This topic provides many links to helpful pages and answers to common questions that seem to often be asked by new users.
If you are looking for answers of your own, don't post here! Create your own topic in the Help and Support sub-forum.
SMBX Forums:
Spoiler: show
Q: How do I change my username?
A: PM an admin with your request.
Q: Can I request graphics?
A: No. We no longer do graphic requests.
Q: What's a forum game and can I make one?
A: No. A forum game is a semi-useless topic that does not promote discussion between users. Often ends with "What would you do?" or "How would you act?", etc.
Q: What's an episode?
A: An episode is a completed game/project. (If New Super Mario Bros Wii was in SMBX it would be an episode.) To look at episodes go here.
Q: What's a project?
A: A project is an unfinished game/episode. To look at projects go here.
Q: How do I post screenshots?
A: Upload an image to an image hosting site like Imgur or Photobucket. Copy the link to the photo (the direct link--click in View Image) and paste it between two image tags:
Q: How do I post download links?
A: Upload a file to a file hosting site like Mediafire or Dropbox (I like to use Mediafire). Copy the link and paste it between two url tags:
A: PM an admin with your request.
Q: Can I request graphics?
A: No. We no longer do graphic requests.
Q: What's a forum game and can I make one?
A: No. A forum game is a semi-useless topic that does not promote discussion between users. Often ends with "What would you do?" or "How would you act?", etc.
Q: What's an episode?
A: An episode is a completed game/project. (If New Super Mario Bros Wii was in SMBX it would be an episode.) To look at episodes go here.
Q: What's a project?
A: A project is an unfinished game/episode. To look at projects go here.
Q: How do I post screenshots?
A: Upload an image to an image hosting site like Imgur or Photobucket. Copy the link to the photo (the direct link--click in View Image) and paste it between two image tags:
Q: How do I post download links?
A: Upload a file to a file hosting site like Mediafire or Dropbox (I like to use Mediafire). Copy the link and paste it between two url tags:
Spoiler: show
Q: Why is there no starman?
A: Redigit couldn't figure out how to make flashing colours with VB6. The Starman feature can however be accomplished with LunaLua.
Q: How do I add more blocks, BGOs, NPCs, etc. to my level?
A: You can't physically add more, however you can customize them using custom graphics and for NPCs you can additionally use NPC codes (.txt files) or LunaLua for more features and options.
Q: How do I add wind physics in my levels?
A: You don't. You'll need LunaLua to do that.
Q: How do I set a timer?
A: You don't. You'll also need LunaLua to do that.
Q: What do layers and events do?
A: This topic explains it better than I could: Official Guide to Layers and Events in SMBX
Q: How do I take screenshots?
A: Create a folder in your SMBX folder (that's the one with the worlds folder, graphics folder, etc.) and name it "screenshots". Then
press F12 while in the level editor. Note: Make sure the level window is not set to fullscreen or the screenshot will be distorted.
Q: How do I increase the number of frames for a custom NPC?
A: Create a text document named after the NPC (if the NPC is called npc-1, name the text document npc-1). Then type frames=# of frames.
Example: If you have 4 frames:
frames=4
For more NPC codes check here.
Q: How do make mushrooms stay still when they come out of ?-blocks?
A: Create a text document named after the NPC (if the NPC is called npc-1, name the text document npc-1). Then type speed=0.
Q: How do I increase the size of a custom NPC?
A: Create a text document named after the NPC (if the NPC is called npc-1, name the text document npc-1). Then type width=# of pixels long and height=# of pixels tall.
Example: If my NPC was 64x64, I would type:
height=64
width=64
For more NPC codes check here.
Q: How do you change the size or number of frames of a block/BGO/effect/background/etc.?
A: You don't.
Q: How do I use custom graphics?
A: This topic explains it well.
Q: Where do I get custom graphics?
A: http://www.smbxgame.com/forums/v ... m.php?f=31
Q: What does reset game do in the editor?
A: Reset game (F8), well, resets the game. Mostly it just causes stars, checkpoints, etc. to be no longer collected.
A: Redigit couldn't figure out how to make flashing colours with VB6. The Starman feature can however be accomplished with LunaLua.
Q: How do I add more blocks, BGOs, NPCs, etc. to my level?
A: You can't physically add more, however you can customize them using custom graphics and for NPCs you can additionally use NPC codes (.txt files) or LunaLua for more features and options.
Q: How do I add wind physics in my levels?
A: You don't. You'll need LunaLua to do that.
Q: How do I set a timer?
A: You don't. You'll also need LunaLua to do that.
Q: What do layers and events do?
A: This topic explains it better than I could: Official Guide to Layers and Events in SMBX
Q: How do I take screenshots?
A: Create a folder in your SMBX folder (that's the one with the worlds folder, graphics folder, etc.) and name it "screenshots". Then
press F12 while in the level editor. Note: Make sure the level window is not set to fullscreen or the screenshot will be distorted.
Q: How do I increase the number of frames for a custom NPC?
A: Create a text document named after the NPC (if the NPC is called npc-1, name the text document npc-1). Then type frames=# of frames.
Example: If you have 4 frames:
frames=4
For more NPC codes check here.
Q: How do make mushrooms stay still when they come out of ?-blocks?
A: Create a text document named after the NPC (if the NPC is called npc-1, name the text document npc-1). Then type speed=0.
Q: How do I increase the size of a custom NPC?
A: Create a text document named after the NPC (if the NPC is called npc-1, name the text document npc-1). Then type width=# of pixels long and height=# of pixels tall.
Example: If my NPC was 64x64, I would type:
height=64
width=64
For more NPC codes check here.
Q: How do you change the size or number of frames of a block/BGO/effect/background/etc.?
A: You don't.
Q: How do I use custom graphics?
A: This topic explains it well.
Q: Where do I get custom graphics?
A: http://www.smbxgame.com/forums/v ... m.php?f=31
Q: What does reset game do in the editor?
A: Reset game (F8), well, resets the game. Mostly it just causes stars, checkpoints, etc. to be no longer collected.
Spoiler: show
Q: How do I use cheat codes?
A: Just type whichever code you want to use. You don't actually need to type it in a box or anything, just type it during normal gameplay. You can find a list of all of the cheat codes here.
Warnings for using cheat codes:
1. Cheating doesn't come without a cost. After using a cheat, you will no longer be allowed to save your progress within the episode you were playing until you quit and re-enter the episode. (You will have lost the progress from since you last saved upon quitting and re-entering.) You can use cheats while playing single levels in the editor, and it will have no effect on saving, etc.
2. When a cheat is typed in, the playable character (Mario, Peach, etc.) will still respond to those commands. If you were to type, "needaflower", you would also spin jump when you hit the a.
How do I delete saves? / How do I reset the file I'm playing on?
A: Go into your main SMBX folder (that's the one with the folders-- "graphics", "worlds", etc.) and then go into the episode within the worlds folder you want to delete a save file from. Save files appear to be normal text files, except they have the file extension .sav. There are three saves in an episode (1, 2, and 3), so delete the .sav file that's letter matches the save's number in-game.
A: Just type whichever code you want to use. You don't actually need to type it in a box or anything, just type it during normal gameplay. You can find a list of all of the cheat codes here.
Warnings for using cheat codes:
1. Cheating doesn't come without a cost. After using a cheat, you will no longer be allowed to save your progress within the episode you were playing until you quit and re-enter the episode. (You will have lost the progress from since you last saved upon quitting and re-entering.) You can use cheats while playing single levels in the editor, and it will have no effect on saving, etc.
2. When a cheat is typed in, the playable character (Mario, Peach, etc.) will still respond to those commands. If you were to type, "needaflower", you would also spin jump when you hit the a.
How do I delete saves? / How do I reset the file I'm playing on?
A: Go into your main SMBX folder (that's the one with the folders-- "graphics", "worlds", etc.) and then go into the episode within the worlds folder you want to delete a save file from. Save files appear to be normal text files, except they have the file extension .sav. There are three saves in an episode (1, 2, and 3), so delete the .sav file that's letter matches the save's number in-game.
Spoiler: show
Q: Will SMBX 1.4 ever be released?
A: No. Redigit abandonned this project and will not likely return to it. Since no one has the source code to the program, no one can edit it. This means that there will never be an update for the SMBX engine. However, there are many extensions and other engines that can be used to add additional features and fix the glitches of the original engine.
Q: What is LunaDLL/Lua?
A: LunaLua (LunaDLL is an older version) is an extension module that can be used to stretch SMBX to its limits. It uses "JavaScript + Visual Basic"-like coding. You can find out more about it and download it from here.
Q: What is PGE?
A: The Platformer Game Engine is one of a handful of engines that can be used with SMBX. Created by user Wohlstand, this editor supports LunaLua, has a world map testing option, and addresses/fixes many errors that the original engine has. You can find out more about it and download it from here.
Q: What program should I use to make my own graphics?
A: I personally prefer Paint.NET, which is probably the most user friendly and useful for pixelwork/spriting. You can safely download it at http://www.getpaint.net/index.html.
A: No. Redigit abandonned this project and will not likely return to it. Since no one has the source code to the program, no one can edit it. This means that there will never be an update for the SMBX engine. However, there are many extensions and other engines that can be used to add additional features and fix the glitches of the original engine.
Q: What is LunaDLL/Lua?
A: LunaLua (LunaDLL is an older version) is an extension module that can be used to stretch SMBX to its limits. It uses "JavaScript + Visual Basic"-like coding. You can find out more about it and download it from here.
Q: What is PGE?
A: The Platformer Game Engine is one of a handful of engines that can be used with SMBX. Created by user Wohlstand, this editor supports LunaLua, has a world map testing option, and addresses/fixes many errors that the original engine has. You can find out more about it and download it from here.
Q: What program should I use to make my own graphics?
A: I personally prefer Paint.NET, which is probably the most user friendly and useful for pixelwork/spriting. You can safely download it at http://www.getpaint.net/index.html.
Spoiler: show
Q: I'm getting a message that says, "Runtime Error 11 - Division by 0" and then SMBX crashes. What's going on?
A: This Runtime Error is most often caused by entering a pipe via a warp, when the pipe contains a Venus Fire Trap. This can be fixed by either moving/removing the warp, removing the Venus Fire Trap, or offsetting the Venus Fire Trap at least 2 pixels either to the left or to the right.
Q: I'm getting a message that says, "Runtime Error 13 - Type Mismatch" and then SMBX crashes. What's going on now?
A: This Runtime Error often occurs when one or multiple NPC text files contain illegible values by your computer. This mostly consists of adding a letter or decimal number, on some computers, after an equals sign.
Examples:
frames=4s
speed=2.5
framespeed=3,2
Q: I'm getting a message that says, "Runtime Error 340 - Control array element "X" does not exist" and then SMBX crashes. Why are all these things happening to me?
A: This almost world famous Runtime Error often occurs while trying to save a world map, when there are custom graphics being used for "scenes" (scenery objects) numbered 33 or higher.This can easily be fixed by moving all custom graphics from scene-33 and higher to a temporary folder far away from the .wld (world) file until you are finished making the world map. Only when you are completely finished, return these graphics to their proper place alongside the .wld file. They will work when playing in an episode but if you open up your map in the world editor again with them added and try to save SMBX will crash again and again.
A: This Runtime Error is most often caused by entering a pipe via a warp, when the pipe contains a Venus Fire Trap. This can be fixed by either moving/removing the warp, removing the Venus Fire Trap, or offsetting the Venus Fire Trap at least 2 pixels either to the left or to the right.
Q: I'm getting a message that says, "Runtime Error 13 - Type Mismatch" and then SMBX crashes. What's going on now?
A: This Runtime Error often occurs when one or multiple NPC text files contain illegible values by your computer. This mostly consists of adding a letter or decimal number, on some computers, after an equals sign.
Examples:
frames=4s
speed=2.5
framespeed=3,2
Q: I'm getting a message that says, "Runtime Error 340 - Control array element "X" does not exist" and then SMBX crashes. Why are all these things happening to me?
A: This almost world famous Runtime Error often occurs while trying to save a world map, when there are custom graphics being used for "scenes" (scenery objects) numbered 33 or higher.This can easily be fixed by moving all custom graphics from scene-33 and higher to a temporary folder far away from the .wld (world) file until you are finished making the world map. Only when you are completely finished, return these graphics to their proper place alongside the .wld file. They will work when playing in an episode but if you open up your map in the world editor again with them added and try to save SMBX will crash again and again.
