Basics tags
Hi-Tags and Lo-Tags
Hi-Tags and Lo-Tags are difficult to understand at first, but they really aren't complicated at all. I think it's the terms that cause all of the confusion. A Hi-Tag and a Lo-Tag are just number values which can be assigned to any object (sprites, walls, and sectors). Basically, you use a Hi-Tag and a Lo-Tag to "talk" to an object, telling it what you want it to do. For example, if you gave a sector a Lo-Tag of 1, you're telling it to act like water, letting the player float and wade about in it. An object can only be assigned one Hi-Tag, and one Lo-Tag. The floor and ceiling of a sector share tags (so giving either one a tag affects the entire sector).
A Hi-Tag is most commonly used as a unique link or channel which objects share, such as a door and the switch that activates it. The idea of a channel is often confusing for beginners. A channel is simply a unique number value (of your choice) that two or more objects will share. For example, if this hypothetical door and switch were both assigned a channel value of 7, it would be said that they operate on channel 7. No other functional object in the map should have this unique Hi-Tag value or it will become part of the link. Lo-Tags, on the other hand, are mostly used as a pre-set number which tells an object how to act (and this number won't interfere with channels). In some cases the tags will have different meanings, but that's pretty much it. In the Advanced FX section, I will always let you know what the tags do and what numbers to assign to them, all you really need to know is how to assign the tags.
Assigning Tags
2D mode
T - Used to enter a sector Lo-Tag. Place the mouse cursor inside the sector first.
Alt + T - Has the same function as T, except used for walls and sprites.
H - Used to enter a sector Hi-Tag. Place the mouse cursor inside the sector first.
Alt + H - Has the same function as H, except used for walls and sprites.
3D mode
apostrophe ( ' ) + H - If a ceiling or floor is highlighted, this will set the sector's Hi-Tag. If a wall is highlighted, this will set the wall's Hi-Tag. If a sprite is highlighted, this will set the sprite's Hi-Tag.
apostrophe ( ' ) + T - If a ceiling or floor is highlighted, this will set the sector's Lo-Tag. If a wall is highlighted, this will set the wall's Lo-Tag. If a sprite is highlighted, this will set the sprite's Lo-Tag.
Special Sprites
These are the special sprites that are used to make the advanced effects in the game. You don't have to memorize them, but knowing what they are and what they do won't hurt.
TEXTURE# 1 SECTOREFFECTOR
The Sector Effector is used to manipulate sector attributes and create the game effects.
Lo-Tag : a pre-set number which tells a sector how to act.
Hi-Tag : used to link another Sector Effector with the same Lo-Tag so they activate together.
TEXTURE# 2 ACTIVATOR
The Activator is used with Switches or the Touchplate to activate the sector Lo-Tag function or any Sector Effectors within the sector.
Lo-Tag : Set equal to a Switch Lo-Tag or a Touchplate Lo-Tag.
Hi-Tag : [0] = Default. [1] = Open door only (Sector Tag 20/21 doors). [2] = Close door only (Sector Tag 20/21 doors).
TEXTURE# 3 TOUCHPLATE
The Touchplate will activate an Activator, ActivatorLocked, or Masterswitch when the player walks on the sector floor.
Lo-Tag : Set equal to an Activator, ActivatorLocked, or Masterswitch Lo-Tag.
Hi-Tag : [0] = Activate every time the player steps on the floor. [>0] = Activate this many times than never again.
TEXTURE# 4 ACTIVATORLOCKED
The ActivatorLocked locks a sector's Lo-Tag function until the player unlocks it.
Lo-Tag : Set equal to a Switch, Touchplate, Access Switch, or other sprite's Lo-Tag used to unlock it.
TEXTURE# 5 MUSICANDSFX
The MusicandSFX sprite can be used in a few different ways:
- Activation Sound
When used in a sector with a Lo-Tag, the sound will play when the sector's Lo-Tag function is activated.
Lo-Tag : Sound number (primary sound).
Hi-Tag : Sound number (secondary sound). - Ambient Sound
When used in a sector without a Lo-Tag, an ambient sound will be played.
Lo-Tag : Ambient sound number.
Hi-Tag : Maximum audible distance (1024 = the largest grid square in Build). - Random Ambient Sound
When used in a sector with no Lo-Tag, and with a "random ambient" compatible sound, a pre-determined range of sounds will be played randomly.
Lo-Tag : Base sound
Hi-Tag : Range of sounds (beginning with the Base sound). - Echo Effect
When used in a sector without a Lo-Tag, all sounds will have an echo effect.
Lo-Tag : 1000 + the amount of echo from 0-255 (0 being the least amount of echo).
Hi-Tag : Maximum audible distance (1024 = the largest grid square in Build).
TEXTURE# 6 LOCATORS
The Locator is used to define the series of points that a pigcop recon patrol vehicle or a moving sector (subway) will move to. You can only have one Locator path set in a sector. You cannot have a Pigcop RPV and a subway in the same map.
Lo-Tag : Set in an increasing order beginning with 0. When the vehicle reaches the last point, it will loop back to the Locator with Lo-Tag 0.
Hi-Tag : If set to 1, the subway will stop at that point for 5 seconds, then continue. The pigcop RPV is not affected.
TEXTURE# 7 CYCLER
The Cycler is used to make a sector pulsate in brightness. It is often used with a GPSpeed to set the pulsating speed.
Lo-Tag : Sets the initial brightness offset.
Palette : The sector palette will be permanent.
Shade : Set the Cycler shade to when the light is on. Set the sector shade to when the light is off.
GPSpeed Lo-Tag : PulseSpeed value. Ranges from 1 (slowest) to 1023 (fastest).
TEXTURE# 8 MASTERSWITCH
The MasterSwitch activates Sector Lo-Tags or Sector Effectors. It is the exact same as an Activator, except it has a time delay ability and it only activates once (after which the player will have manual control if feasible).
Lo-Tag : Set equal to a Touchplate or Switch Lo-Tag to be activated by.
Hi-Tag : Set time delay until action occurs (32 = 1 second).
TEXTURE# 9 RESPAWN
The Respawn is used to spawn an actor or an item when activated by a Switch, Touchplate, or when the player kills an actor.
Lo-Tag : Set equal to Switch or Touchplate Lo-Tag, or set equal to an actor's Hi-Tag (apparently only the FEM actors work with this).
Hi-Tag : Set equal to any sprite number which has a name assigned to it.
TEXTURE# 10 GPSPEED
The GPSpeed is most commonly used to determine the speed of an object.
Lo-Tag : Rate of movement.
Finishing Up
I'll be referring to these special sprites as they appear in the images. For example, instead of saying "place a Sector Effector", I'll just say "place an S". In the Advanced FX tutorials, I will use the sprite name followed by the Hi-Tag and Lo-Tag you need to assign to the sprite, like this: sprite[Hi-Tag,Lo-Tag] . For example, if I wanted to say "Give a Sector Effector a unique Hi-Tag and a Lo-Tag of 11", I would say it like this: S[unique,11]. If any of these sprites are in brackets, it means that they are optional additions: S[unique,11](S[Delay,10]). Sector and Wall Tags are referred to in the same format. If I wanted to say "Give that sector a Hi-Tag of 1, and a Lo-Tag of 15", I would say it like this: [1,15].
Hopefully all of this isn't too confusing. Move on to the next section when you think you have a basic understanding of what the hell I'm talking about. This stuff will come to you with practice.