SRB2 Doom Builder Tutorial - Chapter 1: Getting Started

Before you start making your first map, you need to install and set up SRB2 Doom Builder and get familiar with the interface.

Installing and Setting Up SRB2 Doom Builder

Click here to get the installation file; then run the installation wizard. After installing SRB2 Doom Builder, you need to download the configuration file for SRB2 2.0. The file can be found here or here (mirror). Once you have downloaded the file, you need to put it in the folder where you installed SRB2 Doom Builder (typically in C:\Program Files\SRB2 Doom Builder). Unless you want to make or view maps for 1.09.4, you can delete srb2ex.cfg in that folder.

Now you need to specify the IWAD for SRB2 Doom Builder. Open BuilderSRB2.exe and go to 'Tools → Configuration'. From there, click on the Files tab and select Sonic Robo Blast 2 v2.0. After that, click on the browse button and look for srb2.srb in your SRB2 directory. Now, click on the Defaults tab and search for the "Floor Texture" panel. There, replace FLOOR0_6 with GFZFLR01.

If you don't know how to make a shortcut on the desktop, then go into the directory you installed SRB2 Doom Builder in, right-click BuilderSRB2.exe and select 'Send to → Desktop (create shortcut)'.

Creating a Map

To create a new map, go to 'File → New Map'. A window like this will pop up:

Menu when creating a new map.

Here you can select the configuration you want to use, the slot that the map will occupy and the gametype you want to test it in (choose Single Player for this tutorial). You can also import additional textures if you want to use them, but for the purpose of this tutorial, you should leave these fields as they are. Make sure Sonic Robo Blast 2 v2.0 is selected as the config, and click OK.

Important Map Components

A simple sector.

Before you start editing the map you just created, you have to understand its basic structure: SRB2 (and Doom) maps are made up of five main components: Vertices, Linedefs, Sidedefs, Sectors and Things. Look at the simple triangle to the right. This triangle is a sector. It is made up of vertices (the blue dots at the edges) which are connected by linedefs (the white lines between the blue dots).

• Vertices: A vertex is essentially a point in the map where a linedef ends/begins. Therefore, vertices make up the edges of sectors. Since they have no other property aside from their location, you normally won't place them directly on the map. You will sometimes need to move them around though.
• Linedefs: Linedefs are the lines that connect the vertices, and therefore the boundaries of a sector. In our example triangle, these are the lines around it. In the game, these will be the walls of each structure. As you can see in the example triangle, every linedef has a small notch in the middle of it that faces to one side. The notch always faces to the right of the linedef, so if the notch goes north, the linedef is facing west.
• Sidedefs: Each linedef consists of two sidedefs. They are literally the sides of the linedef. The side with the notch is the front sidedef. In the example, the front sidedefs all face inward. The sides without the notch are the back sidedefs, which face outward in this example. Sometimes a linedef only has a front sidedef; in that case it is called a one-sided linedef. The player should never be able to look at these from behind, or errors will occur. The graphics displayed on the walls - called textures - are specified on the sidedefs.
• Sectors: In our example, the sector is the triangle itself. A sector is formed simply by making a closed loop of linedefs. You can't directly place a sector on the map, instead you must form a closed loop of linedefs around where you want your sector to be. Here you can also set what graphics the floor and ceiling should display; these graphics are called flats.
• Things: These are just what the name says: They are things that you place onto the map. These include a starting point for the player, Rings, enemies, monitors, obstacles, scenery objects like flowers, and several others. They are independent from the rest of the map structure, so you can place them anywhere you need them.

Understanding Each Mode

If you look at the panel at the bottom, you will see that it reads "Lines". That means you are in Lines Mode. Also, you might have noticed the array of icons on the upper part of the screen. Here you can set what mode you are in as well as many other options. Most of these aren't yet important right now, but if wonder what any of these means, you can come back to this section. Here's an explanation of all of the buttons:

SRB2 Doom Builder's icon bar.

1. New Map - Here you can create a new map. It does the same as the option you selected earlier when you clicked on 'File → New Map'.
2. Open Map - This lets you select and open a WAD file from anywhere on your computer.
3. Save Map - This lets you save your map. Do this regularly to prevent progress loss.
4. Move Mode - This mode is only for moving around in the map view. It has no other functions.
5. Vertices Mode - In this mode, you can place Vertices. As explained above, you normally won't place them manually, since vertices are automatically created together with linedefs. However, you can drag them around, and insert new vertices into linedefs to split them.
6. Lines Mode - This mode is for dragging and creating linedefs, as well as editing their properties. You will use this mode to draw new sectors.
7. Sectors Mode - This mode is for dragging sectors around and editing their properties. You actually do not use this mode for creating sectors, that is done by creating a closed loop of linedefs.
8. Things Mode - This mode is for placing and dragging Things, as well as editing their properties.
9. 3D Mode - This mode lets you look at your level in a 3D perspective, which is useful for seeing how your level will look like and finding map errors easily.
10. Build Nodes - This function builds the nodes of a level. This is needed for playing the level, but it isn't important to know what it does in detail. Nodes are also automatically generated when testing the level.
11. Test Map - This function lets you play through and test the level. Quit SRB2 and you will return back to SRB2 Doom Builder.
12. Undo - Resets the action last done.
13. Redo - Redoes an undone action.
14. Flip Selection Horizontally - Flips the selected Things/linedefs/sectors/vertices horizontally.
15. Flip Selection Vertically - Flips the selected Things/linedefs/sectors/vertices vertically.
16. Rotate Selection - Rotates the selected Things/linedefs/sectors/vertices by a certain amount of degrees.
17. Resize Selection - Resizes the selected Things/linedefs/sectors/vertices to a percentage of their original size.
18. Grid Settings - This window lets you change the size of the grid in SRB2 Doom Builder.
19. Snap To Grid - This function makes the Things and vertices follow the grid. This should be on by default.
20. Stitch Vertices - This function makes the vertices stitch to each other. Like Snap To Grid, this should be turned on by default.
21. Center View - This function shifts the view to the center of the grid.
22. Insert Prefab From File - Inserts a prefab into the map. Go to chapter 7 for an explanation.
23. Insert Previous Prefab - Inserts the last selected prefab again.
24. Flip Linedefs - Switches the front and back side of a linedef. - Only selectable in Lines Mode.
25. Curve Linedefs - This splits a linedef into smaller linedefs that are set up like a curve. The shape is adjustable. - Only selectable in Lines Mode.
26. Split Linedefs - Adds another vertex in the middle of the linedef, splitting it into two separate linedefs. - Only selectable in Lines Mode.
27. Join Sectors - Makes two sectors have the same settings and combines them into one. This is useful if two sectors have the same settings anyway, because it increases framerate. - Only selectable in Sectors Mode.
28. Merge Sectors - Just like Join Sectors, but it also deletes any linedefs that are directly between them. - Only selectable in Sectors Mode.
29. Gradient Brightness - This requires several sectors to be selected. This makes all sectors gradually increase in light level, from the light level of the first sector to the one of the last sector. - Only selectable in Sectors Mode.
30. Gradient Floors - The same as Gradient Brightness, only with floor heights. - Only selectable in Sectors Mode.
31. Gradient Ceiling - The same as Gradient Floors, only with ceiling heights. - Only selectable in Sectors Mode.
32. Cascade Tags - The same as Gradient Brightness, only with sector/linedef tags. What tags are will be explained later on.
33. FOF Wizard - This is broken, don't use it. - Only selectable in Sectors Mode.
34. Things Filter - Filters the displayed Things according to category and flags. What flags are will be explained later on. - Only selectable in Things Mode.

Basic Controls

• To select or deselect an object, left-click it. You don't have to hold Ctrl to select multiple objects; you can just click on the other ones.
• To quickly select multiple objects, left click in an empty space and drag the mouse to make a box over everything you want to select. This will not deselect any other objects already selected.
• To select all objects, press Ctrl+A.
• To deselect all objects, press Ctrl+D or click into empty space.
• To place a new object, right click where you want to place it. To edit an existing object, right-click on it.
• Scroll the mouse wheel to zoom in or zoom out.
• For more controls, select 'Tools' at the top part of the screen, and click 'Configuration'. Then, click the 'Shortcut Keys' tab.