MAXEdit - Your source for MAX-FX editing

Using Look/Move Mode

Tutorial Info

Author: SonicStorm	Type: MaxEd
Date Published: 7/26/2001	Keywords: camera, manipulate camera, move mode, look mode

Tutorial

Before you do anything else, print out the MaxEd Quick Reference Guide located here: /Program Files/MAX-FX Tools/help/html/maxedref.rtf (this is the correct path if you selected the default install options, if not, you're on your own to find it). Even though this 12-page document isn't a step-by-step tutorial on how to use MaxEd, it does contain shortcut keys and descriptions for all of the different modes in MaxEd and all of the functions associated with them. I will also use this guide for reference many times throughout this beginner's guide.

To use MaxEd in the most efficient manner is to take full advantage of the robust shortcut key system that Remedy has setup in MaxEd. There are multiple editing modes in MaxEd, and the shortcut keys change for each one of those modes, so learning all of these shortcuts would be in your best interest if you plan on becoming a good level designer in MaxEd.

Ok, lets start getting down to it. Make sure you have MaxEd open, and select File > New. This starts up a new .lvl file and you should see an isometric view to a blue grid. The first thing we'll do is learn how to manipulate and move the camera around. Hit Space on your keyboard to go into Move mode. Now, hold down the left mouse button (LMB) and start to move it around. As you can see, holding down the LMB in Move mode is basically the equivalent of moving your head, and only your head around. Now, let go of the LMB and hold down the right mouse button (RMB). Moving the mouse up and down zooms the camera in and out on the center point of your screen. If you have a trackwheel on your mouse, this performs the same function as holding down the RMB, but zooms in larger (or rougher) increments. Holding down Shift and holding down either the LMB or RMB allows you to move the camera up and down vertically, and strafe horizontally. Practice moving around the grid for a while until you are comfortable with it.

Camera movement in the different modes is completely different than in Move mode. Camera movement is taken away altogether in most modes except Build mode (F3) and Exit mode (F7). In these two modes, camera movement is possible but is still entirely different from that in Move mode. To move the camera in these two modes, you use the arrow keys on your keyboard in conjunction with the CTRL key. Pressing the Up Cursor (UC) moves the camera up vertically, pressing Down Cursor (DC) moves the camera down vertically. Pressing either Right Cursor (RC) or Left Cursor (LC) will strafe the camera left or right. Now, holding down the CTRL key and pressing either UC or DC zooms the camera in and out.

That's about it for camera movement in MaxEd. Practice camera movement for a while until you are comfortable with the different camera movement in the three modes. Having a good working angle while creating your levels in MaxEd is essential.