Bikerdude - Xmas FM

[Bikerdude]

Evening

 

I thought I would have a stab at this xmas contest as i feel that a modern editor like DR would be easier going....

 

Here is the Current build - http://cid-bef40fb324fafc2a.skydrive.live.com/browse.aspx/.Public?lc=2057

 

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Firstly, the startmap.pk4 causes doom to lockup and eventually windows locks too, but then I get a driver has unexpectedly quit - Im running Win7x86 and a HD5870...

 

Secondly, when trying to compile a mission I think the instructions are perhaps wrong... At the end of Page 1 where we have the line "dmap t001". In my case I had to type "dmap tut.map" to get it to compile and then "map tut" to load the map...

Edited December 18, 2009 by Bikerdude

[Mortem Desino]

Secondly, when trying to compile a mission I think the instructions are perhaps wrong... At the end of Page 1 where we have the line "dmap t001". In my case I had to type "dmap tut.map" to get it to compile and then "map tut" to load the map...

That's exactly the way compiling and running maps is supposed to work.

dmap [filename] compiles. map [filename] runs the map.

 

I'll quote and truncate the Beginner's guide, highlighting just the important stuff.

 

Your mission file cannot be played itself; it is simply the directions to create a game file.

In the console type and Enter dmap Tut/T001 where you should substitute your subfolder name for Tut and your mission filename for T001.

Wait while dmap compiles the mission.

Assuming there were no dmap red "ERROR"s then you should be returned to the Dark Mod menus and are now able to play the mission.

Return to the console.

Type and Enter map Tut/T001.

I've edited the instructions to say no dmap red "ERRORS". You can have 2000 "warning: Node without volume" or 2000 "warning: backward tri generated" and still run the mission perfectly.

[Bikerdude]

Here is what Ive managed to do so far...

 

http://rapidshare.com/files/320511957/tut20..zip.html

 

nb... Is there any way to adjust the light properties of a movable entity(a candle)....?

[Fidcal]

Yes, there are variations of a 'set' command for radius and color. I haven't got it to hand but search the forum for candle and you should find a recent post.

[Bikerdude]

Yes, there are variations of a 'set' command for radius and color. I haven't got it to hand but search the forum for candle and you should find a recent post.

ah smashing, that makes a more sense now I know what to look for..

[Bikerdude]

Another newbie question...

 

Ive got 2 rooms right next to each other, how do i make a "hole" in the wall..? Ive already learned how to make a working door etc..

 

{edit] I have found the cutting through section in the a-z guide, doh!

 

Hmmm thats not very tidy way of making a hole in a wall.. I though DR would have some fanc hole cutting tool...

Edited December 14, 2009 by Bikerdude

[Melan]

The clipper tool is the safest method: in a box-shaped room, make two vertical incisions in the wall, then pull up the middle brush to make an opening. Method B is the substract tool. This can be used for simpler operations, but unfortunately, it is not equivalent to Dromed's air brushes, and can reduce more complex architecture into a mess of splintered mini-brushes (and occasionally produces some weird artifacts). Use if you need to, but use with care!

 

[edit]Doh!

Edited December 14, 2009 by Melan

[Serpentine]

I almost never use the clipper tool for doors, I find it too much like hard work

 

Instead I make a copy of the wall I want to cut, then resize it to the dimentions of the door I want to put into it. Extruding it a bit on each side of the walls. Selecting the now 'cork' door going between the two rooms I hit subtract then delete the cork and look around to make sure the cuts are good. If the cuts are not neat (strange floating patches with no volume etc coming out at right angles) I generally select the well cut blocks, copy those then revert to before I had subtracted and paste them back in to place. Takes a few goes to get used to but quite quick and efficient when cutting between strangely sized/shaped things where you need a more visual guide

 

The most important thing is to just try cutting on simple, undecorated surfaces to minimise effort...

 

Also, if you look at console view after subtracting, if you get a large resultant number of new brushes etc, you know that its likely a bad cut.

[Bikerdude]

The most important thing is to just try cutting on simple, undecorated surfaces to minimise effort...

 

Well I have thus far use the copy a wall, then make multiple copies and cut & resize. but I have hit my first big issue, the door frame object Im using is itself causing a leak, I could fix it if DR would allow me to resize the bloody object.. ggrrr

 

The good thing though, Ive been really really vbored at work (doing a helpdesk job atm) and Ive been playing with DR all day inbetween calls... he he..

[Baddcog]

Well I have thus far use the copy a wall, then make multiple copies and cut & resize. but I have hit my first big issue, the door frame object Im using is itself causing a leak, I could fix it if DR would allow me to resize the bloody object.. ggrrr

 

The good thing though, Ive been really really vbored at work (doing a helpdesk job atm) and Ive been playing with DR all day inbetween calls... he he..

 

Objects don't cause leaks. Hide the object in the filter menu (func_statics) then make sure your vis-portal touches terrain on all four sides.

 

Only world spawn seals the level, and vis-portals can go through objects with no problems.

 

You really want the world spawn brushes themselves to be very simple. Just a blocky world that is dull to look at. All the objects and trim you do (brushes converted to func_statics) are what bring the level to life. But they have no effect on sealing the map from the outside void.

 

The door frames are all very specific sizes to match good grid alignment and the doors. I actually 'sink' my worldspawn doorways into the door frames as much as possible on grid 8 (maybe 4) so the actual doorway and vis-portal are as small as they can be.

[Bikerdude]

Objects don't cause leaks. Hide the object in the filter menu (func_statics) then make sure your vis-portal touches terrain on all four sides.

 

The door frames are all very specific sizes to match good grid alignment and the doors. I actually 'sink' my worldspawn doorways into the door frames as much as possible on grid 8 (maybe 4) so the actual doorway and vis-portal are as small as they can be.

er Ive only just started using DR, so i havent a clue about half of the things you just mentioned..

 

The leak appears to between the door and the frame, Ive treble checked the alignment and its as good as its ever gonna get yet i still get a leak.

[Springheel]

The leak appears to between the door and the frame,

 

Models don't seal the void; only brushes do. So as far as your leak is concerned, the doorframe might as well not be there at all.

 

I'm not sure exactly what you're trying to do, but it sounds like you're making a door that leads into the void? It's better to create the room/hall on the other side of the door first, then make the door afterwards.

[Bikerdude]

Models don't seal the void; only brushes do. So as far as your leak is concerned, the doorframe might as well not be there at all.

 

I'm not sure exactly what you're trying to do, but it sounds like you're making a door that leads into the void? It's better to create the room/hall on the other side of the door first, then make the door afterwards.

 

Your first assumption was correct, I wasnt aware of the brush/object sealing issue having only a few hrs of DR time so far I have actually got a window object to seal against the void, so I guess I was lucky. I havent gotten to the section regarding making one large box and putting all my building in that, I assume I can put a moving sky texture on the 'ceiling' of that.. or do I use a global background texture of some sort..?

[Serpentine]

Skybox wiki page

Skybox tutorial

 

Once you have created a skybox successfully, you pretty much create walls of sky portal where its needed, it does the rest, exactly as you were thinking

Edited December 14, 2009 by Serpentine

[Springheel]

I wasnt aware of the brush/object sealing issue having only a few hrs of DR time so far

 

Don't sweat it; we all started out having no idea what we were doing with DR. Don't ever feel hesitant to ask questions, even if they feel trivial.

[Fidcal]

I havent gotten to the section regarding making one large box and putting all my building in that.

Generally speaking, don't do that because of performance problems. It is normally best to build each 'room' in the void and make each room sealed against the void. Each 'room' has to be sealed from its neighbour anyway apart from doorways. So in your case if you had the whole lot inside a big box that 'leaking doorway' would have leaked into the next room or out into the big box anyway but you would not get a leak error in the console. Instead you would get low frame rates. Just think of 'outside' as just another connected room but with sky texture on the ceiling and perhaps part way down the walls. Don't worry about it for now later you will find out about visportals to place at the connecting doorways so the game only calculates the displaying of the part the player is in for better performance.

[Bikerdude]

Don't sweat it; we all started out having no idea what we were doing with DR. Don't ever feel hesitant to ask questions, even if they feel trivial.

 

Here is one that been at the back of my mind sine this lunchtime, once I have created a wall out of various parts of wall, is there a way to apply a single texture to all the parts so it looks like a proper wall, not some badly textured jigsaw puzzle..?...

[Goldchocobo]

I use a doorframe as a mini hallway between two walls, and csg subtract, then throw my door in there. If the door frame is square without weird angles or architecture, csg subtract will do a good job of cutting it up. Takes 30 seconds, especially if your doorframe/door is prefabbed/copied.

[Goldchocobo]

Here is one that been at the back of my mind sine this lunchtime, once I have created a wall out of various parts of wall, is there a way to apply a single texture to all the parts so it looks like a proper wall, not some badly textured jigsaw puzzle..?...

 

Select all the parts of the wall, hit "s" for surface inspector, and hit the "natural" button. Either that, or copy a texture shader from wherever, and paste them to all your wall parts.

[Springheel]

Yes, if all the textures are flush with each other, selecting them all (hold ctrl + shift + click each, IIRC) will treat them as a single surface as far as textures go.

[Bikerdude]

Skybox wiki page

Skybox tutorial

 

Once you have created a skybox successfully, you pretty much create walls of sky portal where its needed, it does the rest, exactly as you were thinking

 

hmm, when i go to insert a pfb, DR complains that there isnt a pfb folder(and I looked via windows explorer or tdm_sky_starry1 for that matter...

[Springheel]

Currently DR can't read .pk4 folders. You have to unzip prefabs.pk4 into darkmod/prefabs.

[Bikerdude]

Currently DR can't read .pk4 folders. You have to unzip prefabs.pk4 into darkmod/prefabs.

I figured as much, whats the recomended way of extracting pfb files..?. On another note is there a way to make an object into a brush, while retaining the original properties(a window thats got see through glass)

Edited December 15, 2009 by Bikerdude

[Serpentine]

pk4's are essentially just zip files, either rename it to a zip or just open it with something like winrar etc.

As for model to brush, you cant really do that. You can however make a window using the glass materials and a few brushes. (remember to caulk the sides of a window that you dont see)

[Bikerdude]

You can however make a window using the glass materials and a few brushes. (remember to caulk the sides of a window that you dont see)

Iah ok, I will have to look that up then as I have no idea what caulk means.

 

On another note I cant figure out how to change the light radious/distance of a projected light entity. I have a little stove that I have put a flame entity inside and I want to project light out through the grill...

 

also how do I edit an entities properties, as they are all greyed out in the entity editor.

 

On another note I found the sky box textures (yippe) so Im a step closer to getting the basic of a cool litle mission sorted..

Edited December 15, 2009 by Bikerdude