Mapping program

Misere

<div class="IPBDescription">Mapping for Dummies</div>Does anyone know what sort of mapping appilcation will be used? I'm a Psudo-geek so anything too "programing required" puts me out of the mapping bussiens. However, I would really love to build a couple of maps so if the developers made somthing us lesser beings could used to chip into the pool of maps that would be sweet.

KungFuDiscoMonkey

<a href="http://developer.valvesoftware.com/wiki/Category:Level_Design" target="_blank">http://developer.valvesoftware.com/wiki/Ca...ry:Level_Design</a>

BigD

Well, creating maps in Notepad hasn't been recommended in years!

However, if you're looking for a sandbox type editor (like what <a href="http://www.gametrailers.com/player/17757.html" target="_blank">Crysis</a> is supposed to <a href="http://www.gametrailers.com/player/17762.html" target="_blank">have</a>) where ya just plunk down an object, drag and drop some terrain and that sort of thing, I'm afraid it won't be that easy. Mind you, once ya get yer head wrapped around the geometry and texture alignment, and get something built resembling a playable map, it sorta becomes drag'n drop anyway.

schkorpio

starting to map is pretty easy, the hardest part is understanding the program enough to make a map that not only looks and plays good, but is within the limits of what the hl2 / ns2 is capable of.

just do a google for hl2 mapping tutorials (you'll need steam hl2 or atleast counterstrike)
it really is simple to get into and make a few rooms joined with a corridor. if you like doing it then keep working through some more complext tutorials - i would say its only a matter of hrs to learn how to make a few rooms with some features.

ozbirdboy

Here are a few of my bookmarked resources for mapping with the source engine which you may find useful:

<a href="http://www.interlopers.net/index.php?page=tutorials" target="_blank">Interlopers</a> (Good Tutorials)
<a href="http://www.hl2world.com/wiki/index.php/Category:MappingTutorials" target="_blank">HL2 World Mapping Tutorials</a>
<a href="http://www.editlife.net/tutorial.php" target="_blank">Edit Life</a> (Contains some good beginning tutorials)
<a href="http://www.hl2world.com/wiki/index.php/Category:Entities" target="_blank">HL2 Mapping Entities</a>

INKEDOUT

With the <a href="http://developer.valvesoftware.com/w/index.php?title=Hammer_Editor_Documentation" target="_blank">Hammer wiki</a> it's pretty easy to learn how to map. Mapping well is the hard part.

Alcapwn

<!--quoteo(post=1649410:date=Sep 13 2007, 11:31 PM:name=BigD)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(BigD @ Sep 13 2007, 11:31 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1649410"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->Well, creating maps in Notepad hasn't been recommended in years!

However, if you're looking for a sandbox type editor (like what <a href="http://www.gametrailers.com/player/17757.html" target="_blank">Crysis</a> is supposed to <a href="http://www.gametrailers.com/player/17762.html" target="_blank">have</a>) where ya just plunk down an object, drag and drop some terrain and that sort of thing, I'm afraid it won't be that easy. Mind you, once ya get yer head wrapped around the geometry and texture alignment, and get something built resembling a playable map, it sorta becomes drag'n drop anyway.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

Such an incredible editor; i never understood why every developer under the sun didn't rip off farcry's map editor when it came out.

Misere

"O" for Awesome guys thanks.

schkorpio

<!--quoteo(post=1649979:date=Sep 17 2007, 04:29 PM:name=Misere)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Misere @ Sep 17 2007, 04:29 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1649979"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->"O" for Awesome guys thanks.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

make sure you post some of your work in progress screens in the mapping forum <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smile-fix.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":)" border="0" alt="smile-fix.gif" />

Flopper

IMO making a map is not that hard, what u need is:
1)Understand the program
2)Have some ideas on how ur map will look like
3)And the most important.... Patience!

ozbirdboy

<!--quoteo(post=1652656:date=Sep 28 2007, 09:25 PM:name=Flopper)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Flopper @ Sep 28 2007, 09:25 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1652656"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->IMO making a map is not that hard, what u need is:
1)Understand the program
2)Have some ideas on how ur map will look like
3)And the most important.... Patience!<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

Another important concept to know is how to effectively optimize your map so it's playable and does not lag.

StixNStonz

Dunno what you guys are talking about with restrictions in Source. HL1 was all about the restrictions; Source you can do just about anything and still have great fps.

Crispy

<!--quoteo(post=1652925:date=Sep 29 2007, 07:26 PM:name=StixNStonz)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(StixNStonz @ Sep 29 2007, 07:26 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1652925"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->Dunno what you guys are talking about with restrictions in Source. HL1 was all about the restrictions; Source you can do just about anything and still have great fps.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->Not exactly. If you want your map to be well-optimised you need to get funky with NODRAW and HINT, as well as actually designing in occluders. You'll also need to respect the recommended system specs that UWE specify, which -if NS2 is to reach as many people as NS- are likely to be relatively low. Some of the Insurgency maps are a good example of what can go wrong when you don't optimise your Source maps well. It's true that NS2 will almost definitely be mostly interiors and smaller open spaces making optimisation easier, but you still can't just run wild.

StixNStonz

Nodraw and hints are a given; not using them is simply wasting resources. But HL1 needed its textures ramped up hardcore to fit in the specs, and even at that, theres almost no detail. Source, hell... the only map i've really seen that was problematic had a huge belltower in the middle that could see over a hundred props.

Crispy

AFAIK normal-heavy texture maps and alphas can also add a lot of stress, there are still a lot of things to be aware of in Source, especially for multiplayer maps.

exoity

I think we all know hardcore. If you don't code or map in notepad, then you don't know what you are doing.

In all seriousness you should check out <a href="http://developer.valvesoftware.com/wiki/Category:Level_Design" target="_blank">http://developer.valvesoftware.com/wiki/Ca...ry:Level_Design</a> .