Selected object toolbar
The bottom toolbar is rebuilt from the selected object, current mode, and supported systems. This page explains which controls appear and what each one is used for.
How the toolbar is chosen
Ancient Machines does not show one fixed object toolbar. When the selection changes, the editor checks the selected object type, scene status, physics mode, joint setup, color data, and whether the player is in create mode or solve mode.
Create mode exposes editing controls such as Object Game Settings, color-detail filters, advanced path setup, joint creation, duplication, rotation, scale, and drag locks. This is where the player builds and tunes the solution.
Solve mode keeps useful inspection and selection controls, but hides authoring-only controls where needed. Game settings are not shown for normal objects in solve mode, and physics-line scale can be disabled while the level is running.
A color object adds color controls. A kinematic non-scene object can add Advanced Path. An object that can use joints adds Joint List and Joint Settings. Objects with gameplay behavior add Object Game Settings.
Physics-line edit points, force fields, and multi-object selections can switch the toolbar to a different set of buttons because the selected thing is no longer a simple single body.
Object type behavior
These are the main toolbar contexts used by the editor when the player selects an object or editable point.
Shows Object Settings first, then supported authoring actions such as Game Settings, Joint List, Joint Settings, duplicate directions, move, rotate, scale, previous/next selection, and drag locks.
Adds Color Object and Color Detail controls. If the object has detail layers and the player is in create mode, the Color Detail Filter control is added as well.
Appears for kinematic, non-scene objects that can move through a configured path. The button opens path speed, loop, reverse, delay, activation, and end-of-path trigger settings.
Adds the Joint List button so the selected object can create or choose a joint. If a configurable joint exists, the Joint Settings button opens motor, limit, pin, frequency, and damping controls.
Physics lines use normal object controls while the line object is selected, but switch to line-point controls when an edit point is selected: curve lock, bezier enable, precision, and point delete.
Force fields keep object settings, movement, scale, selection, and drag-lock controls. Game Settings appears in create mode so the field can be configured as part of the level logic.
Multi-select focuses on group-safe actions: shared object settings, optional color or advanced path controls, Object Game Settings, duplication, movement, scale, rotation, and drag locks.
Create mode shows setup tools. Solve mode reduces controls that would rewrite the authored level while the simulation is running, especially game settings and special physics-line edits.
Button reference
These controls can appear in the bottom toolbar depending on the selected object and mode.
Opens the physical body settings for the selected object: body type, scale, density, friction, restitution, sensor behavior, visibility, collision precision, and related physics flags.
Opens gameplay behavior for the selected object. This is where the object can become a target, goal, trigger, collector, hazard, platform character, camera target, gun, clone source, propulsion object, or other gameplay system.
Appears for color objects and opens the main visual-state editor for fill, stroke, alpha, labels, current state appearance, and color-object setup.
Opens detail-layer controls for a color object. Use it when the object has extra visual parts, overlays, detail textures, or per-state detail styling.
Appears in create mode only when the selected color object has color-detail layers. It controls which details are included, edited, filtered, or shown for the current object state.
Appears for kinematic, non-scene objects. It opens the path editor for object movement, including speed, movement type, looping, reverse behavior, wait time, rotation, activation, and completion triggers.
Opens the joint list for the selected object. From there the player can add or choose revolute, prismatic, distance, weld, or rope-style connections.
Opens the configuration for the selected object's current joint. The button is useful only when the object has a configurable joint, and some settings are restricted in solve mode.
Creates a copy of the selected object with its current settings and places the duplicate to the left. Useful for quickly building rows of matching machine parts.
Creates a matching copy above the current object. Use it for stacked supports, layered platforms, or repeated vertical layouts.
Creates a matching copy to the right. Use it when extending bridges, paths, gears, platforms, and repeated machine segments.
Creates a matching copy below the object. This is useful for lower rails, supports, or mirrored vertical structures.
Opens precise movement controls for nudging and placing the selected object. Use it when drag placement is not accurate enough.
Rotates the selected object 45 degrees clockwise. Rotation affects collision shape, visual orientation, machine layout, and often the final budget value.
Rotates the selected object 45 degrees counter-clockwise. Use it to align ramps, levers, launchers, and angled supports.
Returns object rotation to 0 degrees. This is the fastest way to recover from an accidental or experimental rotation.
Increases object scale. Scaling changes size and can affect mass, collision footprint, and Build To Solve budget cost.
Decreases object scale. Use it to reduce footprint, make finer mechanisms, or lower cost when the budget system allows it.
Returns the selected object to its default scale. This is useful before retuning physics or budget values.
Moves selection to the previous object in the scene order. This is helpful when objects overlap or when touch selection is difficult.
Moves selection to the next object in the scene order. Use it to cycle through nearby or overlapping objects.
Toggles whether the object can be dragged horizontally. When horizontal dragging is locked, movement is constrained to the vertical axis.
Toggles whether the object can be dragged vertically. When vertical dragging is locked, movement is constrained to the horizontal axis.
Removes the selected object from the scene. In Build To Solve, this also removes that object from the solution cost calculation.
Physics line edit mode
Physics lines are special because the selected thing can be the line object or a single edit point on that line.
When the whole line is selected, it behaves like a normal object and exposes object settings, movement, duplication, selection, and supported game settings.
Locks or unlocks curve handles for the selected line edit point so curved segments can be adjusted without accidentally changing the wrong part of the line.
Turns bezier behavior on or off for the selected edit point. When enabled, the segment can become curved instead of only straight.
Tunes how smooth or detailed the bezier curve is for the selected edit point. Higher precision can make curves smoother, but can also create more collision detail.
Deletes the selected point from the physics line without deleting the whole line object.
Opened from the Joint Settings button
When a selected object has a joint, the Joint Settings button opens the panel that controls motors, limits, pinning, and spring-like parameters.
Enables automatic rotation or movement based on the selected joint type.
Multiplies motor speed so small and large speed values can be tuned with more control.
Sets the base speed used by the joint motor.
Multiplies revolute motor torque, which affects how strongly a rotating joint can push against resistance.
Sets revolute joint motor torque. If torque is 0, the motor will not be able to drive the object.
Multiplies prismatic motor force, useful for sliding platforms or pistons that need stronger movement.
Sets prismatic joint motor force. If force is 0, the motor will not move the joint.
Reverses motor direction when the object reaches the configured joint limit, creating back-and-forth motion.
Pins the joint body to the wall and restricts movement through the joint.
Hides the visual joint skin while keeping the joint behavior active.
Sets revolute joint rotation limits in degrees, useful for arms, doors, flippers, and one-way rotating mechanisms.
Sets prismatic joint travel limits so sliding bodies can only move inside the configured range.
Controls spring frequency for prismatic and distance joints where elastic behavior is supported.
Controls how much oscillation is reduced for spring-like prismatic and distance joints.
Connected guides
The selected-object toolbar is the entry point for several deeper systems.
