Command map

(ailmanki) #1

Recently I discovered how to use cg_Fov 1 to make a screenshot which can be used as command map.

Unfortunately cg_fov 1 is extremely zoomed in… so one has to go far away from the map - which leads to rendering troubles…

actually its not something special…

load a map with devmap
/devmap goldrush
/developer 1
/generatetracemap
/bind n screenshot
/cg_draw2d 0
/Cg_crosshairsize 0
/cg_fov 10
the lower the fov… the less the perspective errors.
then close console
look straight down with the mouse, and press space and wait until you see the hole map…

Maybe less strain for the brain if cg_fov 10 is used later when already zoomed out…
cg_fov can be changed at anytime…

Now once you have the hole map in view, press n - that will take the screenshot.
cg_draw2d is by default on 1
cg_crosshairsize is normally around 30+, can be set in view menu
cg_fov is by default on 90, most servers have a range between 90-120

Now you have a tracemap in maps and a screenshot… use a graphic program to fit the screenshot on the tracemap…
Same can be done for the underside… by going below the map and taking a screenshot looking up… could be usefull.

Well maybe that was nothing new… for me it is - so sharing it… may we have better command maps in future… :slight_smile:

(twt_thunder) #2

good tip :smiley:

(IndyJones) #3

yeah, good tip, but… command map is so small anyway. it’s pointless to make a command map from screenshot because all map details will appear just few pixels wich will ruin the look.

besides, i would really recommend separate compile for making screenshot. most of the maps are not suited to go really high…

example pic from italyfp2

anydrq.jpg671x503

(Magic) #4

Using “noclip” will make you able to take screenshots from above.

As Diego mentioned in another post : go to EB`s place to get the maptester.config.
I adjusted one for my needs.

Maptester Config

ericrbarth.com

(ailmanki) #5

yep indeed, I forgot to mention noclip … else no chance to get enough far away.

magic I guess you took the pic with cg_fov 90,
this is with cg_fov 6 - lower then 6 I was so far from the map z-fighting started to go crazy…
But that effect might be usefull for making a command map… as mostly the roofs pop away and the interior can be seen… still I doubt that is of any use at the end…

This is with same fov from below the map… I do not see much use for that in this map…
but it might be usefull for making the command map as some indoor ways and passages are good visible.

This does in no way remove the work from making a command map, but it might be very usefull in some cases.

PS: this has been done on et 2.60d for OSX… I was never before able to go below cg_fov 90… the trick was to set developer 1 … I hope it works also for other versions…

(IndyJones) #6

of course i used noclip, but what i meant is that at one point i went so high that i started to get hall of mirrors effect… and i was no where near as high as ailmanki or magic. so i though special compile may be required, just for the screenshot.

(ailmanki) #7

r_clear 1
afaik and then you get pink instead of hall of mirror… I don’t know why I did not get that hom effect…
uhm maybe I had r_clear on 1… but it isn’t pink ?!

edit: is there anyway to disable the lightmap ingame?
like r_vertexlighting ? …
I think without lightmaps the screenshot could be better used as command map…
thinking of that… if the map is modified for the command map… extra textures could be used…
well - I would do that I guess … I am no good at drawing in graphic programs…

(Diego) #8

[QUOTE=ailmanki;207678]
edit: is there anyway to disable the lightmap ingame?
…[/QUOTE]

There is a command to do that. I use it from the maptester.cfg file from EB


bind	i	"toggle r_lightmap; echo r_lightmap toggled"	// shows lightmapping

There are a lot of useful bindings in the config file. You should use it. This will only turn all of your textures off and show the lighting on white surfaces. Any brushes that have vertex illumination will still show textures though.

Now on to the subject of screen captures to make command maps. Please don’t encourage this practice. Screen capture command maps are the worst. A command map should be clean and easy to read. Looking at the map in the Limbo menu is one thing. But most players look at the command map by using the “G” key to overlay the command map over their 3D view while they are playing. When you use a screen capture that contains the actual lighting and textures of the map, it becomes nearly impossible to see when it is layered over the 3D view.

Also, even with that camera setting, you can see that there is still some slight perspective to that image posted by Magic. This is enough to visually mis-align your objectives on the command map with the map.

My own command maps look kind-of photoshopy, but they are clear enough to read since I try to use solid colors and roughly block-in interior corridors. It’s a real bitch to play a map with a big interior space for the first time only to have a big block on the command map instead of the hallways and rooms.

Schaffer has a really good tutorial on how to make command maps that look like the stock maps:

http://schaffer.game-host.org/

(ailmanki) #9

try
r_lightmap 2
followed by a vid_restart … nice colorfull lightmap… at 3 its same but inversed afaik
well it doesn’t matter its easy to have a screenshot without lightmaps… just remove them…

I post this not to encourage this technic, but those using it - should at least try to use a lower fov the 90… there are a few maps with this kind of command map, and as u say Diego … the perspective error does not help…
Also there are some command maps which are just the original tracemap… there I mostly would prefer such a screenshot…