Hi,

I have been building my first map with the help of some of the tutorials on here, great work by the way. I thought I would try and give some feedback as I am completely new to this.

The hands on stuff like installing radiant and the instructions, making the buildings and putting in the surrounding terrain is great. I have managed to get the map up and running so far.

Where I am struggling, and I assume every noob is, is all the file stuff.
As I said, I have been making my first map for sometime now just following the tutorials. However, I am getting a bit concerned that all this work is going to be wasted, as I haven't a clue what you are all talking about when it comes to finishing the map.

Here is what I mean.....

There is the GSC file????
What is it, where is it, what does it do, is it automatically made, do I have to make it, if so how, what goes in it, and if I make it, where do I put it?

IW files...
I see them when I download a map, but I don't know what they are, or how to make one, or again where to put it. Does everything I use in the map have to go into them, if so how?

When I run the compile tool, I am getting a large amount of errors. These flash by at such a speed I can't read them. Does the compile tool fix them automatically? If not, is there some way I can get a list of errors so I can at least try to fix them.

This is intended to give you an idea of what is going through a noobs mind, and in no way as any form of criticism at your tutorials.

It is easy when you know how, to present things which you think others will understand.

Maybe I should have gathered the knowledge before attempting to build a map. However, ignorance is bliss, and I didn't realise what I was getting into.

I am not expecting anyone to sit down and write all this up, I just thought that if you were writing a tutorial in the future you could keep this in mind and go into a bit more detail. After all, there is no point in writing a tutorial for someone who already knows how to do it.


Regards

Hi,
I struggled alot with the stuff in the first months I had cod4 and started mapping. Alot of this takes time. I think the first thing to do is get an in depth tutorial of what you need, and take it apart to understand it later. For example, there are (i think) 2 ways of downloading and installing new maps. The fastest is just to drag the entire folder with the mapname containing the .iwd file and both .ff files into the CustomMaps folder in your Mods folder. Then you start cod4, and select the Custommaps mod, and enter in the name of your map from there. It's alot of stuff to learn how to do, and took me about a year and a half to figure out about 20 percent of what the extremely experienced modders know.

For starters, using the Search function (ctrl+F) helps when you're looking for a folder. Once you use it to find, say, a .GSC file, you will gradually learn and remember where every file is that you need. It also helps to read many tutorials, and to download the source files that people release for their mods. You can open these files and learn from how people write code, or a variety of other things.

like I said, this takes many many months to learn. Every time you make a new map, you run into a ton of new concepts and issues, for example the light grid volume box, that you must find tutorials on so that you can fully understand. This takes much time.

Also, for your dialog console box, anything that flashes by that is too fast to read is (usually) not important. Anything that is gravely important or might cause a crash will be highlighted in red text once the dialog box is done compiling. Also, many of these errors may or may not be harmful to your map. This is a trial and error process that you must be willing to spend a lot of time on to learn.

Good luck, when you learn many things, you will find rewarding effects in your own work

Thanks Liightning,

I have only been doing this for a few months. I started as usual with a box and went from there. I started out with the idea of keeping it simple and learn along the way. However, the map I am working on has grown and grown,

When I run the map it runs ok, so maybe there is not too much wrong with it.

I have been watching youtube clips over and over, as well as reading the tuts on here. But there doesn't seem to be too much on scripting and getting a map out there. I keep telling myself it will come. I will keep working away at it.

Once again thank for the encouragement.

Regards

Hope some of this helps you out and good luck with your map:

1.) GSC File - a file that contains script in order for a packaged map to run.
For a finished package you need to create your gsc file, but when you compile and are just testing for errors / bugs game will run a default one for you.

You can open any gsc file with any type of notepad software (I particularly like using notepad++ which will number the lines, load large files fast, perform searches through multiple documents at once).

Navigate to you CoD4 install folder. Mine is shown below for windows 7:
C:\Program Files (x86)\Activision\Call of Duty 4 - Modern Warfare\raw\maps\mp
In there you will find GSC files created for the stock multiplayer maps.

Example: mp_cargoship.gsc

main()
{
	maps\mp\mp_cargoship_fx::main();
	maps\createart\mp_cargoship_art::main();
	maps\mp\_load::main();
	
	maps\mp\_compass::setupMiniMap("compass_map_mp_cargoship");
	
	//setExpFog(300, 1400, 0.5, 0.5, 0.5, 0);  
	//VisionSetNaked( "mp_cargoship" );   
	ambientPlay("ambient_cargoshipmp_ext");

	game["allies"] = "sas";
	game["axis"] = "russian";
	game["attackers"] = "axis";
	game["defenders"] = "allies";
	game["allies_soldiertype"] = "woodland";
	game["axis_soldiertype"] = "woodland";

	setdvar( "r_specularcolorscale", "1" );

	setdvar("compassmaxrange","2100");

}

maps\mp\mp_cargoship_fx::main(); <--- finds the script for the FX and loads it

maps\mp\_load::main(); <--- loads your gsc and map (include this at top)

//setExpFog(300, 1400, 0.5, 0.5, 0.5, 0); <--- a line with the 2 forward slash means it has been commented out and does not get executed

game[ ] <----- defines the two sides to use, who is defending / attacking, what models to use for each side. Believe there is some tut or post about the stock options for this area (include this area, otherwise default game options are used)

setdvar("compassmaxrange","2100"); <---- sets the max compass range as the name suggests. Second value is the distance in game units, which I believe you can approximate to 1" = 1 game unit

I do not remember exactly where to put as been a long time since mapping for cod4, but I would assume next to your map file.


2.)IW files - I believe they are any extra content you add to the game. Textures / models / sound files / etc. I could be wrong, didnt really mess with adding anything outside what the game provided, but hopefully someone else posts back with more info.

3.)Compile tool and errors.

Hopefully someone with more proficiency with cod4 tools will let you know. I still map for UO and you can put pauses in between compile processes the copy the entire compile window. Would hope there is some method to do the same in cod4

Hi Texas,

Thanks for all the info, that is a lot to take in. I will work my way through it, and hopefully end up with a working map.

It all seems so simple when you start out building a box and cutting holes etc. It seems to get a lot more complicated the further you go. It wasn't that long ago I was standing in the box wondering how the hell to get outside. I suppose I want to run before I can walk

It also feels like I have got into this a little too late. Some of the links I click on are broken down, and it feels that people have moved on a bit.

Regards

Hey Torq2, I don't come on often but I check from time to time if there are any posts I can help out with. I took a break with mapping myself but I'm sure I'll get back into it soon enough. I have a few I need to finish up.

If you need some help, you can always PM me with a question, if you get lost, or don't know how to do something, or need something explained. As long as I can answer it, or at least point you in the right direction. Don't ever think the question is dumb or too simple to ask, because we all were in your shoes at one point or another. I'll try to check back daily or at least every few days.

Just to clarify about the IWD. It is very similar to a zip file as it can house files and folders that mimic the games files and folders. This can be used for modding or mapping. For mapping, the basic IWD file contains the minimap and loadscreen for custom maps. For the advanced IWD, it could contain just about anything, from custom textures, to custom audio files like mp3's and such or scripts.

I've noticed that Vista and Win7 have some issues with the compile tools window disappearing after it finishes. There is a work around for that, if it is an issue, but the errors you see, only some are and can affect the maps progress, and updating. For example, normally texture errors can be ignored, but remember that a productive map, has 0 errors.

Anyways, have fun mapping and maybe I'll see you around.

DeekCiti writes...


you said there was a work around for the compiler script disappearing after its done compiling
can you please explain the work around
its freaking annoying as hell and it would save me lots of time to figure out the work around

you should be able to modify the .bat file (similar to the one that i posted for CoD2 here) that will insert pauses in the compile process - prompting you to press a key to continue

hope this helps

GRIM-G4L-InSaNiTy writes...

Yeah, if you insert "call" behind the last command that runs before the pause, it should break at the pause. Only tested on Win7 though. So, you'll have to edit the batch file. You can edit it with any text editor.

So, for example... The end snippet from the default "cod4compiletools_compilebsp.bat" located in the "bin/Cod4CompileTools" folder looks like this:

IF EXIST "%bsppath%%mapname%.map"	del "%bsppath%%mapname%.map"
IF EXIST "%bsppath%%mapname%.d3dprt"	del "%bsppath%%mapname%.d3dprt"
IF EXIST "%bsppath%%mapname%.d3dpoly"	del "%bsppath%%mapname%.d3dpoly"
IF EXIST "%bsppath%%mapname%.vclog"	del "%bsppath%%mapname%.vclog"
IF EXIST "%bsppath%%mapname%.grid"	del "%bsppath%%mapname%.grid"

IF EXIST "%bsppath%%mapname%.lin"	move "%bsppath%%mapname%.lin" "%mapsourcepath%%mapname%.lin"

if "%compilePaths%" == "1" (
	
	echo .
	echo .
	echo ###########################################

	echo 		CONNECTING PATHS
	echo ###########################################

	echo .
	echo .

	cd %treepath%
	sp_tool.exe +set r_fullscreen 0 +set logfile 2 +set monkeytoy 0 +set com_introplayed 1 +set usefastfile 0 +set g_connectpaths 2 +devmap %mapname%

)

echo .
echo .
echo ###########################################

echo 		       DONE
echo ###########################################

echo .
echo .
PAUSE

So, the last command ran before the PAUSE is:
if "%compilePaths%" == "1"

All you have to do is use the CALL function before that, and it should pause for you when completed. Like this:

IF EXIST "%bsppath%%mapname%.map"	del "%bsppath%%mapname%.map"
IF EXIST "%bsppath%%mapname%.d3dprt"	del "%bsppath%%mapname%.d3dprt"
IF EXIST "%bsppath%%mapname%.d3dpoly"	del "%bsppath%%mapname%.d3dpoly"
IF EXIST "%bsppath%%mapname%.vclog"	del "%bsppath%%mapname%.vclog"
IF EXIST "%bsppath%%mapname%.grid"	del "%bsppath%%mapname%.grid"

IF EXIST "%bsppath%%mapname%.lin"	move "%bsppath%%mapname%.lin" "%mapsourcepath%%mapname%.lin"

CALL if "%compilePaths%" == "1" (
	
	echo .
	echo .
	echo ###########################################

	echo 		CONNECTING PATHS
	echo ###########################################

	echo .
	echo .

	cd %treepath%
	sp_tool.exe +set r_fullscreen 0 +set logfile 2 +set monkeytoy 0 +set com_introplayed 1 +set usefastfile 0 +set g_connectpaths 2 +devmap %mapname%

)

echo .
echo .
echo ###########################################

echo 		       DONE
echo ###########################################

echo .
echo .
PAUSE

All you have to do is just put CALL, save it and your done.

I don't know what the other fix is that Stryder posted but this is what I did to solve my problem. If it is the same, just disregard. I'm running Win7.

Torq2, I'm in the same boat as you. A lot of the info out there is quite old, a lot of example images missing from tutorials... but either way, I am working my way through making maps, I need to make a basic one and 'package' it, and give that to someone else to see if it works right... probably the right path to take before spending loads of time making a map and not being able to package it right.