Creating

General

Instructions to create and edit LGRs....

LGRs

In Elasto Mania, it's possible to import your own graphics to the game. The tool for making these graphics is DK = lgr Development Kit (1440 kB). In the game you can edit the levels with the built-in editor, though being not able to change the graphics of the levels. You can only choose from the predrawn trees, bushes, etc. With this Development Kit you can import your own pictures into the game. Pictures don't affect the way you ride a level by your bike, they are only there to make the level look nicer. There are two kind of pictures: normal pictures and masks with textures. The bushes, trees and all objects are normal pictures. In most cases you will create normal pictures and very seldom will you use masks with textures.

As this Development Kit is not part of the game, It has been only done available for the public so that those people who want to include their own graphics in the game could do this, if they are willing to spend time understanding exactly how this program works. They should have prior knowledge about manipulating image files, using color palettes and using dos command line tools. This DK can be used for the shareware and registered versions also. Please read the readme.txt file in the package before you start to use it. The graphics are stored in a separate file with the extension of '.lgr' in the lgr subdirectory. Probably the names of the pictures in the level and lgr file won't match, so the non-matching objects won't appear on the screen when you play and will be removed from the level file if you load it into the editor and save it. The game works only with maximum 8+3 characters long .lev, .rec and .lgr file names.

Download lgrlist.txt, extract to the lgr subdirectory, make sure you have all lgr files from our page to be extracted in lgr subdir. Then start to play internals. Now you should have different lgrs used in each tracks.

If you want to add pictures to the lgr file, you have to use a command line program, make_lgr.exe which is included in the DK. Read the tutorial through completely, with the help of it, it's much easier for you to make your own lgrs.

How to extract LGR...

Hints

1. Look at other people's lgrs (to know the skill level of other),
2. but don't copy anything from others.
3. Modify as many pictures, objects and textures as you wish, but properly
4. Use time.
5. Don't hurry up though it would be funny to publish it.
6. Ask someone to check your lgr before publishing it that all bugs will be found.
7. A good design is a half-done.
8. The name of your lgr is limited to 8 characters
9. You can have your own palette by changing the palette to all pictures.

Tutorial

How to create an LGR:

1. Get the LGR DK (Development kit).
2. Uncompress it to a separate directory such as C:\Elasto Mania\lgr\lgrdk10.
3. Read the ReadmeDK.txt file of the DK (included in the lgrdk10.zip too) through carefully. Even without reading that file you can still complete this tutorial but if you want to create much more marvellous lgrs you really have to read it.
4. Open one of the .pcx files (for example barrel.pcx) with some image editing program such as Paint Shop Pro.
5. Now use your imagination and modify the picture like you want (the size of the picture is possible to be changed).
6. Overwrite (=save) the original file with your new picture.
7. Run make_lgr.exe to create noname.lgr file. Rename it to whatever.lgr (maximum 8 letters + .lgr) or just Default.lgr and copy it to your Elasto Mania's lgr subdirectory (C:\Elasto Mania\lgr\ in this case).
8. If the name of your lgr was Default.lgr it should replace the original one. Then start Elma and select some level (like Uphill Battle or Labyrinth Pro) and you should see your modified picture there. If not, go to back Part I. If the name of your lgr was whatever.lgr you cannot see it in the internal levels unless you make lgrlist.txt file (more info in ReadmeDK.txt). When making some own level(s) you can define which lgr file the level will use, there you can use whatever.lgr name.

Tricks