Construction Kit
The construction kit is a fully functional level designer which can be used to create your own levels. It will also allow you to compile your own game which can be played through just like the other 1 player modes.
For those who used the construction kit in the original Cave Chaos, not much is different except for selecting sprites.
The editor uses the mouse as primary control. At the top of the screen is are 3 boxes titled options, sprites and graphic variant. Click sprite or graphic variant to select sprites for both left and right mouse buttons. Next to this is 4 little squares with different pictures (pencil etc.), this is the drawing mode you are in.
Once a sprite has been selected, placing them is as simple as moving over the grid and using the left/right mouse buttons to place the selected left/right sprite.
If the level under development is larger than full screen, you can use the cursor keys to scroll the level around.
The menu
Clicking on the menu box in the top left corner will bring up the menu, where you can do different things.
New: This resets all the grid back to dirt.
Open: Brings up the open file menu. A level can be opened by left clicking on the tick at the side of the file name. Click OK to return to the editor.
Save: Saves the level to hard drive. If the level has not been saved before and has no name, you will automatically be taken to Save As.
Save As: Brings up the Save As menu. Click on the 'T' box (text) to input a name for the level. Click OK to save the level, cancel to return to editor without saving.
Set Attributes: Brings up the set attributes box where you can change various aspects of the level.
Level Type: Determine whether the level is a standard level or a bonus level. The difference between them is that a bonus level is not compulsory to complete. When you die in a bonus stage or run out of time, the next level is started.
Width: Set the width of the level in squares. The minimum width is 25 (screen width). The maximum is 100.
Height: Set the height of the level in squares. The minimum height is 17 (screen height). The maximum is 100.
Jewels Needed: Set the number of jewels that must be collected before the exit is available.
Time: Set a time limit. In a bonus stage, the exit must be reached within the time limit to get any score or extra lives collected in the level. In normal levels, it is not compulsory to complete the level within the time, but any time left at the ends will be converted to 200 points for every second left.
Tools: Brings up the tools menu. Currently only one tool is support. Future versions of Cave Chaos 2 will hope to contain more.
Random: Set the number of sprites that are placed when the random function is called.
Graphics scheme: brings up the graphics/music options.
The sprites displayed in the box can be changed with the up, down arrow buttons and the music can be changed with the +,- buttons, or tested with the Play and Stop buttons. For a music-free level, select Music 0.
Test: Test the level.
Create Game: Goes to the create game screen explained here.
Exit: Return to Cave Chaos 2 main menu.
Sprite selection
The sprite select menu displays all of the sprites in Cave Chaos 2, the objects with changeable graphics will always match the graphics selected in the graphics menu. If selecting sprites from the graphic variant box, the sprite will show that graphic and will not change when the graphic options are changed.
Drawing Mode
New to version 1.1, the drawing mode determines how you plant sprites
Pencil: This is the default. Just hold down your mouse button to draw the sprite to the screen.
Hollow Rectangle: Once you press a mouse button on the grid, hold it and move the mouse to draw a rectangle of the sprites at once. Let go of the mouse button to place them. This can be used to draw straight lines too.
Solid Rectangle: Like the hollow rectangle. This will fill your selection box with the sprite you have selected.
Random: Click anywhere on the grid and the sprite will be placed randomly on the grid. The amount placed defaults to 20 but can be changed in the tools menu.
New to version 1.3, you can grab a sprite from the level board. Just hold left control and click on a sprite on the screen to select it.