Mapping Question Megathread v3

[oytal]

I guess nobody got like a weedplant or model for me right? Got a great idea for a csgo map

[GoldPlatinum]

[QUOTE=Dario z;39327239]Hello,

I'm Dario, and I want to ask a few questions.
I have always wondered, how do you start mapping, and what tools are needed?
I plan on making a few maps, and actually putting a lot of effort in it, instead of releasing maps full of bugs and mistakes.
I know I ask questions that can be looked up on Google, but I just feel a lot more comfortable asking here on Facepunch, because there are so many of you that has so much experience on, everything.

Thank you for taking your time reading my message, and I hope some of you can give me some good and useful information :-)

Dario[/QUOTE]

Thanks for not creating a separate thread for that

[Fulcrum]

[QUOTE=oytal;39327464]I guess nobody got like a weedplant or model for me right? Got a great idea for a csgo map[/QUOTE]

Theres a weed plant for gmod somewhere, edit the mdl file innotepad and it should work.

[Dario z]

[QUOTE=GoldPlatinum;39327480]Thanks for not creating a separate thread for that[/QUOTE]

I always check if there is a mega thread for help before creating any threads :-)

[Chrille]

[QUOTE=Dario z;39327239]Hello,

I'm Dario, and I want to ask a few questions.
I have always wondered, how do you start mapping, and what tools are needed?
I plan on making a few maps, and actually putting a lot of effort in it, instead of releasing maps full of bugs and mistakes.
I know I ask questions that can be looked up on Google, but I just feel a lot more comfortable asking here on Facepunch, because there are so many of you that has so much experience on, everything.

Thank you for taking your time reading my message, and I hope some of you can give me some good and useful information :-)

Dario[/QUOTE]

This is what got me started:
[url]https://developer.valvesoftware.com/wiki/Your_First_Map[/url]

[iostream]

[quote=https://developer.valvesoftware.com/wiki/VRAD#Effects]-TextureShadows
Generates lightmap shadows from $translucent surfaces of models (NOT brushes)[/quote]

Is there an easy way to do the same with [i]brushes[/i], or do we simply have to use toolsblocklight everywhere?

[Chrille]

[QUOTE=iostream;39328361]Is there an easy way to do the same with [i]brushes[/i], or do we simply have to use toolsblocklight everywhere?[/QUOTE]

You'd have to go with blocklight.

Or proppering the model might work.

[lolita la vida]

I'm having an annoyance
This my map with a cordon applied that includes everything but what is south of the red line in this 2D side display
[img_thumb]http://i.imgur.com/pu28oxE.png[/img_thumb]
This is my map without the cordon applied
[img_thumb]http://i.imgur.com/JJxVhum.png[/img_thumb]
Not much of a difference, and luckily not much to remake. This version gives of an error on compile
[img_thumb]http://i.imgur.com/g4aQk9R.png[/img_thumb]
This brush does not exist, and neither does the other brushes that will show up in different cordons including areas south of the red line represented in the big picture
This post is not so much of a "help me" since a simple copy and paste work will return the canvas to normal but more of a "Why?" post.
What did I do to generate these non existent displacements?

[oytal]

[QUOTE=mdeceiver79;39327486]Theres a weed plant for gmod somewhere, edit the mdl file innotepad and it should work.[/QUOTE]

okey, thanks for the tip. I'l try it out.

[Swog]

Pardon the past post about the Not Commandable flag, I'm sure you can modify some code to make it follow you but have it not show.

[FelixDragon]

How can I obfuscate my map? I found some things but they don't seem to work against BSPSource.

I need to obfuscate my maps because I want to prevent communities from making their own edits of my maps, it's becoming a problem for me.

[Neo Kabuto]

[QUOTE=Diealready;39335732]How can I obfuscate my map? I found some things but they don't seem to work against BSPSource.

I need to obfuscate my maps because I want to prevent communities from making their own edits of my maps, it's becoming a problem for me.[/QUOTE]

I'm not sure if this is still accurate, but BSPSource is based on VMEX, so it should work.
[QUOTE=http://www.bagthorpe.org/bob/cofrdrbob/faq.html]Q. I'm a map author. How do I stop someone decompiling my map with VMEX?

A. There are several ways (in order of increasing security):

Add a property key "no_decomp" with value "1" to any entity. (You will need to turn off smart edit to do this).
Use a texture called "tools/locked" on any non-culled face in the map. (This is not a real texture, so you will have to make a custom one.) You may hide the texture in a sealed room, but it can't be on any culled face on the map (facing towards the void).
Use this small prefab: protector.zip. Add it anywhere in the map, but don't rotate or scale it. If you retexture it, make sure all faces and all brushes have the same texture. Don't use the texture "tools/toolsinvisible", but "tools/toolsnodraw" is fine.
If VMEX detects any or all of these present in a map, it will refuse to decompile it. Note that a sufficiently wiley user can fairly easily alter your .bsp file to remove the first two methods (and thus allow the map to be decompiled), but they would need extensive knowledge of the .bsp format to remove the third, so this is the most secure.[/QUOTE]
People can get around anything you do to try to stop decompiling, really. Even those can just be removed from the map, and BSPSource can be modified to decompile even when it finds those.

[FelixDragon]

[QUOTE=Neo Kabuto;39336250]I'm not sure if this is still accurate, but BSPSource is based on VMEX, so it should work.

People can get around anything you do to try to stop decompiling, really. Even those can just be removed from the map, and BSPSource can be modified to decompile even when it finds those.[/QUOTE]

The first two suggestions I have already tried and they did nothing but come up as a notice in BSPsource, the decompiled vmf opened/recompiled fine.

Will try the third, I just realized that that I accidentally overwrote that prefab when I was copying it.

Nope, BSPsource comes up with

[warning] BspDecompiler: obfuscate_test contains anti-decompiling flags or is obfuscated!
[warning] BspDecompiler: Detected methods:
[warning] BspDecompiler: VMEX entity flag (no_decomp)
[warning] BspDecompiler: VMEX texture flag (tools/locked)
[warning] BspDecompiler: VMEX protector brush flag

and then continues to decompile the map.

[Neo Kabuto]

[QUOTE=Diealready;39336487]The first two suggestions I have already tried and they did nothing but come up as a notice in BSPsource, the decompiled vmf opened/recompiled fine.

Will try the third, I just realized that that I accidentally overwrote that prefab when I was copying it.

Nope, BSPsource comes up with

[warning] BspDecompiler: obfuscate_test contains anti-decompiling flags or is obfuscated!
[warning] BspDecompiler: Detected methods:
[warning] BspDecompiler: VMEX entity flag (no_decomp)
[warning] BspDecompiler: VMEX texture flag (tools/locked)
[warning] BspDecompiler: VMEX protector brush flag

and then continues to decompile the map.[/QUOTE]

Ah, apparently BSPSource now just gives you the warnings. Not only does it not stop you now, it also has features for breaking a lot more protection methods.

EDIT: Yeah, the new FAQ says this instead:
[QUOTE]I'm a map author. How do I stop someone decompiling my map with BSPSource?

You can't. Really. It's technically near to impossible to safely prevent a map decompiler from reading a map that can be read by the game engine. And I'm sure Valve has better things to do than developing a DRM-system for Source engine maps...[/QUOTE]

[8BitSandwich]

How important is it for collision models (of static props) to have all vertices on-grid (with regards to performance)?

I know that brushes being even just slightly off-grid causes serious problems that can prevent a map from even compiling (been there myself), but was wondering if collision models are the same deal.

Maps seem to compile fine with collision meshes slightly off-grid but I wonder if performance issues can arise as a result during gameplay.

[FelixDragon]

I thought of something, is there any way you could have a .bat file or something put into the map through VIDE or pakrat? And have it coded to execute so when it senses the map is being decompiled, it deletes the .bsp or stops it from decompiling?

Way out of my knowledge of how all of that would work and such, just a probably dumb thought.

[Neo Kabuto]

[QUOTE=8BitSandwich;39336554]How important is it for collision models (of static props) to have all vertices on-grid (with regards to performance)?

I know that brushes being even just slightly off-grid causes serious problems that can prevent a map from even compiling (been there myself), but was wondering if collision models are the same deal.

Maps seem to compile fine with collision meshes slightly off-grid but I wonder if performance issues can arise as a result during gameplay.[/QUOTE]

IIRC, models don't really care that much about being off grid, since physics models will almost always have every vertex off-grid, so it doesn't matter. Just keep the collision mesh as simple as possible and you'll be fine.

[Agent766]

[QUOTE=Diealready;39336576]I thought of something, is there any way you could have a .bat file or something put into the map through VIDE or pakrat? And have it coded to execute so when it senses the map is being decompiled, it deletes the .bsp or stops it from decompiling?

Way out of my knowledge of how all of that would work and such, just a probably dumb thought.[/QUOTE]

Not at all.

[Triffgits]

Are particle positions within particle effects networked? e.g. will a particle spawned at random within a specified volume be in the same place for all players?

[editline]23rd January 2013[/editline]

I assume not but just making sure.

[Casadis]

What's the best way about going when you want to make a full scale city map?

[HighdefGE]

[QUOTE=Garrison;39337759]What's the best way about going when you want to make a full scale city map?[/QUOTE]

That question can be interpreted in lots of ways. Are you asking how to optimize it or how to plan it?

[SammySung]

[QUOTE=SammySung;39237916]All my prop_door_rotating's are dark. Any help?[/QUOTE]

Any help, anyone?

[Casadis]

[QUOTE=HighdefGE;39338332]That question can be interpreted in lots of ways. Are you asking how to optimize it or how to plan it?[/QUOTE]

How to plan it, sorry for my question being phrased badly.

[Dario z]

Thank you for the help.
I will now start and learn how to make my own map, and hopefully, the output of it will be good!
Again, thank you!! :)

[Lazore]

Just a quicky , i try to open my tf2 map from the editor, but when tf2 has launched, the console says that the mapfile doesn't exists or is invialid.

[GoldPlatinum]

[QUOTE=Lazore;39339402]Just a quicky , i try to open my tf2 map from the editor, but when tf2 has launched, the console says that the mapfile doesn't exists or is invialid.[/QUOTE]

Your map wasnt compiled, post your compile log

[DeepFried]

This usually happens if a space is in the map name.

E.g. cp bomb (is wrong)
cp_bomb (is correct)

[Lazore]

** Executing...
** Command: "c:\program files (x86)\steam\steamapps\th3serpent\sourcesdk\bin\orangebox\bin\vbsp.exe"
** Parameters: -game "c:\program files (x86)\steam\steamapps\th3serpent\team fortress 2\tf" "D:\spilldesgn\sidescroll tf2\SS_desert.vmf"

Valve Software - vbsp.exe (Oct 31 2012)
8 threads
materialPath: c:\program files (x86)\steam\steamapps\th3serpent\team fortress 2\tf\materials
Loading D:\spilldesgn\sidescroll tf2\SS_desert.vmf
Patching WVT material: maps/ss_desert/nature/blendrockgroundwall002_wvt_patch
Patching WVT material: maps/ss_desert/nature/blendrockgroundwall003_wvt_patch
fixing up env_cubemap materials on brush sides...
ProcessBlock_Thread: 0...1...2...3...4...5...6...7...8...9...10 (0)
ProcessBlock_Thread: 0...1...2...3...4...5...6...7...8...9...10 (0)
Processing areas...done (0)
Building Faces...done (0)
FixTjuncs...
PruneNodes...
WriteBSP...
done (0)
writing D:\spilldesgn\sidescroll tf2\SS_desert.prt...Building visibility clusters...
done (0)
Creating default LDR cubemaps for env_cubemap using skybox materials:
   skybox/sky_day01_01*.vmt
 ! Run buildcubemaps in the engine to get the correct cube maps.
Creating default HDR cubemaps for env_cubemap using skybox materials:
   skybox/sky_day01_01*.vmt
 ! Run buildcubemaps in the engine to get the correct cube maps.
Bad surface extents point: -1984.000000 -2240.000000 -640.000000
Bad surface extents point: -1984.000000 -1216.000000 -640.000000
Bad surface extents point: 1088.000000 -1216.000000 -640.000000
Bad surface extents point: 1088.000000 -2240.000000 -640.000000
Bad surface extents - surface is too big to have a lightmap
	material NATURE/BLENDROCKGROUNDWALL003 around point (-448.0 -1728.0 -640.0)
	(dimension: 0, 130>126)


** Executing...
** Command: "c:\program files (x86)\steam\steamapps\th3serpent\sourcesdk\bin\orangebox\bin\vvis.exe"
** Parameters: -game "c:\program files (x86)\steam\steamapps\th3serpent\team fortress 2\tf" "D:\spilldesgn\sidescroll tf2\SS_desert"

Valve Software - vvis.exe (Oct 31 2012)
8 threads
reading d:\spilldesgn\sidescroll tf2\SS_desert.bsp
Error opening d:\spilldesgn\sidescroll tf2\SS_desert.bsp

** Executing...
** Command: "c:\program files (x86)\steam\steamapps\th3serpent\sourcesdk\bin\orangebox\bin\vrad.exe"
** Parameters:  -game "c:\program files (x86)\steam\steamapps\th3serpent\team fortress 2\tf" "D:\spilldesgn\sidescroll tf2\SS_desert"

Valve Software - vrad.exe SSE (Oct 31 2012)

      Valve Radiosity Simulator     
8 threads
[Reading texlights from 'lights.rad']
[34 texlights parsed from 'lights.rad']

Loading d:\spilldesgn\sidescroll tf2\SS_desert.bsp
Error opening d:\spilldesgn\sidescroll tf2\SS_desert.bsp

** Executing...
** Command: Copy File
** Parameters: "D:\spilldesgn\sidescroll tf2\SS_desert.bsp" "c:\program files (x86)\steam\steamapps\th3serpent\team fortress 2\tf\maps\SS_desert.bsp"

The command failed. Windows reported the error:
  "The system cannot find the file specified."

[lolita la vida]

Have you tried loading it up form the console in TF2 ?
If the map name is not recommended when you've typed "map SS_" then it appears you might have some errors with the destination of your folders that the compiler is referred to.

[Lazore]

yeah it doesnt work when i try map ss_ an so on.

I was thinking that there is something wrong with some destination folders and such, but i have no idea where to look.