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			TREAD BETA 1 README
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Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. System Requirements
3. Installation
4. Configuring Tread for the First Run
5. Running Tread for the First Time
6. Shortcut Keys
7. Known Bugs
8. Unknown Bugs
9. Options Dialog
10. Tread and support of MODs

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*1. Introduction*
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Welcome to Beta 1, Build 24 of Tread.  This file will help you through the installation and basic features of Tread.  Tread is the newest map editor and as of Beta 1, Build 24, Tread fully supports creating levels in Quake and Quake2. We are currently still working on completing the entity scripts for both of these games. By Version 1.0 Tread will also support HexenII.  And in the future we are also planning support for Valve Software's new hit, Half-Life.

One of our goals in creating Tread is to make a map editor that is based upon what the game community wants.  At any point in development, even once we release final versions of Tread, we want your feedback on what new features you would like to see in Tread. Simply e-mail Ryan Cain, our Project Manager at: ccnet@ioc.net, with any request for a new feature that you have.  

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*2. System Requirements*
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- Windows 98/NT, Windows 95 support has not been tested
- Pentium Equivalent or Greater 
- As much RAM as you can possibly get 
- 10 MB Hard Disk space for installation 
- 7 MB Hard Disk space once installed 
- 800x600 minimum resolution, 1024x768 recommended
- 16bit color or higher recommended 
- Quake or Quake 2 (The games are the whole reason you want a map editor right?) 

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*3. Installation*
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Before running setup for Tread please make sure you have Quake or QuakeII installed.  This is not a requirement but it will make your life a little easier since Tread automatically finds the games install directories during setup.  Since you are reading this file we assume you have already unzipped the zip file that you downloaded from the Internet.  Now simply double click setup.exe in that same directory this readme file is located and you'll be on your way.

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*4. Configuring Tread for the First Run*
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Because Quake's BSP program QBSP requires wad files, Quake does not come with everything needed to build levels.

For your convenience we have created a program called ExtPak2. ExtPak2 will extract the Quake textures and update Tread's settings. Do not run ExtPak2 while Tread is running. Settings written by ExtPak2 will be lost if you do. This program should be located on the Start Menu under the Tread group.

Once the installation has completed, preliminary settings for Tread should be in place. Tread's installation searches for supported games and sets up the necessary settings. The installation will also check for supported texture packages.

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*5. Running Tread for the First Time*
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Once you have successfully run Tread's installation program and optionally extracted Quake textures using ExtPak2, you can launch Tread by clicking on its icon under the start menu.

Tread should give you a message notifying you that it has detected that this is the first time you have run the program. Click "OK". Tread will now display a dialog showing the current configurations. You can look them over and change them if necessary. Once you have finished, click "Ok". Tread will now inform you that you must restart.

Restart Tread by clicking on its icon under the start menu. This time, Tread should load a splash screen and print out it's progress as it performs start-up tasks. If nothing goes wrong, the main application window should open maximized, and you should be on your way. Enjoy!

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*6. Shortcut Keys*
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Shift - When in "pointer" mode, holding shift will de-activate hotspot tracking, disabling the ability to size or rotate an object. In this event, an object can only be dragged. This is useful for small objects, when hotspots completely cover the object.

Shift+Ctrl - In "pointer" mode, holding Shift+Ctrl and dragging an object, causes that object to be duplicated. The drag will then be executed on the duplicated object.

Z - Holding Z will cause Tread to switch to "zoom mode" until Z is released. Once Z is released, Tread will return to its previous state. NOTE: A flat view must have the input focus for this to work.

Q - Pointer Mode
C - Camera Mode
A - Paint selected object
E - Entity Mode
W - Brush Mode
F - Face Mode
V - Vertex Mode
X - Clip Tool
1 - Grid Bigger
2 - Grid Smaller
F7 - Run Map
L - Link to Entity
B - Browse Textures
Ctrl+N - New Map
Ctrl+O - Open Map
Ctrl+S - Save Map 
Space - Displays properties of currently selected object.

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*7. Known Bugs*
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Below are known bugs, so that makes them features.

1. Tread has one known re-appearing bug. Unfortunately, this bug is not under our control. OpenGL is currently unstable during resizing operations. Sometimes, when windows are resized or the console window pops up, Tread will crash in opengl.dll. We are currently investigating other alternatives and fixes. 

2. You can attempt to build maps during a currently executing build. You can really mess things up doing this, so don't say we didn't warn you. And, yes, we're gonna fix it.

3. Occasionally when releasing the 'Z' key (previously discussed) Tread will switch back into a very weird state and the face dialog will pop up. Not to worry, just click the pointer icon and things should be fine. Somewhere there is a bug when the mode is restored into a bogus value.

4. Tread does what we call "losing DIB sections". Occasionally (or often) Tread will stop redrawing the 3 views. This one is quite frustrating to us. To fix it, resize the map window or the entire program. This should get Tread to redraw the surfaces correctly. It may a take a few resizes sometimes. If anyone figures out how to consistently produce this error, please email us. Maybe we can lay this one to rest.

5. You can occasionally resize things into oblivion.

6. Tread allows you to double link to entity and it shouldn't.  Doing so removes the brushes that are being "linked to entity."

7. Tread's 3D view doesn't draw non power of two textures. A fix will be out shortly.

The only email about the above-discussed problems should contain exact steps to reproduce the error. 

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*8. Unknown Bugs*
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Oh, dear God!

Find em', mail em: jmriedel@earthlink.net.

BTW: We need ALL the information possible: 
- What you were doing at the time. 
- A short list of steps to reproduce the problem. 
- What happened (crash, assertion, something funny). If Tread did crash, what module did it crash in? 
- Everything! What was the current location of all the known stars at the time? Was the wind blowing, if so, how fast? 
- Give us as many details as you can squeeze from your brain.

Bear in mind that if we cannot reproduce the problem, the report is useless to us. If you cannot reproduce a bug, let us know what happened, but be aware that we may not be able to fix it without more information.

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*9. Options Dialog*
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Game configurations Tab:
This section of the options dialog allows you to configure build programs and game executables for all the games that Tread supports.

You can select the game you wish to configure by selecting a game from the game list. 

Game Directory: 
Specifies the full path of the directory where the game's executable is located.

Game Executable: 
Specifies the full path of the games executable file.

Compiled Map Directory: 
Specifies full path where map building and intermediate building should take place. BSP files are also placed in this directory.

BSP/LIGHT/VIS: 
The full path of the BSP, light or vis executable used to do map processing.

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*10. Tread and support of MODs*
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We love Quake and Quake2 and one of the single biggest goals of Tread is to facilitate the use of MODs and TC's. That's the only reason Tread has a scripting language.

We are currently working out some details involving mods. Tread does support external textures (other than Quake/Quake2 textures), but does not do it correctly. Tread doesn't work with multiple palettes, so only one can be used at any time. For Quake support, Tread doesn't tell QBSP about multiple wad files, it only tells it about the Quake.wad file. 

These issues are being resolved and will be completed shortly. Please do not write us telling us about it. We're aware of it and are making changes.

We will be releasing full documentation on Tread shortly.

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*11. Legal Stuff*
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IMRLabs is a division of the In Medias Res Company, which is committed to delivering value to it's customers through increased functionality and innovation while maintaining competitive prices in an ever-changing industry.  In Medias Res was founded in 1994 by Ryan Cain, Dennis Hoekstra, and Joe Riedel.

In Medias Res, IMRlabs, and Tread are trademarks of the In Medias Res Company in the United States and/or other countries.

Other product and company names herein may be trademarks of their respective owners.
