Custom Tools

      Custom tools are Plugins that modify how actors are created and/or edited in STAGE. If the appropriate Plugin is activated (see the Plugins chapter for information about how to manage Plugins) and the tool is enabled, then the editing of certain actors in STAGE will be modified based on the tool. Generally, all tools should contain a respective toolbar button that will allow you to quickly enable/disable the use of that tool (Figure 6.3 shows the toolbar button for the custom Fence Tool).
 
 

Fence Tool


Figure 6.1: Placing a Fence.

      The Fence tool is used to place any type of object that consists of consecutive points connected together such as a fence as shown in Figure 6.1.
 
      When first creating a fence (by dragging an appropriate fence actor into your map) the Fence tool will automatically activate itself if the Fence Tool Plugin is active, and put you into creation mode. While in creation mode, a fence segment will be generated between your original creation point and the current position of the mouse cursor. Clicking the left mouse button will place that segment and begin creation of another segment. To exit creation mode, un-check the “Create New Points” checkbox located in the tools pop up window (Figure 6.2 ) or double click the mouse button. When not in creation mode, selecting a fence post will allow you to reposition it as desired using the STAGE gizmo tool. You may also delete currently generated posts by selecting them and pressing the “Delete Link Point” button in the tools' window (Figure 6.2 again). Pressing the “Finished” button or choosing another tool ( Figure 6.3) will deactivate the tool.
 
       If the fence you are placing contains multiple segment textures and/or post meshes, right clicking on that segment or post will cycle between all of the textures and meshes it contains. For example, you could place a fence actor that has an alternate texture used for the segment which looks like a wire fence with a hole cut into it.
 
 


Figure 6.2: Linked Points Actor Tool Window.
 

Figure 6.3: Tool Mode Toolbar.

      The Tool Mode Toolbar shown in Figure 6.3 will allow you to switch between the various tool modes. The first icon (from the left) represents the normal tool mode and is the default for most editing. The second icon is for the Linked Points Actor Tool, which is the base tool used for both the Fence and Building Tools (which will be discussed next).
 
 

Building Tool


Figure 6.4: Creating a Building.

      The Building tool is a variation of the Fence tool that allows the user to create an enclosed building that consists of walls and a roof. The editing is done very similarly to the Fence tool except that you create points that define the perimeter for the building. The building tool also depends on the Linked Points Actor Tool Plugin and re-uses the same windows as the Fence Tool (Figure 6.2).
 
 

Random Actor Generator

      The Random Actor Generator tool is one of the few tools that takes advantage of the STAGE Brush. The STAGE Brush is, by default, a cube that floats at the origin of the editor view ( Figure 2.1 shows this brush in an empty map). When the Random Actor Generator plugin is active, a new window should appear (Figure 6.5) allowing access to the functionality of the tool.
 
 


Figure 6.5: Random Actor Generator Window.
      To begin using this tool, the first step is to position and resize the STAGE Brush to cover the area that you want actors generated by this tool to be created. For the second step, you will need to define the actor you wish to generate. To do this, select an actor in your map (other than the STAGE Brush). Figure 6.6 shows a Large Shack being selected for generation. Using the Random Actor Generator window, you can set all of the properties you wish such as the number of actors to generate and how you want them to be rotated.

      Pressing the “Generate!” button will generate the actors randomly placed and rotated within the area encompassed by the STAGE Brush volume ( Figure 6.7 shows the results of an actor generation).
 
 


Figure 6.6: Selecting a Large Shack for Random Actor Generation.
 

Figure 6.7: Random Actor Generator tool used to generate 10 ground clamped Large Shacks in an area.

 

Real Time Strategy (RTS) Camera

      The Real Time Strategy (RTS) Camera is meant to emulate a standard camera best used in an RTS style game. When this Plugin is enabled, the original STAGE Camera motion will no longer apply. Instead, your controls will be:
  • Left or Right mouse button while dragging will rotate the view around a focal point.
  • Left and Right mouse buttons together, or the middle mouse button, will translate the camera along the terrain (x/y plane).
  • Mouse wheel up will zoom the camera towards the position of your mouse cursor in the window.
  • Mouse wheel down will zoom the camera out.

 
 
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