TDM NEW MAPPERS WORKSHOP

[Destined]

I just now inserted a couple of doors into my WIP and remembered an important part, you did not mention in your video: In order for doors to correctly open and close visportals, the visportal has to be inside the boundaries of the door. If the visportal is bigger than the door, it will ignore the open/closed status of the door and function as if the door was not there. So I recommend to thin the visportals in places where a door should bedown to 4 units (the door models are usually 4.5, so if the doors are placed in the middle of the visportal, it will be inside and work properly).

[Springheel]

I'll be talking about visportals in doors later when we get to the final visportalling stage. The entire visportal brush doesn't have to be inside the door, just the face with the visportal texture has to be touching the door entity.

[Darkness_Falls]

You don't need Maya to create particle effects (I'm not even sure whether a Maya-created one would be compatible). Dark Radiant comes with a particle effects editor, though obviously that's not beginner level stuff. I've only tried it a couple times myself.

Once I get more caught-up with the map building process and have time to experiment, I will look into this more. I wish to see Dark Radiant's editor, but I have more experience with Maya dynamics, so was just thinking it'd be neat to try to make some stuff

[Springheel]

Ok, the new lesson is up. This lesson is about functional props, otherwise known as entities. This lesson looks at five different types of entities that you might want to add to your missions:

 

1. Movable objects

2. Player Tools

3. Loot/Chests

4. Readables

5. Levers/switches

 

[Darkness_Falls]

Cool video, is just what I wanted to see right about now Oh, I was trying to change the "set color on flame" value for the gaslight entities yesterday, but that doesn't seem to do anything. I've done some tests, and I don't sense any changes in light intensity no matter if I specify "0 0 0" or "500 500 500", or several tested values in-between. For what it's worth, it doesn't change the color, either -- but I'm thinking it's not supposed to... despite its name.

 

Springheel wrote:

 

You can change the radius of those light entities by adding: "set light_radius on flame" "140 140 120" (remove the quotes, and replace the numbers with whatever radius you want)

You can change the intensity of the lights by adding" "set color on flame" "0 0 0" and then replace those numbers with the numbers you want--sometimes I turn the light off, put in a manual light and set it to the radius/color values I like, then copy it to the entity.

 

Edited July 29, 2017 by Darkness_Falls

[Springheel]

The radius one is copied exactly from the lights I used in A New Job. You're putting this on a light entity with a model, right, like atdm:lamp_oil_wall_lit?

 

As for color, maybe I used the wrong syntax...try "set _color on flame" with the underscore and see if that works.

[Darkness_Falls]

Will have to get back to you on the light question; thanks!

 

I wasn't able to turn an amethyst (loot object) into a button. It won't let me make it an entity. (I was able to use a brush as a switch like you did in video, though, of course.) Can you briefly summarize what objects can and can't be used as buttons? I also couldn't ungroup books in the prefab bookcase to use an individual book as a button; nor could I make a "book_red1.lwo" model I dropped become a button because, again, it won't let me make it an entity (the option is grayed out)

 

EDIT: Yeah, regarding the light, I was trying to use with a model (models/darkmod/lights/extinguishable/wall_gaslight03.lwo). Adding an underscore seemed to be the trick!... but it gets very bright/saturated and changes the color to whiter...so I will disband that idea for now. No worries, I will wait for the future when I'm more skilled and ready for such tweaks. For now, let's not worry about the light intensity/color thing. The radius adjustment is good enough for me.

 

EDIT 2: None of my readables work I've tried one rolled up scroll, one flat scroll, and a two-page book. I get an error in console. "Couldn't add entity to inventory of player". I made them static (not movable) and have tried both giving them an inventory name, and not giving them that name.

Edited July 29, 2017 by Darkness_Falls

[Destined]

If you insert any models, they are (in contrast to brushes) already entities (in most cases func_static). This is why the "Create entity..." option is greyed out. If you want to make a model into a button, insert the model (Create model...), select it and go to the Entity tab in the entity inspector. There you select "classname" and use the button on the bottom (Choose entity class...) and select the entity type you need. In case of the bookcases the problem is, that the prefabs do not use models for the books, but brushes with a texture depicting the rows of books. Consequently, it is not possible to selecte books here, as they are part of the texture, not models. But with the same method described before, you can add book models and turn them into a button (as you tried yourself).

 

Regarding the light colour: You can directly take a look at the light entity of the gaslight by searching for the spawnarg "def_attach" (this works for other light entities as well; you will have to tick the "Show inherited properties" box). In this case you can see that the attached light is called "light_gasflame", which you can then insert into your map somewhere (Create Entity->Lights->Candle Flames->light_gasflame) and take a look at the "_color" spawnarg to see what colour the light has. You can use this as a basis for the radius and/or the colour you wish to create and can also use this light for testing purposes.

[Springheel]

I wasn't able to turn an amethyst (loot object) into a button. It won't let me make it an entity. (I was able to use a brush as a switch like you did in video, though, of course.) Can you briefly summarize what objects can and can't be used as buttons?

 

 

When something is an entity/model already, you need to use "classname" field, the same way you turn a model into a readable, like this: https://youtu.be/rMfDN_m-S8g?t=15m47s

 

 

I also couldn't ungroup books in the prefab bookcase to use an individual book as a button

 

 

Most bookshelves are not prefabs--they are single models with the books included, so you cannot separate them. The example I made at the end of the video was just a separate book_red_small model that stuck out a bit further from the bookshelf model.

 

it gets very bright/saturated and changes the color to whiter.

 

 

The best method to get correct values is: Remove or turn off the oil lamp (set to "extinguished" "1"). Create a temporary light, tinker with the _color values until it is the brightness/color you want (test in game), and then copy the _color values to the "set _color" field of your oil lamp. Then delete the temporary light. That's the kind of thing that can wait for final detail passes, however, once the map is mostly completed.

 

I get an error in console. "Couldn't add entity to inventory of player". I made them static

 

 

If they're immovable, they not supposed to enter player inventory, so that's an odd error. When you click on one of the readables, does it look like the image below? Also, what exactly happens when the player frobs it?

[Darkness_Falls]

Thanks guys! No time to write much now and I'm not at my PC, but RE: readables, when player walks up to readable and tries to frob it, the scroll or book highlights only once and then you can't highlight it ever again; and you now also cannot frob any other items like candles, buttons, or loot anymore. I believe the error generates as soon as you frob highlight. The graphical overlay for the readable where you view the text of the readable also does not occur. You have to reload the map to get frobbing capability back for items. Maybe I missed a step in the readable creation

Edited July 29, 2017 by Darkness_Falls

[Destined]

This error sounds very much like an xdata error. If TDM cannot find the correct xdata entry (be it that it does not exist or that there is a typo), so it tries to load the correct GUI for the readable but fails in that. Thus, you cannot frob anything anymore, because the (missing) GUI does not have any "exit GUI" option. Have you created an xdata entry for the readables? If so, have you checked if there is a typo?

[Springheel]

Some things to check:

 

1. Is there an "xdata" folder in your mission folder structure? (see here: https://youtu.be/rMfDN_m-S8g?t=17m19s)

 

2. Is there a file in that folder?

 

3. Does your readable text use any unusual characters (like a backslash)?

[Darkness_Falls]

I edited the xdata name, but not sure how there could be a typo? Based on the video, it sounds like you have the flexibility to retain or delete the xdata path, whilst giving a new random name to replace the "<insert name>" field. (I.e., not much you could screw up on, imo.) Pretty sure I kept the default path and named them things like, "randomscroll". When I load DarkRad later, I will see what I put

 

EDIT: Not sure why editing my post created two new ones. Feel free to delete the last two (the ones that don't have the "i.e." phrase), as I'm unable to from my phone.

Edited July 29, 2017 by Darkness_Falls

[Springheel]

I edited the xdata name, but not sure how there could be a typo? Based on the video, it sounds like you have the flexibility to retain or delete the xdata path, whilst giving a new random name to replace the "<insert name>" field. (I.e., not much you could screw up on, imo.

 

 

You're correct, you can't introduce typos that way. It's possible DR saved the xdata file in the wrong place, which can happen if your paths are not properly set. Check the list of things I mentioned earlier when you get a chance.

 

If that doesn't get to the bottom of it you can always copy the .map and .xdata files and send them to me and I'll have a look.

[Darkness_Falls]

I'm happy to report the issue is resolved on its own somehow. I guess turning the PC off and starting on a new day helped; perhaps I should have just tried quitting TDM entirely last night and re-launching to see if that would've fixed, if I didn't try that.

 

If curious, when I load my _v14 map, where I have Inventory Names set for my Immovable objects, I get these errors... but today, I'm still able to read them in-game (unlike last night). See readableErr1.jpg

 

When I load my _v15 map, where I deleted the Inventory Names, no errors regarding inventory stuff, but I still get an error regarding book GUI file. No worries, though, the map still loads and I can read the book just fine. Just wanted to mention. readableErr2.jpg

 

Also, I noticed that for the rolled-up scroll, I can make more than one line of text in the "Title" area. I used this to my advantage by making a big, bold "T" in the beginning of my story there. I used it as the first letter to my story, and then positioned Body text (smaller font) after it. See readableEditor1.jpg

 

On other readables, though (flat scroll, book), DR doesn't let me drop the big, bold T down; and I can't do the same effect. See readableEditor2.jpg.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Springheel]

If curious, when I load my _v14 map, where I have Inventory Names set for my Immovable objects, I get these errors... but today, I'm still able to read them in-game (unlike last night). See readableErr1.jpg

 

 

I see an error there about being unable to load a gui file...when you selected a specific font, are you sure you didn't select an option with the _world extension on the end?

 

For example, you'll see in the list of options:

 

book_jd_hand.gui

book_jd_hand_world.gui

 

I believe you should select the one without the _world extension, though I honestly forget why that is.

 

 

Also, I noticed that for the rolled-up scroll, I can make more than one line of text in the "Title" area. I used this to my advantage by making a big, bold "T" in the beginning of my story there. I used it as the first letter to my story, and then positioned Body text (smaller font) after it. See readableEditor1.jpg

 

 

That seems to be dependent on which .gui you choose (has nothing to do with the model). When I selected any of the choices that are in sub-folders (readables/scrolls, readables/sheets, readables/books, etc) you can have multiple lines in the Title fields. But the options in the main readables folder (which are a bit older--some don't even work) don't seem to allow that. The examples below use the same text.

 

It's possible the older guis could introduce other problems as well. I'd recommend sticking to the sub-folder options.

[Darkness_Falls]

 

I believe you should select the one without the _world extension, though I honestly forget why that is.

Yep! That _world thing was the 'issue', if we can call it that. Thanks!

And that's good to know about sub-folder options.

 

I'm going to dive into DR a bit later and will edit my post here if nobody else has posted and I have any other questions or updates at that time.

[Obsttorte]

Cool video, is just what I wanted to see right about now Oh, I was trying to change the "set color on flame" value for the gaslight entities yesterday, but that doesn't seem to do anything. I've done some tests, and I don't sense any changes in light intensity no matter if I specify "0 0 0" or "500 500 500", or several tested values in-between. For what it's worth, it doesn't change the color, either -- but I'm thinking it's not supposed to... despite its name.

 

The color of a light is handled by the _color spawnarg, as Springs already noted. The values range from 0 ... 1 for each channel, so 500 is definetely above top

 

Note the syntax, it is set spawnarg on attachment_name.

 

Spawnarg is the spawnarg you want to change. You can check for the correct name on other entities where you can change them directly (like _color on electric lights).

 

attachment_name is the name given to the attached entitiy. You can find that one out by checking the inherited spawnargs. Search for attach_pos_name (maybe followed by an underline and a number). It will give you the name. The light entities bound to torches etc... are normally called flame, but you may find entities using other names (or may use a different name when creating custom entity definitions).

 

Make sure to really understand the syntax. It will save you a lot of headache

[Darkness_Falls]

This is a quick tip I figured out and wanted to share, which may or may not have been mentioned in the vids. After activating the rotate ® tool, start rotating your object on a given axis, and then hold the SHIFT button down while rotating and it will snap the rotation in 5-degree increments. This helps you align stuff to square 0, 90, and 180 degree positions. But you must begin rotating before holding SHIFT.

[Destined]

I will be moving starting tomorrow and won't be able to work on this project until the 15th of August. I will still try to check in regularly, but the PC with all my data won't be available. I will continue as soon as my PC is available again, but will most likely get behind with my mapping.

[Delahunt]

Springheel, really enjoying the videos.

 

I’ve built by main house and sealed it up fairly well. I began working on an outdoor city street area and got a little carried away. Ended up with a few winding streets without really considering sealing and visleafs. Lesson 2 warned against that very thing, I know!

 

Outline is here: http://imgur.com/97ze0OY

 

For the time being I’ve just thrown a big portal sky around it all. Looking at your prologue map, the streets seem to be sealed with very large brushes of caulk and visportals. Should I be thinking of doing the same?

[Springheel]

Looks good! You want to think of your streets as "rooms" as much as possible. This lesson goes into how to seal outdoor areas:

[marcuskiwi]

Shouldn't this new video be Lesson 9 as we already have a Lesson 6???

[Springheel]

It's not a new lesson, it's just a link to lesson 6.

[marcuskiwi]

Sorry, Thought it was your next video in the series. Should have looked first before voicing off!!!!!