This snapshot contains a large set of changes starring a level of detail switching system, a new interface and interaction with floors. A full changelog will be posted after this snapshot get's approved.
Because we are focusing on finishing all the floor interaction options, for this update walls have been removed. This can be quite confusing until you get the feel for it. Walls will be added back in a future snapshot but this time having the same capabilities as the new floors, even more.
Due to the number of changes a bug or two might have slipped by. If anything major comes up we'll fix it and reupload, if not, you'll have to wait until next week's Snapshot 5.
Because of the new interface and general key bindings changes, we recommend you to click the "read more" link:
This new snapshot uses two toolbars for tool selection. The main toolbar and the sub toolbar. Just selecting a tool does nothing. With the tool selected you can then interact with the map like you would do in a paint program:
- You can use numeric keys to select something from the main toolbar and functional key to select from the subbar. Or you can use the mouse.
- Use W/A/S/D or cursor keys to scroll around the map in either top down or first person mode. In first person mode you look around using the mouse like in a first person shooter.
- Press F11 to activate top down mode.
- Press F12 to activate first person mode. For ease of navigation snapshot 4 has no collision detection so you can pass though anything.
- In top down mode you can use the "+"/"-" on your regular numeric row (not the numpad) to zoom in or out.
- In top down mode you can use PageUp/PageDown to tilt the camera. You can also try to zoom in very close and tilt the camera to get an interesting viewpoint, similar to first person, but flying above the action.
- Clicking somewhere on the map causes you current tool to do its default action. This action is different based on what tool you have selected. In next versions tools will have both icons and generous tool tips with short instructions, but for now you'll just have to make due with their name written next to the shortcut.
- Right clicking and dragging causes you to create a selection. You must let go of the right mouse button at the desired location to finalize the selection. Selections are cumulative so you can do more than one. Starting a selection on a selected square will instead drag a selection clearing box.
- Pressing F or middle mouse clicking will perform the default action of you current tool on the entire selected area and then clear the selection zone so you can define a new one.
- Press X to delete all items in your current selection.
- Press Space to pause and unpause the game. It will start paused by default. Unpausing causes time to flow extremely fast and grass will start to grow. A detailed nature simulation will be run in the background, but for snapshot 4 it only handles grass growth. Grass grows about 100 times smoother than it did in snapshot 3.
Stay tuned for the entire changelog and some links to videos as soon as the snapshot is approved! And as always, we welcome all bug reports!
