============== =Mapping Help= ============== While I can't help you make a map, I can help you get it listed in the menu and working in the maplist. :p The central object is the .mapinfo file, but there's much more available. Table of Contents ----------------- I Map Lists & Scripts (get your map listed and working) i. mapinfo ii. mapname.cfg II Map Image III Domination IV CTF V Rune Match VI Race/CTS VII Nexball Appendix A - Advanced mapinfo Appendix B - Helpful extras i. Team Colors ii. Text Colors Appendix C - Advanced Darkplaces shaders ======================== =I. Map Lists & Scripts= ======================== There now is just a single script/cfg file available to you, containing all map specific settings: mapname.mapinfo The mapinfo is actually required - however, the game is so nice that it automatically generates a draft of it for you. ------------------ -The mapinfo file- ------------------ *cue even more scary music* The mapinfo file is basically what gets your map listed in the menu, and sets up the options needed to change to it. If no mapinfo file exists, the menu will automatically generate a rough draft for you on game startup. It will get stored into data/data/mapname.mapinfo. As an example, let's say I make a map called "wazat1.bsp". As long as I'm fantasizing, I might as well say this map is so well done I'm actually willing to release it for friends, neighbors, fellow forum visitors and other people who like me to judge me by. Let's also assume that I want domination, deathmatch/team deathmatch and runematch to all be playable on my map. This is very easy. First, I start the game and exit it again so the game writes data/data/wazat1.mapinfo for me. The file may look like: title Wazat's Great Map description Bleh. author Unknown _diameter 1966.839355 _spawnpoints 5 has weapons cdtrack 5 type dm 30 20 type dom 200 20 type rune 200 20 type lms 9 20 type arena 10 20 As I see, the menu autodetected that my map may be suitable for deathmatch, domination, runematch, last man standing and arena. But I want the map to be played in domination, deathmatch, team deathmatch, runematch only, and I also want different timelimits/fraglimits, so I will change the "type" lines to: type dom 100 15 type rune 1000 25 type dm 40 15 type tdm 50 0 2 Also, while I am at it, I should fix the placeholders in the map description lines: title Wibble description A large multi level arena map author Wazat Although not entirely necessary, I will now move the .mapinfo file from data/data/maps/wazat1.mapinfo to data/maps/wazat1.mapinfo, so it is at the same place as my map. Next time I start the game, my map will be shown supporting the right game modes and with the right description in the menu. Also, note the "has weapons" line. If this line is not there (which happens if the map contains no weapon entities other than the Nex), the map will run in MinstaGib only and not be shown in the menu normally. So if you look for your map and don't find it, add "has weapons" to the mapinfo file, and make sure you have weapon entities placed. There's much more power in a mapinfo file. See Appendix A for more details. Gametype | Syntax | Notes ----------------+---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------+------------------------------------------------------- Deathmatch | type dm | Team Deathmatch | type tdm | 2, 3, or 4 teams Domination | type dom | teams are set by the map's entities CTF | type ctf | pointlimit if g_ctf_win_mode is 2, otherwise caplimit Runematch | type rune | LMS | type lms | Arena | type arena | Key Hunt | type kh | 2, 3, or 4 teams Assault | type as | never uses points Onslaught | type ons | never uses points Race | type rc | g_race_teams: teamlaplimit is used instead of laplimit CTS | type cts | never uses points CA | type dm | Nexball | type dm | =============== =II. Map Image= =============== So, you've got your map listed in the menu and it plays properly, but the menu isn't showing your picture! Or the picture is scaled badly! What manner of man would create such an accursed abomination?! Well... That sounds like something I'd do. :D And it is really easy: just make a screenshot of the map in action (preferably with crosshair and HUD switched off), and place it next to the map as mapname.jpg. For best rendering and file size, make the image in 4:3 aspect ratio, but scale it to the resolution 256x256 or possibly 512x512. It will look skewed in your image editing app, but the menu will show it right, and your graphics card LOVES images of such dimension. ================= =III. Domination= ================= In order to get Domination working well in your map, you need to place dom_team and dom_controlpoint entites. You *must* have at least 3 dom_team entities - 2 minimum teams and one blank one (empty netname and no team). You can have up to 4 teams (5 dom_team entities), and remember: if you set 3 teams, the third team must be the yellow one, according to the team order. Dom Team -------- classname dom_team netname name of team (Red Team). Set to "" or don't define for the required blank team. cnt color of the team. See the "Helpful Extras" section for info. model When this team captures control points, the points turn to this model. If this is the neutral team, points start out as this model. noise Sound to be played on the control point when it's captured. Only players nearby will hear it. noise1 Sound to be played to all players when the control point is captured. Also good for an annoncer voice ("Red Team has captured a control point") Control Points -------------- classname dom_controlpoint message message to be displayed to all players when this point is captured, preceded by the team's name. This defaults to " has captured a control point". You can specify different names for each point, for example " has captured the Lava Room". origin where in the map this point is wait How often this point gives its controlling team frags. frags How many frags this point gives each wait cycle. Here is an example entry in a .ent file that includes colored text and 3 teams: { "classname" "dom_team" "netname" "" "model" "models/domination/dom_unclaimed.md3" } { "classname" "dom_team" "netname" "^4Blue Team" "cnt" "13" "noise" "" "noise1" "domination/claim.wav" "model" "models/domination/dom_blue.md3" } { "classname" "dom_team" "netname" "^1Red Team" "cnt" "4" "noise" "" "noise1" "domination/claim.wav" "model" "models/domination/dom_red.md3" } { "netname" "^3Yellow Team" "cnt" "12" "noise" "" "noise1" "domination/claim.wav" "model" "models/domination/dom_yellow.md3" } { "netname" "^6Pink Team" "cnt" "9" "noise" "" "noise1" "domination/claim.wav" "model" "models/domination/dom_pink.md3" } { "classname" "dom_controlpoint" "message" " ^3has captured the ^1Hallways" "origin" "-206.0 -488.8 -150.0" "frags" "3" "wait" "5" "scale" "1.3" } { "classname" "dom_controlpoint" "message" " ^3has captured the ^1Lavaroom" "origin" "1457.1 19.9 -110.0" "frags" "1" "wait" "5" } { "classname" "dom_controlpoint" "message" " ^3controls the ^1Nex & Strength" "origin" "-259.8 299.3 5" "frags" "1" "wait" "5" } { "classname" "dom_controlpoint" "message" " ^3has captured the ^1Upper Platform" "origin" "539.7 1206.0 182.0" "frags" "1" "wait" "5" } { "classname" "dom_controlpoint" "message" " ^3has captured the ^1Teleport Room" "origin" "-1000.0 636.2 -16.0" "frags" "1" "wait" "5" } As you can see in the example, there are 5 dom_team ents: one blank, Red, Blue, Yellow and Pink. Each control point has a different message (giving it a special name), and the one in the hallways gives 3 frags every 5 seconds instead of just one, making it more valuable. If your map contains the required entities for Domination, the menu will automatically detect it for supporting Domination. To force the map to get re-detected after you add such entities, delete the data/data/mapname.mapinfo file - or simply edit it to add the "type dom" line. ========= =IV. CTF= ========= Capture the flag needs at least 1 CTF flag per team, and can also make use of team spawnpoints. CTF Flags --------- classname item_flag_team1 or item_flag_team2 angle direction the flag will point model model of the flag (default: models/ctf/flag_red.md3 or models/ctf/flag_blue.md3) noise sound played when flag is stolen (default: "ctf/take.wav") noise1 sound played when flag is returned by a teammate (default: "ctf/return.wav") noise2 sound played when flag is captured (default: "ctf/capture.wav") noise3 sound played when flag returns itself (default: "ctf/respawn.wav") Team Spawnpoints ---------------- classname info_player_team1 or info_player_team2 *note: These function just like info_player_deathmatch, but for one team only. If you don't make team spawnpoints, info_player_deathmatch is used instead. If your map contains the required entities for CTF, the menu will automatically detect it for supporting CTF. To force the map to get re-detected after you add such entities, delete the data/data/mapname.mapinfo file - or simply edit it to add the "type ctf" line. ============== =V. Runematch= ============== Runematch needs only one type of entity to work: rune spawn points. You will need at least one for each rune (5 minimum at the time of this writing), though you should probably have more than that in the map. Just give the points a classname and origin. Rune Spawnpoints ---------------- classname runematch_spawn_point If your map contains the required entities for Runematch, the menu will automatically detect it for supporting Runematch. To force the map to get re-detected after you add such entities, delete the data/data/mapname.mapinfo file - or simply edit it to add the "type rune" line. ============== =VI. Race/CTS= ============== Making a race map is not hard: you need some special spawnpoints, and some checkpoints. Spawnpoints ----------- classname info_player_race target targetname of the checkpoint race_place for finish line checkpoints, the place of the point, or -1 to make it qualifying/CTS-only, or unset to let all the other players spawn Checkpoints ----------- classname trigger_race_checkpoint targetname some name to target the checkpoint with cnt number of the checkpoint (or 0 for finish line) Note that checkpoints are brush entities, and they should be somewhat thick and cover the full volume the player could use to get past them. Example of entity placement: ### ---------------------###--- / 9999 7 5 3 1>### \ / 9999 8 6 4 2 >### \ | ------------------### | %%%%%%%% ###| | %%%%%%%% $$$| | | ^ ^ ------------------$$$ | \ $$$ < / \ $$$ < / ----------------------$$$--- $$$ ###: classname = trigger_race_checkpoint, cnt = 0, targetname = finish $$$: classname = trigger_race_checkpoint, cnt = 1, targetname = cp1 %%%: classname = trigger_race_checkpoint, cnt = 2, targetname = cp2 >: classname = info_player_race, target = finish, angle = 0 1: classname = info_player_race, target = finish, angle = 0, race_place = 1 2: classname = info_player_race, target = finish, angle = 0, race_place = 2 .... 8: classname = info_player_race, target = finish, angle = 0, race_place = 8 9: classname = info_player_race, target = finish, angle = 0, race_place = 9 <: classname = info_player_race, target = cp1, angle = 180 ^: classname = info_player_race, target = cp2, angle = 90 If your map contains the required entities for Race, the menu will automatically detect it for supporting Race. To force the map to get re-detected after you add such entities, delete the data/data/mapname.mapinfo file - or simply edit it to add the "type rc" line. CTS maps do not use checkpoints with race_place set, so you can leave them out for CTS maps. The skill parameter in the mapinfo entry for CTS shall be in the range from 0 (easy) to 10 (impossible). ============= =VI. Nexball= ============= There are three required entities: nexball_redgoal, nexball_bluegoal, and one of nexball_basketball or nexball_football. There are also optional nexball_yellowgoal and nexball_pinkgoal entities (don't add a pink goal when there is no yellow goal on the map, it will crash) Goals are made just like any other regular triggers. You can use multiple brushes for one trigger, but avoid this if possible. There are also two other goal-like entities, nexball_fault and nexball_bound, the first taking a point from the team that hits the trigger with the ball, the second simply returning it. You can spawn the ball inside a goal-like trigger, this can be useful for basketball maps with separate teams and a common ball spawn. The different keys for the entities are documented in entities.def. The ball is affected by trigger_impulse, but not by trigger_push or teleporters. You should better avoid patches on the field, as collisions can sometimes get buggy on these. =============================== =Appendix A - Advanced mapinfo= =============================== You now know how to make a basic, bare-bones mapinfo to set up a couple options and load your map. However, there's much more you can do! Consider these senarios: 1. The laser has too high of a force for laser jumps and ruins CTF 2. I don't want players to start out with the shotgun, but with the machinegun instead 3. The map takes so much server CPU performance that the anti-wallhack can't be made active Each of these situations can be resolved with ease with a little work in the mapinfo file. To do this, I can add the following lines to my mapinfo file: settemp_for_type ctf g_balance_laser_primary_force 200 settemp_for_type all g_start_weapon_shotgun 0 settemp_for_type all g_start_weapon_uzi 1 settemp_for_type all sv_cullentities_trace 0 These "settemp" settings are automatically removed when the map is left and another is loaded. As you can see, it is possible to make per-mode temporary settings, and global ones. Similar settings are also possible for the client: clientsettemp_for_type all r_shadow_glossexponent 96 Another possibility is to specify fog settings in the mapinfo, for convenience in case you set sv_foginterval by it too (to force the fog on the clients): fog 0.2 0.25 0.3 0.3 1 1500 settemp_for_type all sv_foginterval 5 ============================= =Appendix B - Helpful Extras= ============================= ---------------- -i. Team Colors- ---------------- When you need to set an entity's color or team, use these values: Red --- Team: 5 Color: 4 Blue ---- Team: 14 Color: 13 Yellow ------ Team: 13 Color: 12 Pink ----- Team: 10 Color: 9 ---------------- -i. Text Colors- ---------------- Occasionally you may want to print text in color, such as team names. Here are your options: 1 Red 2 Green 3 Yellow 4 Blue 5 Cyan 6 Magenta 7 White 8 Grey (transparent) 9 Grey (solid) 0 Black ========================================== =Appendix C - Advanced Darkplaces shaders= ========================================== Shader parameters for DP's own features: - dp_reflect Makes surfaces of this shader reflective with r_water. The reflection is alpha blended on the texture with the given alpha, and modulated by the given color. distort is used in conjunction with the normalmap to simulate a nonplanar water surface. - dp_refract Makes surfaces of this shader refractive with r_water. The refraction replaces the transparency of the texture. distort is used in conjunction with the normalmap to simulate a nonplanar water surface. - dp_water This combines the effects of dp_reflect and dp_refract to simulate a water surface. However, the refraction and the reflection are mixed using a Fresnel equation that makes the amount of reflection slide from reflectmin when looking parallel to the water to reflectmax when looking directly into the water. The result of this reflection/refraction mix is then layered BELOW the texture of the shader, so basically, it "fills up" the alpha values of the water. The alpha value is a multiplicator for the alpha value on the texture - set this to a small value like 0.1 to emphasize the reflection and make the water transparent; but if r_water is 0, alpha isn't used, so the water can be very visible then too.