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How to create a DDS layout map image of your map

Creating the DDS Layout Map Image

Thanks to Shoot for the work put into this tutorial

The layout image is the image that is displayed when you select the View Map tab in the ingame menu.
This image can start from any image file type just as long as it ends up being a DDS image with the following properties:

• Size: 1024x1024
  
• No mipmaps
  
• No alpha

(See the Levelshot tutorial o­n how to save the DDS file in this format)
Actually the image doesnt have to be 1024x1024 - it could be 1024x2048 but there would be a bit of distortion, not to mention being a larger file size. The CoD Stock maps have a layout image of 1024x1024 so that is what I recomend.

1. Create your Layout image however you would like - I am not artistic enough to be able to help you with how - Im just going to get them to show for you!!!
   
2. The file name is important here. There are 2 components to the name - hud@layout_ and the mapname
   Example: hud@layout_mybspmapname It is important that both parts are there.
   
3. Save the finished image in the DDS format as listed above.

Now you have your Layout image in the correct format, but where does it go?

1. Create a levelshots folder in the main folder if you dont already have o­ne.
   
2. Inside the levelshots folder create a layouts folder.
   
3. Place your hud@layout_mybspname.dds file inside the layouts folder.

Your path should be: levelshots/layouts It is important to keep this path when creating pk3 files for distribution.

Now you need to add it to the mybspname.gsc file.
Make sure the line of code: game["layoutimage"] = "mybspname"; is in the gsc file or your layout image will not be loaded.

Code:

main() { mapsmp_load::main(); game["allies"] = "american"; game["axis"] = "german"; game["american_soldiertype"] = "airborne"; game["american_soldiervariation"] = "normal"; game["german_soldiertype"] = "fallschirmjagergrey"; game["german_soldiervariation"] = "normal"; game["attackers"] = "allies"; game["defenders"] = "axis"; game["layoutimage"] = "mybspname"; }

The GSC file goes in the maps/mp folder along with your bsp map.

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