ZQuest Tutorial?

[TheDarkOne]

I want to try using ZQuest and making my own quest, or at least attempting it. The problem I am having is that only tutorial I can find for the ZQuest editor is for the older version, and some of the things it mentions are different in the newer ZQ. I would like to use the newer ZQ but can't find anything that will tell me HOW to use it. Does a tutorial exist for this?

[TheDarkOne]

I'm guessing by the lack of responses that the answer is a resounding no.

[CJC]

The problem is that the new version changed so many of the features that nobody has had a chance to write a comprehensive tutorial for it yet.

I learned how to use ZQuest through reading the help file, but I'm not sure that method's really applicable anymore.


What are you looking to do? Sometimes the best way to figure out the program is to experiment; if you have a general idea I can give you some pointers.

[Brasel]

The Shardstorm Zelda Classic Wiki is a great place to start. http://www.shardstorm.com/ZCwiki/Zelda_Classic

[TheDarkOne]

CJC, what I am trying to do is learn how to use the ZQuest editor. I have played around with few custom quests that were unpassworded, but I know nothing about how to make my own quest from scratch, and the editor isn't very user-friendly if you are a total noob like I am. As I stated above, I only found a guide for the old version and things were done differently. I have a quest idea but no clue where to even begin.

[CJC]

Okay, let's start with the essentials: elements that can be found on the main screen. Before we get into complications like warping and all that, start by creating a new quest and drawing a screen at the map coordinates 00. The default starting position in the game is screen 00, so if you draw your screen here and then load your quest, you'll be able to see your work in action.

Combos
The combo pane is along the right side of the screen. Clicking on a combo sets it as your combo brush, which lets you place that combo anywhere you click on the screen. If you right-click, you can open the combo editor menu. The combo editor has a tile selector (first square), animation settings, a solidity square (pink is solid) and a CSet 2 square (We're not to color management yet, so leave that be for now). If a combo is Solid, Link will treat it as such and not be able to walk upon it. Animation has a number of frames and an animation speed: the frames represent how many tiles to animate before cycling back to the start and the animation speed dictates how fast the combo should animate. It's measured in frames, so a low animation rate animates quickly. There are two pull-downs in the combo editor as well; one is the Combo Type and the other is the Combo's Inherent Flag. We'll talk about flags later, so let's talk about combo types.

A combo can be told to do different things based on what type it is assigned. There's a quick tool next to the pull-down that briefly describes what the selected combo type does.

It is important to note that the combo palette is universal: if you change a combo the change applies everywhere in the quest. If you want to change a combo but only for a certain area, you'll need to make a copy. Since this involves the Combo Pages in the Quest menu, we'll discuss it later.

If you press the "W" key on the main screen, the editor will reveal the walkability of the combos on the screen. You can use this to see where Link can walk and where he cannot. Pressing the key again will remove this display, allowing you to edit again.


Flags
Flags are just as important as combos; they tell the editor when to react to a certain trigger, such as Link's bombs exploding. You can access flags through the flag button at the bottom of the screen, and you can display which flags are currently on screen by pressing the "F" key. Flags too have descriptions when you click on the flag button, and once you have selected a flag you will continue to place flags on screen (instead of combos) until you hit escape, click the flag button again, or click a combo from the combo palette.
To be more specific, Flags trigger secrets. You can find secrets in the Screen menu. A flag, when triggered, will change the combo it is place upon into the corresponding Secret Combo.

Flags trigger secrets, which can be found in the secrets menu. But we're not up to menus yet, so such will be discussed in a different post after you've tried a few things.


Warp Returns
The four blue portal icons, labelled A thru D, are Warp Returns. They dictate where Link should be placed when a warp of a certain letter places him on the screen. Each screen has four tile warps and four side warps, available in the Screen menu. We're not up to menus yet, though, so just know that if you want Link to appear in a particular position, you need to place a warp return. Unless you are using a very particular quest rule, the "A" warp return also sets the continue spot for the screen; be sure to place it somewhere so that Link doesn't get stuck when you load the quest in ZC.

The green portal, or Continue point, remains for backwards compatibility and is only utilized if a very specific quest rule is selected. Quest rules are in the Quest menu and we're not up to menus yet, so we'll discuss that later.


Item Position
The Blue Rupee allows you to set the item position on the screen. If there is not currently an item on screen, it will also pull up a list of the quest's items from which you can choose one. Without screen flags, the item will simply start on screen where you place it. Screen flags are in the screen menu, to be discussed later.


Stairs Position
The Stairs Position is a rather archaic flag, honestly, which dictates where stairs should appear on screens where secrets spawn a set of stairs or enemies reveal stairs on defeat. These settings are controlled in Screen flags; take a peek if you're feeling adventurous.


Quick Map Buttons
Along the bottom of the game screen are a set of buttons with coordinates, like 1:00. These are quick-jump buttons that let you move around the quest file quickly. Clicking one of these buttons will jump to the screen specified, such as screen 00 of map 1. If you then move around the quest, the button remembers your position. You can jump back and forth between two related screens this way.


Layer Controls
Layers are-as is to be expected-secondary screens which overlay their combos on top of the screen in question. Clicking one of the layer buttons will switch to editing the layer screen, rather than the source screen (Referred to as Layer 0). Layers must be enabled to edit layers; this is available in the Screen menu and you can automatically set up an entire map to be the layers for another map.


Enemies
The big dark box near the Warp Return Point boxes is the Enemies box. Double-clicking on this box will let you specify which enemies you wish to appear on screen.
Zelda Classic's engine tracks specific enemies ONLY while Link is on that screen, after which it only tracks how many enemies are still alive. Enemies spawn in order from the top of the list that displays when you click on this box, and enemies that are listed AFTER a blank spot in the list will not spawn at all. You can copy a selected enemy with the "C" key and paste it with the "V" key. You can also delete enemies with the "Delete" key, or by copying an empty enemy slot and pasting it.




That's about it for the main screen. "U" is undo; you can fix one error with this key. Try some things on the main screen, and then we'll talk about menu basics. Note that we have not covered warps yet, so you can't actually leave the map you're on. I'll discuss that next, after you've familiarized yourself with the main screen.

This may all seem really basic, but you didn't give me a specific part of the engine that's bothering you, so I'm giving you everything.

[SUCCESSOR]

Nick had started updating @Aplhadawg 's outdated 1.9 tutorial to be relevant to 2.5. I can't tell you how complete it is. It only covered the very basics to get start last time I looked but that was like 2 years ago.

http://zcguides.celestialrealm.net/tutorials/main/start

If you need specific help feel free to ask right here or (If needed) make a thread for it.

[TheDarkOne]

This may all seem really basic, but you didn't give me a specific part of the engine that's bothering you, so I'm giving you everything.
CJC That's what I need...everthing. I really know nothing about how to build quests, dungeons, secrets, etc., so whatever you can tell me is welcome.
SUCCESSOR Thanks for the link. I think it will help.

[CJC]

That tutorial is fantastic. Way better than me rambling on about various features.

I'll just let you read that tutorial SUCCESSOR linked and answer specific questions as you encounter them(though given its high quality, you probably won't have any problems).

[TheDarkOne]

That tutorial is exactly what I needed. Thanks you so much, SUCCESSOR.