Zones and stuff

Another great feature that you can use to enhance your builds is the use of zones. We will offer some tips here on using them. Additionally, there are some courtesy protocols that you should adhere to, and they are listed below. Finally, TenYearsGone has prepared a neat way to set waypoints in a server-side mover, which takes out a lot of steps in setting it up.

Zoned out?

Zones are easy to use and can generate powerful effects in your builds. They are particularly useful in creating different shades of lighting. They are also useful when you want to have some sound effects only in a given area and nowhere else. You can also increase or reduce gravity within a zone. You can use fog as a good effect too.

Like most items in AW, zones work on a X,Y,Z axis basis. However, there are three configurations for zones: Sphere, Cylinder and Cube. Sphere only uses the X measurement. The Cylinder uses only X and Y, and finally, the cube uses all three. Like other objects, you can scale your zone to pretty well any useable size you want. But, it's best not to make them any larger than 200 on any of the axes.

Zone Object Properties Box

The object properties box on the left is the standard for a Zone. You can adjust all the settings, just like you can with PEs, movers and cameras. The picture below shows the parameters used for setting the scene in the header shot. It's in the caves just behind the cabin at Burrfoot Station. For a basic introduction to what you can do with the zone parameters, check out the AW Wiki's article on zones.

Sound files make a build come alive and are extremely effective in setting the mood within a zone. You can use remote sound files by simply typing in the URL of where the sound file is located.

You can use zones within zones, or you can overlap zones. What you do is to set the priorities for each zone. The higher the number, the higher the priority. So a zone with priority 1 would take precedence over an overlapping zone with a priority of 0. Thus any effects you have in zone 0 would be overriden by effects in zone 1.

zone object box with parameters

To have a more detailed look, go to the site (coordinates are under the header), and click on any object to see what's been done using this zone. Once you find the green Z, click on it to see the parameters in that zone's properties box.

Limitations and protocols on using zones
If you are building with other people, or are assigned a specific block to build in, be sure that your zones are contained within your own ground. It can be quite annoying to other builders if your zone overlaps with their builds. You can imagine running into someone's else's zone that overlaps your build and you are suddenly blasted out of your chair by heavy metal music, or half your build becomes pitch black, or you start floating up in the air because the gravity is different.

If you are using a skybox and you have organised a zone the same size as the skybox, you may get a lot of flashing. Try making the zone just a bit smaller than the skybox and this should stop that.

And finally...
Be sure to check out AWSchools' excellent DIY tutorial on zones, at awschool 76.69S 59.06E 0.00a 201.

If you have anything you would like to see in the build tips page, please contact the Gazette at yellowgazette@cox.net. We are happy to help. If there are any errors in the page that you have found, send Ozman a telegram please.