IronTaxi's Mapping Tips and Tricks

[Dylan]

Originally Posted by Griffon2-6

I wouldn't get the EA provided one, get 1.3 from FileFront.

Im gonna start a new mapping journey again. Are you certain it is 1.3? Also, do I want the big lightmap file?

[DJJ-Terror]

yes you need big lightmaps (cca 700mb) from vBF2 and reality's as well...

[IronTaxi]

yeah you need the big one for sure dylan..but as you know thats not the "first" thing you need so no rush...what kind of map are you gonna work on? Id like to see a new and very original city map..all the urban maps are pretty much the same..i wonder if their is anythign original left to be done (of course there is but what ?)

[[R-DEV]Outlawz7]

By the way, some links are corrupt...loads some weird page, nothing related to what the link is supposed to be....example is the link to "Water" stuff...

[[SpecOps]Shadow]

Ok I am new to mapping and this is my first attempt so I have probably made some stupid mistake somewhere. But anyway my problem is that when I create a local game and try to load my map it CTDs when it reaches 15%. At this point it says that it is loading objects, although when I checked what happens when loading other maps it also switches to loading sounds at 15% so I am guessing that the error is something to do with these.

I guess the best thing for me to do is explain what I have done and if anyone has suggestions it would be greatly appreciated.

1. Firstly I made a copy of pr called pr_edit and followed the tut instructions you guys put up to setup all of the files for mapping bf2/pr maps.

2. I used the BFeditor to create some basic terrain and painted it

3. I placed a control point for each side with a spawn point (set up one layer for 64 players) as well as a selection of objects (destructable bridge, sandbags, huts, rocks etc)

4. I set up my Sky, Fog, Sun, Sun Flare and Water settings using the tut on bfeditor.org (the one for beginers lol)

5. Generated lowdetail map, lightmap (using lightmap samples from bf2 and pr) and envmap (only have one environment object thing in the map atm)

6. I then edited the init.con file as done in the 'map audit' tut you guys put up (just did the 3 lines to get the kit spawner thing working and the kits for each side)

7. Finally I packed the map using the bfeditor

I've done my best to find whats wrong but I am offically stuck so if anyone has seen this before or has an idea that would be great.

Thanks in advance.

[IronTaxi]

Originally Posted by [SpecOps]Shadow

Ok I am new to mapping and this is my first attempt so I have probably made some stupid mistake somewhere. But anyway my problem is that when I create a local game and try to load my map it CTDs when it reaches 15%. At this point it says that it is loading objects, although when I checked what happens when loading other maps it also switches to loading sounds at 15% so I am guessing that the error is something to do with these.

I guess the best thing for me to do is explain what I have done and if anyone has suggestions it would be greatly appreciated.

1. Firstly I made a copy of pr called pr_edit and followed the tut instructions you guys put up to setup all of the files for mapping bf2/pr maps.

2. I used the BFeditor to create some basic terrain and painted it

3. I placed a control point for each side with a spawn point (set up one layer for 64 players) as well as a selection of objects (destructable bridge, sandbags, huts, rocks etc)

4. I set up my Sky, Fog, Sun, Sun Flare and Water settings using the tut on bfeditor.org (the one for beginers lol)

5. Generated lowdetail map, lightmap (using lightmap samples from bf2 and pr) and envmap (only have one environment object thing in the map atm)

6. I then edited the init.con file as done in the 'map audit' tut you guys put up (just did the 3 lines to get the kit spawner thing working and the kits for each side)

7. Finally I packed the map using the bfeditor

I've done my best to find whats wrong but I am offically stuck so if anyone has seen this before or has an idea that would be great.

Thanks in advance.

you are probably using a bad object...ie one that doesnt work...common culprits are any objects that are in directories by themselves.. there is one strange fence with a gate for example that will cause the problem..

best way to find out is to run bf2 in windowed mode (right click the pr desktop icon change the properties on full screen...0 to 1 or 1 to 0 i forget)

then load your map and it will give you an error message

[[SpecOps]Shadow]

Wow fast response you guys are awesome!

Ok thanks for that tip.. I now have the error it gives:

*****
Debug assertion failed!

Version: 1.1.2965-797.0 Buil date:2006-9-26 17:53
Module: TextureAtlas
File: D:\Aphrodite\BF2_1.4\Code\BF2\RendDX9\TextureAtlas \TextureAtlas.cpp
Line: 62

Text: Couldn't open TAI file "levels\Seige_of_Doboj\overgrowth\OvergrowthAtlas. tai"

Current confile:Levels/Seige_of_Doboj/Overgrowth/Overgrowth.con
*****

I haven't as yet done anything about overgrowth or undergrowth. Most of the tuts seem to suggest that you can load a map without having to do that stuff.

I've looked in the client and server zip files and there isnt an 'OvergrowthAtlas.tai' file ... there is an undergrowth one which is strange seeing as I havent even looked at undergrowth or overgrowth yet.

I'll try specifying some overgrowth see if that changes anything.

Ok that has fixed it. Thanks IronTaxi... I think I owe you a beer.

[DJJ-Terror]

if you did not created overgrowth than simply try ro delete/remove that dir. and try again.

Doboj you say?
People from around the globe are more familiar with srebrenica or sarajevo... fancy a change to one of them?

[LekyIRL]

Originally Posted by [SpecOps]Shadow

Wow fast response you guys are awesome!

Ok thanks for that tip.. I now have the error it gives:

*****
Debug assertion failed!

Version: 1.1.2965-797.0 Buil date:2006-9-26 17:53
Module: TextureAtlas
File: D:\Aphrodite\BF2_1.4\Code\BF2\RendDX9\TextureAtlas \TextureAtlas.cpp
Line: 62

Text: Couldn't open TAI file "levels\Seige_of_Doboj\overgrowth\OvergrowthAtlas. tai"

Current confile:Levels/Seige_of_Doboj/Overgrowth/Overgrowth.con
*****

I haven't as yet done anything about overgrowth or undergrowth. Most of the tuts seem to suggest that you can load a map without having to do that stuff.

I've looked in the client and server zip files and there isnt an 'OvergrowthAtlas.tai' file ... there is an undergrowth one which is strange seeing as I havent even looked at undergrowth or overgrowth yet.

I'll try specifying some overgrowth see if that changes anything.

Ok that has fixed it. Thanks IronTaxi... I think I owe you a beer.

Did you tick the "Overgrowth" box when saving your map?

[[SpecOps]Shadow]

I hadnt created any overgrowth when I tried packing and playing the map.

I have since put in some overgrowth and undergrowth and the map loads fine now.

.... as for the name of my map its just a working title atm. Im hoping to get the quality high enough to try and get it included in a future PR release so i guess the DEVs can vote on a name .

Cheers for all the help.