Virtuoso User Guide

Table of Contents

Introduction

            This guide will provide basic procedural information for Virtuoso, a HI FIVES feature to create a video game or simulation. You can create a world and a game or simulation within that world. In this guide we use different types of text:

 Bold text - Highlights user interface elements, for example tabs, buttons and field labels.

Italic text - Emphasizes certain words and introduces key terms.

Where to learn more
            You can learn more about Virtuoso from the HI FIVES website http://ced.ncsu.edu/hifives/hilife/h5_profile.php. The FAQ link has a variety of information on installing Steam, down/uploading games, exporting and importing games, creating quizzes, and general information about running Virtuoso.

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Virtuoso Home Page 

            There are two modes accessible from the Virtuoso home page; Edit Mode and Play Mode.

Edit mode – create a world, edit, import and export games, code behaviors, and write a description for your game.

Play mode – play the game.

Your functions for this user guide will be in Edit Mode. To get back to the Virtuoso home from Edit Mode click Quit.

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Making a World

            From the menu field click File > Create. Click the dropdown menu on the Create window and select the world you wish to use to build your game. A snapshot of the world will appear in the Preview window, then click Create. 

Once logged into your world (use the same log-in and password as the HI FIVES website). 

1. Click Menu and the menu bar will appear
2. Click Game
3. Click Other from the tab bar.
4. Complete the following:

• Game Author
• Game Title
• Game Description
• Choose all radio buttons under Splash Screen Shows.

            This information will appear on the opening page of your game letting players and HI FIVES staff know this important information.

5. Click File to return to your game
6. Click Save As
   

7. Type the name of your game in the file name field
8. Click Save
9. Click File and the Create/Edit window will go away
              

‼TIP: Save early and often! Click Save As to keep different versions of your game versus Save which will override the same version. You can rename your game for each version with the original name followed by 1, 2, 3, etc.

The Edit Page 

Click Menu for the edit buttons to appear or disappear.

There are six buttons on the left of the edit window:

1. File - Create, Edit, Save, Save As, Import, and Export your game.   
2. Code - code behaviors in your game.
3. Guest - see the names of other players in a multiplayer game.
4. Game - add a border to your game window, describe, and name your game.
5. Options – not operational at this time.
6. Quit - quit your game which sends you to the Virtuoso home page.

There are six buttons along the bottom of the edit window:

1. Fly Mode - fly around your game, edit mode only.
2. Top Down View - positions you directly above where you are standing in the game.
3. Create an Object - add characters and objects to your game.
4. Object Properties - view and manipulate an object’s details, i.e., location, gravity, mass, rotation, etc.
5. Find -search location of an existing object.
6. Help -window shows basic and advanced navigation movements.

Navigation

            To navigate in your game use the keyboard keys:

• W - forward
• S - backward
• D - to the right
• A - to the left

Right click on the mouse and turn the mouse to turn around in the game and look up and down.

‼TIP: Click F to activate or deactivate fly mode. Fly mode is only operational in edit mode.

Adding Single Objects

1. Click the Create an Object button on the bottom of the edit window to open the create object window.
2. Click the Category drop down and choose from the list. The name of the objects and a picture of the objects for that category appear in the window.
3. Choose a desired object by clicking the object name from the list. The name of the object appears in the name field.
4. Change the name of the object in the name field.

5. Click create.
6. Move the mouse cursor to where you want the object in the game and left click the mouse. The object will appear.
   

‼TIP: Open the object properties window to change the properties (location, rotation, mass, etc.) of the objects.

Adding the Same Object Multiple Times

1. Click the Create an Object button on the bottom of the edit window to open the create object window.
   
2. Click the Category drop down and choose from the list. The name of the objects and a picture of the objects for that category appear in the window.
   
3. Choose a desired object by clicking the object name from the list. The name of the object appears in the name field.
   
4. Change the name of the object in the name field.
   
5. Click Create
   
6. Hold down the shift key and move the mouse cursor to where you want the object in the game
   
7. Click the left mouse button multiple times while holding the shift key. Continue clicking the left mouse button until all but ONE of the objects is placed.
8. Release the shift key and click the left mouse button to place the last object.

Coding Behaviors

            Behaviors are coded and executed in sequence.

1. Click the Code button. All the objects are displayed on the left. 

2. Click an object in the Object window. A list of events will display below the list of objects. The list of events are what will happen for the coded behavior to occur. For example, the event OnPlayerRadius30 means if the player is within a radius of 30 the coded behavior will occur.
3. Click an event.
   
4. Click the lower + on the right side of the Code window. The Add Behavior window displays. Confirm/choose the object in the Entity drop down.
   
5. Click the Method drop down. Choose a behavior. Depending on the behavior you may need to complete the Value drop down. For example, Explode does not have a value, however FloatTo does have a value, you must choose the target you want the entity object to float to.
   
6. Click ok.

‼TIP:  You can indirectly code for behaviors. Notice the screen shot below. The barrel is the highlighted object, OnPlayerRadius30 is the event, and canonExplode is the coded behavior. This means when the player is within a radius of 30 to the barrel, the canon will explode.

Make it a habit to Save As frequently, especially when coding behaviors.

Code for quizzes and add sound using the add behavior window.

Sound
   
            Basic Instructions: If you do not have a digital audio editor you can download the open source Audacity software for free from http://audacity.sourceforge.net/. Click the 1.2.6. version.

     Sound files must be recorded with specific properties. When you are ready to record sound:

• In Audacity  choose edit- preferences, click quality tab, change default sample rate drop down to 11025 hz
• Change default sample format drop down to 16-bit
• Record your sound
• Click file, export as wave.      

You can Delete, Copy, access the Properties Window and Edit code for a particular object by using the following short cuts:

1. Left click on an object
2. Hold down the control key
3. Center the mouse cursor on the object
4. Right click
5. Choose the function you want to perform

Game Shortcuts

            You can Create, Create Here, Save, Save As, go to Play Map, and Quit

1. Hold down the control key
2. Position the mouse cursor so it is not on an object
3. Right click and choose the function you want to perform