01/19/2016
+ introduced change history
+ split game objects into general, enemies and triggers
+ more game objects info

01/18/2016
+ setup
+ general info
+ level characteristics
+ list of game objects
+ Workshop Tool

Bloo Kid 2 uses an open source tilemap editor called "Tiled". Get it here:
http://www.mapeditor.org/

This guide will NOT cover the usage of Tiled itself. You can find the official documentation that explains the general usage of Tiled here:
https://github.com/bjorn/tiled/wiki

There also exists a community for Tiled
http://forum.mapeditor.org/

This guide is not yet complete. It currently covers the very basics of creating and submitting userlevels. The guide will be updated regularly until it covers every aspect you need to know for utilizing every gameplay mechanic within the game. You can already use Tiled to build levels that contain everything that the game has to offer, yet not all details about the creation process are contained right now.


Bloo Kid 2 uses Tiled's custom file format ".tmx". The current installation of the game includes two template level files (more coming in the future). They are basically just a copy of level 1-1 and level 2-1 and you can use them as a starting point for learning about Tiled.


To find the Bloo Kid 2 level files, you must browse to the installation folder of the game.

Within the Steam client, go to your Library and right click on Bloo Kid 2.
Select Properties....
Then click on Local Files.
Select Browse Local Files as shown below.


This will open an explorer window that points to the installation folder of the game.
Open the data folder and you will see a my_userlevels folder. This folder contains the two template levels.

You should be able to load and display them within the Tiled Editor.


You can also browse the data/maps folder to access the games' original levels. You are encouraged to study the original levels for learning purposes, or create and share modifications of these levels. It is not recommended to overwrite the files in the maps folder directly though, since you will be changing the original games' content and might ruin your gaming experience. Always create a copy of the level first.

It is not necessary to move your levels to the my_userlevels folders. They only need to reside in a subfolder of data. We still recommend storing them in the my_userlevels folder to clearly separate userlevels from original content.


To test a certain level, simply drag & drop the .tmx file onto the BlooKid2.exe file. The game will launch and will immediately start with the level.

Even though the usage of the Tiled editor is not covered here, there are still some characteristics about the Bloo Kid 2 levels that need to be explained, even to the experienced Tiled-User.


The Bloo Kid 2 levels have no size restriction, besides harddisk space and memory available.


All tiles that are used for the creation of a level are contained within a single tileset imagefile named tileset.png. All gameobjects are contained in another tileset imagefile named objects.png.
When loading an existing level, these two tilesets are already loaded and ready to use.


Each map has its own custom properties.

• timelimit
  The timelimit in seconds
  
  
• music
  The name of the background music file. You pick the name of any mp3 file that is contained in the data/sounds folder of the game.
  Adding custom music files to your music is currently not supported. You can copy a file into the sound folder and use it locally in your level. But the files will not be transferred once submitting your level to the workshop.
  
  
• parallax1...x
  These are the infos for the parallax scrolling backgrounds. You can basically have an unlimited amount of parallax layers.
  
  Each layer consists of the following comma-separated data:
  name of texture;x-scroll factor;y-scroll factor;x-offset;y-offset;x-autscroll speed;y-autoscroll speed;active index (0 / 1)
  
  
  • Name of Texture
    Every texture from data/textures can be used. However, use of the dedicated parallax layers is adviced.
    
    
  • x and y scroll factor
    Defines the scroll factor relative to the level-scrolling.
    A value of 0.5 means that the parallax background will scroll with half the speed of the normal tile layers. 2.0 means it scroll with double the speed.
    
    
  • x and y offset
    This is the offset in pixels where the parallax layer will begin. The clouds in world one are in the top area of the screen, but the hills start in the lower section of the screen.
    
    
  • x and y autoscroll speed
    This is the speed by which the layer moves even if the level is currently not scrolling. Usually used for passing cloud layers.
    
    
  • active index
    The game can switch between to sets of layers by using a background-switch gameobject. This effect is used in the castle levels, where you can see skies and green hills outside of the castle, but colums and brickwalls in the inside.
    All layers with active-index 0 are active at once, while all with 1 are inactive. Once the levelswitch 1 object comes into view, all layers with index 0 are set inactive while all with 1 are set active. The levelswitch 0 object reactivates active-index 0 again.
    
    See data/maps/1_4.tmx for an example of how to use the active index and background-switch objects.

As in most games, Bloo Kid 2's levels consist of several different layers. Not all levels do necessarily contain all layers since some of them are optional. However, some layers can be found in each and every level. Be sure not to rename the layers, since the game interacts with them by using their given name.

Make sure to have the correct layer selected when editing specific parts of your level.

Layers have specific userdefines properties applied to them:

• sortOrder
  This defines the z-rendering-order of the layer. The higher the value, the deeper will the layer be rendered in the background. This means that a layer with a sort order of 90 is rendered on top of a layer with 100, covering the latter. When creating your level from a copy of an original level, you do not need to change any sortOrder at all.
  
  
• color
  Layers can have a color property assigned (as with the glow-layer for example). The value is a 8-characters hex colorcode as used in html, missing the leading #.
  
  The composition of the code is RRGGBBAA, where
  R=red
  G=green
  B=blue
  A=alpha transparency
  
  The layer will be tinted in the given color when specified.
  See data/maps/3_8.tmx for an example of the color property on the glow-layer.

• collision
  This layer contains all tiles that are ment to have collision in any form. Like ground-tiles, walls or destructable tiles. When placing tiles on this layer, you don't need to worry about their collision properties. The collision info is automatically tied to the tile information and you don't need to separately specify any collision info.
  
  
• objects
  This layer contains all game-objects, like enemies, powerups and invisible triggers.
  
  
• liquid
  This layer contains water and lava.
  
  
• background
  This layer contains background tiles like trees, plants or tombstones.
  
  
• background_platform
  This layer was introduced because of the stereoscopic 3D effect of the 3DS version. It is basically the same as the "background" layer. It only has a different z-Depth when displayed by the Nintendo 3DS hardware. For the steam version, this layer does not need to be used.
  Since the level content is the same for all target platforms of the game, this layer is still present in the steam version.
  
  
• decoration
  This layer also contains background tiles, like the background layer, but it is renderd on top of the background layer. This is helpful if you have a brickwall in the background, but still want to have a tree in front of the wall.
  
  
• shadow
  This layer contains the black semi-transparent shadow tiles that are used to create a shadow effect below collision tiles in some levels.
  
  
• overlay
  This layer contains tiles that should cover the gameobjects. If you place a tile that basically has a collision into this layer, the collision has no effect. This way, the layer can be used to cover secret areas where the player can "walk through walls".
  
  
• glow
  The glow layer is used to create the illuminating effect seen around lava tiles. Tiles on that layer will be "added up" to the tiles below to create a lighting effect. Even though this layer is meant for the lava-glow it is not limited to the glow-images contained in the tileset.

All objects need to be placed on the object-layer in order to work properly. The game will exit with an error message if you place an object on a layer other than the object-layer.

Defines the starting position of the player.

Start facing right.
Start facing left.


Place only one checkpoint per level.

Start facing right
Start facing left


Defines the end of the level. Once the player thouches the object, the level is finished.



Flowers give a hint to where a blue star is hidden. There are five different flowers available, for the five settings of the worlds.


The total number of stars per level is calculated automatically.


Place this star inside a destructable tile. Player can collect the star by destroying the tile.
See data/maps/2_special_1.tmx for an example.


The three special stars per level. The number specifies the index.


The balloon that the player must catch at the end of the level.


The displayed item specifies the content of the chest.


This is the variant without the treasure chest.


Starts falling once player stands on it. Respawns automatically.


Minecarts can drive on "solid" collision tiles and on rails. They can face left or right, depending on which object is used.

There are also two variants available for each side:

• The first starts with zero velocity when the player enters and then accelerates. This is usually the first cart that the player encounters.
  
• The second variant (with arrow) starts with the current horizontal player moving speed. This is used when the player jumps from one cart to another.

Face right, start from zero velocity.
Face right, maintain player speed.
Face left, start from zero velocity.
Face left, maintain player speed.


Can be used to bounce higher.
Standing still
Moving horizontally
Moving vertically

Constantly spawns fire particles.

Red fire as seen in Green Hills castles.
Chimney fire as seen in Zombieland mansions.

Makes the corresponding enemy spawn at the given position.


Hangs from the ceiling and chases the player once in reach.
Starts flying as soon as on screen and does not chase player. Like in the minecart levels.

Zombies come in two variants:
Normal Zombie
Buried Zombie that rises from the grave when the player is near.


The Spikeball always jumps as high as his initial position in the level defines. The number defines the horizontal movement speed.

The normal Spikeball starts jumping as soon as it enters the screen.
The "rhythm"-Spikeball starts jumping as soon as the level starts, to preserve timing.



The Spikeblock falls down in a particular rhythm. The distance to the ground defines the "delay" until it falls down. See data/maps/2_8.tmx for an example.


Spikeheads move along walls and ceilings/floors.

Start moving left.
Start moving right.


Place them above, below, left or right of this tile: It can be found on the right edge of the tileset, below the green castle tiles.
The distance to the tile defines the length of the chain.

Rotate clockwise
Rotate counterclockwise



This object occupies two adjacent tiles, despite of its size of only one tile. Make sure that no collision tile is on its position.


Starts falling when player is near.

Falls down on player and breaks on floor.
Falls down and can be used as platform afterwards.


Firebugs start running towards the player when spawned.

Spawns as soon as it enters the screen.
Spawns as soon as player is on the same height.


Snow cannons fire at a fixed interval.
Fire at beginning of interval.
Fire after half interval time.


The hand also rises at a fixed interval.
Rise at beginning of interval.
Rise after half interval time.


Like the snow cannon and the hand of fate, this fish also jumps at a fixed interval.
The distance to the water surface defines the jumping height.
See data/maps/3_5.tmx for an example.
Jump at beginning of interval
Jump after half interval time


Idle
Moving horizontally
Moving vertically


Jumping from Lava
Flying down from the top of the screen
Flying vertically



Spawn the corresponding boss monster. Consult data/maps/1_9.tmx to 5_9.tmx for correct placement.

The background switches are used to switch parallax backgrounds, e.g. between outdoor- and castle-passages within a level.

Activate parallax layers with active-index 0, deactivate those with index 1
Activate parallax layers with active-index 1, deactivate those with index 0

See data/maps/1_4.tmx for an example.


Make the level scroll automatically.

Horizontal
Vertical
Stop Scroll (experimental)

This tool is used to submit and update your custom made levels.
You can also see all workshop levels that you have subscribed to and start the game with one of those levels.

The tool can be started by starting Bloo Kid 2 and then selecting Launch Game Editor from the configuration selection.



Click Add New at the bottom left corner.
A dialog window will open. Browse to the desired .tmx file and press OK


Drag & drop a preview image on the top left area of the tool window.
Enter a description text into the text box.
Press Submit to submit the level to the steam workshop.


Select the desired level in the list of levels.

You can change the description, drag & drop a new preview item, or change the .tmx file for the level.

To change the file, simply double-click on the list entry and select a new .tmx file in the dialog window.

If you made a change to one of your levels in the workshop tool, the corresponding line in the list will be marked yellow (or orange respectively if seleted).

Finally, press Update to submit the change to steam.


When adding or updating a level, you can also choose the visibility of your level. The three choices available [Public, Friends Only, Private] represent the steam-typical levels of visibility.



To play a level from another user, select it in the list and press Play.
Rember that only levels that you have subscribed to will be visible in the list.


Your level will be available to all people according to the visiblity that you have selected. Please be aware that it can take some minutes until the steam servers are up to date and your submission is really visible to other steam users.
Remember that other users have to subscribe to your workshop item in order to see it in the Bloo Kid 2 Workshop Tool.