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Frequently Asked Questions
Question: How do I switch between full screen and windowed mode?
Answer: On Windows and Linux, pressing ALT-ENTER will quickly toggle between full screen and windowed modes. On Mac OS X, press OPTION-ENTER. Or, if you prefer, you can switch between windowed and full screen modes by using the "Options" menu available from the main and in-game menus.
Question: How do I use the level editor that comes with the game?
Answer: Click here for detailed instructions. If you have any questions, try the forums!
Question: How do I download more custom levels to play?
Answer: Downloading levels is simple! All you have to do is visit our Level Management System, find a level you're interested in, and click on the "File" icon in the right-hand column. Your web browser may then ask you whether you would like to "Open" or "Save" the file. Be sure you click "Save"!
Depending on which operating system you are using, Professor Fizzwizzle will be installed in a different location:
Windows - The default installation location for Professor Fizzwizzle is "C:\Program Files\Professor Fizzwizzle"
Mac - Professor Fizzwizzle will be installed wherever you happened to drag the application icon.
Linux - Professor Fizzwizzle will be installed wherever you uncompressed the tar.gz file.
Navigate to the location appropriate for your operating system, and open the folder called "custom". You must instruct your web browser to save the level file in this "custom" subfolder.
NOTE: If the "custom" folder does not already exist (it may not, if you have not attempted to use the level editor), you will have to create it. All characters in the word "custom" must be lower case when you create the folder!
Once you have saved the level file in Professor Fizzwizzle's "custom" subfolder, simply run the game. From the game's main menu click "Custom Levels" and you will find your new level in the list!
Question: How do I share levels I have created with other people?
Answer: Uploading levels is simple! All you have to do is visit our Level Management System and click Submit Level. Fill out your level's info, and click the "Browse..." button. Your web browser will then ask you to locate the level file you wish to upload.
Depending on which operating system you are using, Professor Fizzwizzle will be installed in a different location:
Windows - The default installation location for Professor Fizzwizzle is "C:\Program Files\Professor Fizzwizzle"
Mac - Professor Fizzwizzle will be installed wherever you happened to drag the application icon.
Linux - Professor Fizzwizzle will be installed wherever you uncompressed the tar.gz file.
Navigate to the location appropriate for your operating system, and open the folder called "custom". In this "custom" folder you will find all of the levels you have created using the Professor Fizzwizzle level editor. Select the level you wish to upload and click "OK". Then click the "Submit Level" button, and that's it!
Question: How can I make better levels?
Answer: Record a Solution!
The first thing any good level must have is a recorded solution! To record a solution for your level, simply press "R" from inside the level editor to make use of the hidden solution recording feature. After pressing "R" you will have to use your keyboard to solve the level. As you solve the level, the game will record the time at which you press each key on the keyboard. When you reach the exit tube, the recording will stop and you will be returned to the level editor. To play back the solution you have recorded, press "P" from inside the level editor.
Remember to save your level, after recording the solution!
NOTE: If you make changes to the level after recording a solution, the solution may no longer work. Solutions record your keystrokes only, so if you make too many changes to the level, the recorded keystrokes will probably no longer be sufficient to solve the level! If this happens, you'll need to press "R" again to re-record the solution.
Work Backwards
One good technique for creating tricky levels is to start with a complex interaction, and work backwards from that. For example: Start out with the requirement that the professor must stand on a crate and shoot a Frost Gun into a trampoline to freeze a Rage-Bot which is blocking the exit tube. Then work backwards from here by moving the crate to some other location on the level (so that its true purpose is less obvious), and making it hard for the professor to reach the Frost Gun. You can even try to hide the true purpose of the trampoline by adding a mini-puzzle where the prof must use the trampoline to bounce a barrel.
However, you must be careful! Complex levels such as these can often be solved in many ways! You'll have to test your levels thoroughly to ensure that your intended solution is the only solution possible.
Subtraction
Try making a level with a number of elements, and a complex path to the exit. Then remove one of the elements (a powerup, for example) and see if you can still find a way to solve the level. If so, try taking away another element. Repeat this until you're certain that all remaining elements are required for the solution.
This technique often results in interesting and convoluted solutions. It takes a bit of practice to get it right, but the results are worth the effort!
Use the Hotkeys!
Well, hotkeys won't help you make better levels, but they may help you to make levels faster :) The list of level editor hotkeys is below:
1 - grass
2 - sand
3 - ice
4 - ladder
5 - 2x2 ice
6 - 3x3 ice
7 - 4x4 ice
8 - 5x5 ice
9 - 6x6 ice
0 - eraser
- - level start
= - level end
z - metal pulley
x - wood pulley
c - crate
v - metal crate
b - barrel
n - left magnet
m - right magnet
, - let bot
. - right bot
/ - trampoline
F1 - frost gun
F2 - EMP
F3 - whistle
F4 - inflatable barrel
F5 - inflatable crate
F6 - inflatable magnet
F7 - blue gate
F8 - yellow gate
F9 - red gate
F10 - blue button
F11 - yellow button
F12 - red button
NUMPAD1 - dawn background
NUMPAD2 - day background
NUMPAD3 - dusk background
NUMPAD4 - night background
L - load
S - save
R - record solution
P - play back solution
G - toggle grid display
CTRL - constrain cursor movement horizontal
SHIFT - constrain cursor movement vertical
Ask Questions!
If you're confused, or need help, post a message on our forums and we'll do our best to assist you!
Question: How can I back up my progress in the game, or move it to another machine?
Answer: To back up your progress, simply make a copy of your USERS.DAT file. Depending on which operating system you are using, the USERS.DAT file will be found in a different location:
Windows - The default installation location for Professor Fizzwizzle is "C:\Program Files\Professor Fizzwizzle", so the USERS.DAT file will be at "C:\Program Files\Professor Fizzwizzle\USERS.DAT"
Mac - The USERS.DAT file will be located in your user's Preferences folder: "/Users/YOUR_USERNAME/Library/Preferences/USERS.DAT" where "YOUR_USERNAME" is replaced with your Mac OS X user name.
Linux - Professor Fizzwizzle will be installed wherever you uncompressed the tar.gz file. The USERS.DAT file will be found within that folder.
Question: I think I found a bug. How do I report it?
Answer: Please report it to us by using our Contact Form. Thanks!
Question: I'm running Linux, and I'm having trouble with the sound. How do I disable the sound system?
Answer: Try passing a command line parameter of "4" to the game; this will disable the sound system:
./Professor 4
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