Automating custom settings in a custom campaign

(taw_m0nsta) #1

Hey guys, I’m currently trying to set up a fun campaign on taw servers.
Is there any way you can automate loading extra config settings in a custom campaign file?

For example:

// test campaign
campaignDef campaign_test {
map “maps/testmap1+custom_settings.cfg” // includes custom settings
map “maps/testmap2” // still contains the custom settings
map “maps/testmap3+reset_all_custom_settings.cfg” // now reset all custom settings
data {
“mtr_backdrop” “levelshots/campaigns/test”
}
}

I know custom configs can be loaded in from the admin screen, but I was wondering if theres any smarter way.

(taw_m0nsta) #2

Just found out that there is a CVar called “g_execMapConfigs” // Execute map cfg with same name.

Hmmm… new questions to keep me of the streets. Will it reset after a new map is served… And where should the config be located, maybe in the customcampaign itself, or maybe on the server in the base map.

(Crytiqal) #3

try typine g_execMapConfigs and press TAB

What info does it give?

(Donnovan) #4

Yes, try that m0nsta. May be it shows the path for the configs.

(timestart) #5

Put per-map configs in /maps/<mapname>.cfg (replace <mapname> with, err…, map name). Add a defaultmap.cfg in / for maps without their own map script. And of course set g_execMapConfigs to 1.

(taw_m0nsta) #6

Awesome, haven’t tested it out but it seems very logic.
Ill bet I should be able to exec another (or even various) .cfg’s from the defaultmap.cfg if I like things separated. Thanks all for help!

(taw_m0nsta) #7

Hm… finding some issues with loading a config as the default config. (or some stuff is just not possible to do map load + map start like ‘networkspawn atmosphere’)
Should this maps/defaultmap.cfg file on the server or in the custom campaign file .pk4 itself?

Schermafbeelding%2525202011-07-30%252520om%2525209.22.00%252520PM.png720x450

(timestart) #8

[QUOTE=taw_m0nsta;362671]Hm… finding some issues with loading a config as the default config. (or some stuff is just not possible to do map load + map start like ‘networkspawn atmosphere’)
Should this maps/defaultmap.cfg file on the server or in the custom campaign file .pk4 itself?

Schermafbeelding%2525202011-07-30%252520om%2525209.22.00%252520PM.png720x450
[/QUOTE]

Just on the server, and it should be in the base folder, not base/maps.

(taw_m0nsta) #9

Hmm having a hard time with some settings. Is there any way to execute a file (automatically) right after the map is loaded? (and probably right after the map starts - from 30 countdown). I was so amazed by playing ETQW without atmosphere (with out sun light). Some areas really became creepy to walk trough. Can it be that ‘networkspawn atmosphere’ or ‘spawn atmosphere’ can only executed by the player itself?

Executing this manually (from a cfg) does work for myself, not sure if other players will see the same.

(timestart) #10

[QUOTE=taw_m0nsta;362927]Hmm having a hard time with some settings. Is there any way to execute a file (automatically) right after the map is loaded? (and probably right after the map starts - from 30 countdown). I was so amazed by playing ETQW without atmosphere (with out sun light). Some areas really became creepy to walk trough. Can it be that ‘networkspawn atmosphere’ or ‘spawn atmosphere’ can only executed by the player itself?

Executing this manually (from a cfg) does work for myself, not sure if other players will see the same.[/QUOTE]

I’d suggest modifying the map’s .entities file if that’s what you want to achieve. networkSpawn doesn’t work server-side anyway. Dusk mod did add a setAtmosphere command but it was very buggy.

I don’t think there’s a built-in way to run a command on map start.

(taw_m0nsta) #11

I think if figured it out out to the get rainy vanilla atmosphere into a custom map. There are only 3 lines in the map .entities file, ill bet that .entities is required to get updated every time that custom map gets an update. I did a quick test with TEvalhalla and Glory of the Weak, it worked without glitches or render issues, locally as well on a online server.

Original

Other atmosphere (works)

(taw_m0nsta) #12

Yeah I kinda figured how to modify an Atmosphere (well not all options yet). My goal was to create ‘Night’ atmosphere. So I created a few images with stars and a moon, made the fog dark gray, and altered the rain to go fall slower with and lower amount of rain drops. I currently have some extra settings for the inside (no more ‘spawnServer atmosphere’ needed.) which loads as a defaultmap.cfg. These settings will add more brightness to shinny things and removes the atmosphere in the inside, so now you have a few small completely dark areas. At places where are lamps other shinny things you get an amazing look. The config also makes the water look better (not all maps yet) and now reflects the top image of an atmospher, instead of using a fake water reflaction. Its pretty easy to active these these settings for pretty much every map I want, as long its running from a custom_campaign.pk4 file

More here: https://picasaweb.google.com/taw.monsta/ETQWQWTANightModificationAlpha

(taw_m0nsta) #13

Campaign now ready to rock on TAW (private) server. It includes all vanilla maps and Actifail, ATW4, Baserace, Glory of the Weak, MP Base, Sky, Slipgate, Tevalhalla2 and all Instagib maps. More to come…

Some new pictures:

The moon, with some stars and a Strogg mothership high in the sky.

Desi kaboom

Meltdown kaboom

Meltdown, blub blub

Slipgate

Glory of the Weak

Refinery

(light_sh4v0r) #14

Nice :slight_smile:

(.Chris.) #15

The inside ambient lights are bit too dark in my opinion. The atmospheres are quite nice though.

(m0nsta) #16

Thanks Chris, yes your right, and its possible to give the inside more overall brightness. But once your in game, and notice that some dark spots arnt fully dark (but 95 or 99%), its becomes kinda a bummer. Did my best on making it look darker outside (still not fully satisfied with the darkness of schadows, too transparant).

(Ashog) #17

Looks amazing!

That’s exactly the kinda thing I was dreaming about that someone makes totally dark night maps (much darker than ATW3). The totally dark corridors with only narrow lamp-lit areas and combat in them, flashes of gunfight and explosion - that could be interesting to try. As for outside, my imagination was excited by some old screenshots of alpha version of outskirts released by SD long ago. It was really dark back then (but not enough).

When are you normally gathering on this server? keen to try it out.

(Susefreak) #18

There is just one big issue, that is that it’s dependant on clientside settings, which is undesirable.
Sure you can use PB to enforce those rules, but I am no too keen on that.

http://fwd.sh/4m2R is the campaign, don’t mind the propaganda please.
Once you’ve loaded the campaign and spawned a server just exec defaultmap.cfg

(taw_m0nsta) #19

I am trying to pick this up again, maybe by making some variations with snow and rain.
The hardest part on these changes are the lights settings. So far there there seem to be one way which is nice for insides and outsides, which is doing every light one by one, while the clientside quickfix can do them all. After all, doing at least some one by one is required because some are very bright, and some very low by default, making them all same isn’t really giving the result I was hopeing for.

For the outside, I am walking against an issue about the visible distance on a map. I can only make it very dark when you can only see like 20 meters, while that should be much bigger. Its like some sort of gradient thats already on 95% black, and there is 5% left to create a distance. (which is sucky because the tormentor wont see a damn thing unless he is very close to ground). I wonder what will happen if make every light outside much brighter. Also, when its too dark, some plants and trees seems get a random color (green and pink).

I wonder if its possible to give the vehicles some front lights?? The hog seems have a big red glow when you drive it (really fun when driving over humans)

Ohwell, I just bought ETQW again, but now via Steam on my Windows XP Parallels for OSX. Just need to figure out if all the default stuff works.

(timestart) #20

Yeah, have a look at Dusk mod’s vehicle scripts (e.g. /vehicles/badger.vscript). Need to have “isNight 1” set on the atmosphere.