mp_carpark

Aftermath: 'New map'

2008-02-09T22:33:00.000+01:00

Hey guys,

Thanks for the continuous checking of my blog, but I'm putting it to a rest now because it's pretty much work. However, I've already well underway in my next map, mp_radiation.

I'm going to make a thread about it and constantly updating it on the IWwiki forums instead of a whole blog.

A thanks to all interested though, you've been great.
http://www.infinityward.com/community/forum/index.php?topic=15536.0

Bye.

Release of mp_carpark

2008-02-05T18:20:00.000+01:00

I have released my map. Leave feedback everywhere because I'll be looking everywhere.

Released at: (when reviewed)

http://callofduty.filefront.com/
http://codutility.com/
http://modsonline.com/

Download at:
HERE

Info: Loadscreen and minimap work!

2008-02-04T08:44:00.002+01:00

I had to load it with modwarfare, that's why it didn't work. Now this is completed, a few bug fixes and balancing things and it can be released!

Info: 'Screenshots threads!'

2008-02-03T22:04:00.001+01:00

This post can be found at every (large) CoD mapping forum;
CharlieOscarDelta Thread
InfinityWard Thread
CoDHQ Thread
IWNation Thread
ModsOnline Thread
CoDutility Thread
BFE:CoD Thread
FileFront Thread

Hi possible fans,

This is carcity, check in time is now, check out time is never.

We played SD Normal 2v2 beta-run and it turned out to be the best score ever.. 10-10! A draw!
It felt really balanced and I loved how every floor is different from the other. The lower level is dark and you don't know what's going on but you do know your being sneaky. And it's hard. The middle level is your average joe fighting stage where theres a big wall defining two areas. Then there are the offices. This gave a pretty unique feel seeing as the rest was all carpark-y. Two halls that were hard to maneuver in actually was fun. Then the top floor was awesome, with a huge load of cars giving what people wanted from the map: lots of cars going boom. The cars also made a small area feel huge.

This map is for 4-12 players and will be chaotic when going up. Designed for SD, it's supposed to give something new than the basic formula of as an attacker going A or B and a defender going A or B. Camping is not an option for both attackers and defenders. This map is vertical and will feel even smaller than it is, there are three staircases connecting each level, the bottom one is a bombsite and the top one is a bombsite and the middle one is where people flank. The idea behind it is that there isn't an invisible line which will be the barrier between attacker and defender. Everyone is running all over the place trying to flank the other, because once your flanked your screwed because it's nearly impossible to spot someone with all those cars.

I hope I described this map well, it's well designed and has a weblog on how it was build from scratch, mp_carpark.

A warning though, this map is not for people who dislike:
Lots of cars blowing up by a single nade.
Being flanked and there not being a clear line of defenders and attackers.
Dark corners.
Using nightvision.
Walking up and down stairs.
Not being a sniper.

It's still beta and not out for public yet, needs some more plays with more people, some detailing tidbits, some moving/removing blockades and a bloody loadscreen/minimap which is impossible to figure out, even with all the tutorials in the world.

Has all gametypes, took 50 hours to build (recorded).

Thanks for reading,
Bye!

Info: Beta testing

2008-02-03T14:39:00.001+01:00

Beta testing is underway. No problems persisting means it's out either tommorow or the day after.

Update: I can't get a loadscreen or minimap to work so there's a problem that won't go away, seems it's a problem due to 1.5.

We however, despite that, played a simple 2v2 and it was awesome!

We played SD Normal 2v2 and it turned out to be the best score ever.. 10-10! A draw!
It felt really balanced and I loved how every floor is different from the other. The lower level is dark and you don't know what's going on but you do know your being sneaky. And it's hard. The middle level is your average joe fighting stage where theres a big wall defining two areas. Then there are the offices. This gave a pretty unique feel seeing as the rest was all carpark-y. Two halls that were hard to maneuver in actually was fun. Then the top floor was awesome, with a huge load of cars giving what people wanted from the map: lots of cars going boom. The cars also made a small area feel huge.

It was great.
I'm happy.
Expect only a final version, beta's are only for people I know, so come back Wednesday or so.

Info: mp_carpark

2008-02-02T16:35:00.000+01:00

Is going betatesting this week! If all goes well it's out next week somewhere!

Screenshots: 'Portals'

2008-01-31T11:10:00.001+01:00

I'm so happy my portals worked. Check it out!

Screenshots: 'A lot'

2008-01-29T23:43:00.000+01:00

So here's the big batch of screens of the whole floor! Check it out, it's the garage aswell as the offices as mentioned in previous posts, though of a much older version.

View A

View B

View C, of the garage

The new version of that known hallway, won't change it from here, probably.

And the offices.

Shootable monitors and keyboard etc!

Security corner

And an overview of the offices and it's hallway.

Bye!

Time spent on mapping as of now: 38 hours

Rant: 'Idea'

2008-01-27T23:20:00.000+01:00

So I have an idea .. please post questions you have or techniques you'd like to master here by clicking 'feedback' and typing it up. If I think it's something specific and/or interesting, I'll type up a tutorial. This way, I don't need to think up what might interest you people and you'll get exactly what you asked for!

Screenshots: 'Coming up'

2008-01-27T20:08:00.000+01:00

This is the lower level of the garage, and I detailed it so, that I wouldn't ever have to work on it again. And thus, the concept it simple. Pure blackness in where people have to use nightvision. You can only see stuff without it if you have your brightness WAY up, and trust me, that hurts your eyes when your not in the darkness. So your forced. Yay. Check out the screenies, all from most perspectives of the room, so you should get a good look. I edited the contrast and brightness using Windows Office, else I'd be complete black..

Here it is without editing or nightvision.

The green lights are from my pistol so you know it's not just just a black screen your looking at.
Aswell as the only source of light in this area. I'm tired.

Bye!

Time spent on mapping as of now: 32 hours (updated from 30)

Screenshots: 'Blackness'

2008-01-27T14:03:00.000+01:00

Going down one level brings you to the dark corners of the garage, where there is no light. At all. Ever. Get your nightvision's out, this place will later on be FILLED with everything you can think of. I havn't added many cars yet, but think the garage I'm making as one of the most busiest one.

Perhaps the only lighting made here would be some fire. I will not accept any outdoor lighting. Blackness.

And I've redone the hallway, added more light and ignored the coolness the ambient would give. Oh well. Still like the shadows though.

Time spent on mapping as of now: 25 hours

Rant: 'Sick'

2008-01-25T20:41:00.000+01:00

Sorry for no posts, but I'm sick at the moment. Don't go away, back in a bit.

All better, incoming screenshots.

Screenshots + Tutorial: 'A better one'

2008-01-24T16:14:00.000+01:00

Hi, I redid my lights now and I found a better tutorial written by my friend AmishThunder who you may know from his map mp_subway, the first map because he cheated and got the beta editor. Boo!

Anyways.. quoted from AmishThunder, 'http://www.kramerartanddesign.com'

Lighting has changed for the better in COD4, I'll show you the basics then the best way to learn is to play!

First create your light.
Right click on the grid -> light

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

Check out the Preview options. Lets look at the most used items.
View -> Light Preview
Enable Light Preview - Enable if you want the preview when selecting lights.
Preview sun as well - Enables worldspawn settings to be rendered when light preview is active.
Toggle preview at max intensity - Turn on/off light falloff.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

A Primary light is a dynamic light, it will cast shadow of all objects and reflect off surfaces in relation to the player. It is also a higher quality light than a non-primary.

Primary_omni - Regular light, 360 degree.
Primary_spot - Same as omni but a spot light, discussed below.
Primary_scriptable - Yes, lights can now be scripted.
Primary_noshadow - The light will not cast any shadows.

_color - press "k" to select your color for the light. Value is x/255 RGB.
def - Can be any of the following or anything you create in asset manager.
Candle, Florescent, light_dynamic, light_no_falloff, light_point_dark_edges, light_point_linear, light_linear_point_nocenter, light_point_quadratic, red_light, tungsten_lamp.

exponent - amount of falloff at edges.
fov_inner & fov_outer - range in degrees of light (spot)
radius - how large the light is in units.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

Now to use the light preview you must select a light that has already been placed in your map. Once selected your 3D preview should change.

For a projected light you will want to make a spot light, this is easy enough to create.
Make your light entity with the desired values.
Create a null object in front of the light.
Right click on the grid -> info -> null
The null doesn't need any values.
Now connect the two objects, your light and null.
Select your light.
Select your null while your light is selected.
Press "w" to connect, it must be done in this order.
You will know it has been successful when your light preview shows a more targeted light.
You may move the light and null individually to get your desired light.

Time spent on mapping as of now: 24 hours

Bye.

Screenshots: 'Up and down'

2008-01-22T17:01:00.000+01:00

Made from scratch, there being no bend tool as far as I know won't stop me from making railings!

These stairs are pretty much the only thing in the whole map that is done. The garage is like, far from complete.

Bye.

Time spent on mapping as of now: 22 hours

Tutorial: 'Lights'

2008-01-22T11:24:00.000+01:00

This is how you make lights and how to point them at things. To view how a light is working, press 'view' on the toolbar and go down to 'Light Preview...', then clicking 'Enable light preview'. [F8].

To have lights point things, first your best bet is to make a light with 'def = light_point_linear'.
Make an 'info_null' box by right-clicking anywhere on the grid and at 'info', press 'null'. Tiny green box will appear. Move this to the location where you want the light to have it's 'destination', as in where the light is headed. Click the previously mentioned light and shift+click the info_null. Press W to weld them. Now they're connected!

"def" sets which light definition asset to use; these are made in asset manager. This controls the shape of the light falloff curve.

Useable definition settings:
'candle'
'florescent'
'light_dynamic'
'light_no_falloff'
'light_point_dark_edges'
'light_point_linear'
'light_point_linear_nocenter'
'light_point_quadratic'
'red_light'
'tungsten_lamp'

"radius" controls the cutoff distance of the light. The light falloff texture maps its left side to the light origin and the right side to the radius. The rightmost pixel in the falloff texture is assumed to be black.

"_color" sets the color of the light. The biggest value gets scaled to 1; this means that 0.1 0.1 0.1 is the same as 1 1 1.

"intensity" controls how bright a light is when the falloff texture is pure white. A value of 1 is fullbright; smaller values are dimmer.

"PRIMARY_OMNI" and "PRIMARY_SPOT", if checked, give the light higher quality lighting and dynamic shadows. Only one primary light may affect each world surface. They both require spotlight settings to control where dynamic shadows lie, but unlike normal spotlights, "PRIMARY_OMNI" lights do not get attenuated by angle from the spot direction.

"PRIMARY_SCRIPTABLE" makes a primary light show up as an entity to script.

"PRIMARY_NOSHADOWMAP" prevents a primary light from ever having a shadowmap. This is implied by fov_outer > 120.

A light pointed at a target will be a spotlight facing the target. They default to having a circle with 64 unit radius around the target.

"fov_outer" overrides the fov of a spotlight from the 64 unit circle around the target. It is in degrees. A value of 90 would go +/-45 degrees from center, for 90 degrees total. The default is to use the target to set the fov.

"fov_inner" sets the fov of the inner cone. Spotlights only fade with angle between fov_inner and fov_outer. Fov_inner is the same units as fov_outer; it should always be less than fov_outer. The default is 0.

"exponent" changes the falloff of the spotlight between "fov_inner" and "fov_outer". The default value of 0 means there is no falloff. A value of 1 gives linear falloff. Higher integers give steeper falloffs.

Hope that helped.

Bye.

Screenshots: 'Lighting'

2008-01-21T15:12:00.000+01:00

First time I'm using lights, and they look pretty good I guess, tad dull and a bit too warm. I'm going to try and get rays of light aswell, going to see how your supposed to do that effect. Once I know, I'll post it.

Bye!

Time spent on mapping as of now: 18 hours

Screenshots: 'More of the same?'

2008-01-20T15:55:00.000+01:00

It may seem like kind of the same, but I did do a lot of detailing work and more lights. These lights are all wired, which is all very detailed but I didn't make screenshots of it for reasons unknown.

I'll promise you people something new to see than this old garage. Maybe even an 'ooh' would be good on what I'm going to make next. Tune in .. tonight/tommorow!

Bye!

Time spent on mapping as of now: 16 hours

Info: 'Question & Answer'

2008-01-20T15:45:00.001+01:00

Hey,

From now on, I'll be doing a question & answer session about CoD4 Radiant mapping every day at 1500 hours, GMT. Suggestions are welcome too. Ask by means of commenting.

Will last for about 30 - 60 minutes.

Fire away.

New compiled screenshots in 10 minutes.

Tutorials + Screenshots: 'After another two hours..'

2008-01-20T10:30:00.000+01:00

I'm now compiling my first version of my map, and I'll write this while I'm doing it so I'll edit in pictures soon. I've learned a few things.

Info-box 1:

Clicking on 'view' in the tool bar, drop down to 'Light Preview...' and click Enable light preview (F8), which I think is already enabled, and the new stuff that is Preview sun light aswell, which is just awesome because I can now see how my sun direction is changing in real time. Look:

_color .8 .9 1
ambient .1
bouncefraction .7
contrastGain 0.425
diffusefraction 0.5
suncolor 1 0.92 .88
sundiffusecolor .9 .88 .75
sundirection -50 -20 0
sunlight 0.9

Using these worldspawn settings, I got this first:

Then, changing sunlight to 1.6 and sundirection to -50 -80 0, I got this!

Sweet huh?

Info-box 2:

While compiling I first got these errors 100-fold:
"C:\Program Files (x86)\Activision\Call of Duty 4 - Modern Warfare\map_source\mp_carpark.map" 0 334 -46.5 -1576 58.1429 0 -1 -0 "surface 'me_fence_chainlink' is partially floating or needs to be aligned"
"C:\Program Files (x86)\Activision\Call of Duty 4 - Modern Warfare\map_source\mp_carpark.map" 0 334 -64 -1576 56 0 -1 -0 "surface 'me_fence_chainlink' is partially floating or needs to be aligned",
which, on a side note, is presented in an ERRLOG file created while compiling, nifty.

I fixed this by going to 'Textures' on the toolbar, then to 'Edit Layer' and finally 'Lightmap'. Press I, selecting everything and press S, the surface inspector. Click on LMAP, then save. The error should now be removed! Cool.

Info-box 3:

This is awesome, while checking out backlot for some other cool stuff, I noticed how they did the HDR bloom, where you get a lot of blinding white light at some points, theming a hard sunlight which you see from a distance. To do this, simply make a patch on the area you want 'lightened', and give it the texture HFD. Make sure you make it face the right way or else a dark corner will suddenly breathe light!

On a lighter note (pun), here's some detailing I did.

Screenshots after compile:
Same part, different view.

Now for the HDR we were talking about, it works, but you can't really see it because there's no background, but here's something, this is the skybox, kind of greyish.

And here is when I walk back a bit:

Ooh. Aah. Ooo.

I love that lighting! Going to fill the garage with lights, so tune in next time (about in 8 hours or so, because I'm going to do something else now)

Bye!

Time spent on mapping as of now: 14 hours

Tutorial: 'a list of errors'

2008-01-20T08:31:00.000+01:00

While browsing forums I stumbled upon this thread from Rasta about known errors in CoD4 Radiant and how to fix them, so I thought, what the hell, let's copy paste that.

ERROR
Fastfile 1 of 1, "mapname": [ver. 5] process...
Localization ERROR: Unable to load "localizedstrings/mapname.str"!
link...compress...save...done.

SOLUTION
Take out localizedstrings/mapname.str in Update Zone Files on the right and left side.

ERROR
Fastfile 1 of 1, "mapname": [ver. 5] process...
WARNING: Could not find 'maps/mapname.csv'.
link...compress...save...done.

SOLUTION
Go to "Update Zone File"
Enter "rawfile,maps/mp/mapname.csv"
Make sure your .csv is in the correct folder
Build you Fast File.

ERROR
Fastfile 1 of 2, "mp_building": [ver. 5] process...
ERROR: Could not open 'maps/mp/mp_building.gsc'

SOLUTION
amishthunder writes: Just tweak the mp_test.gsc to your map and save as mp_building.gsc
In case it is not there, here is what it contains...
Code:

main() { //maps\mp\mp_backlot_fx::main(); //maps\createart\mp_backlot_art::main(); maps\mp\_load::main();  //maps\mp\_compass::setupMiniMap("compass_map_mp_backlot");  setExpFog(500, 2200, 0.81, 0.75, 0.63, 0); //VisionSetNaked( "mp_backlot" ); ambientPlay("ambient_backlot_ext");  game["allies"] = "marines"; game["axis"] = "opfor"; game["attackers"] = "axis"; game["defenders"] = "allies"; game["allies_soldiertype"] = "desert"; game["axis_soldiertype"] = "desert";  setdvar( "r_specularcolorscale", "1" );  setdvar("r_glowbloomintensity0","1"); setdvar("r_glowbloomintensity1","1"); setdvar("r_glowskybleedintensity0",".3"); setdvar("compassmaxrange","1800");   }

ERROR
You made a change to your map and now everything is red and messed up.

SOLUTION
Update your Zone files. Make sure everything in the left column of your Zone Files window is also in the right column. Then recompile your FF file.

ERROR
My first multiplayer map won't load when I try to run it from the applications menu.

SOLUTION
Make sure there are no single player entities in the map, that you have named the map starting with 'mp_' and that you have add all 3 TDM spawn points (axis, allies and the other).

ERROR
My map looks good but my weapon and other models has a rainbow effect on it.

SOLUTION
You need to create a grid file. In the Compile tools on the Level Compiling window, the bottom right has the option to Start Grid. Perform this option and completely run through your level. Let the level complete on it's own and do not close it before it completes.

ERROR
Radiant crashes everytime i save my map when using Windows Vista

SOLUTION
Right click the CoD4 Radiant shortcut you made, in the drop down menu select 'run as administrator'.

ERROR
When I load my map it switches to backlot.

SOLUTION
When you start up your game without Compile tools, just type in '/sv_maprotation map mp_yourmapname' when you start with compile tools you should be fine.

ERROR
When I go to import xmodels and prefabs radiant crashes.

SOLUTION
None found at this time.

Screenshots: 'Second screens!'

2008-01-19T21:46:00.000+01:00

Well after lots of hours I'm used to the editor again, after many months.

This is what I made so far.

Those containers are no prefabs, I'd like to add, for there are no prefabs for containers.. oddly enough.

Going good, expect another update tomorrow, which will generally be another very boring day.

Bye.

Time spent on mapping as of now: 10 hours

Tutorial: 'Shader missing error'

2008-01-19T20:45:00.000+01:00

I had this problem aswell so I'd like to notify you people of this error, so you immediately know what to do about it.

And I quote from GER-Iceman (thank you)
Edited slightly for better understanding

A lot of people have problem with this error. It can happen when you add a xmodel, a prefab or want to open a map. It seems that the tools have a corrupt/missing path for the shader_bin folder so you have to copy this folder and paste it to several other folders to fix this problems.

Create a new 'raw' folder in your /raw folder and copy the shader_bin folder to it. Also create a raw folder in the xmodels folder and paste the shader_bin folder into it. Also create a raw folder in the prefabs folder and paste the shader_bin folder into it.

Screenshots + Tutorial: 'First actual screens!'

2008-01-19T15:05:00.000+01:00

Hey guys, check out the first screens of some basic geometry of the first floor .. of the garage.

We have my first destroyable car in place, parked in the first spot the garage has to offer. Carpark has to offer. Some nice.. yellow stripe detail in there already.

The other screenshot shows the current 'layout' of my map, done excatly like my drawings said it should. Cool.

The terrain is a patch, because that's a more handier thing to do when your about to make large area's of the same. It's a patch now, so you can make some tiny little ittybitty slopes to theme that it is actually a crappy old garage with some poor quality concrete. Also make me able to get maybe some craters or other war-like decals. Notice that I selected the middle patch, it's not once big patch but rather each little square is 64x64, with the whole patch being 512x512. Place it excatly in your grid and it'll help you wonders. Big tip right there. Do it.

Help on how to:
1. Make a, in my example, 512x512 block. Make sure your view is top XY view.
2. If you press 7, you'll get the grid on a scale of 64 each.
3. Make a terrain patch, and get it 9x9. You know it's 9 if you count the lines as in the picture:

4. Done! Copy this and stick to this throughout the WHOLE map. Use Ctrl+Alt+X to cut it in pieces. I probably didn't explain everything and you probably have questions so comment away and I'll answer. Kind of a question/answer type of deal.

Mail me at feedbackdragon@lycos.co.uk if you want me to cover some other techniques that you have questions about .. or if it's even possible. I'll post another tutorial then.

I've also noticed that they still have CSG commands in it, even though they said they removed it. Yay! (especially for CSG Merge)

Time spent on mapping as of now: 6 hours

Bye!

Info: 'Who am I?'

2008-01-19T12:47:00.001+01:00

In case your wondering who I am, my name is Stan and if your a custom map enthusiast you may know my two creations, with a emphasis on

http://callofduty.filefront.com/file/Brunville_France;67781

and a less one on my second one, which was a bit worse I'm afraid, due to lack of idea's..

http://callofduty.filefront.com/file/Montebourg;78163

So now you know who I am.

Screenshots: 'Layout'

2008-01-19T10:10:00.000+01:00

It is sideways, isn't that awesome the way you have to turn your head?!

Scribblings win.