How to deal with Linez in Babyz hexing
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


Linez are an essential part of building babyz. Above you can see Evie, who is downloadable from my "Real Babyz" page, and beside her a similar baby using the same ballz and linez for her hair, just with the mohawk points moved downwards to make "bangs". Simple to do and very effective.

It seems that a lot of people are having difficulty understanding about [Linez]. For some reason, most Babyz hexers have completely avoided them until recently, maybe because P.F.Magic didn't bother to use Linez when making the pony-tails. Most hexers have simply used [Add Ball] ballz without realising how much more you can do if you use other parts of the .LNZ file properly.

Okay, don't panic, and look at the thing carefully. The first thing to bear in mind is that Babyz are almost entirely created out of ballz, with linez joining them together. Think of it like that song -- "The Ankle Bone Connected to the Knee Bone".

I'm assuming that you've downloaded and installed my "easy-edit" package. Take brg.lnz from the easy-edit package and open it in Notepad. Scroll down to [Linez].

Right. Now look up just above where you see [Linez] and you will see a line of programmers' comments, which just happen to be very handy column headers that help us as well as the programmers:

;srt end fuzz col lfCol rtCol sThck eThick outline drawAFTERBall

Okay. srt means "start ball of line" and end means "end ball of line", fuzz means "fuzz amount of line", col means "colour of line, lfCol and rtCol mean "left and right edge colours of the line", sthick and ethick mean "thickness of the line at the start ball and at the end ball". Don't worry about the other two columns, they really aren't important for simple line hexing.

Now Look at the line of code below [Linez]. Ignore the line that says ;body because that is a commented-out line which is just a programmers' comment; the game doesn't read programmers' comments but we do. Okay, that line of code looks like this:

10, 4, -1, -1, -1, -1, 95, 95, 1, 0

So the starting ball is ball 10 which, if you look down at the [Ballz Info] section, you will see is the chestL or left chest ball. The end ball is ball number 4, which is the belly ball. So the left chest is connected to the belly. The next line tells you that ball number 11 is also connected to the belly ball, which makes sense because you can see that ball 11 is the right chest ball. Now then, both of these linez have -1 fuzz, which means "no fuzz". 0 would have been "a little fizz" and 1 would have been "more fuzz" and so on. They have -1 colour and -1 outline colours, which mean that these linez have the same colours as the starting ballz -- in this case, the chest ball colour is used for the linez connecting the chest to the belly.

See how it works? All you need to know is the number of the ball that you want the line to start with and the number of the ball with which you want it to end. This is all very nice and simple when it's the ballz in [Ballz Info] because they are all very conveniently listed with their numbers and you don't need to count down the Ballz Info lines of code to find out their numbers. P.F.Magic numbering all starts with 0, so ball number 0 is the left ankle, ball number 1 is the right ankle and so on up to ball number 119 which is actually an invisible ball used to help the baby's movement.

After this, the [Add Ball] ball numbers start. So scroll up to [Add Ball]. Note that they tell you that the first add ball is ball number 120 -- this would be right, becase it follows on from ball number 119. Here also we have a handy set of programmers' comments, with this line being one you must be used to by now:

;base x y z color otlnCol spckCol fuzz group (etc)

Now then, if you count each line of code (not the comments, which are the lines which start with a semi-colon, the lines of actual numbers) as a new ball number, you should see how it works. They actually tell you that the "extra transparent nose balls for freckles" start with ball number 130, and if you counted down the lines of code from the line of code for ball 120, you'll see that this is correct. Carrying on the count down to the end of the tears in right eye, you should agree with the programmers that the first hair ball is ball number 138. All the ballz from 120 to this first hair ball, apart from the extra nose balls, are either invisible placement balls or were intended to appear at some stage (like the tears and teeth).

Now we get to the bit that confuses some people; the hair ballz are shown as a set of variations -- that's what the # numbers mean. What I always do, in order to prevent confusion, is to remove all the #(number) lines. So in this case where I see

;HAIR 138
#3.C;bald
#2.B;Hair-orange side ponytails

and

#1.A;Hair- dotted
##

and

#2.Y;- Bellybutton- outy

and
#1.Z;- Bellybutton- inny
##

I simply delete them, so the code would look like this for me:

;
;HAIR 138
63, 65, -60, 0, 46, (etc)
63, 90, -80, 5, 10,
63, 110, -60, 10, 10,
63, 105, -40, -2, 10,
63, 113, -30, -5, 10,
; ball number 143 is the next ball
63, -65, -60, 0, 46, (etc)
63, -90, -80, 5, 10,
63, -110, -60, 10, 10,
63, -105, -40, -2, 10,
63, -113, -30, -5, 10,


I don't want the "outy" belly-button so I delete that line of code, which was commented-out anyway by the programmers and is just getting in my way. So, I've now got the groundwork prepared to change all the hair ballz to my heart's content, and of course I can add as many lines as I wish. The first hair ball is ball number 138, the next is ball number 139, the next is ball number 140 and so on. I make sure I keep a note of this, so that if I want to join up any of the ballz in [Linez] I can do so. Now, if you look at my first "Real" babyz, you'll see that I have great fun joining up the hair ballz and making fancy mohawks. Evie has hair that stands up, really, in a kind of reverse of bangz. So all you need to do really is to take the code from Evie

;convenient unseen base ball 138
63 0, -10, 0 115 35 0 1 0 -1, 0 8 0 0
;Mohawk bases 139
138, 0, -35, -23, 12, 244, 0 -1, 1, -1, 35, 8 0 0
138, 0, -40, -7, 12, 244, 0 -1, 1, -1, 35, 8 0 0
138, 0, -40, 4, 12, 244, 0 -1, 1, -1, 35, 8 0 0
138, 0, -40, 15, 12, 244, 0 -1, 1, -1, 35, 8 0 0
138, 0, -35, 30, 12, 244, 0 -1, 1, -1, 35, 8 0 0
138, 0, -20, 45, 12, 244, 0 -1, 1, -1, 35, 8 0 0
;Mohawk tips 145
138, 0, -165, -85, 12, 244, 0 -1, 1, 0, 10, 8 0 0
138, 0, -165, -40, 12, 244, 0 -1, 1, 0, 10, 8 0 0
138, 0, -165, 0, 12, 244, 0 -1, 1, 0, 10, 8 0 0
138, 0, -160, 50, 12, 244, 0 -1, 1, 0, 10, 8 0 0
138, 0, -145, 100, 12, 244, 0 -1, 1, 0, 10, 8 0 0
138, 0, -120, 150, 12, 244, 0 -1, 1, 0, 10, 8 0 0



and modify it so that the tips are actually down rather than up, and tweak things a bit so that they shift forward and don't poke through the back when she moves:

;convenient unseen base ball 138
63 0, -10, -40 115 35 0 1 0 -1, 0 8 0 0
;Mohawk bases 139
138, -50, -45, -13, 12, 244, 0 -1, 1, -1, 35, 8 0 0
138, -30, -50, -27, 12, 244, 0 -1, 1, -1, 35, 8 0 0
138, -5, -50, -25, 12, 244, 0 -1, 1, -1, 35, 8 0 0
138, 5, -50, -25, 12, 244, 0 -1, 1, -1, 35, 8 0 0
138, 30, -50, -30, 12, 244, 0 -1, 1, -1, 35, 8 0 0
138, 50, -45, -15, 12, 244, 0 -1, 1, -1, 35, 8 0 0
;Mohawk tips 145 (now "bangs" tips)
138, -80, 45, -85, 12, 244, 0 -1, 1, 0, 10, 8 0 0
138, -60, 45, -60, 12, 244, 0 -1, 1, 0, 10, 8 0 0
138, -30, 45, -60, 12, 244, 0 -1, 1, 0, 10, 8 0 0
138, 30, 40, -60, 12, 244, 0 -1, 1, 0, 10, 8 0 0
138, 60, 45, -80, 12, 244, 0 -1, 1, 0, 10, 8 0 0
138, 80, 40, -80, 12, 244, 0 -1, 1, 0, 10, 8 0 0


And just join them up in [Linez] the same way they are joined up in Evie, joining the tips 139-144 to the relevant base ballz 145-150

;Mohawk (now "bangs")
145, 139, 1, -1, 244, 244, 100, 100
146, 140, 1, -1, 244, 244, 100, 100
147, 141, 1, -1, 244, 244, 100, 100
148, 142, 1, -1, 244, 244, 100, 100
149, 143, 1, -1, 244, 244, 100, 100
150, 144, 1, -1, 244, 244, 100, 100

You can do so much with Linez. For instance, I want to add a delicate tiara and fancy feather to my baby; a sort of 1920s "Flapper" look, in a way. So I start off by adding the ballz that I want, starting with a base ball as with the bangs -- I find using base balls very useful, you can change the look easily without always having to shift everything around:

;tiara 158
63 0, -50, -20, 26 53, 0 1, 0 -1, 0, 8 0 1, 63
;headband 159
158, 0, -19, -36, 66, -1, 0 -1, 0, -1, 16, 8 0 2
158, 30, -18, -27, 66, -1, 0 -1, 0, -1, 16, 8 0 2
158, 42, -13, -18, 48, -1, 0 -1, 0, -1, 16, 8 0 -1
158, 49, -3, -6, 48, -1, 0 -1, 0, -1, 16, 8 0 -1
158, -49, -1, -6, 48, -1, 0 -1, 0, -1, 16, 8 0 -1
158, -42, -11, -19, 66, -1, 0 -1, 0, -1, 16, 8 0 2
158, -30, -16, -28, 66, -1, 0 -1, 0, -1, 16, 8 0 2
;tiara 166
158, 0, -52, -26, 66, -1, 0 -1, 0, -1, 19, 8 0 2
158, 27, -55, -30, 66, -1, 0 -1, 0, -1, 19, 8 0 2
158, -27, -55, -30, 66, -1, 0 -1, 0, -1, 19, 8 0 2
158, 30, -47, -30, 66, -1, 0 -1, 0, -1, 18, 8 0 2
158, -30, -47, -30, 66, -1, 0 -1, 0, -1, 18, 8 0 2
158, 40, -51, -26, 66, -1, 0 -1, 0, -1, 18, 8 0 2
158, -40, -51, -26, 66, -1, 0 -1, 0, -1, 18, 8 0 2
158, 44, -41, -26, 66, -1, 0 -1, 0, -1, 18, 8 0 2
158, -44, -41, -26, 66, -1, 0 -1, 0, -1, 18, 8 0 2
158, 53, -44, -20, 66, -1, 0 -1, 0, -1, 18, 8 0 2
158, -53, -44, -20, 66, -1, 0 -1, 0, -1, 18, 8 0 2
158, 58, -36, -20, 66, -1, 0 -1, 0, -1, 18, 8 0 2
158, -58, -36, -20, 66, -1, 0 -1, 0, -1, 18, 8 0 2
; feather 179
63 0, -50, 2, 26 53, 0 1, 0 -1, 0, 0 0 1, 63
;feather 180
179, 0, -38, 28, 64, 54, 0 0, 0, -1, 16, 8 0 2
179, 0, -46, 22, 64, 54, 0 0, 0, -1, 16, 8 0 2
179, 0, -56, 15, 66, 54, 0 0, 0, -1, 16, 8 0 2
179, 0, -66, 10, 64, 54, 0 0, 0, -1, 16, 8 0 2
179, 0, -76, 5, 66, 54, 0 0, 0, -1, 16, 8 0 2
179, 0, -94, -3, 66, 54, 0 6, 0, -1, 26, 8 0 2
;186
179, -22, -50,20, 66, 54, 0 3, 0, -1, 16, 8 0 2
179, 22, -50, 20, 66, 54, 0 3, 0, -1, 16, 8 0 2
179, -22, -60,15, 66, 54, 0 3, 0, -1, 16, 8 0 2
179, 22, -60, 15, 66, 54, 0 3, 0, -1, 16, 8 0 2
179, -22, -70,10, 66, 54, 0 3, 0, -1, 16, 8 0 2
179, 22, -70,10, 66, 54, 0 3, 0, -1, 16, 8 0 2
179, -22, -80, 5, 66, 54, 0 3, 0, -1, 16, 8 0 2
179, 22, -80, 5, 66, 54, 0 3, 0, -1, 16, 8 0 2
179, -19, -88, 0, 66, 54, 0 3, 0, -1, 16, 8 0 2
179, 19, -88, 0, 66, 54, 0 3, 0, -1, 16, 8 0 2
;vertical spine 196
179, 0, -36, 34, 63 55, 0 0, 0, -1, 8, 8 0 2
179, 0, -80, 2, 63 55, 0 0, 0, -1, 8, 8 0 2

Then I join up the ballz the way I want them to look, in [Linez]:

;tiara
159 160 0, -1, 58, 58, 100, 100, 1
160 161 0, -1, 58, 58, 100, 100, 1
161 162 0, -1, 58, 58, 100, 100, 1
163 164 0, -1, 58, 58, 100, 100, 1
164 165 0, -1, 58, 58, 100, 100, 1
165 159 0, -1, 58, 58, 100, 100, 1
;
166 167 0, -1, 58, 58, 100, 100, 1
166 168 0, -1, 58, 58, 100, 100, 1
167 169 0, -1, 58, 58, 100, 100, 1
168 170 0, -1, 58, 58, 100, 100, 1
169 159 0, -1, -1, 58, 100, 75, 1
170 159 0, -1, -1, 58, 100, 75, 1
171 173 0, -1, -1, 58, 100, 100, 1
172 174 0, -1, -1, 58, 100, 100, 1
171 169 0, -1, -1, 58, 100, 100, 1
172 170 0, -1, -1, 58, 100, 100, 1
173 160 0, -1, -1, 58, 100, 75, 1
174 165 0, -1, -1, 58, 100, 75, 1
175 173 0, -1, -1, 58, 100, 100, 1
176 174 0, -1, -1, 58, 100, 100, 1
175 177 0, -1, -1, 58, 100, 75, 1
176 178 0, -1, -1, 58, 100, 75, 1
177 161 0, -1, -1, 58, 100, 75, 1
178 164 0, -1, -1, 58, 100, 75, 1
;feather
;
180 186 0 66 55 55 100 100 1, 1
180 187 0 66 55 55 100 100 1, 1
181 188 0 66 55 55 100 100 1, 1
181 189 0 66 55 55 100 100 1, 1
182 190 0 66 55 55 100 100 1, 1
182 191 0 66 55 55 100 100 1, 1
183 192 0 66 55 55 100 100 1, 1
183 193 0 66 55 55 100 100 1, 1
184 194 0 66 55 55 100 100 1, 1
184 195 0 66 55 55 100 100 1, 1
185 184 0 66 55 55 100 100 1, 1
196 197 0 66 56 56 100 100 1, 1

And there I am; a hairstyle that may be flamboyant but I like it.


Here's a baby that you might like, made using the above code and with the following textures:

[Texture List]
\art\autobuild\hair3.bmp 1 256 256
\art\autobuild\clear.bmp 0 256 256
\art\autobuild\cottonwhite.bmp 0 256 256

Enjoy!

Carolyn Horn