The following is a detailed description of each of the entries in a Zone Def file. For a more practical view, see the example below


• Zone Font File
  
  
  "Fonts", sprites that represent numbers, letters, and symbols for use in displaying text, can be loaded here so that they are only available while the game is in this Zone. This entry should contain the name of the "Font Listing File" that lists all fonts that should be loaded for this Zone. If the file is not in this Zone's folder, its path must be included with its name. This path must be "relative", meaning that it must show how to get to the Font Listing File from this folder, not how to find it from the "Root Directory"
  
  
  
• Number of Texts
  
  
  Text strings may be loaded by the Zone Def and stored for use by Functions or Status Scripts that are called during this Zone. This value specifies how many will be listed, and the list itself should appear directly below:
  
  
  • Text
    
    
    Any text that should be displayed at any time or used for file loading purposes should appear on these lines. Linebreaks (enter keypresses) are not allowed within any string, as they signify the end of the string itself
    
    
    
• Zone Music Def File
  
  
  Music that should be available to this Zone and its Acts can be loaded here by entering the name of a "Music Def" file that contains a list of the desired Musics and their types. If the file is not in this folder, its path must be included with its name. This path must be "relative", meaning that it must show how to get to the Music Def File from this folder, not how to find it from the "Root Directory"
  
  
  
• Zone Sound Effect Def File
  
  
  Sounds that must be available to this Zone and its Acts can be loaded here by entering the name of a "Sound Effect Def" file that contains a list of the desired sounds. If the file is not in this folder, its path must be included with its name. This path must be "relative", meaning that it must show how to get to the Sound Effect Def File from this folder, not how to find it from the "Root Directory"
  
  
  
• Zone Object Def File
  
  
  This entry should contain the name of the "Object Def" file that lists all of the "Game Objects" that should be loaded for this Zone. If the file is not in this folder, its path must be included with its name. This path must be "relative", meaning that it must show how to get to the Object Def File from thhis folder, not how to find it from the "Root Directory"
  
  
  
• Number of Zone Status Objects
  
  
  This is the number of "Status Scripts" that should be loaded for this "Zone". Each Script that should be loaded is listed immediately after:
  
  
  • Zone Status Object
    
    
    Each of these entries should contain the name of a Status Script file that should be loaded for this Zone. If the file is not in this folder, its path must be included with its name. This path must be "relative", meaning that it must show how to get to the Status Script File from this folder, not how to find it from the "Root Directory"
    
  
  
• Number of Total Zone Funcs
  
  
  This value declares how many "Functions" the game should make room for in its Zone Function list. This must be equal to the number of total Functions that are listed in the "Function Files" that are loaded below
  
  
  
• Number of Zone Func Files
  
  
  Functions may be grouped together by including more than one in each file, so they are easier to keep track of. This value declares how many files should be read to load all of the Functions that should be available for this Zone. The names of the files themselves are listed immediately after:
  
  
  • Function File
    
    
    Each of these entries should contain the name of a Function File that should be loaded for this Zone. Each file may contain more than one Function, and the ID numbers of each Function are determined by the order in which they would appear if they were all in a single file, in the order that their files are listed, plus the number of "Global"/"Game" functions there are. If the file is not in this folder, its path must be included with its name. This path must be "relative", meaning that it must show how to get to the Function File from this folder, not how to find it from the "Root Directory"
    
  
  
• Number of Acts
  
  
  This value declares how many "Acts" (individual levels) this "Zone" has. Data for each "Act" is listed directly below:
  
  
  • Init Func
    
    
    This is the ID number of the Game Function that should run immediately when the game switches to this Act. The "G", "Z", and "A" tags may be used here.
    
    
    
  • Act Font File
    
    
    "Fonts", sprites that represent numbers, letters, and symbols for use in displaying text, can be loaded here so that they are only available while the game is in this "Act". This entry should contain the name of the "Font Listing File" that lists all fonts that should be loaded for this "Act". If the file is not in this Zone's folder, its path must be included with its name. This path must be "relative", meaning that it must show how to get to the Font Listing File from this folder, not how to find it from the "Root Directory"
    
    
    
  • Act Music Def File
    
    
    Music that should be available to this Act can be loaded here by entering the name of a "Music Def" file that contains a list of the desired Musics and their types. If the file is not in this folder, its path must be included with its name. This path must be "relative", meaning that it must show how to get to the Music Def File from this folder, not how to find it from the "Root Directory"
    
    
    
  • Act Sound Effect Def File
    
    
    Sounds that must be available to this Ac" can be loaded here by entering the name of a "Sound Effect Def" file that contains a list of the desired sounds. If the file is not in this folder, its path must be included with its name. This path must be "relative", meaning that it must show how to get to the Sound Effect Def File from this folder, not how to find it from the "Root Directory"
    
    
    
  • Act Object Def File
    
    
    This entry should contain the name of the "Object Def" file that lists all of the "Game Objects" that should be loaded for this Act. If the file is not in this folder, its path must be included with its name. This path must be "relative", meaning that it must show how to get to the Object Def File from this folder, not how to find it from the "Root Directory"
    
    
    
  • Number of Act Status Objects
    
    
    This is the number of "Status Scripts" that should be loaded for this Act. Each Script that should be loaded is listed immediately after:
    
    
    • Game Status Object
      
      
      Each of these entries should contain the name of a Status Script file that should be loaded for this Act. If the file is not in this folder, its path must be included with its name. This path must be "relative", meaning that it must show how to get to the "Status Script" File from this folder, not how to find it from the "Root Directory"
      
    
    
  • Number of Total Zone Funcs
    
    
    This value declares how many "Functions" the game should make room for in its Act function list. This must be equal to the number of total Functions that are listed in the "Function Files" that are loaded below
    
    
    
  • Number of Act Func Files
    
    
    Functions may be grouped together by including more than one in each file, so they are easier to keep track of. This value declares how many files should be read to load all of the "Functions" that should be available for this Act. The names of the files themselves are listed immediately after:
    
    
    • Function File
      
      
      Each of these entries should contain the name of a Function File that should be loaded for this Act. Each file may contain more than one Function, and the ID numbers of each Function are determined by the order in which they would appear if they were all in a single file, in the order that their files are listed, plus the number of "Global"/"Game" and "Zone" functions there are. If the file is not in this folder, its path must be included with its name. This path must be "relative", meaning that it must show how to get to the Function File from this folder, not how to find it from the "Root Directory"
      
    
    
  • Number of Boundary Events
    
    
    "Boundary Events" activate functions when the player or the camera has crossed into a certain area of the level. This value declares the number of events that can be triggered while in this Act, and each event is listed immediately below:
    
    
    • Event
      
      
      Each event has its own parameters, as listed:
      
      
      • Boundary X1
        
      • Boundary Y1
        
      • Boundary X2
        
      • Boundary Y2
        
        
        These are the positions that define the section of the level that will activate this event
        
        
        
      • Target Object
        
        
        What will activate the event when it crosses the boundaries?
        
        0 - Camera
        1 - Player Position (Usually center)
        2 - Player Main Boundaries (usually outter edges)
        
        
        
      • Num Function Calls
        
        
        This value declares how many functions will be called when the event is triggered. The functions and when to call them are listed below:
        
        
        • Func ID
          
          
          This is the ID number of the function to call when the event is satisfied. The "G", "Z", and "A" tags may be used here. This function will be processed immediately (it will not wait for normal "Game Function" processing to finish before running for the first time), this will allow it to make use of the "Curr_Player" Game Variable to affect the Player that triggered it, however, it will not remember this Player if it is told to "wait" by a Loop or Break command.
          
          
          
        • When To Call
          
          
          This is when the function can be activated. Once a Player has activated the event, he not will trigger it again until he has entered another boundary area and then returned, or his Player_Curr_Boundary variable has been manually set to a value other than this boundary's ID.
          
          0 - Every time the boundary is crossed
          1 - The first time it is crossed
          2 - The first time it is crossed by each player
          
  
  
• Number of placeable Debug Objects
  
  
  This value represents the number of "Game Objects" that should be placed on the "Debug Listing" for this zone. The "Debug Listing" makes objects available for placement in "Debug Mode", and the Object Editor. The Object IDs are listed immediately below:
  
  
  • Object ID
    
    
    This is the ID number of the Game Object that should appear at this position in the Debug Listing. The "G", "Z", and "A" tags may be used here.
    

The following is an example setup for a Zone Def file to better demonstrate how to put the above information into practice. Use the same format and fill in the appropriate values given the information contained throughout the various documents to create a "Zone" for an E02 game.

In this example, assume that Text 0 is used by a Status Script that will display the level's name, and that Texts 1-3 are used by Command calls to load level data that are stored in the Zone 1 folder under the "mettrix" game folder. They don't necessarily have to be set up this way.

;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;
; Example Zone Def ;
;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;

Zone Font File:                  NONE

Number of Texts:    4

         Text 0:    Level Name
         Text 1:    mettrix\zone01\1.lev
         Text 2:    mettrix\zone01\1.til
         Text 3:    mettrix\zone01\1.itm

Zone Music Def File:             music.def

Zone Sound Effect Def File:      NONE

Zone Object Def File:            objects.def


Number of Zone Status Objects:   0


Number of Total Zone Funcs:      2
 Number of Zone Func Files:      1
           Function File 0:      ZoneFunc.def
                                 ;0- Act 0 Init
                                 ;1- Act 1 End Boundary Event

Number of Acts:      1
Act  0- Init Func:   Z0 ;Act1 Init

        Act Font File:                  NONE

        Zone Music Def File:            NONE

        Zone Sound Effect Def File:     NONE

        Act Object Def File:            NONE

        Number of Act Status Objects:   0

        Number of Total Act Funcs:      0
         Number of Act Func Files:      0

        Number of Boundary Events:      1
         Event 0-        Boundary X1:8728
                         Boundary Y1:-2147483647 ;Lowest possible position value
                         Boundary X2:9999
                         Boundary Y2: 2147483647 ;Highest possible position value
                       Target Object:   0        ;Camera (1 - Player Center, 2 - Player MainBound)
                  Num Function calls:   2
         Function 0-         Func ID:  Z1        ;Zone Function 1
                        When To Call:   2        ;Once Per Player (0- Every Time, 1- Once)
         Function 1-         Func ID:  Z2        ;Zone Function 2
                        When To Call:   2        ;Once Per Player (0- Every Time, 1- Once)


Number of Placeable Debug Objects:    4

                      Object ID 0:   G1
                      Object ID 1:   G2
                      Object ID 2:   Z0
                      Object ID 3:   Z1