Map editing: Introduction

To begin map editing, while in AssaultCube, press the letter E which toggles editmode. AssaultCubes map editor is built into the client, so its easy to learn and you don't need to download any special tools to get started.

In editmode, you can fly around in any direction you like and you can even go through walls.
This is to make map-editing easier...

The interface

The grid The "cube grid"

This will be shown as a white grid of squares drawn where ever you point.
Each of the small squares is a single cube. The cubes in AssaultCube are known as "geometery". The bigger blue squares, indicate a selection of 8x8 cubes to make map editing easier.

Shows a cube that is a heightfield Heightfield cubes

These are the light green cubes in the grid.
These cubes indicate heightfields, which will be explained later here.

Indicates an entity Entity sparkles

These are shown as blue sparkly things. They are known as "entities", which will be explained later here.

Selects cubes Cube selector

This appears as a small white box with a red dot in the corner. It will appear in the middle of the screen and you can use it to select geometery, a bit like a crosshair.
The red dot indicates which corner of a cube you are manipulating, if you are using heightfields, or where your entity will be placed if you are creating an entity, but you don't need to worry about knowing how to use that red dot just yet.

Shows nearest entity "Nearest entity" text

This is the white writing along the bottom. It will tell you the locaton of the closest entity and its properties, but you don't need to worry about how to use that just yet.

To get a feel for editmode, press E and float around. Try clicking and dragging the small white box at your crosshair over some cubes (you will see a red box over what you are selecting). This is how you select geometery.

Map editing controls

Below are the controls that get used in map-editing, you will use most of these controls when creating a map, so it's good to learn them.

Changing geometery

Control Function
[ Moves cubes in the floor downwards.
] Moves cubes in the floor upwards.
O Moves cubes in the ceiling downwards.
P Moves cubes in the ceiling upwards.
F Makes selected cubes a solid.
G Makes selected cubes a space/non-heightfield.
K Makes selected cubes a corner.
C Copy selected cubes.
V Pastes copied cubes.
Note: It pastes from the upper corner of the red dot.
U Undoes the last action (only applies to geometery).
, Equalize the floor.
. Equalize the ceiling.
H Makes the floor a heightfield.
I Makes the ceiling a heightfield.
9 Manipulates the corner of a cube where the red dot is positioned upwards. Works only if the cube is a heightfield.
8 Manipulates the corner of a cube where the red dot is positioned downwards. Works only if the cube is a heightfield.

Changing textures

Control Function
Home Browses forward through wall textures.
End Browses backward through wall textures.
7 (on the keypad) Browses forward through upper-wall textures.
4 (on the keypad) Browses backward through upper-wall textures.
Insert Browses forward through floor textures.
Delete Browses backward through floor textures.
PageUp Browses forward through ceiling textures.
PageDown Browses backward through ceiling textures.

Mouse controls

Control Function
Left-click Allows you to select cubes.
Right-click Show the editing menu.
Scrolling Scrolling will move cubes up/down, depending on the direction you look.
Hold Q and scroll This will manipulate the corner of a cube where the red dot is positioned up/down. Works only if the cube is a heightfield.
Hold Z and scroll Scrolls forward/backwards through textures on the floor/ceiling, depending on the direction you look.
Hold X and scroll Scrolls forward/backwards through textures on the wall/upper-wall, depending on the direction you look.

Misc

Control Function
E Toggle edit mode.
Backspace Delete entity.
L Shows the lighting menu.
F5 Toggle ocullsion on/off.
F6 Toggle showmip on/off.

Starting, saving and loading a map

If you would like to start creating a new map, type: /newmap and then the size you would like (7 is the sensible default) and then press ENTER. If you made your mapsize too small, you can easily make it double in size, simply by typing /mapenlarge.

You can save your map at any time by typing: /savemap and then the name you would like it saved as. The map gets saved in the packages/maps directory. Save your map often, to avoid the frustration of losing all of your work if something goes wrong.

Note: Make sure when you start a map, to use the /newmap command, rather than editing an existing map, otherwise your map may get saved a bit strangely. Also note: you cannot put spaces or any illegal characters in the name you save it as.

To load your map, type /map and the file name you chose for your map. If you have not placed lighting in your map yet, your map will turn up dark. To temporarily fix this problem, type: /fullbright 1 - this will fill your whole map with light. The fullbright command only works in edit mode and is not a permanent fix. To remove fullbright mode, reload the map, or type: /recalc. Note: These commands can be found in the lighting menu (press L).