Section 3 - Adding Objects to Your Model


Most objects are static and merely for decoration but add a lot to the environment since they are of more highly refined and detailed shapes than the building blocks of the editor. Some objects require triggers to activate, but you need to place a few objects in your model before you can take that step.

You learned earlier a little bit about a WAD file – how it contains the compressed information of the objects you place in your level. If you look in the WADS folder on your C drive, you will see that a WAD is comprised of several different files. Find “tut1.was” and open it in notepad. Print it out if you have access to a printer. Taking a close look at the WAS file will help you understand more about selecting the objects you want to place in your level.

The WAS file is the list of everything in the WAD, and shows the different “slots” for the objects and animations in the WAD. It would be easier if items were listed by their names in the OBJECT PANEL menu, but they are not. Sometimes it is easier to refer to the WAS file to find the specific slot name. For example, the pillars you are about to place are in a slot called “Debris 3”. If you were looking for something called “pillars” you wouldn’t have much luck. Of course you have the option of scrolling through the objects one by one to view them in the OBJECT PANEL window, but sometimes it is hard to see them and it can be time consuming.

Also, there are some items in the Object Menu that even though you can place them in your model, would look ridiculous….for example, the icons for save and load and Lara’s hair, to name a few. For a more information about the WAS file, and WADs in general take a look at “WAD WAS WHAT?” in the Reference Section.

Placing Objects

1. You became somewhat familiar with the OBJECT PANEL when you placed Lara in your model in order to make the playable TR4 file. Using the arrows on either side of the OBJECT PANEL text box scroll through the items until you come to “Debris 3.” You will see an image of the pillar in the Object View Window. (Sometimes it is faster to select objects by clicking in the Object Text Window to bring up the menu of available objects).

2. Now go to the EDITOR WINDOW PANEL and turn off the 2D MAP and FACE EDIT buttons. If FACE EDIT is left on it will either rotate or place a different texture on the square you touch when you click to place your object.

3. Click the PLACE OBJECT button located on the OBJECT PANEL. Then, in the EDITOR WINDOW, click on the square in your “Dome Room X” where you want to place the object and it will appear. (Check the demo model for location.)

4. Select the square on the ceiling above the pillar and lower it down until it touches the top of the pillar. You will have to adjust the slope back to a flat surface. To do this, select the correct square and lower it a few clicks. Use the flatten ceiling command (F6) to make it a flat plane again. Be sure you have the right square highlighted before you use this command, but don’t forget that you can use the Undo (control U) command if you make a mistake!

5. Place the other three pillars and then fix the ceiling squares above them. Use the CUT and PASTE command you learned in the Building Your Skills section to save a little time.

6. Now raise the four central squares 4 clicks to create the platform.

Moving and Deleting Objects

Objects can be moved around the model exactly the same way as lights. (Refer to the section Moving Lights if you need guidance) If you want to delete an object, making sure it is selected, use your delete key.

Rotating Objects

In addition to moving an object up and down or from square to square, you can rotate it by 45 degree increments as you did with Lara. Objects that are by default placed on the edge of a square (like the torch object), when rotated will go from one edge of the square to the next edge.

Lighting Objects

An Object has its own light settings and is only partially affected by local light sources. Sometimes it is necessary to adjust these settings in order to create the illusion that an object is being affected by the local light. On the OBJECT PANEL find the RGB settings with the words “Object Tint” above. Click the RGB values to adjust – they jump by 8 with each click. If you have used a strongly colored light or your room is quite dark, you might want to match the object’s settings with those of the light. (If the room is dark and you don’t adjust the object’s lighting, your object will look like it is glowing in the dark.)

NOTE: There is a limit to the number of objects you can place in a level! The total is around 245, which is 10 less than the total number in the information box below the Editor Window. The reason for this is you must leave at least 10 animating slots free for in-game animations.

Placing the Remaining Objects

Dome Room - You just finished placing the columns and raising a platform in the center of the dome room, so you may as well place the remaining objects while you are here. Go ahead and check the demo model for the location of the other objects. (We’ll get to the camera a little later.)

1. To place the statues in “Dome Room X”, scroll to the “ARCHITECTURE6” slot to choose the “Guard” object; for the ram statues scroll to “PLANT8” and “PLANT9”. (There are front and back pieces to these statues. Place both pieces on the same square. You’ll also have to rotate each of the pieces until they match up.)

2. Find BADDY_1 in the object menu and place him in the corner.

3. Grab the SMALLMEDI_ITEM to place on top of the platform.

First Room
1. Choose the wall torch from ANIMATING2 slot in the objects menu.

2. Place one on each of the floor squares next to the columns as per demo model “First Room”. You may need to rotate the torch so it is rests against the column. Do this by right clicking on the object until it reaches the desired position.

3. Locate “Flame_Emitter2” from the object menu. This is a “Nullmesh” object - one that you can’t see in the game but performs a function (in this case, makes a flame). Place the “Flame_Emitter2” object so that it is over the end of the torch. Refer to the original model for the correct rotation. (Make sure you choose the right Flame Emitter object!)

4. Place the two statues guarding the doorway at the end of the room. They are located in the “ANIMATING7” slot.

5. To place the three pick-up items in your model, click on a pick-up in the demo model “First Room” to bring up its name. (It will appear in a yellow box in front of the object.) Go to the OBJECT PANEL to select that object to place in your model.

Cropped Room
Place the vases (“SHATTER0” slot from the objects menu) as per demo “Cropped Room”. Later in the level you will set up a vase with an object hidden beneath it.

Side Room
The small “Side Room” contains a few pick-ups. Check the demo for name and location.

Hall 1 and Hall 2
Now place each of the double doors (objects “Door_Type1” and “Door_Type2”) leading from the “First Room” into “Hall1” and from “Cropped Room” into “Hall 2”. Because of the direction in which the doors open, they need to be placed in the halls, not the rooms leading into the halls.

Now you are ready to set some triggers…without triggers, you wouldn’t be able to get through the doors you just added to your model. This is where the fun begins!