Map Scaling

(onu) #1

scale_001.jpg
scale_003.jpg
q3dm17_s.zip(BSP - Scaled down version of “The Longest Yard”)

I found these while navigating ydnar’s q3map2 directories. The possibilities of this process have me captivated. I was hoping that someone here might have some details on how this map was achieved, and how I might go about doing the same with one of my own maps.

It’s been suggested to me that this could be faked. A possibility I will readily admit. However the facts are in favor of this merely being a modification made to a .map at compile time. Using ydnar’s -meta process, one would think this task achievable.

So does anyone know how to scale their map using q3map2? Is this a feature that hasn’t been implemented yet? Did ydnar scale the map down in an editor and re-align all textures just to confuse me? Any help or vague theories would be appreciated.

(ydnar) #2

It’s a new feature. The next release of Q3Map2 can scale any BSP arbitrarily via the new -scale N command. It was designed mainly for tweaking maps for trickjumping or novely versions of existing maps. DM19 @ 1.5x scale, for instance, is a bit more playable, with the wider passageways. DM17 @ 16x scale is a mammoth map.

y

(onu) #3

!!!

Thank you!

(Tigris) #4

Geee- there goes my jaw again…

picks up his teeth from the floor

Yeah, now we can make Q3-Maps and just hit the “-scale 1.125” switch on compile to get them in the SOF2/JK2 scale :slight_smile: (Or the other way around :wink: )

(onu) #5

I plan to start mapping at 4x scale, and then compiling with -scale 0.25 to get it to the appropriate size. This will give me a superb level of control and finer detail in certain specific applications that require it.

Before people yell at me, I promise you, most of the map will be built on a 32 unit ( 8 unit after compile ) standard so most areas will look the way they are supposed to and the compiler shouldn’t run into any trouble.

Basically the idea is I can have freedom of floating points with the precision of grid alignement, when necessary.

(Tigris) #6

Does this effect the details of patches? When building patches too narrow they seem blocky, but would the same apply when scaling them?

(onu) #7

I’m not ydnar, so I can’t say for sure. However I believe what happens is that values recorded in the .map file are multiplied by the variable you provide before being drawn to the bsp. So in the case of my map, patches would have the appropriate level of detail for a patch of that size created normally.

You can expect some differences however. If my assumptions are correct then curve patches will be chopped up finer when the map is scaled up, and chopped up less when the map is scaled down. It’s all relative really.

My basic advice is not to worry about curve patches using q3map2’s -scale toggle. Quake 3 should always attempt to render them smoothly when the player is at a distance where edges become discernable.

There should never be too many, or too few triangles visible to effectively render that surface smoothly.

(Tigris) #8

Yeah, but if you try to make a 16x16 patch and rotate two vertextes- making it like a corner of a bar- you’ll have problems fitting another patch into the inner curve…

I’ll post a screen- it’s rather difficult to explain…

(onu) #9

Is this working in the 2.5.5 test 2 release? Is there a version of q3map2 you have built that you could… I dunno… let me “borrow” for a bit that is capable of scaling?

What if I sign an agreement prohibiting me from distributing any maps made with this super-technology until the actual release?

Free and specific bug reports with example screenshots written by someone with a competant grasp on the english language?

My life savings? (somewhere around -480 USD, can’t reccomend that one)

Someone to talk to?

Free image tiling services for textures which you no doubt already have access to by using Paul Harrison’s Resynthesizer?

My eternal gratitude?

My left arm?

(hummer) #10

Holy freaking crap.

I was those screens a few days ago and thought it was a joke or something…

This would make those lilyput maps a whole lots easier to make :wink:

This is the best thing EVER. I can’t wait to use it… omg… so good… yes.

(onu) #11

Yeah, I bugged the #q3map channel for two days hoping someone knew how to get it to work. Fortunately a helpful admin of the boards got my account working and I finally got my question answered.

This feature has me very excited.

(wudan) #12

That is frickin awesome!

(UniKorn) #13

Superb, I got a map that is considerd to be a bit too big, so I can just do this and make it work.