This is a glossary of terms used in editing SRB2 levels. For more detailed information about any term, click the link to the full Wiki article.
3D Block
- * 3D Block is another term for FOFs.
Control Linedef
- * Control Linedefs are linedefs on a control sector. Control linedefs are the linedefs of control sectors that tell SRB2 how to treat target sectors.
Control Sector
- * Control Sectors are sectors outside the map that are given a special function that change how things work inside the map. They are used to make things such as FOFs.
Cutscene
- * Cutscenes are an arrangement of pictures and text that explain a part of a storyline in SRB2. An example of a cutscene would be the one that plays at the beginning of the game.
F_SKY1
- * F_SKY1 is a special flat that displays a sky, instead of a typical floor or ceiling. The type of sky shown is changeable with a Map Header.
Flat
- * Flats are textures that are used on either the ceiling or the floor of a sector.
FOF
- * Floor Over Floors, or FOFs are floating platforms inside levels that are rarely called by their formal name, 3D Block. Different kinds of FOFs have different effects, like the ability to cast a shadow below them.
Fracunit
- * Fracunit is a unit of measurement.
IWAD
- * IWAD, short for "Internal WAD", is SRB2's main WAD file. In current builds, its filename is srb2.srb, and it contains all of SRB2's levels, music, and so forth. For technical reasons, some of the main data is included in separate PWADs, which are loaded at startup.
Linedef
- * Linedefs are lines inside a level. These lines, when put together, make up sectors. They also hold texture information for SRB2, so that the game knows what kind of walls to draw.
Linedef Executor
- * Linedef Executors are linedefs that trigger an event inside the map once another event has occurred.
Level Header
- * Level Headers are text data — technically a SOC — that describes certain properties of a level such as its name, its sky, and the background music.
Lump
- * Lumps are chunks of data in a WAD. Each lump has a name which identifies it, so that the game can load it and use it for its intended purpose. A lump might contain a sprite, part of a map's data, a SOC, or a variety of other things.
Lump Editor
- * Lump Editors are programs made for manipulating WADs at the lump level. These are useful for creating characters and for low-level operations. Lump editors are not for creating maps. Examples of lump editors include SLumpEd and XWE.
Map
- * Maps are SRB2 levels. Maps are made up of sectors, linedefs, sidedefs, vertices, and things, which together describe the level's layout.
Map Editor
- * Map Editors are programs for designing maps. Examples include Doom Builder, SRB2 Doom Builder, and WadAuthor.
PolyObjects
- * PolyObjects, are sectors that can move in all directions and rotate. They cannot render flats, however.
PWAD
- * PWADs, short for "Patch WAD", are WADs that contains data supplementary to the main IWAD. For instance, WADs created in order to provide addons for SRB2 — levels, characters, etc. — are always PWADs. Many of the files that come with SRB2 are PWADs, such as music.dta or sonic.plr.
Reject
- * The Reject table is a resource added to levels that calculates if enemies can see the player or not.
Sector
- * Sectors are closed areas of a level, made up of linedefs. Sectors also store how high the ceiling and floor of an area are, and what they look like.
Sidedef
- * Sidedefs are the individual sides of a linedef. Since linedefs can have one or two sides; these are important, as they help the game determine what side of a linedef belongs to what sector. This is not an important term for beginning editors, but it can be helpful for more advanced editors trying to fix up map errors.
Skin
- * Skins are playable characters. Skins consist of very many sprites and a SOC describing the character's abilities. SRB2 comes with skins for Sonic, Tails, and Knuckles.
Sprite
- * Sprites are pictures that are made out of pixels. They are used to display all graphics that are not flats and textures. Those include all objects like enemies or rings.
SOC
- * SOC stands for Sonic Object Configuration. SOCs are text data used to customize a wide range of SRB2's features, including things, skins, cutscenes, and level headers.
Tag
- * Tags are a method of applying special effects to the level such as FOFs or Linedef Executors. Linedefs are tagged to respective sectors.
Target Sector
- * Target Sectors are sectors in a level that have control sectors with a linedef special tagged to them.
Trigger Sector
- * Trigger Sectors are sector which causes a linedef executor to begin when a certain event occurs inside it, such as a player or a gargoyle entering it.
Trigger Linedef
- * Trigger Linedefs determine the event that causes an effect to begin executing in a linedef executor. The kinds of events are whether the action occurs one time only or repeatedly, whether all the players or only one must enter the trigger sector, etc.
Texture
- * Textures refer to the textures found on walls. They are made up of patches.
Thing
- * Things are all types of objects that are actually seen in SRB2. Enemies, scenery (such as flowers), players' start locations, emeralds, and other such objects are all things.
Thok Barrier
- * Thok barriers are sectors of height 0 that are used to define the level boundaries. They are needed to prevent Sonic from thokking outside of the level. They also allow Knuckles to climb correctly on the outer walls of a level.
Vertex
- * Vertices (the plural of "vertex") are the endpoints of linedefs.
WAD
- * WADs are SRB2's data-file format.
