Brush Files
Brush files are resource files used in SCMDraft 2 and StarForge. They store pieces of terrain, sprites, units, and doodads called brushes. Brush files act as palettes for such elements, and allow brushes to be placed on a map with relative ease.
In SCMDraft 2
Creation
The process of creating a brush file is relatively simple. Open the Windows menu and choose Brush Palette. A small window with multiple form controls will appear. The topmost drop-down menu is used to view different brush files (as multiple brush files may be opened, but only one may be displayed). The other drop-down beneath it is used to filter the brush file's contents by tileset. The Delete button removes a selected brush from the current brush file. Open File is used to load a new brush file into the editor, and Save File saves the current list of brushes as a brush file. The Add Brush button stores the current selection as a brush.
To actually paste a brush into a map, simply select the brush from the listbox on the Brush Palette, and then click in the map.
Selection
When selecting an area for making a brush with, you can use multiple commands to shape your brush differently. Hold the Ctrl key to create a non-rectangular selection, by tracing an outline around the tiles you wish to select. Hold the Shift key to add another selection to the current selection. (Useful for selecting disconnected areas.) The keys may be used in combination.
Additional information
Staredit.net's forums contain a Brush Project topic, which acts as a directory for brush files. The goal is to help mapmakers use a variety of extended terrain in their maps.
