Go deeper, into one of the editing modes:

Common Mechanics and Tools

Many core tools, controls, and ways of doing things apply to multiple modes.

# Menu

To bring up the editing menu, press the Square buton. It will appear along the top or bottom of the screen, depending on the player’s Menu Position preference.

When using the move controllers, hold Moves Secondary Trigger to show the menu by the secondary imp. It will reach to the right if the player is right-handed, or the left if the player is left-handed, according to their Handed preference.

Click a button: Use the Cross button to open sub-menus, activate a tool or mode, or toggle a checkbox,

Close a sub-menu: Use the Circle button while hovering over a sub-menu to close it.

Drag a sub-menu: Use R2 or Move Primary Trigger while hovering over a sub-menu to begin dragging it left and right.

Exit a Tool or Mode: Use the scope-out shortcut to exit whatever you’re using.

# Context Menu

A collection of buttons shown depending on what else is going on in edit mode. For example, showing grid options when the grid is on.

Shown on the right edge of the screen, or next to the secondary imp when using the Moves.

See specific gadgets and tools to find out more about their contextual buttons.

# Controls

When using move controllers, most shortcuts using the gamepad face buttons will simply use the same buttons on the Primary Move controller. (Tg)

# Move Things

Hover over the target, and pull R2 or Primary move trigger. While pulling fully, the target will move with the imp. Let go of the trigger to stop moving the target.

It does not matter how far away the object is; if you're hovering over it, you can interact with it.

For most targets, while pulling the trigger partially the target will move with the imp partially. This means a lighter pull will move the target more slowly as the imp moves. Useful for subtly moving something.

If the grid has been set to something other than the default, it will be used when moving objects around even while the grid is off. (Tg)

If an object is moved in this way while time is paused, that object’s initial position will be set to where it was moved to.

This means we can make objects movable, run time to allow them to settle naturally in the scene, then pause time and “touch” that object to lock it into that position, and then make it non-movable again. You can even turn on the grid to make sure you don't move the object when touching it. (Tg)

While using the moves and a tool that has no shift function, temporarily use the move tool by holding Secondary Move Triangle button and grabbing objects as normal.

# Clone

Hold shift when you start to move something to clone it instead. The clone will then be held by the imp instead of the original object.

Tip: If you want to make a clone in the exact same spot, turn on grid mode. Now, you’d have to move your hand a lot to accidentally move the copy before placing it. (Mm)

Multi-clone: More than one clone can be made at a time. Clones can be added in-between the original and held clone, each rotating, moving, and scaling by difference ÷ clone count from the original to the clone's transform. Clones can be added beyond the held clone, each rotating, moving, and scaling by difference × clone count.

Because the change in rotation is applied before the change in position, rotating the clone will mean the path of these multi-clones will become a curved path.

While holding a clone, press Left d-pad button or Secondary Move Cross button to reduce beyond-clones or add clones in between. Press Right d-pad button or Secondary Move Square button to reduce in-between-clones or add clones beyond.

# Rotate

Hover over the target or hold it with the Move control, and pull L2 to begin rotating it. Then use one of the below methods to control the rotation relative the angle of your current view:

• # Motion Sensor: Tilt the gamepad to rotate the object in the same way.

• Sticks: Use the sticks to rotate the target.

  Pushing up on either stick will tilt the target’s top away from you. Pushing down on either stick will tilt the target’s top towards you.

  For the left stick, pushing left will tilt the target’s left away from you, and pushing it right will tilt the target’s rght away from you.

  For the right stick, left and right will roll the target. Pushing left will tilt the target’s left down, and pushing it right will tilt the target’s left up.

• Touchpad: While holding the target, touch the touchpad and move your finger around to rotate the object around the point you’re holding it, similar to using the left stick.

  Touch the touchpad with 2 fingers and rotate them around the centre to roll the target like the right stick.

• Tilt Secondary Move Controller: While holding the target hold Secondary Move Triangle button and tilt the Secondary Move Controller.

• # Spin with Secondary Move Controller: While holding the target double-tap Secondary Move Circle button to put it into spin mode. Then grab the object with Secondary Move trigger.

  Or grab and flick it quickly in a direction to set it spinning in that direction indefinitely.

# Scale & Flip

While hovering over an object or gizmo, use Up d-pad button to make it larger, or Down d-pad button to make it smaller. When using the moves, shift + Secondary Move Circle button and twist the controller to adjust the size.

Flip Horizontally: Use L3, or with the moves Secondary Move Square button and flick the controller left or right.

Flip Vertically: Use R3, or with the moves hold Secondary Move Square button and flick the controller up or down. (Tg)

# Select

Toggle selection of an object with the Cross button while hovering over the object. Keep holding the button and hover over more objects to apply the same “selected” or “deseleted” state to those objects.

For example, if an object is selected, hover over it and press and hold the Cross button to deselect it. Then hover over other objects; if they are selected they will also become deselected.

While any objects are selected, use the Delete context menu button to delete all selected objects.

Deselect everything you have selected: Use the Circle button.

Select all: Double-tap the Cross button (press it twice in quick succession) while hovering over an object. If the object hovered over is not jointed to another object, all objects within the group, scene, window, etc. will be selected. (Tg)

Select jointed objects: Hover over an object that is jointed to other objects and double-tap the Cross button. This will select it, and all its child-jointed objects, their child-jointed objects, etc. This keeps going all the way down the chain. This will not select any parents of a selected child object.

Or triple-tap the Cross button to select everything within the scope instead.

# Save As New Creation: (Export) While exactly 1 object is selected, use this context menu button to put the selected object into a new element creation. Also referred to as “exporting.”

# Delete, Remove, Reset

Hover over an object and use the Triangle button to delete it. If it is selected, all selected objects will be deleted.

Use on a setting to reset it to its default. Or on a recorded object to remove the recording.

# Interact with UI

Use the Cross button to click on a UI button, or drag a UI slider setting. This applies to menus and tweak menu settings.

# Use a Tool

While a tool is active, hover over an object and pull R2 or Primary move trigger to use the tool on that object.

# Reel

Reeling an object means to move the object closer to the current view or further away from the current view. Or, when using VR, toward and away from the imp tip.

While holding an object:

• Gamepad: Hold the OPTIONS button and use Left stick to reel.

• Moves: Hold Secondary Circle, and twist the secondary controller.

# Wire Controls

Wires are ubiquitous in Dreams; they connect all logic together, allowing them to communicate.

Hovering over a wire will light up one end of it. When hovering nearer the input end, the input end of the wire will glow. When hovering nearer the output end, the output end of the wire will glow.

• Zoom to the other end of the wire: While a wire is lit up, use the Grabcam Zoom control to zip the view to the other end of the wire.

  So hovering over the input end will zip you to the output end, for example.

• Create a new wire: First hover over an input or output nub on the side of a gadget, or the edge of a tweak window next to a setting to reveal a small input or output tab.

  Then create a new wire and hold it by using Cross button, R2, or Move Primary trigger.

• Grab a wire: Use R2 while hovering over it. One end of the wire will be free, while the other end will still be plugged into whatever it was plugged into before grabbing it. The glowing end will be the free end.

• Clone a wire: If holding shift when grabbing a wire, a copy of the wire will be created instead and leave you holding the free end. (Note, this won't work if using the Cross button.)

• Plug in a wire: Use the Cross button or R2 to attach a held wire to an input or output.

  The free end of a wire can only be plugged into the correct type of port. If the wire is already attached to an output, the free end can only be plugged into an input. If the wire is already attached to an input, the free end can only be plugged into an output.

• Plug in and Clone a wire: Hold shift when placing a wire to also clone that wire and be left holding the free end.

  Useful for wiring the same port into multiple places.

  Note that the scope-in control overrides this. So gadgets that can be scoped into will perform that action instead of place-and-clone. For this reason, it’s a good idea to get into the habit of using R2 with this control.

  The Many Inputs and Many Outputs types of setting have special behaviour when using this control.

In Microchip windows, there are special controls for wires to create “wire pins.”

# Window Controls

Hold R2 or Moves Primary Trigger to move windows around. Note, when hovering over a gadget within a window, this will move the gadget instead.

Edit the gadget’s Name: Use the Cross button on the window’s title at the top.

There are 3 buttons on the top-right of every window:

• Save Position: saves the position and rotation of the window so that next time you open it, it will open in the same position. (Mm)

  When green, the window is in the same position as the one stored. When yellow, the window is in a different position to the one stored. When grey, there is no stored position.

• Pin to Screen: Attaches the window to the screen itself. This allows you to move around the scene while still being able to see anything “pinned to screen.” Note that when you turn off “pin to screen,” the window will return to the in-scene location it was in before it was pinned to the screen.

  This means any gadgets inside the window will have the same orientation as the camera. Because of this, we can use the grid of such a gadget to get a grid perfectly oriented to the view. This can then be used to easily move on-screen text gadgets in straight lines using the Grid or Precise Move guides.

• Close: Closes the window. While hovering over the window or its gadget, use the scope-out shortcut.

# Resize Window: Windows that can contain other objects (Microchip gadgets, Timeline gadgets, and the Sound gadget’s Piano Roll view) can be resized.

Hover over the edge of the window, and hold the Cross button to drag the edge.

# Guides

# Grid

A 3-dimensional grid within the scene. Starts with the same orientation as the scene grid, but can be adjusted.

The grid is represented as dots the intersections grid size apart. (Pk) These dots will be displayed in a circle that fades out, flat to the plane the view is facing, centred at the last position the creator touched.

When moving something on the grid, a green plumb line shows exactly how much you’ve moved it. (Mm) Objects can only be rotated in 45 degree increments on the grid.

Windows can also be affected by the grid.

While using the moves, the imp reach will affect the scale of the grid. So zooming in with the moves will get you closer to what you’re trying to line up, and make the grid more fine to help you line it up also. (Mm)

# Align to Grid: Align an object to the current grid’s orientation - Use the Triangle button while holding an object to align the object’s orientation to be 90 degrees to the grid’s orientation.

If Grid Snap is on, this will also move its grid centre to the nearest grid point and adjust its scale to a factor of the grid’s scale. (Mm) (Tg)

# Use Grid: Align the grid to an object’s grid by using Use shift + Triangle button while hovering over an object to use the object’s grid (based on its orientation, scale, grid offset). (Tg) (Pk)

This is great for flipping or rotating cloned objects in-place to add variation to how they look in the scene. (Tg)

# Reset Grid

Resets the grid to the scene’s grid.

Use the "Use Grid" shortcut while not hovering over an object to do the same. (Mm) (Pk)

# Grid Scale

This scale will default back to 1, relative to the object itself, whenever you open a creation for editing.

While the grid is activated, two new buttons will be shown next to the grid menu item to allow you to adjust this scale. (Pk) They are the following:

• Finer: Halves the distance between the dots in both directions. Use shift + Up d-pad button.

• Coarser: Doubles the distance between the dots in both directions. Use shift + Down d-pad button.

# Precise Move:

Gives you much more control over angles when moving or rotating objects. (Tg)

When activated, two new menu switches appear. (Pk) These are the following:

• Local Space: allows moves and rotations relative to the grid the object used when created, as well as its current scale and rotation. This is similar to re-aligning the grid to the object before going into precise move mode. (Pk)

• Grid Space: (default) allows moves and rotations relative to the current grid. This is selected by default when a creation is loaded.

When moving an object, arrows are displayed indicating the dimension relative to the current grid. If you move the object in two axes, white lines come out from those two arrows to the current position of the object. You cannot move an object in three dimensions at the same time while in this mode. (Pk)

While moving an object, the currently changed axes can be locked in by holding shift. (Tg)

Then while the imp hovers over another surface, the point being dragged will snap to that point on the surface, along those locked-in axes. (Tg)

When rotating an object, an arrow and arc are displayed, as well as a readout of how many degrees (rounded) from the initial orientation the object has been rotated. You cannot rotate an object around more than one axis at the same time using precise move. (Pk)

While rotating an object, hold shift to lock-in the current rotational axes, and snap to 15 degree increments.

# Obey Auto Guides:

While moving objects that contain an auto guide and this setting is on, the object’s Auto Guide gadget’s settings will be obeyed. (Pk)

# Stay Upright:

Whenever grabbing an object or window, it will be rotated to be “upright.” For sculpts and paintings, the “upright” orientation depends on the orientation of the grid when the first edit was made within the object. For groups, they store the grid position and orientation when they are created and that orientation is used as the “upright” of that object.

This is very useful to keep windows straight on the screen. (Mm)

When on, reveals a menu switch:

• Right Angles: When on, this allows you to rotate objects but only to right angles of the upright orientation. (Jj)

# Studio Lighting

When on, lighting is not taken into account when rendering the scene. All objects are shown with their real colours, as unaffected by lighting. Shadows are not cast. The sky becomes a light grey. This can be useful if you’re designing a dark area, but want to actually see what’s going on for object placement, etc. (Pk)

Note that all objects providing lighting (eg. glowing objects) remain their normal colour.

# Floor

When on, shows a translucent floor grid from the origin of the scene grid, as well as a circle around the centre of the scene. Useful to have a visual reference for placing things or orienting yourself within your scene.

When a scene is opened for editing, this is set to the Floor Guide default in the player's preferences.

# Common Art Controls & Guides

There are tools, settings, and controls common to various art modes. (Pk)

# Add/Subtract

Use the Trangle button or tap Move Secondary Sphere to Primary Base to toggle between adding and subtracting, or similar opposites.

# Mirror

All edits added will be reflected in a plane onto the other side of the sculpt. These mirrored edits will be previewed before committing each edit. The centre of the mirror is defined by the first edit made in the sculpt. (Mm) (Pk)

Note that existing edits will not be affected by the current mirror settings when cloning or moving them, but will preserve the mirror settings they had when they were made. Cloning edits also keeps the mirror setting of the original.

The mirror plane is dictated by the origin of the object, which is set when the first edit is made. The plane faces the camera, but uses the “upright” of the object. (Tg)

An edit that was made with the mirror active will always be tied to those mirror settings for moving, manipulating, or cloning later. (Pk)

While kaleidoscope mode is also active, each iteration is mirrored. (Pk) So if you have a kaleidoscope of 4, with mirror mode on, stamping a single cube will create a total of 8 new cubes.

While active, two new menu switches are revealed:

• Clipped Mirror: (Sculpt Mode only) will ignore any part of an edit that overlaps onto the other side of the mirror.

• Hide Mirror: will hide the plane of reflection. (Mm)

# Kaleidoscope

Added edits will be repeated, rotating each iteration around the “upright” axis at the centre point of the first edit made in the sculpt or painting. (Mm) (Pk) (Tg)

Edits will not be affected by the current kaleidoscope settings when cloning or moving them, but will preserve the kaleidoscope settings they had when they were made. (Pk)

The number of iterations is shown as a number in the bottom-right corner of the kaleidoscope menu icon. The last-used number of iterations is remembered per object, and defaults to 5 in new objects. (Tg)

When active, two new buttons are revealed:

• Decrease: decreases the number of iterations.

• Increase: increases the number of iterations.

An edit that was made with the kaleidoscope active will always be tied to that kaleidoscope effect for moving or manipulating after the fact.

# Surface Snap

Edits will snap to the surface of sculpt objects the imp is hovering over within the scene (not just within the same object). (Tg) New paint flecks will also stick to paint flecks within the same painting object, but as if the flecks have no ruffle, impasto, looseness, or stretch.

While sculpting, the point that snaps is the grab point of the shape. While painting, the point that snaps is the centre of the fleck. (Pk)

When adding edits to a painting, surface snap will also orient the fleck to the orientation of the surface, as if to lie flat on it. When creating a new painting with surface-snap, the orientation of the painting itself will be perpendicular to the surface, meaning kaleidoscope edits will be rotated across a plane that sticks out of the surface as opposed to across the surface.

# Tentacle Snap

Works similarly to Surface Snap, but only the start of the edit is snapped. As the edit is smeared etc., it will no longer snap to things the imp hovers over. (Pk)

# Colours

Sets the colour used by art tools.

Has a colour picker, shows custom colours created using the picker, and a built-in rainbow of colour sets. Each colour set is its own sub-menu, which can be expanded to reveal shades of that colour. It also includes a mixed colour that slowly shifts through all the shades over time.

The sets are as follows: monochromes (grayscale), reds, oranges, yellows, greens, blues, purples, pinks, and browns.

# Colour Picker

Use Touchpad press or Move Primary Sphere to Secondary Base to open the colour picker.

A large colour picker is shown in the centre of the screen that can be adjusted as normal. When using the moves, the colour picker is attached to the secondary imp. When using the touchpad shortcut, it is shown where the imp was on the screen when the shortcut was used.

The scene will be shown with no visual feedback, and the Cross button can be used to pick a colour from the surface of any sculpt or fleck in the scene and show it in the picker. (This ignores finish, lighting, etc.)

There are two circles below the picker, showing 3D blobs of colour. Use R2 to drag a colour into one of the circles. (Tg)

Adding a colour to a circle cannot be undone, and a colour cannot be adjusted or removed after it has been added.

The circles are as follows:

• # Pure: Shows a single blob of the current colour. (Tg)

• # Mixed: Drag a colour from the picker with R2 or Move Primary Trigger to the “Mixed” area to add a blob of that colour to the mixer.

  You can add multiple colour blobs to the mixer, and they will merge like a soft-blend in a sculpt. So placing a blob close to another blob will mix them more, placing a blob farther from another blob will mix them in between but mostly keep their colour.

  Spin the mixed blobs with the trigger to have them transition through each other over time. The current colour under the crosshair in the middle of the mixer will be used as the colour of shapes added. Tap with the trigger to stop them spinning. (Mm)

  If the mixer is not spinning, each time you use a tool a different colour from the mixer will be used, but will stay locked-in until you stop using the tool.

Press “Save” to store the selected colour or mixed colour to the main palette in the menu for later use. These are stored with the creation being edited, so if it is an element and it is imported into a new scene, those custom colours will be shown.

Finish Presets

Some art modes have a Finish menu, allowing tools to use one of the following preset finishes:

• Default:: Half shiny-rough (at 60%), half wax-metal.
• Plastic:: 60% shiny-rough, half wax-metal.
• Shiny:: Full shiny, half wax-metal.
• Rough:: Full rough, half wax-metal.
• Metal:: 50% shiny-rough, full metal.
• Wax:: 50% shiny-rough, full wax.
• Shiny Metal:: Full shiny, full metal.
• Shiny Wax:: Full shiny, full wax.
• Rough Metal:: Full rough, full metal.
• Rough Wax:: Full rough, full wax.

# Show/Hide

A number of switches that make different aspects of the scene visible or invisible.

# Preview Invisibility

On by default. When on, invisible objects will not be shown.

When off, invisible objects will be shown, and powered off sculpts and paintings will be shown as transparent.

# Electronics

On by default. When on, shows gadgets, windows, etc. as normal.

When off, hides all gadgets apart from the Light, and Camera gadgets.

After placing a hidden type of gadget, this setting is automatically turned on to allow it to be seen.

# Lights and Cameras

On by default. When on, shows Light and Camera gadgets.

When off, hides those gadgets.

# Rulers

When off, hides all Ruler gadgets.

# Zones

When on, shows all zones even if their gadget is not selected or tweaked.

# Connectors

Off by default. When on, shows connectors. When a connector is added, this is turned on automatically.

# X-Ray

Off by default. When on, all gadgets and windows are shown even when obscured by other non-gadget objects.

# Thermometer

When off, the thermometer will be shown when the rounded-up percentage of a thermometer changes.

# Wires

When on, wires will be shown.

# Invisible Connections: When wires are shown, this setting will be available. (Tg)

While Keyframe, Action Recorder, Possession Recorder, Variable, or Variable Modifier gadgets are selected, or an object affected by such a gadget is selected, a wire will be shown between the two objects linking to the specific settings affected. (Tg) (Tg) If the setting is not accessible through a tweak menu, the wire will lead to a nub representing the hidden setting affected.

Also while selecting a Wireless Transmitter or Wireless Receiver, a dashed green line will animate from the transmitter to the receiver gadget. (Tg)

These wires and dashed lines work even if one of the objects is inside a group or closed chip or timeline.

# Paint

On by default. When on, shows paintings in the scene. When off, hides paintings in the scene. (Pk)

# Coat, Style, Effects

When on, stops showing the effect of tint, finish, fleck style, and effects settings.

# Hover Effect

On by default. When hovering over an object with the imp, objects are tinted white and show a white outline.

# Grab Points

Off by default. When on, the grab point of the element will be visible and movable. (Tg)

# Colour Blindness Filters

A togglable preview for what the screen would look like if you had certain colour blindness conditions, including gadgets, menus, and the imp. Use to adjust colours of things in your game that indicate important information to the player, so that the information is available to more players. (Ml)

• Achromatopsia: Insensitivity to all colours, causing confusion of dark colours, and confusion of light colours.

• Deuteranopia: Insensitivity to green light, causing confusion of greens, reds, and yellows

• Protanopia: Insensitivity to red light, causing confusion of greens, reds, and yellows. The most common form of colour blindness.

• Tritanopia: Insensitivity to blue light, causing confusion of greens and blues.

• Adjust Severity: Drag with the UI Interaction controls to adjust the strength of the filter.

Time Controls

# Rewind

Rewinds time to the initial state. Emitted objects (that have not been Baked) will be removed, destroyed objects will be restored, objects will be moved back to their initial positions.

Ends recording animations or performances

# Play

Toggles between playing time and paused. While playing time, gadgets, animations, and physics are processed. (Pk)

# Undo, Redo

Undoes the last performed action.

Or use the Left d-pad button or Tilt Primary Move left (anti-clockwise) + Primary Move Square button to undo.

And Redoes the last performed action.

Or use the Right d-pad button or Tilt Primary Move right (clockwise) + Primary Move Square button to redo.

# Corner Interface

In the corner of the screen, the current mode icon is shown. This may be in the top-left or bottom-left of the screen, depending on the Menu Position preference. Hovering over it will show the UI explained below.

# Camera Bookmarks

Hover over the mode icon to reveal the camera bookmarks list. Each bookmark shows a screenshot of the view stored for the bookmark (this is not a live view). And a name for the bookmark. (Tg)

The first camera bookmark in the list will be restored when going to edit mode from the creation’s cover page. If there are no camera bookmarks, the view used when last saved will be restored.

In a new creation there is one bookmark already added, the initial view.

It’s generally a good idea to have at least 1 camera bookmark, for the rare occassion that your view bugs out and zooms too far away from your work that you can’t even see it, you can get back to it.

Add Bookmark: The first button, Add Bookmark, is enabled while not at one of the bookmarked views. Click on it to add a bookmark at the current view to the list with the thumbnail of what can be seen.

Below is a list of bookmarked views, with a thumbnail. Click on one to go to that view. If already at that view, click on the bookmark to retake a screenshot at that view.

Re-take the screenshot: While at the position of a camera bookmark (eg. you just clicked on it), click on the bookmark to re-take the screenshot for that bookmark.

Edit Name: Use the Adjust Properties shortcut on a bookmark.

Remove: Use the Delete controls on a bookmark to remove it.

# Search

Find elements in the dreamiverse and stored locally to stamp into the creation being edited. Before it’s been stamped, orient it to the grid with the Triangle button.

If the object is invisible, it will be shown as transparent instead until stamped.

When a quick-save of a creation is stamped into another creation, a local version is automatically created to bookmark the version imported.