GEM-DEU User Documentation
==========================


Contents:

The Basics
Textureing
Things
Doors/Lifts
Sector types
Design Tips
DEU.INI contents...
Credits




The basics...
-------------

How do I actually create a level?

Right, to start off, select 'Create level' from the main
menu. Then decide which level number it is going to be.
This doesn't really matter, as you can change it latter
on when you save it (using 'Save as ExMx...').

Switch to VERTEX mode by pressing 'V'. Now, insert the
corners of your first room - to insert a point press
'I'. Dont forget to add points on the corners where
you plan to have corridors and doors.

Now select all your points IN CLOCKWISE ORDER by clicking
on them each in turn while holding down <SHIFT>. Now,
keeping down shift, press 'I'. This will insert lines
between the points that you have selected, and put you
in LINE mode.

Finally, press 'I' once again (<SHIFT> need not be held
down now), and this will insert a sector creating a
well formed room.

There - you have now created a very simple level. You
can now switch back to VERTEX mode to create further
sectors. GEM-DEU will automatically make lines between
two sectors transparent and two sided, so simply sticking
a sector with a joining line next to another will create
a joined room.

You can move arround VERTEXes and THINGs by clicking on
it and dragging it to a new position. At the moment, it
is not drawn while being dragged, but don't worry - it
will moved.

Before you can play / view your level, you will need to
insert a 'Player 1 start' THING. Switch to THINGS mode
(press 'T') and press 'I' to insert a THING. Now edit
the 'thing' by pressing <ENTER> and check that the
object is a player 1 start (that is, a 'Player Position'
with 'Player 1 start' selected in the scrollable list).

There - all done. Now all you have to do is save the
level. GEM-DEU will ask you if you want to 'build new
nodes' if you have added/moved any points. If you do
not build nodes, you will not be able to use your level
with Bad Mood. However, it stores enough information for
GEM-DEU to load your level again, so if you only want to
save it for backup reasons, there is no need to build
the nodes [which takes a while].



Texturing...
------------

You dont always want the same wall, floor and ceiling
textures, do you? Well, what you need to do is to switch
to line mode, and select the line you wish to change.
Now edit it (press <ENTER>). Now, select the 'Textures...'
button of the side that you wish to edit (side 1 is the
side with the perpendicular line when selected) and
set the texture to the texture that you want.

To change the ceiling and floor textures, switch to
SECTOR mode, and edit the sector you wish to change.
You can now change the ceiling/floor textures using
the editable fields.



Things...
---------

You have already inserted one thing - the player 1
start. You add other things (such as monsters, barrels,
health packs etc.) in exactly the same way - pressing
'I' when in THING mode. 

Things may be dragged arround the map, so it doesn't
matter if it is not in the perfect position at the
beginning.


Doors/Lifts...
--------------

Doors aren't yet possible with GEM-DEU without getting
into the details of the flags of lines. In future
versions, there will be a 'make door from sector'
which will do this automatically for you.


Sector types...
---------------

Any sector can have a type, such as 'flashing light',
or '5/10% damage'. Simply edit the sector, and change
its type with the scrollable list.



Design Tips...
--------------

Below are a number of tips that I have found when
designing my own levels, and also playing other 3rd
party PWADs.

1) Don't try to be too flash. Often levels suffer
   because you are trying out lots of features. Stick
   to the basics until you have got the hang of level
   design.
2) Stick to a grid. If your level is completely
   iregular and doesn't stick at all to round numbers
   the node build can get all confused and you will
   get lots of 'glitches'.
3) Type to keep to the same 'style'. If all of your
   doors are done one way, and one other in another
   way it will look very out of place.
4) Try and imagine how other people will play your
   level. You know how best to complete all the puzzles,
   but think how other people will aproach it (or watch
   someone else play your level).
5) Don't make it too hard, but dont make it too easy.
   It is difficult to judge how hard to make a level,
   but I've found that a good measure is if you can
   complete the level with 70/80% health at the end.
   This means it cannot be that easy, but is certainly
   possible.
6) Give 'hints' as to what weapon to use. ID tend to
   leave a shotgun on the floor outside a section that
   is ideal for the shotgun.


DEU.INI contents...
-------------------

DEU.INI must be in the same directory as GEM-DEU, and
contains a number of options. The supplied file is
fully commented, so I wont explain what all of the
options do. However, here are the main ones...

'MAIN = E:\BADMOOD\DOOM1.WAD'

Set this to point to your main IWAD, otherwise GEM-DEU
wont even start!

'BMEXEC = E:\BADMOOD\BM214A.TTP'

This should point to a Bad Mood executable > v2.10a
and is used for the 3D preview.

'REMINDER1 = FALSE'

Set this if you dont want the 'welcome' dialogue on
start-up...

'DEBUG = TRUE'

Set this if you want debugging info to be produced.
If this is set, DEU.LOG will be written to when you
use GEM-DEU listing what you are doing. It could get
big, but you can delete anything you dont want in the
file. When reporting bugs, send me the relevant part
of this file...



Credits...
----------

ID for making the most playable PC game
The DEU team for producing DEU, and giving away its source.
Matt Fell for the UDS...
Me [Anthony Jacques] for porting this tool. :)

Anyone who has done anything for Bad Mood - That includes
the artists, programmers, thinkers and general supporters! 


