Things to watch out for?

(Dmayrion) #1

I would just like to know of a list or something that has a bunch of things that a mapper needs to watch out for. I have really no idea what things could go wrong and how to fix it (I just started like 3 days ago, so I really am clueless). Like is there any problem with brushes touching? Like I have a caulk’d brush touching part of a face that is textured. Is that bad? If it is, how could I remove that part of the textured brush? I’m using GtkRadiant 1.5.

Also, when I use the clipping tool, it’ll never show me what I’m removing. It’ll just show the two blue dots and a the line. From a screenshot in a tutorial I was trying to read, it said that one part of the clip’d brush should be yellow… Mine stays read throughout. Also, sometimes when I try and switch the sides I want removed (crtl + enter) it just won’t do it.

(kamikazee) #2

You can try 10 lessons learned in my 45 first days of mapping
Come from:
Wolfenstein 4 Newbies (Great page by Ifurita)

Allso read the stickies in this level design forum. The ET Mappers bible and the Tutorials and resources thread are great.

(carnage) #3

the main thing i gess is vis

when running the VS mod team a while ago almost every mapper who applied got asked teh question, can you manipuate the vis portals… answer… whats a vis porta

omg there sooooo important. It very easy to not even realise that they are there thats why i think most newbie mapper dont do anyhting with them. They make you map smaller in filesize and less laggy online, even increase you light compile times drasticaly

leanr vis bottom line. its hard too me three atemps to get but when you do its like kicking yourself for not understanding it

http://www.nibsworld.com/rtcw/tutorial_detail_and_hint_brushes_part2.shtml

this imo is the best site for understanding vis. dont worry thats its for rtcw the principles are the same in basicaly every game and pretty much every engine from ID

(DerSaidin) #4

Downgrade to gtkradient 1.4.0 ( ftp://ftp.idsoftware.com/idstuff/qeradiant/GtkRadiant/GtkRadiant-1_4/Windows/GtkRadiantSetup-1.4.0-Q3RTCWET.exe )

1.5 isnt realy ready yet.
Use the brush cleanup tools plugin before you compile

Dont give up! :>

(SCDS_reyalP) #5

Don’t be afraid to throw out your first map and start over.

(Dmayrion) #6

Kinda sorry for being so dependent right now… But I have a map that goes to the loading screen, then freezes and doesn’t show the loading bar. I’m not sure if there is a leak, and I am pretty certain I gave all the spawn things what they needed. Gonna list them and what they have:

info_player_deathmatch (the no bots and no humans tabs aren’t selected)
info_player_intermission (two of them, one is allied one is axis)
light (light 500, radius 500)
team_CTF_bluespawn (invulnerable and startactive selected, spawnflags 3)
team_CTF_redspawn (invulnerable and startactive selected, spawnflags 3)
team_WOLF_objective (two of them, one is allied one is axis)
script_multiplayer ([key: scriptname value: game_manager] I have copy/pasted the script from www.spyjuice.com/1st_room.htm into notepad and saved it as dmaze2.script)

Other info about map:
Positive there is no leak into the void
caulked brushes are visible to player
caulked brushes touching each other and textured brush (floor)

Not asking for someone to do this for me (maybe I am implying it, I don’t know) but if you want the .map file to check for yourself, PM me so I can send you it via email.

(nUllSkillZ) #7

As far as I remember this happens if you have too many pk3-files in the etmain directory.

It is always helpfull to use the forum search.
Many of the asked questions have been asked before.

Tip:
Use a different W:ET installation for mapping (not the gaming installation).

(Shaderman) #8

Try to use a grid size of 64 (7) or higher.

(EB) #9

Hang in there, you’ll get it sooner or later. The information is there and it isn’t rocket surgery(Brain science,switched) but there is a learning hump to overcome.

Using a clean ET install purposely for mapping is the best plan of attack as it will save future headaches along with certain test server errors.
Making sure to set specific settings and becoming familiar with these settings is always a +.

Trial and error will win you the way unless you want someone to teach you for pay. :moo:

(Dmayrion) #10

I installed another ET for mapping, but that just lagged out my computer (couldn’t get past the intro scene when I started any one of them, it’d freeze up). Also… the search thing in forums is extremely vague… I put in three words, it comes out with three thousand…

(Shaderman) #11

You can use AND to define words which must be in the results, OR to define words which may be in the result and NOT to define words which should not be in the result. Use * as a wildcard for partial matches

…or select Search for all terms.

(EB) #12

It isn’t the second install thet is algging your comp…it must not be well kept.
Can you re-install the OS and programs ? If you are serious about mapping…you may want to do that.

(Dmayrion) #13

actually this is a 8200 dimsion desktop. reformatted it (long story) so the only thing it has on it is ET, radiant, and the software that makes it run. also, when i uninstalled one of the ETs, it left its folder. i can’t delete it… i’m not very good with computers, they usually decide not to work until someone else comes in the room to look at it. Probably can reinstall the OS and programs, but it’d be a big headache.