$The ZZT Editor

Help is available on the following topics:
!start;Getting Started
!cmds;Editor Commands
!-creature;Creatures
!-terrain;Terrains
!-item;Items
!-lang;ZZT-OOP Programming Language
!-info;Board information menu

:start;Getting started:

   The ZZT Editor is a tool whose purpose
is to help you create challenging and
entertaining games.

   By using the editor, you can create
individual game boards and then link them
together into a larger entity called a
"world".

   The editor functions the same as many
drawing programs:  Starting with a blank
screen, objects are added and arranged
until an interesting picture emerges.
Once a board has been created, it can be
saved to disk and then played, just like
a ready-made game.

   The editor is somewhat complex, so it
takes time to master.  Begin by creating
a few simple boards, then work you way
up to more complex scenarios at your own
pace.  The results will be well worth the
effort.


:cmds;Editing commands:

[L]  Load a world from disk.
[S]  Save a world to disk.
[Q]  Quit the ZZT Editor.
[B]  Switch boards.  Also use this command
     to create a new board.
[I]  Board Information:  Change the
     characteristics of the particular
     board being edited.
!-info;More about Board Information.
[f1] Place an item on the board.
[f2] Place a creature on the board.
[f3] Place terrain on the board.
[f4] Enter text onto the board.  Use this
     to spruce up your boards with
     entertaining messages.  During
     gameplay, text acts like walls.
[Space] Place the selected pattern on the
     board.  The pattern is indicated on
     the bottom right of the screen.
[Tab] Toggle drawing mode.  When drawing
     mode is on, the current pattern will
     automatically be placed wherever the
     cursor is moved.
[P]  Select pattern.
[C]  Select color.

   Some useful commands are not listed on
the screen.  These are:

[Z]  Clear board.
[X]  Fill in bounded region with
     current pattern - just draw the
     outline of a shape and use this
     command to fill it in.
[Enter] Modify object under cursor:
     Allows you to change the
     properties of an object
     that has already been
     placed.
[N]  New: Create a new world.
[T]  Transfer:  Import or Export boards.
     Allows individual boards to be
     brought in or out of worlds.
     A board from one world can be
     written to a file, then read back
     into a different world.
