The Maze Maker Utility is designed to allow you to make your own Mazes. Most of it's interface and tools should seem pretty straight forward to anyone who's used a drawing program before.
You access the Maze Maker Utility by either right clicking an already created maze in the Main Menu View or by selecting "Open Current Maze in Maze Maker" from the File menu. To create a new maze select "New Maze in Maze Maker" from the File menu. Once a maze is opened you will see a window similar to the picture shown here.
The area to the left is the main drawing area . It represents the maze and how it will be displayed when playing. The Drawer to the right in the tools pallet. These 5 buttons represent the four object types that make up a maze and the selection tool. Above the main drawing area are a small group of buttons.
The Tools Drawer -- (to select one of the tools you click with your mouse) -- the grayed area indicates the currently selected tool (The Selection tool).
- Selection -- The selection tools is used to select objects already drawn. After choosing the Selection tool, moving the mouse over items in the main drawing window causes the items to change color. Pressing the mouse key will select the item. When you move over the end of a wall segment a round circle will appear to indicate that a mouse down will begin a wall resize (this is shown in the picture). Once an item is selected it can be moved, copied or deleted. You can select more than one object at a time by either pressing the shift key while another item is selected or selecting in area where there is no item then holding the mouse down and dragging. A selection rectangle will show the current area where items are being selected and the items will highlight. Pressing the option key makes it so an entire wall segment is selected instead up just a line resize (even if the mouse is currently over the end of a wall segment). To move an object click on and drag an already selected object let go when the items is in the desired spot. A selected item must be dragged for a small distance or it is assumed your trying to select an item and accidentally moved the mouse just slightly. So if you're attempting to move an item only a small distance try moving the item to a spot about one inch away, than reselect the item and move it back to where you desire.
- Wall segment tool -- creates a wall segment. The segment starts where the mouse goes down and ends where the mouse button is let up. In other words to create a wall you click and drag. A highlighted wall segment will appear once you begin the drag.
- Holes -- clicking creates a hole at the current mouse location.
- Start Location -- clicking places the start location at the current mouse location -- there can only be one start so if you click at another spot you in effect move the start location.
- Finish Location-- clicking places the finish maze location at the current mouse location -- there can only be one finish so if you click at another spot you in effect move the finish location.
VERY IMPORTANT ABOUT MAKING MAZES
The Buttons.
- Play Maze -- allows you to test your maze (in the demo version you can only play for a set amount of time approx 15 seconds)
- Print -- allows a printout of your maze.
- T-Square(CW) and T_ Square(CCW) -- are drawing tools that allow for a more finished look to your mazes.
- Drawer -- opens and closes the tools pallet drawer.
- Customize -- allows you to the appearance of this button pallet.
The T-Square buttons not only help the maze look prettier but are also functional. When you select two wall segments that represent a corner. Either of the T-Square button will square up the segments. If you assume that the corner is the center of a clock ask yourself does the ball go clockwise or counter-clockwise around the center (the corner). If the ball goes clockwise use T-Square (CW) and if the ball goes counter-clockwise use T-Square (CCW) and lastly if the ball goes both don't use the T-Square at all. Leave the corner with the two wall segments slightly overlapping. Using the wrong T-Square could result in the ball being stuck at a corner segment. When you design your maze check to make sure the ball goes smoothly past a corner. If it doesn't, reload the maze in MazeMaker, select the offending corner and push the other T-Square button. It's not quite intuitive, but with a little practice it's quite easy.
**** And above all else -- Don't forget to have fun playing with Maze Maker. ****