So you want to make a user level?

Ok, you've won the game and you've downloaded all the user levels you can find and it still isn't enough - you know you can make a better, cooler and more challenging level. This tutorial will have you playing your masterpiece in no time. It assumes you have Winzip installed, know how to access your Pocket PC with file explorer and have a paint program.

What's a .thf file?

It's a zip file renamed .thf. Why didn't I just leave it named zip? I thought it would be too confusing - everybody would start unzipping it everywhere when in fact, no unzipping is required (it won't work if you do) - you just need to plop it in the userlevel dir on your PPC.

I know what you're thinking - great, I have to rename it to .zip everytime I want to open - not really, there is a trick: Double click a .thf file in file explorer (let's say you've download Akiko's love_maze.thf) - Windows doesn't know what it is and asks you to choose a program to open with it - scroll down to Winzip and click ok. Viola! You are now looking at the contents in Winzip, in the future this will happen automatically.

A good way to work is leave the Winzip session open and showing the files all the time - when you need to work on one, drag it into a folder. When you're done, drag it back in. Winzip will prompt you to add it, just press enter and your file has been updated.

To test your level, just copy the .thf file into your Thief\userlevels folder. I'll assume you know how to open up you PPC device in an explorer window on the desktop.

The level.txt file

What is this magical file all the kids are talking about? Well, like most data driven games RT needs to know certain things about the level to display it. This txt file is how we tell it what's what. The levels that are including with RT are not zipped, and if you look in your gamelogic dir you'll see all of them - now now, don't use your new found power to edit them and cheat, rather use them as examples.

Let's do what we came her for, let's make a level.

Let's start by making the simplest level imaginable. No replaced sounds and only one graphic - the level itself.

First copy one of Akiko's levels to your HD - let's say, level1_main.png. (You'll find it in \Program Files\Games\Thief\Graphics\Gamedata) Open it in Photoshop (or whatever you have) - edit it! Draw anything you like, but remember, walls that hurt you must be pure white - RGB 255,255,255. (this can actually be changed to any color, or be set instead to "you must be standing on this color or else" mode but we won't worry about that for now)

Let's assume you've copied in a .jpg of your head and drew some white lines. You have an idea of where you want the start and finish to be. Get the X/Y coordinates of the start and finish positions and write them down.

Convert the file to 8 bit. (256 color) Any palette is ok. Actually, you can use 16 or 24 bit images if you wish, but I find I can't see the difference (usually) and it's a waste of space compared to an adapted 8 bit pic.

Save the file as mylevel.png.

Ok, we have the "playfield" ready, now we need to make our level.txt file. Instead of typing everything in by hand, just download this level.txt I made.

Zip it!

Without editting it at all your level will run - but you might die as soon as you start or something, so let's edit the text file. Look for start_xy|22|104 - change this to the thief's start point you wrote down before. (the 22 is the X (horizontal) and the 104 is the Y)

Next you'll want the diamond to show up in the right place. Scroll down - look for //create finish icon then look a bit below for "set_xy|189|69" - set this to where your diamond is supposed to be.

Also, if you named your level something other than mylevel.png you'll have to change that too. (the level.txt file is the only file that MUST be named a certain thing, the rest you can choose)

Test it

To test it, make sure the mylevel.png and level.txt are in the same dir (on your desktop computer) and highlight both files in explorer. Right click and choose "Add to zip". Name the zip "crap.thf" or something. It's ok to use a long name if you want, but I wouldn't use spaces, use underscores instead.

Drag and drop the .thf file into your userlevels dir on your PPC. (Ok fine, it would actually be \Program Files\Games\Thief\userlevels

Run Thief and click User Levels - if you see a different level, use the arrow buttons to cycle until you see your level. Instead of a preview pic you should see a giant question mark because we did not specify one in the level.txt file.

Ok so you played your level - to add things like spinners and animations you need to understand the "Sprite statement" format.

Getting fancy

For instance, to add a spinner to your level cut and past this into your text file somewhere:

sprite_clear
file_name|graphics\gamedata\spin_
animation_active|300
set_xy|145|143
set_sort|1
sprite_create

A spinner is born! Change the 300 to change how fast it spins (it's just an animation we're pulling from the graphics RT comes with)- you could make any kind of moving obstacle you wish if you feel like including them in your thf. Any number of frames is ok.

You already know how to set the position by changing set_xy. There are lots of statements you can add between the sprite_clear and sprite_create to cause different effects - such as moving, scaling, how animations are played and what frame they start at and who get's drawn over who. You can layer multiple effects together.

Check the Thief Scripting Reference for more information.

That's all for today, class.

Now go make some levels! If you would like them posted here at the www.recklessthief.com site just email them to Akiko and she'll put it up. (that's her department) If you have any technical questions ask me. (that's my department)

If you have any suggestions for new features or find bugs please let me know.

- Seth

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