Mapping, What I've Learned

[Mad-Hammer]

So, I've been off on this month and a half sabbatical on my own holy quest to set down and build a TF2 map. I spent countless hours reading tutorials, searching the Valve wikki, in an effort to build the flawless map ............................. it didn't work.

Many a night, friends would chime in,"What are ya doing?" to which I would give the short reply,"Building a map."

"Come game with us!"
"Can't, building a map."

So, I would close out the im and set about with single-minded purpose, building a map.

Well, now I'm into the home stretch. The map is ready for a playtest, or so I think. The question is,"Will it compile?" Hammer says the map has no problems, it should run. I hit the "Run Map", hold my breath as the compile log runs and ............................... it won't compile.

"YOU have too complex geometry. YOU have too many T-Junctions. You have displacements with TOO complicated geometry. YOU have a NO DRAW on a displacement. In short, simplify the map dummy."

I was under the mistaken impression that Hammer could compile just about anything. I have now spent my weekend, instead of playtesting and admiring my map, poring over yet more tutorials and Valve wikki's trying to figure out how to make my map compile.

Too many T junctions are the result of my building my buildings, stick by stick. So, either the barn's gotta go or, I have to learn how to model in XSI software. The troublesome displacements, well, that's the result of when I was beginning the map and not being too hip to how to properly make a displacement.

So, I took out troublesme brushes, eliminated T junctions and kept hitting that Run Map unitl it finally compiled. Now, all I gotta do is, go back and fix all the brushes, entities, and simplify my barn so I can put them back into the map.

Never trust that steenkin' "Check Map For Problems" It's a liar.......

See you all in about a month.

[Dog]

Nooooooooooooooooooooooo!
You can't leave us again!

If I knew anything about Hammer I'd help you

[gator]

Haven't really done mapping, but from software dev experience - always do intermediate compiles

Can't wait to see the map!

If I knew anything about Hammer I'd help you

Pun intended?

[Stevo]

[quote="gator";p="73308"]Haven't really done mapping, but from software dev experience - always do intermediate compiles [/quote]
I think that's the best advice to avoid this problem in the future. Don't wait until the map is done to compile, otherwise it's a lot harder to fix problems...

Anyway, good luck with the next compile. Hope to see you in game again some day...

[Mad-Hammer]

Well, all told, I had seven errors in the compile process. Most related to displacements and their physics. So, I finally have it compiled and am busy checking for holes in the map and some of the head clearances on doors.

I'll scale it back from a month to a week. Maybe less ....... maybe more....... we'll see. I have some in game errors to concentrate on now.

[l3eeron]

Oh man... check map for errors only checks some basic things. It's almost useless, but it does check for invalid and micro brushes.


If you wanna know, here's how I handle compiling...

First I set the autosave to save every 5 mins instead of the default 15.


The quick easy way to test compile (tests for leaks, also the produced bsp file can be ran so you can start a server and test game features):

When you go to compile it, set BSP - normal Rad - no Vis - no

If you dont get a line in the compile log that looks like this ***********LEAK************
then you have no leak. Turning rad and vis off will save you a TON of time sitting there waiting for test compiles. Once you get it with no leaks, then you turn rad and vis back on and it will compile all your lighting and reflections with shadows n all. This is also a good way to test your game-entity-logic like spawns and timers and scoring etc... Your map will run, but it wont have any dynamic lighting, it will be lit by the "world"

- Do often compiles with RAD and VIS off (takes less than 1 min)

Regarding the T Junction, Ive never heard of that... I'll have to look it up

[Mad-Hammer]

sigh I have a leak. Thanks for the tip B. I'm sure it will make for a faster compile time.

[thrasher]

ive been having a bit of trouble with my sdk source it wont let me do anything