How To Make Levels For SWAT 3: 03 - Interface - The Menu Bar

[CraftyReaper]

So now you have the basics of moving in the view-ports we can discuss the rest of the editors interface, starting with the menu bar.

This consists of the File, Edit, Map, View, Tools, Window,and Help menus.

File Menu - this hold the commands typical to all window applications and you should be more than familiar with the concepts of opening, closing, creating and saving files. The other option are to do with exporting to other formats and the Run command. we will not be covering exporting in this tutorial and the Run is used to test your 'compiled' map in the game, which will be discussed at a later stage.

Edit Menu - This again is consistent with window apps. Here you can cut, copy and paste along with undoing and redoing your work. you can also clear a selection and select all. The interesting command in here is the Properties command. Once you have selected an object (go ahead and select a chair in the camera view (Arrow Tool + LMB))  you can then press Alt-Enter or select Properties from the Edit Menu to bring up the individual properties for that object. (more on this as it is used)

Map Menu
Snap To Grid - When creating geometry this allows you to maintain precise sizing by snapping to the grid (more later) (Shift-W)
Show Grid - Turns Grid on/off. (Shift-R)
Grid Settings - Increase/Decrease Grid size.

Go To Brush Number - Allows to to enter a brush or entity number to jump to. (Ctrl-Shift-G)
Show Information - This displays the overall stats for your level. (Faces used, WAD's used and Memory size, etc).
Entity Report - List your Entities and allows you to jump  to them.
Check For Problems - Scan your map and identifies trouble areas. (Alt-P)

Map Properties - Displays the Object properties for the overall scene.

Load Pointfile - Loads a Pointfile.
Unload Pointfile - Unloads a Pointfile.

View Menu
Screen Elements - This allows you to turn toolbars on and off

2D X/Y - Let you change the orientation that you see through your view ports (normally left alone).
2D Y/Z - Let you change the orientation that you see through your view ports (normally left alone).
2D X/Z - Let you change the orientation that you see through your view ports (normally left alone).

3D Wireframe - Shows Wireframes in your 3D view-port.
3D Filled Polygons - Shows a Filled (Flat) Polygon view in your 3D view-port.
3D Textured - Shows a textured view in your 3D view-port.

Autosize 4 Views - Resets the view-ports to equal proportions. (Ctrl-A)
Center Views On Selection - This is an essential Hotkey combo to learn if you want to save time in your navigation Ctrl-E will take all four views to the object you have selected, then you can zoom in straight to the highlighted object.

Show Connections - These are used in AI Path making (more later).
Hide Items - These are used in AI Path making (more later).
hide Paths - These are used in AI Path making (more later).

Hide selected Objects - Hide objects to reduce clutter from the scene whilst working on specific areas.
Show Selected Objects - Bring back hidden Objects

Tools Menu
Carve - A tool for subtracting geometry. (Shift-Ctrl-C)
Make Hollow - Another tool for subtracting geometry. (Ctrl-H)

Group - Grouping objects together. (Ctrl-G)
Ungroup - Ungrouping objects. (Ctrl-U)

Tie To Entity - Tie an Object to an Entity. (Ctrl-T)
Move To World - (Ctrl-W)

Texture Application - Applies texture to geometry. (Shift-A)
Replace Textures - Replaces selected texture/s.
Texture Lock - Locks a textures in position. (Shift-L)

Snap Selected To Grid - Snaps a selected object to the grid. (Ctrl-B)
Transform - ... (Ctrl-M)
Align Objects - Alignment tools (left, right, top, bottom).
Flip Objects -  Flip Objects horizontally or vertically.

Prefab Factory - Brings up the Prefab Factory so you can select and use prefabs.
Create Prefab - If you make an object in Worldcraft that you will wish to repeat you can turn it into a prefab by selecting it and hitting Create Prefab. making it useable throughout the level.(Ctrl-R)

Options - Brings up The Configuration panel.