Initializing Your World

Before we can begin making changes in the editor, we must create our own set of 3D world files that are different from the existing Being-there world that normally comes up when we run the Being-there 3D Chat program.

In order to do this, we assume you are familiar with Windows Explorer, the file manager for Windows.

First, make copies (don't rename) the following default files used by the editor:default.bst - the bitmaps

• copy default.bst to my.bst - these are the "bitmaps" that are used to form textures and actor types
• copy default.flt to my.flt - the "flats", that is, textures for the floors and ceilings
• copy default.tdf to my.tdf - the "textures" (pointers to one or more bitmaps per texture)
• copy default.typ to my.typ - the "types" of actors (props, trees, plants, pictures, statues, etc. Avatars are a form of "actor", but they are added dynamically at runtime, so you can't edit them here.)

Next, make the following changes to the file edit4dx.ini with your text editor, so that the 3D Editor will always bring up the new files instead of the old ones:

 

Existing Text	Replace with this new text
[Defaults] Default.Bitmapset=default.bst Default.Texturedef=default.tdf Default.Flatset=default.flt Default.FrameinfoType=default.typ	[Defaults] Default.Bitmapset=my.bst Default.Texturedef=my.tdf Default.Flatset=my.flt Default.FrameinfoType=my.typ

Save the above edit4dx.ini file, and close it. These changes will assure that when you bring up the 3D Editor, you will see the values in the "my.*" files, rather than the files that control the default Being-there environment.

Next, launch the Being-there 3D World editor from the Start menu:

"Start" -> "Programs" -> "Being-there" -> "Being-there World Editor"

You will be presented with the default main screen of the editor, as described in detail in the reference page.

Now we need to save your own personal world, as a .4dx map file. Select the menu:

"File" -> "Save Level As"

and name the file "my" or "my.4dx". Next time you enter the editor, you will have to load this file with the menu:

"File" -> "Load Level"

and pick the file "my.4dx"

To familiarize yourself with the use of this main screen, study the Main Screen reference page. If this is too tedious for now, proceed to the next section of this tutorial, Creating a New Sector.

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