Mapping Help

Leapus · August 2012

<div class="IPBDescription">I'm a noob mapper, be patient with me please. =D</div>I'm working on my first map, and I'm running into problems with faces not creating as I want them to. Is there any way to select points and just create a face inside them?

For those interested, the idea I'm running with in this map is a kind of tug-of-war style layout. Mains at opposite ends of the map with 1-3 TP's in between the two.

Angelusz · August 2012

Yes there is. The best way would be to use the line tool to create the shape you desire. When the outline is done, select it all and go to edit - create face. A face will appear. If it's on the wrong side, you can flip it.

I recommend you to watch FMPONE and Mendasp their youtube videos about NS2 mapping, there's a lot of good info in there.

Leapus · August 2012

Hmm, I see the tools in the edit menu it just doesn't seem to be working for this group. I'll keep working on it.
Thanks a bunch.

Angelusz · August 2012

If you're having trouble creating things as a whole, try creating sections at a time. For instance start with a wall. When it's done, leave it and start on the ceiling/floor. When all parts are done, align them and then finalize them to blend in well.

Leapus · August 2012

Well I had a room already set up, but I'm trying to take part of one wall out to make a hallway to the next room. To do this I used the Line tool and just made points where I wanted to cut, then but. But this removed the faces on both sides of the hole. Now I've managed to get one side back with the Rectangle tool but the other side isn't cooperating.

EDIT: Ah, I had a section of the roof that was making this wall act weird. Got it now. Gotta watch stray points hehe.

Leapus · August 2012

I'm trying to set up a Ready Room so I can playtest what I have so far, just to get a feel for what I've got. I've placed a Team Join field, set it to Aliens, and set the Ready Room Start spots, but how does the field know where to put the joining players? I can't find an entity that looks like it defines primary spawn point. Or does it just default to the only hive built?

Insane · August 2012

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Leapus @ Aug 6 2012, 03:31 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1958147"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'>I'm trying to set up a Ready Room so I can playtest what I have so far, just to get a feel for what I've got. I've placed a Team Join field, set it to Aliens, and set the Ready Room Start spots, but how does the field know where to put the joining players? I can't find an entity that looks like it defines primary spawn point. Or does it just default to the only hive built?</div>

Spawn points will be generated at run-time around the Hive & CC, so you don't need to place them.

Trainee.ger · August 2012

you can open up the mapping guidelines through the launch pad, all needed entities are listed there.

you only have to set tech points, they are set to be random spawn points. ns2_gamerules entity would be good as well to have :)

ScardyBob · August 2012

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Leapus @ Aug 6 2012, 07:34 AM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1958121"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'>Well I had a room already set up, but I'm trying to take part of one wall out to make a hallway to the next room. To do this I used the Line tool and just made points where I wanted to cut, then but. But this removed the faces on both sides of the hole. Now I've managed to get one side back with the Rectangle tool but the other side isn't cooperating.

EDIT: Ah, I had a section of the roof that was making this wall act weird. Got it now. Gotta watch stray points hehe.</div>
One trick is to add the section of geometry that it having problems to a layer, then hide the layer, and delete any geometry that doesn't disappear. You will frequently run into situations of overlapping geometry (i.e. two lines in the same space) that can cause lots of pain when creating faces. Don't be afraid of deleting/recreating geometry if your running into problems creating faces.

schkorpio · August 2012

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Leapus @ Aug 7 2012, 01:31 AM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1958147"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'>I'm trying to set up a Ready Room so I can playtest what I have so far, just to get a feel for what I've got. I've placed a Team Join field, set it to Aliens, and set the Ready Room Start spots, but how does the field know where to put the joining players? I can't find an entity that looks like it defines primary spawn point. Or does it just default to the only hive built?</div>

Creating faces can sometimes be a bit of a pain until you know how the editor makes decisions to create the faces (or not create them). Some tips are:

If you have overlappnig lines and verticies - select the Selection Tool - and then go Edit > Weld Vertices. This merges them all into one, and then you should be easily able to make a face (this is usually the biggest problem from a face appearing - the editor doesnt' know which lines and verticies to use if they are overlapping, so welding them all into one fixes this)

If you double click a line it the editor will automatically select all nearby lines - this makes creating faces faster, and also is a quick way to determine whether you should weld or not.

Edit: some people don't like the weld however, because it means that you won't be able to control your faces seperately any longer since they are welded together - e.g. if you pull on one vertice or line that joines to another face, this face will also be pulled.
One way around this if you decide you need to go back and change a whole face, is to select the face and CTR+X it (to cut it) and CTRL+V to paste it (it will appear in the same location) but it will now have its own set of lines and verticies so it no longer will pull the other faces and lines - just weld it back in again if need to.

Get used to the ALT+C to create a face, and CTRL+F to flip the face (as 1/2 the time it appears on the wrong side). Remember these are only available when you have the selection tool selected (SPACE BAR). Use these 3 key combos will speed your work up significanlty :)

Also one thing that got me early on was the Texture Lock - it only appears when you have the move tool selected (down near the vertice/line/face/lightprop/entity/ filter).

stick to the grid -do a greybox of your room with 32unit grid first, then do some details with 16 or 8" grid. rotating and moving objects can sometimes pull things off the grid (not even1" will align) so try cycling the grid align points with the ";" and " ' " keys (or is <> keys? don't remember off the top of my head lol).

Looking forward to what your map is goign to be like, there aren't many tug of war style maps- do you have an overview/layout ready yet? Its important to send some time planning the floor plan of your map - because it takes a hell of a lot of time to fix gameplay/balance issues after yo u have started to map, and it also helps you so solve some geometry and room setups before you spend the time mapping and figuring out that it doesnt fit etc Grid paper is your friend! (assume that each bit of grid is 64" of game units.) works quite well.

Also make sure its not one straight hallway - a nice big S shape will work best if you plan on doing only one route.

schkorpio · August 2012

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (schkorpio @ Aug 7 2012, 10:35 AM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1958371"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'>Creating faces can sometimes be a bit of a pain until you know how the editor makes decisions to create the faces (or not create them). Some tips are:

If you have overlappnig lines and verticies - select the Selection Tool - and then go Edit > Weld Vertices. This merges them all into one, and then you should be easily able to make a face (this is usually the biggest problem from a face appearing - the editor doesnt' know which lines and verticies to use if they are overlapping, so welding them all into one fixes this)

If you double click a line it the editor will automatically select all nearby lines - this makes creating faces faster, and also is a quick way to determine whether you should weld or not.

Edit: some people don't like the weld however, because it means that you won't be able to control your faces seperately any longer since they are welded together - e.g. if you pull on one vertice or line that joines to another face, this face will also be pulled.
One way around this if you decide you need to go back and change a whole face, is to select the face and CTR+X it (to cut it) and CTRL+V to paste it (it will appear in the same location) but it will now have its own set of lines and verticies so it no longer will pull the other faces and lines - just weld it back in again if need to.

Get used to the ALT+C to create a face, and CTRL+F to flip the face (as 1/2 the time it appears on the wrong side). Remember these are only available when you have the selection tool selected (SPACE BAR). Use these 3 key combos will speed your work up significanlty :)

Also one thing that got me early on was the Texture Lock - it only appears when you have the move tool selected (down near the vertice/line/face/lightprop/entity/ filter).

stick to the grid -do a greybox of your room with 32unit grid first, then do some details with 16 or 8" grid. rotating and moving objects can sometimes pull things off the grid (not even1" will align) so try cycling the grid align points with the ";" and " ' " keys (or is <> keys? don't remember off the top of my head lol).

Looking forward to what your map is goign to be like, there aren't many tug of war style maps- do you have an overview/layout ready yet? Its important to send some time planning the floor plan of your map - because it takes a hell of a lot of time to fix gameplay/balance issues after yo u have started to map, and it also helps you so solve some geometry and room setups before you spend the time mapping and figuring out that it doesnt fit etc Grid paper is your friend! (assume that each bit of grid is 64" of game units.) works quite well.

Also make sure its not one straight hallway - a nice big S shape will work best if you plan on doing only one route.</div>

wannie · August 2012

I to hate welding, however I have a different problem. When i Copy/Paste something and then move it, it is no longer snapped to the grid and so it has a very small margin of error. Is there a way to reduce this?

Thanks!

Trainee.ger · August 2012

you can switch the point of origin by using the . and , buttons for better adjustment

wannie · August 2012

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Trainee.ger @ Aug 8 2012, 05:21 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1959202"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'>you can switch the point of origin by using the . and , buttons for better adjustment</div>

Yep that solved it thanks :)

Mapping Help

Comments