## **MaD Lab** All relevant news and information regarding MaD Lab, the item modeling tool for MaD2. Anyone can design items and submit them (see link below), I will then pick the best designs, polish them, and add them in the game. **Please note:** - MaD Lab is a design tool for item models only. - MaD Lab can not add item functionality or any effects. All that is added by myself in-code. - I can’t confirm any individual items until they’re polished, and their functionality is working. And even in that case will most likely only do so when teasing a patch. - Frankly, not everyone is able to design quality items, and at certain point it’d be faster for me to do it from scratch instead of polishing your design. * * * ## [Latest Version](http://www.dashrava.com/madlab/) ([Legacy Version](http://www.dashrava.com/madlab_legacy/)) If you want to download the editor locally, simply Save the complete website through your browser and run it via a local FP. * * * 

## [Item Submission Thread](http://www.kongregate.com/forums/9794-mutilate-a-doll-2/topics/507589-mad-lab-items) Please submit all items you create in that thread instead of creating a new one so I can keep easier track of the submissions. * * * ## [Item Request Thread](http://www.kongregate.com/forums/9794-mutilate-a-doll-2/topics/508538-item-requests) Monitored by various MaD Lab item creators. * * * ## [Beginner Tutorial by XSpeedDemon](http://www.kongregate.com/forums/9794-mutilate-a-doll-2/topics/520010-mad-lab-for-beginners) It explains all the basics, tools, and the like.

## TIPS Below is general feedback and stuff I keep encountering while polishing items. These are not specific to the person who created the pictured item, a lot of the points on the list apply to pretty much apply to all creators, at some point. * * * ## Invisible Layers (right is correct)  Invisible layers should be used to help reduce the amount of layers in very complex scenarios, but make sure that the layers cover the whole item so it’s both draggable and properly cuttable. (The hotkey for toggling physics preview is **[M]** in case I forgot to mention that.) ## Symmetry (left is correct)  MaD Lab can’t handle symmetry for you (yet?), so temporary helper layers combined with the snapping is a great way of making things properly symmetrical. ## Combining layers & proper corners (right is correct)  (bottom is correct)  Proper corner work is necessary to keep the cutter happy, and usually helps you reduce layers while at it. Pictured 70 → 40 layers (ish, most of which are decorative and replaced by two invisible layers) ## Scale (Picture at default zoom)  The snapping gets very very wonky when zoomed in super close, so at least 50% item scale is recommended for sanity’s sake. ## Points  The maximum amount of points for a single shape is 16 in MaD2. Either split the shape into multiple layers (neatly), or reduce points. MaD Lab will even tell you if a layer is over 12 points with an exclamation mark in the layer name. ## Shapes Instead of only thinking of how the outline of the item is going to look like, also make the parts make sense mechanically — Think LEGO. Rectangular shapes are almost always better than triangular ones. They look neater, generally connect better along lines, and make the whole thing flow better.  They should snap together sturdily, and not have a single point that “reaches” towards some seemingly random convergence spot.