Ttutorials

In this tutorial you will learn the basics of making scenery items for RCT 2. Before we start first you will need the scenery editor which you can pick up HERE than download the test image we will be using in this tutorial HERE. Feel free to do whatever you want with the image once you have downloaded it.

First you need to import your images into the editor. The editor only supports BMP files and they must not exceed a width of 64 pixels. The best images to use are ones generated in a 3d program either by modeling a mesh or creating 1 from scratch...of course you can always draw the images in manually but that takes too damn long! Load your images now by clicking the open image button.

You will now be presented with this screen below. This is the screen where you will place your images for each angle in the game. For now choose the SW button and click it.

The image will now be placed into the SW window ready for editing. Go ahead and add the same image for all views since this objects basically looks the same from all angles. later if you make an object that does not look the same from all views you will need to make 4 separate images than in that case.

Now we need to turn on the grid so we can see where the object will sit on a tile in the game. Do that now by clicking the grid button it will look like 2 blue squares hovering above each other. When you have the grid turned on a blue box will appear in all your windows this represents an actual game tile where the object will be placed in.

Now locate the clearance box and use the arrows to move the 2nd box up and down move it so that it sits just above the object. This is used to determine how close objects will be stacked on top of the object.

Now we need to make sure the object sits right in the center of the tile to do this simply use the buttons underneath the object. Make sure to do this for all the angles.

Once we have all the angles centered in the tile it's time to grab your paintbrushes! First we need to get a close up view of our object so to do that click the zoom button. Your object will zoom out giving you a fairly good view of it now it's time to paint!

You've probably noticed the pretty colors below your object well what do they do? Good question most of them are used to simply touch up your object unless your drawing it from scratch. But what about those buttons that say map what do they do? We'll find out now so click the map 1 check box than click the green paintbrush icon.

Now than first to explain this button is used to paint a map layer onto your object so that it can actually be changed colour by the player instead of it remaining that ugly white! You have 2 map choices to use for now we'll use the green paintbrush and paint the entire top of the object. Don't worry about staying in the lines because the paintbrush won't paint anything that's completely BLACK like the background. Go ahead and paint the ball of the object use the round circles near the paint palette to change the size of the brush it doesn't matter if you get a a bit of green below the ball we'll fix that in a moment.

Right when your done now click the map 2 check box that click the red paintbrush icon it's time to paint the bottom of the object!

Just like with the green paintbrush paint the bottom of the object don't forget to make sure none of the red is on the ball and vice verse you might want to get real close to your screen that's what I do! Now when your done do the same with the other angles. Now than what have we learnt? The green represents the 1st colour you can change in the game and the red the 2nd! You can only make part of or a whole object have 2 parts of it that will actually change colour in the game the parts you don't paint with the map brushes will remain the way they look right now in this case they would stay white.

Now to edit the attributes of this object. First to explain what everything does:

	Build cost: This is the actual cost of the scenery it will cost to build in the game.
	Refund: When you bulldoze the scenery you can specify how much money you get back if you put a minus (-) value in than say the scenery cost is 20 and you put -10 than you get 10 back.
	Rotatable: Only select this if your scenery has 4 different viewing angles if all angles look the same than there's no need to select this.
	Stackable: If you want to be able to stack your scenery than select this. Not selecting it will deny you from placing anything on top of the object except for roofs.
	Flat land only: Selecting this will only allow the scenery to be placed on flat land no slopes or angles.
	No supports: If you select this when you stack the object or place it on a high path etc no supports will go under the object it will look like it is floating. Only select this if your scenery is a wall, roof or something that you think doesn't need supports (like my 3d letters)
	Paint supports: Finally selecting this will allow your objects supports to be able to be changed colour in the game. If you have no supports selected than this option will not appear.

Now up the top click the description button this is where you will give your object it's name and also how you will be able to find it to select it in the game.

When your all done save your object you can only type a max of 8 characters to name your object's .dat file.

Now the moment of truth start the game and test your object! When the game has started open the scenario editor. The only way to use custom scenery is in scenarios you can either load 1 up or create 1 from scratch. For now were just testing the object so first find it in the object selection screen. To find it first click the advanced button you will find the scenery in the category small scenery just click the trees you can't miss it because it will be named what you named it earlier! Make sure the check box is checked than go to the landscape editor.

Custom made scenery will always appear in the other objects tab (just click the question mark) Now notice how the top and bottom of the object can be changed colour? Go ahead have a play around with changing the colors of it than place it on the terrain everything should be fine. That's the basics of object creation!