Necesary components to start testing a map?

LithenLithen Join Date: 2011-09-17 Member: 121755Members
Hi

Been working on a map for quite some time and it's time to start testing some things ingame.
However im not quite sure exactly what you need to be able to test it out, entities and such, since the game just goes black when i load the map.

Any help or directions are appreciated!
Cheers

Comments

  • Evil_bOb1Evil_bOb1 Join Date: 2002-07-13 Member: 938Members, Squad Five Blue
    edited December 2011
    This is off the top of my head so it might not be a complete list of things.

    In the readyroom you will need <!--coloro:#00FF00--><span style="color:#00FF00"><!--/coloro-->ready_room_start<!--colorc--></span><!--/colorc-->, and some <!--coloro:#00FF00--><span style="color:#00FF00"><!--/coloro-->team_join<!--colorc--></span><!--/colorc--> entities set up appropriately.

    Somewhere you will need an <!--coloro:#00FF00--><span style="color:#00FF00"><!--/coloro-->ns2_gamerules<!--colorc--></span><!--/colorc-->, and <!--coloro:#00FF00--><span style="color:#00FF00"><!--/coloro-->minimap_extent<!--colorc--></span><!--/colorc--> (enclosing the map as tight as possible, as square as possible on the xz plane, a square is encouraged though, a rectangular shaped might cause issues). You will also need a <!--coloro:#00FF00--><span style="color:#00FF00"><!--/coloro-->pathing_settings<!--colorc--></span><!--/colorc--> entity, info on that can be found <a href="http://www.unknownworlds.com/ns2/forums/index.php?showtopic=115160" target="_blank">here</a>.

    Team locations are now set using <!--coloro:#00FF00--><span style="color:#00FF00"><!--/coloro-->tech_point<!--colorc--></span><!--/colorc-->. If you want static spawns, set the respective locations to random start for that respective team and leave other tech_points as not a starting location. Many variations are possible, you can have spawn locations that are shared (both teams could spawn there) with other locations limited to a team, or have a static spawn for one team and random starts for another for example.

    You will need a <!--coloro:#00FF00--><span style="color:#00FF00"><!--/coloro-->resource_point<!--colorc--></span><!--/colorc--> in the vicinity of your team starts. Player spawns are handled by the game.

    The engine now renders the whole map if you do not have occlusion geometry set up. For this you will need to enclose your map in an geometry envelop as tight as possible. The envelop needs faces on both sides for maximum efficiency. As an example here is a top down view of turtle, geometry in yellow, occlusion in blue. The occlusion geometry has to be part of a group named <!--coloro:#00FF00--><span style="color:#00FF00"><!--/coloro-->OcclusionGeometry<!--colorc--></span><!--/colorc-->.
    <img src="http://dl.dropbox.com/u/42877240/mappics/occ.jpg" border="0" class="linked-image" />
  • fmponefmpone Join Date: 2011-07-05 Member: 108086Members, Squad Five Blue
    <!--quoteo(post=1878905:date=Oct 9 2011, 12:30 PM:name=Evil_bOb1)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Evil_bOb1 @ Oct 9 2011, 12:30 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1878905"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->This is off the top of my head so it might not be a complete list of things.

    In the readyroom you will need <!--coloro:#00FF00--><span style="color:#00FF00"><!--/coloro-->ready_room_start<!--colorc--></span><!--/colorc-->, and some <!--coloro:#00FF00--><span style="color:#00FF00"><!--/coloro-->team_join<!--colorc--></span><!--/colorc--> entities set up appropriately.

    Somewhere you will need an <!--coloro:#00FF00--><span style="color:#00FF00"><!--/coloro-->ns2_gamerules<!--colorc--></span><!--/colorc-->, and <!--coloro:#00FF00--><span style="color:#00FF00"><!--/coloro-->minimap_extent<!--colorc--></span><!--/colorc--> (enclosing the map as tight as possible, as square as possible on the xz plane)

    For each team start you will need a <!--coloro:#00FF00--><span style="color:#00FF00"><!--/coloro-->team_location<!--colorc--></span><!--/colorc--> set up appropriately for each team. In the team location area you will need some <!--coloro:#00FF00--><span style="color:#00FF00"><!--/coloro-->player_start<!--colorc--></span><!--/colorc-->. I'm not sure you need egg_start anymore. Hopefully in that area you have allready planed a <!--coloro:#00FF00--><span style="color:#00FF00"><!--/coloro-->tech_point<!--colorc--></span><!--/colorc--> and <!--coloro:#00FF00--><span style="color:#00FF00"><!--/coloro-->resource_point<!--colorc--></span><!--/colorc-->

    There are a few other things I am not sure about with 186 maybe an 'insider' could elaborate:

    Do we still need air/ground waypoints?

    Is the new occlusion system in?<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

    Good stuff mate. This should be stickied.
  • LithenLithen Join Date: 2011-09-17 Member: 121755Members
    Much appreciated Evil_bOb1!
    Didn't think you needed all that to just test it by yourself :p

    Cheers
  • TigTig Join Date: 2010-05-08 Member: 71674Members, Reinforced - Shadow, WC 2013 - Silver
    Kouji's ns2 sample map explains everything. people need to check the Wiki before requesting stickies.
  • TwiggehTwiggeh Join Date: 2010-09-24 Member: 74165Members
    <!--quoteo(post=1879126:date=Oct 10 2011, 07:33 PM:name=Tig)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Tig @ Oct 10 2011, 07:33 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1879126"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->Kouji's ns2 sample map explains everything. people need to check the Wiki before requesting stickies.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->


    Indeed, all the info you need is already out there.
  • fmponefmpone Join Date: 2011-07-05 Member: 108086Members, Squad Five Blue
    It can't help that the last official updates to the mapping guidelines were more than a year ago :X
  • LV426-ColonistLV426-Colonist Space Jockey Join Date: 2011-08-05 Member: 114269Members, Constellation
    It would be nice if the wiki were updated periodically; would also like to see some more examples, tutorials and guidelines posted for those who have shown an interest in map-making.
  • Mr MoeMr Moe Join Date: 2009-12-17 Member: 69696Members
    edited December 2011
    <!--quoteo(post=1880522:date=Oct 18 2011, 08:29 PM:name=LV426-Colonist)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (LV426-Colonist @ Oct 18 2011, 08:29 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1880522"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->It would be nice if the wiki were updated periodically; would also like to see some more examples, tutorials and guidelines posted for those who have shown an interest in map-making.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

    +1

    Yeah I have some trouble here, I have 3 rooms. 1 RR with team join, gamerules, minimap extent, rr start, commander camera; and two rooms with techpoint and resnode. I even have overview, but still cannot find my map in mapbrowser. What the heck?

    btw: I'm a total noob in mapping, so please don't make me fight an Onos by bare hands for not knowing this stuff. Just wanna test some small designs and layouts..
  • WilsonWilson Join Date: 2010-07-26 Member: 72867Members
    <!--quoteo(post=1890745:date=Dec 18 2011, 01:11 PM:name=Mr Moe)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Mr Moe @ Dec 18 2011, 01:11 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1890745"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->+1

    Yeah I have some trouble here, I have 3 rooms. 1 RR with team join, gamerules, minimap extent, rr start, commander camera; and two rooms with techpoint and resnode. I even have overview, but still cannot find my map in mapbrowser. What the heck?

    btw: I'm a total noob in mapping, so please don't make me fight an Onos by bare hands for not knowing this stuff. Just wanna test some small designs and layouts..<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

    Is your map in the correct folder? It should appear in the list even if you don't have all the necessary entities etc. Perhaps it has a strange character in the name which is causing it not to appear.

    Also, in my experience the only things you need to play a map are (as of build 189): 2 tech points, res node, ns2gamerules and readyroomstart. You don't need a readyroom, just drop ready room start in your map and you'll spawn there, you can then use j1 or j2 to join the teams. Commander mode won't work but you'll be able to run around the map.
  • Mr MoeMr Moe Join Date: 2009-12-17 Member: 69696Members
    Got it. I just added the "ns2_" prefix. Now it works. Thanks anyways.
  • Evil_bOb1Evil_bOb1 Join Date: 2002-07-13 Member: 938Members, Squad Five Blue
    I have updated my post to 189 needs.
  • EstevooEstevoo Join Date: 2011-12-25 Member: 138993Members
    I have to purchase ns2 to start mapping, right? to come with it's tools or I can map with hammer editor?
  • WilsonWilson Join Date: 2010-07-26 Member: 72867Members
    <!--quoteo(post=1891603:date=Dec 25 2011, 01:34 PM:name=Estevoo)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Estevoo @ Dec 25 2011, 01:34 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1891603"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->I have to purchase ns2 to start mapping, right? to come with it's tools or I can map with hammer editor?<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

    Yes, you need to buy ns2 in order to start mapping. It comes with it's own editor. You can't use hammer.
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