
linear 0 0 50
end
meshbox
position 0 0 0
size 10 10 5
phydrv trampoline
end

Angular movement - First of three values after angular-keyword tells the rotation speed per second. Second and third are the x/y position of center point. To get actual movement speed, use:
Speed = Rotation * 2 * Distance from center * PI
Pi is approximately 3.14159, and the speed on the outer edge of our example is:
Speed = 0.1 * 2 * 50 * 3.14159 = ~ 31 units per second

physics
name spin
angular 0.1 0 0
end
arc
position 0 0 0
size 50 50 5
phydrv spin
end

Escalators are a special type of linear motion. When using physics drivers, you must note that object rotation or spin don't affect them. If you want mirrored escalators, you must have two physic drivers. Escalators need both vertical and horizontal movement, and you must experiement a bit to have suitable values. You might need to move backwards a bit on the escalator to get up - this depends on how well the movement values fit together. To have nice looking escalators you should use shear (described in 3d transformations) so that the ends don't "stick" out of ground. Spin or mesh won't be described here.

physics
name escalator
linear 10 0 10
end
meshbox
size 100 10 5
spin -45 0 1 0 #spin -45 degrees around y-axis
shift 0 0 71 #shift is like position, but works better with spin.
phydrv escalator
end

== Editor Support ==
Physics is supported by the BZWTools for Blender.

==History==
The Physics object was added with the [[BZFlag 2.0.0|v2.0.0]] release of BZFlag.

[[Category:Map Making]]
[[Category:Map Objects]]

Material

2012-07-28T03:12:01Z

Prestidigitator: /* Code */ properties formatting

A material is used in a BZFlag world to define a new look for otherwise regular objects, such as [[Meshbox|meshboxes]].

==Code==
To put a material in your map, first it must be defined:
{|
|
material
name example_material
texture filename
addtexture filename
notextures
notexcolor
notexalpha
texmat -1
dyncol -1
ambient 0.0 0.0 0.0 1.0
diffuse 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.0
color 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.0
specular 0.0 0.0 0.0 1.0
emission 0.0 0.0 0.0 1.0
shininess 0.0
resetmat
spheremap
noradar
noshadow
noculling
nosorting
nolighting
alphathresh 0.0
groupalpha
occluder
end
|}
Valid parameters for a Material are:

;name: name for reference
;texture: set the texture (must be .png but don't include the extension unless on the Internet)
;addtexture: add a texture (again, no extension is needed)
;notextures: don't use textures.
;notexcolor: don't apply the [[Color(BZW)|color]] to the texture
;notexalpha: don't use the texture's alpha channel
;texmat: specify a [[TextureMatrix|texture matrix]]. -1 for no texture matrix. (addtexture must be used before texmat)
;dyncol: specify a [[DynamicColor|dynamic color]]. -1 for no dynamic color.
;ambient: ambient color
;diffuse: diffuse (main)[[Color(BZW)|color]]
;[[Color(BZW)|color]]: synonym for diffuse
;specular: specular [[Color(BZW)|color]]
;emission: emission [[Color(BZW)|color]]
;shininess: shiny!
;resetmat: restore default values
;spheremap: use spherical texture coordinate mapping
;noradar: do not display on radar (except normal mode)
;noshadow: do not render shadows
;noculling: do not cull by face winding (double-sided)
;nosorting: do not do front-to-back alpha sorting
;nolighting: disable lighting
;alphathresh: alpha thresholding value
;groupalpha: sort translucent faces as a group
;occluder: faces with this material will occlude

To actually apply a material, you must use some sort of reference in an object, like so:
{|
|
meshbox
position 0 0 10
rotation 0
size 10 10 5

# refer to the previously defined material with its particular name we gave it before
# compare underlined text in the code at the [[#Code|page top]]
'''matref example_material'''
end
|}
Please note the ''matref'' is the '''name''' of the defined material, not the name of the .png/url file!

==Translucency==
Material translucency is enabled by setting the alpha component of a material's [[Color(BZW)|color]] to a value less than one. Translucent objects should be sparingly, because everything behind them must always be rendered. In addition, very large translucent objects may be sorted and drawn in the wrong order. This is caused by the fact that the Z-buffer cannot be used because it would allow another translucent object to cover the translucent object, which would not look right. Thus, the translucent elements are instead sorted by determining the distance to a point in the center, which works well as long as there are not too many large translucent objects.
The same applies to textures that have translucent sections.

==Magic Material Names==
===General===
[[GroundMaterial]] 
WaterMaterial 
LinkMaterial For Teleporter Links 
TeleMaterial For Teleporter Frame (BZFlag version 3.0)

===Skybox===
[[LeftSkyboxMaterial]] 
[[RightSkyboxMaterial]] 
[[FrontSkyboxMaterial]] 
[[BackSkyboxMaterial]] 
[[TopSkyboxMaterial]] 
[[BottomSkyboxMaterial]] 

==History==
Materials were added in [[BZFlag 2.0.0]].

==Editor Support==
Materials are supported in [[Blender]] with [[BZWTools]], [[pyBZEdit]], and [[Wings3D]] with the [[BZW Exporter for Wings3D]]. Materials are NOT supported in [[BZEdit]], [[BZFed]] or IBZEdit.

==A note about textures==
A material can be composed of colors and textures. Textures are .png files that are either in the client directory or on the Internet. The terms ''material'' and ''texture'' are often confused and misunderstood, so bear the above in mind.

[[category:Map_Objects]]
[[category:Map Making]]

TextureMatrix

2012-07-28T03:09:56Z

Prestidigitator: /* Code */ properties formatting

A TextureMatrix, or texmat, when applied to a material object, allows you to define how a texture will appear in a material. It can be used to manipulate still (fixed) textures as well as animated ones.

== Code ==
{|
|
textureMatrix
name example_texmat
scale 0.0 0.0 1.0 1.0 # u/v freqs, u/v scales
spin 0.0 # rotation freq
shift 0.0 0.0 # u/v freqs
center 0.5 0.5 # dynamic u/v center (for spin and scale)
fixedscale 0.0 0.0 # time invariant u/v scale
fixedspin 0.0 # time invariant rotation
fixedshift 0.0 0.0 # time invariant u/v shift
end
|}

The valid parameters for textureMatrix are:

;name: Name of the texmat, for reference
;scale: Causes texture to dynamically change it's size, parameters are u/v frequencies, then u/v scales.
;spin: Cause a texture to spin around a center point, parameter is rotational frequency.
;shift: Causes texture to move linearly, parameters are u/v frequencies.
;center: Central point for spin and scale
;fixedscale: Fixed scale, texture doesn't move with time.
;fixedspin: Fixed spin, texture doesn't move with time.
;fixedshift: Fixed shift, texture doesn't move with time.

A textureMatrix can be called by adding 'texmat <name>' to a material containing a texture, like so:
{|
|
material
name example_material
diffuse 1 1 1 1
texture caution
texmat example_texmat
end
|}

== Editor Support ==
The Texture Matrix can only be added to a map by hand, or by pyBzEdit.

==History==
The TextureMatrix object was added with the [[BZFlag 2.0.0|v2.0.0]] release of BZFlag.

[[Category:Map Making]]
[[Category:Map Objects]]

DynamicColor

2012-07-28T03:08:59Z

Prestidigitator: properties formatting

DynamicColor describes how a color channel will be dynamically updated. Mainly, it's a sum of sinusoid.

=== Code ===
----
{|
|
dynamicColor
name example_dyncol
red limits 0 1
green sinusoid 0.1 0 0.25
blue clampUp 0.1 0 0.75
alpha clampDown 0.2 0.5 0.5
red sequence 0.1 0.0 2 0 1 1 2 0 ...
end
|}
The valid parameters for dynamicColor are:
{|
[channel] [function] [options]
|}
Color Settings:

;channels: red, green, blue, alpha
;functions: limits, sinusoid, clampUp, clampDown, sequence (repeatable, except for "limits" and "sequence")

===Functions===

'''sequence''' (Can have three settings)
*0=active clampDown
*1=no clamps
*2=active clampUp

If both clampUp and clampDown are active, the value is (min+max)/2, if used with "sequence" they will have no effect.

'''sinusoid''' (starts at the max value)

The sum of a channel's sinusoids is clamped between 0 and 1

Example syntax for use within dynamicColor:

* [channel] limits [min limit] [max limit]
* [channel] sinusoid [period] [offset] [weight]
* [channel] clampUp [period] [offset] [width]
* [channel] clampDown [period] [offset] [width]
* [channel] sequence [period] [offset] [list of states...]

[[Category:Map Making]]
[[Category:Map_Objects]]

WaterLevel

2012-07-28T03:07:29Z

Prestidigitator: /* Code */ properties formatting

[[image:Box_water.jpg|frame|right|Example of a map with waterLevel set]]
A waterLevel object is a [[BZW]] map structure that defines a plane of water that spans the entire map. This water plane is deadly to all tanks that cross it.

==Code==
The code for a waterLevel object is as follows
{|
|
waterLevel
name example_waterlevel
height -1.0
end
|}
Valid parameters for a waterLevel object are:

;name: the name of the water level, generally unused.
;height: the value in world units of the water. Values less then 0 turn the water off. No water is the default.
;materials: the water object will take any valid [[Material]]s parameter and use them to override it's default look.

The waterLevel object can only be specified once in a map.

==Appearance==
The default texture used for water is a lighter version of the [[Pyramid|pyramid]] texture. The water created with the water level will cover the entire world boundary.
==History==
The options object was added in [[BZFlag 2.0.0|v2.0.0]].

==Editor Support==
The waterLevel object is only fully supported by the [[BZWTools]] blender plug-in.

[[Category:Map Making]]
[[Category:Map Objects]]

World (object)

2012-07-28T03:06:25Z

Prestidigitator: /* Code */ properties formatting

A World object is a [[BZW]] map structure that defines various options for the map.

==Code==
The code for a world object is as follows
{|
|
world
name example_world
size 400.0
flagHeight 10.0
noWalls
freeCtfSpawns
end
|}
Valid parameters for a world object are

;name: the name of the map, generally unused.
;size: the size of the outer world walls from the center of the map to each wall. The default is 400 [[world units]], providing a world 800 units across.
;flagHeight: defines the height in Z of the standard flagpole.
;noWalls: removes the default outer stone walls (as well as the invisible collision wall and the radar signature of the wall), from the map. This is different than "set _wallHeight 0", which leaves the radar alone.
;freeCtfSpawns: after a team-flag is captured, players spawn randomly, not at the base.

The world object can only be specified once in a map.

==Notes==
'''flagHeight''' defines the Z volume needed for flag spawns. Flags will never drop in an area unless there is '''flagHeight''' clearance in Z. This can be an issue with maps that use multiple objects "stacked" in Z

==History==
The world object was added in [[BZFlag 1.10.0|v1.10]].

==Editor Support==
The world object is only fully supported by the [[BZWTools]] blender plug-in.

[[Category:Map Making]]
[[Category:Map_Objects]]

Talk:BZWTools

2012-07-24T07:16:26Z

Prestidigitator:

It seems the BZWTools website is dead. Perhaps that should be noted in the page, instead of leaving it contradicting itself as it is now. The dead links should likely be removed or updated. [[User:Ratfink|Ratfink]] 21:55, 2 June 2010 (EDT)

Is this tool still being maintained? I've been mucking around with my own plugin out of impatience since the listed site seems to be dead. So far I have it exporting mesh objects with full color materials (but not textures yet), handling single or double-sided faces (repeats each face inside-out if mesh is double-sided in Blender), adding child Empty objects as inside points, and creating a group for each mesh datablock before making use of it with an "object" group with shift, spin, and scale (for the same kind of re-use of mesh data as Blender uses). The next step would be to create custom objects that export as box, arc, pyramid, etc. and display in Blender using appropriate geometry. Is it worth continuing? How does this compare to the functionality of BZWTools? --[[User:Prestidigitator|Prestidigitator]] 07:15, 23 July 2012 (UTC)

From what I understand, this tool hasn't been updated in quite some time. While it might be interesting to create a replacement, there is also a program called BZWorkBench that's goal was to be the official map editor for BZFlag. It is located in our SVN repository under /trunk/bzworkbench/ and is written in C/C++. In the long term, it might be better to work on that tool instead.
--[[User:Blast|blast007]] 11:03, 23 July 2012 (UTC)

Okay. Interesting. I'll definitely have to check that out. Thanks for the info. :--[[User:Prestidigitator|Prestidigitator]] 07:16, 24 July 2012 (UTC)

Talk:BZW

2012-07-23T07:26:13Z

Prestidigitator:

Talk:BZW

2012-07-23T07:25:37Z

Prestidigitator: Broken properties tags?

The <nowiki><properties></nowiki> lists on each of the pages for world objects (e.g. [[box]]) do not seem to be rendering in the generated wiki markup. I'm guess this is intended to be a custom tag handled through a MediaWiki extension, but it seems like these could just be replaced with simple formatted item lists if maintaining the extension is an issue. Thoughts? --[[User:Prestidigitator|Prestidigitator]] 07:25, 23 July 2012 (UTC)

Talk:BZWTools

2012-07-23T07:15:00Z

Prestidigitator: New plugin?

Flag ideas

2012-07-23T07:01:09Z

Prestidigitator: /* Unrated Flag Ideas */

==Overview==
This article describes various flag suggestions for the game.

==Rejections==
Most flag ideas are rejected, mostly because they are not well thought out, or they take the game in a direction that the project management does not wish it to go. Rejected flags are moved to the [[Flag ideas/Rejected]] page.

===Idea Submission Guidelines ===
Users should read and understand the following guidelines before submitting a flag idea.

* Check that the idea isn't already listed on this page or the [[Flag ideas/Rejected|flag ideas already rejected]] page. If the idea has been considered and dismissed, it will not be accepted if submitted again.
* Think carefully about the flag idea. Ideas must be described in a short and succinct sentence or paragraph. Ideas that are difficult to describe do not make for fun features, and will most likely be rejected.
* Flag ideas should not be overpowering, or do something that you think simply looks '''Cool'''. Flags must not be 'mean' to players, both those who have it and those who get shot by it. Flags must maintain gameplay balance and have a disadvantage for every advantage. Flags that combine features of other flags will be rejected. Flags that simply let you "win" will be rejected. These are often called 'munchkin' flags.
* Add the flag idea to the Unrated Flag Ideas section, following the format of the other items.

If a flag idea is approved, it does not mean that it will automatically happen or be put into the game.
It simply means that it is not a bad idea. The idea will not be implemented until a developer takes
the time to implement the code for the feature into a version. Most new flag ideas require a change
in protocol and must wait for the next major release, and can take some time to complete.

This list is intended for information and discussions only. Information listed on this page does not imply any form of official acceptance of an idea into the game.

===Things to remember===
* All powerful flags aren't fun.
* Flags that ensure your immediate destruction aren't fun.
* Flags that aren't useful aren't fun.
* Flags boost/modulate tactical trait of tanks

===Flag Rules===
The project management uses these rules for good flag ideas:

====Flag power must be limited====
For example, BZFlag has stealth and cloaking flags, but no stealth-and-cloak flag. Such a tank would be virtually impossible to destroy. Nobody likes to play against someone who can't lose.
The guided missile and laser flags are both exceptionally powerful flags, but neither make the owner invincible. Laser takes twice as long to reload and a guided missile can be dodged while still firing on the owner.

====Flag powers can counteract/balance each other====
Some flags are handily defeated with another kind of flag. The oscillation overthruster can be destroyed by a super bullet or a shock wave (or a genocide). Cloaking is effective against laser and stealth is good against guided missile. Ricochet is useful against ricochet.

Counterbalancing flags should be added/suggested together, or counterbalanced by an existing flag; super bullet is often a good choice.

====Flags never instantly kill the owner====
Flags should not kill people in what seems to be a random manner, this includes flags that kill on pickup, or "mines". Players should be able to use skills to avoid death. No flag should be debilitating to anyone.

====Shots should kill====
Except in rare cases (Thief) any time you hit someone with a shot, it should kill them. While other affects on shots may seem funny to describe, they are not fun. Shooting someone and making them "pause" for 5 seconds, has the exact same gameplay as getting killed and respawning.

====Flags should require new skills====
Flags that require new skills keep the game interesting. The more there is to learn about the game, the longer people will play. Bad flags should simply provide a challenge that must be overcome.

====Flags should not require other server settings====
With few exceptions, flags should not require other server settings to be enabled, such as more then one shot, radar, or some other options. Many mode specific flag ideas can be implemented as custom flags in a plug-in.

==Suggesting Flags==
This page is locked to normal users due to abuse by some silly users, flag ideas should go into the features request tracker on sourceforge. https://sourceforge.net/tracker/?group_id=3248&atid=353248

== Implemented Flag Ideas==
===Good Flags===
====Cloaked Shot (CS)====
'''Description:''' Shots are invisible out-the-window. Still visible on radar. Glow is still visible out HUD. Watch out for ricochet!

''Implemented in:'' 2.99.x

====Low Gravity(LG)====
'''Description:''' Gravity is reduced to a large degree allowing the tank to jump very high in the air.

''Implemented in:'' 2.99.x

== Approved Good Flag Ideas==
None

== Possible Flag Ideas==
===Good Flags===

====Long Shot(LS)====
'''Description:''' Shots have increased range.
====BackFire (BF)====
'''Description:''' Shots fire to rear of tank instead of front.
====Extra Shot (ES)====
'''Description:''' Player gets an extra shot.

===Bad Flags===
====Long Reload (LR)====
'''Description:''' Shots take longer to reload.
====Don't Stop (DS))====
'''Description:''' Tank always moves forward or backwards, it cannot stop.
====Sensor Echo (SE)====
'''Description:''' All tanks show up twice (or more) on radar. Echoes behave like the tank they mirror, down to the flag.
====Delayed Shot (DS)====
'''Description:''' Shots wait some prescribed amount of time (2 seconds?) between clicking and actually firing.
====SlowMotion (SM)====
'''Description:''' Tank moves and turns with half speed.
====High Gravity(HG)====
'''Description:''' Gravity is higher for the tank (faster fall, lower jumps).
====Daze (DZ)====
'''Description:''' Tank see all other tank as enemy

== Unrated Flag Ideas==

===Good Flags===

====Spread (SP)====
'''Description:'''This flag will split your bullets into three. Two bullets will go at 45 degree angles away from you and the last will travel the normal trajectory. Careful about teamkills!

====Radar (RD)====
'''Description:''' Like how in some maps that have jumping flags or ricochet flags when those things are normally disabled, in maps with radar disabled, this would give you radar ability. It would counteract the Jamming flag in normal maps.

====Boomerang (BR)====
'''Description''' Your normal shot is changed to take a boomerang pattern once fired, killing anything caught in the firing line. You cant kill yourself with your own shots with this flag. Really long reload time, and relatively short range.

====Mysteriously Mysterious (MY)====
'''Description''' A random flag effect will be obtained, its up to the player to find out what flag it is that this flag has given them. *WARNING* You might get a bad flag from this!

===Bad Flags===

====SlowShot (SS)====
'''Description''' Your shots travel at half speed for the same time meaning also 1/2 distance.

====Negativity (NG)====
'''Description''' Once picked up, one random bad flag effect will be obtained such as colorblindness, then a few seconds later, it will change to another bad flag effect such as reversecontrols, and so on.

====Healing (HL)====
'''Description''' Uses the thief-type ray. Shooting a target (friend or foe!) removes a bad flag if the target has one, or grants target a random good flag (or perhaps just shield) if they have none (while generally shots should kill, this inspires teamwork, and introduces an interesting new role for a team member to take). Optionally: must wait a configurable time before affecting any given target again.

[[Category:Gameplay]]