Using iDraw CharaMaker

Tool Box-

        Select Rectangle-  This feature is most helpful when copying a full animation to
edit without affecting the original copy.  I also found that it is helpful for copying a certain
portion of the characters body.  Such as copying the top part of a characters head, usually
 from their eyes up.  

        Select Ellipse-  Not a particularly useful tool, the only thing I can think of that it
would be used for is basically the same as Select Rectangle.  

        Select Polygonal- This tool allows you to select a certain polygon for editing. 
You use it by selecting a single polygon then creating a shape to fit your needs.  Once you
have done this you double click on the starting position and you can move the selected
piece around to another region.

        Select Region-  This tool is extremely useful.  It is the best for selecting individual
pieces.  I would recommend using the zoom 8 though, otherwise it would be hard to
specify a certain area.  This is a great tool for taking out heads and adding them to
another.  And I might add it does this smoothly so your character will look great!
 
        Select Parallelogram-  Use this tool by clicking a certain pixel then drag the
parallelogram out until it has fitted your size.  From there you can move it around until
you fit it into the right place.  

        Select Color(s)-  When this tool is enabled you can select a certain color or colors
to use and move around with.

        Select Border, Select Surface-  By selecting border you can select a border around
one or more of the characters on the screen, the you can move the remaining surface
around.  Select surface enables you to select a certain area on the character such as an eye
or hand and move it about.

        Draw Dot-  This is pretty much the basic tool in the iDraw.  It is used to draw
certain pixels onto a selected area.  By right clicking on a specific pixel you can take in its
color for use on other regions.  Double clicking on the draw dot in the tool box brings up
the option to change the pen size.  This feature can also be chosen by selecting the view,
and then show pen.

        Draw Line-  This feature allows you to draw a straight or diagonal line in a
selected area.  Also the pen priority can also be enabled by double clicking the draw line in
the tool box.  You can also sample a color with this tool by right clicking the selected
color.

        Draw Rectangle/ Fill Rectangle-  use the regular rectangle allows you to create an
outlining of the specified color around an object.  The fill rectangle allows you to make a
rectangle with a solid inner color.

        Draw Ellipse/ Fill Ellipse-  This is basically the same tool as Draw rectangle
except this one draws an circle instead of an rectangle.

        Draw Edge-  This tool enables you to draw an edge around all characters in a
specified region.  

        Fill-  This handy tool enables you to fill in a certain area that is one color already
to another color.  

        Draw Curve-  This is similar to draw edge,  except in this you can make a curve
around certain areas.

        Draw Spray-  This allows you to spray a blotch of a certain color.

Animation Option
        When using this choose the highlight square in the animation box.  Highlight the
frame you want, then choose the next frame, and then the next.  You can also choose a
strand such as every direction at once.  This tool is very helpful, no longer do you have to
test play your game to see new animations!  Also in order to play the animations press the
start button, and to stop press the interrupt button.  You can zoom in or out on the
specified animations also.

Tips and Tricks
I would highly recommend this to anyone  that is considering making an original game. 
This can be used to edit characters so that they are shaped to fit your needs.  Try using
other heads on other bodies.  EX. Perhaps you want your character to be a ninja, but
unfortunately there is only one Ninja in the RTP chara sets,  so, what to do?  First select a
suitable head that you would like to be a ninja.  Then select the select region tool.  Put the
zoom on 8 and outline which ever view of the head you want.  Now make sure you do the
head only,  now hold down the right mouse button and choose copy.  Now go to the ninja
you saw before.  Once again hold down the right mouse button and choose paste. Drag
the head over onto the Ninja’s body replacing its head.  Do this to all the animations and
you have just made your first original character!  You can also make characters from
scratch with this program, it is a little difficult, but alot easier then the standard paint
program.  Now you can comfortably make original characters for you game.  I hope this
tutorial helped you in understanding how this program works and familiarize yourself with
it.  If you have any questions or  comments feel free to email me at
dylanmay@ignmail.com or ICQ at 34051226

--AtomBomb