Hi guys, I have a first build of a map I've put up for some layout testing. Its just basic geometry atm, few (stock) prefabs decals etc to help with player orientation. I shared the .ff file with my friend and we played online fine.
I have now posted in in a clan forum and they are going to test it on thier pub server, but I have bben asked for a .ff and .iwd file. Are these required just for a server to run a map custom content or not? Ifso, how do I generate an .iwd file (there is a .ff file but it doesnt do anything, its just 1k) for a map with no custom content?
Thanks.

If you don't have custom textures (this includes minimap and loadscreen) or custom sounds, then the IWD is not required.

The IWD is essentially a RAR archive, which contains game assets.

The best way to create a IWD is to copy a stock one, rename it, open it with WinRAR, delete its contents and then add your own files.

There is a tutorial on this site about this.

Thanks again CS, ill look up the tutorial and get back to the admin. Maybe its a pure server side reason they just need that file?

In order for the Server to run the map, it MUST have the mp_mapname.ff, and mp_mapname_load.ff files inside a folder of the same name, then placed in the usermaps folder on the server!

So, if they are going to test this map, they must obtain AT LEAST these 2 files.

The best way, I have found, to make your .IWD files, are to use PakScape. You can download it from here: PakScape Download

It is completely free with no advertisements and the like. It is also VERY small.

To use it, is very simple as well. I'll write you a tutorial now:

• 1. - Create a folder on your desktop called: mp_mapname.
  
• 2. - Inside that folder, create another folder called: images
  
  
  
• 3. - Place ALL of your custom textures/images into this folder.
  
• 4. - If you have custom sounds, create a folder called: sounds. Place ALL your custom sounds into this folder.
  
• 5. - Open PakScape, click the little paper icon in the top left, to start a new file.
  
  
  You should see this:
  
  
  
• 6. - In another window, open the mp_mapname from your desktop, and drag the images and sound folder into the new file area in PakScape.
  
  
  
• 7 - Click "File", then "Save As..."
  
  
  then name the file mp_mapname.iwd. Click "Save". *** LEAVE THE FILE TYPE AS .ZIP! ***
  
  
  This will save it in the correct format for COD.
  
  Hope that helps...
  
  =170= Sven2157

Thanks alot for that Sven thats a great help. I do have the load ff file so Ill pass that on. The .iwd tutorial is really useful, ill download that program right away!
Thanks again.

No worries!

I forgot to mention this.....

If you don't have custom sounds, don't worry. Please also try to follow the most recent "Game Standards" and ONLY use your .IWD files for SOUND and IMAGES. I have seen several tutorials out there that suggest putting a bunch of other crap in there. This has since changed with patch 1.4? maybe 1.6, 1.7... Anyway, it has changed!

As a server admin, I will not put new maps on my server, that have "dirty" .iwd files. Again, ONLY SOUND and IMAGES. Anything else will cause, redirect looping, and other server related problems...