Conitec 3d gamestudio-a4 Manuel

A4 Programmer’s Manual                                 © Conitec 2000                                                    8 
 
 
Blocks 
 
A4 uses a right-handed XYZ coordinate system with the Z-axis standing upright. If you're not 
familiar with the reference of "right-handed" to a coordinate system, it basically provides a tactile 
and visual discription of the mechanics of the system. If you wrap your right hand around the z-
axis, with your thumb facing the positive position, and clench your hand, your knuckles will face in 
the direction of the positive x-axis and your fingertips will face the postitive y-axis. Here's a picture 
of A4's coordinate system: 
 

      ^ z 
      |   ^ y 
      |  / 
      | / 
      |/ 
      --------> x 
        

 
Blocks are the primary componens of a MAP file. Each block defines a solid or passable convex 
region. Blocks define this region as the intersection of four or more planes. Each plane is defined by 
three non-colinear points. These points must go in a clockwise orientation: 

 
     1--2-----> 
     | / 
     |/ 
     3 
     | 
     V 
 

Each block statement looks like this: 

 

block 0 { 
 

( 0.0 0.0 32.0 ) ( 0.0 500.0 32.0 ) ( 500.0 0.0 32.0 ) wood 0 0 0 1.00 1.00 : 0000 0.0 50.0 ndef ndef 0.0 0000 

 

( 32.0 0.0 0.0 ) ( 32.0 0.0 500.0 ) ( 32.0 500.0 0.0 ) wood 0 0 0 1.00 1.00 : 0000 0.0 50.0 ndef ndef 0.0 0000 

 

( 0.0 -32.0 0.0 ) ( 0.0 -32.0 500.0 ) ( 500.0 -32.0 0.0 ) wood 0 0 0 1.00 1.00 : 0000 0.0 50.0 ndef ndef 0.0 0000 

 

( -32.0 0.0 0.0 ) ( -32.0 500.0 0.0 ) ( -32.0 0.0 500.0 ) wood 0 0 0 1.00 1.00 : 0000 0.0 50.0 ndef ndef 0.0 0000 

 

( 0.0 32.0 0.0 ) ( 500.0 32.0 0.0 ) ( 0.0 32.0 500.0 ) wood 0 0 0 1.00 1.00 : 0000 0.0 50.0 ndef ndef 0.0 0000 

 

( 0.0 0.0 -32.0 ) ( 500.0 0.0 -32.0 ) ( 0.0 500.0 -32.0 ) wood 0 0 0 1.00 1.00 : 0000 0.0 50.0 ndef ndef 0.0 0000 

 { 
  0000 
  ndef 
 } 
} 

 
That's probably just a bit confusing when you first see it. It defines a cube that extends from (-32,-
32,-32) to (32,32,32). Here's what a single line means: 

 

 ( 0.0 0.0 32.0 ) ( 0.0 500.0 32.0 ) ( 500.0 0.0 32.0 )  wood      0     0      0    1.00    1.00 :  

   

1st point          2nd point          3rd point     texture  x_offs y_offs angle x_scale y_scale 

  
  0000    0.0    50.0   ndef ndef 0.0 0000 
 flags  ambient albedo  future expansion – not used yet 

 

 

 

 

 

        

Here are more details about those fields: 
 
1st point \   Those three points define a plane, so they must not be colinear. 
2nd point  >  Each plane should only be defined once. 
3rd point /   Plane normal is oriented towards the cross product of (p1 - p2) and (p3 -p2) 
 
Texture  - name of the texture.  
X_offs  - texture x-offset in pixels 
Y_offs  - texture y-offset in pixels