Compiling, Packing, and Repacking; How do I stuff it all in?

Punn Ames Ardum

Punn Ames Ardum

L1: Registered
Jan 16, 2021
46
26
I have a problem.
I don't know what I exactly need to do with CompilePal and how to know I "packed" something in my map.

The wording for this stuff has confused me due to it seeming like I could just use HDR full compile in the regular hammer editor to get a .bsp; though I know the .nav and such isn't packed (along with the cubemaps I think? I haven't touched them due to not wanting to mess up CompilePal or something like that)

I'm using custom content (from Frontline, Construction, and London) and I don't know how to Pack/Bake those files inside the .bsp; I've seen some threads on here saying that you need to do it and you can use CompilePal (which I why I got it) but it was never really explained how. It really just seems that I need to get the .vmf for it, so do I need to delete the .bsp? People say it's automatic (even with the cubemaps), so I don't know if just hitting compile will bake it in for me.

Will it just find the files I used for the map? (Probably and I'm just worrying myself) If it doesn't find the custom content or needs it selected, how would I do that?

I also want to have a custom nav instead of just the automatic one (because I actually like making them). So if I don't check the nav box do I need to make the .nav before or after the map? If I make the map before to edit the .nav, do I use CompilePal or can I just use hammer's compiling? etc.

Considering this with the .nav, should I do the "Normal" Preset in the Config to edit the .nav, and then do the magic with the .nav in that bsp, and then run the "Publish - HDR" for the .vmf? Or can the .nav just be made in hammer's compile of the map? If any of you know please tell me.

So I said about hearing it does automatic cubemaps; I seen it in the Features on the Github site and in the few threads that talked about it. I can't find those threads now for the life of me - SO I haven't placed any cube maps in my map, partly due to not knowing about it at first and then knowing about it doing automatic cube maps. Should I place them down if I don't have it checkmarked in the outputs?

In truth I haven't messed with them so I don't really know what would be good or bad for it; currently I feel like my map looks alright without them, and with this option in CompilePal I don't know if I should go messing with them.

I also seen in a post (that I also can't seem to find back, though I know it was for submitting maps to test, and to make the .bsp smaller) that I need to "Repack it" which it then said "which is different from Packing" so I just want to know if it is just using something like the BSPzip.exe that needs to be used or if I just compile it again? I know I'm probably being blind to something easy here but this jargon is killing me.

I would love if someone could give me a detailed explanation about what to do with this stuff, because I really just want to ship my map out to move on to the next (I somehow got one half of the map 1 HU off, so I'm pretty done with it myself) but I do want it to have the great custom content that was made on here so it at least doesn't look like a major missing texture mess, and I want it easy to download by Repacking it so if people download it at least it won't take long.

Guess who didn't look at "ADD..." under the "OUTPUT" column in CompilePal? Guess who wrote down everything and then looked at "ADD...: under the "OUTPUT" column in CompilePal? Guess who still has some worries about the cubemaps and nav_mesh even though that will probably be worked out in the "PACK" option that is indeed different than the "REPACK" option?

me.​

I will still post this here for people also wondering and incase somebody needs to slap me across the face in words with a "Don't put these two options together due to them melting down your PC because of some divide by zero error! Literally everyone with a smidge of knowledge about Compiling, Packing, and Repacking; How you stuff it all in, knows not to do these at the same time!"
Though it will probably have more to do with losing progress than a exploding computer.

Thanks for your time, Punn Ames Ardum.
 
fubarFX

fubarFX

The "raw" in "nodraw"
aa
Jun 1, 2009
1,720
1,978
Good to see you've figured out how to add steps in your compilepal compile. You seem to be interested in the process so I figured I'd add some info for you if you'd like to cement your knowledge.

Custom content - if you're interested to know how that's done, look at how it's done with bspzip.exe
https://developer.valvesoftware.com/wiki/BSPZIP
Compilepal automates that process, but is still using bspzip.exe behind the scenes. You can trust compilepal's automatic asset detection, it is the most robust of all tools. It will work perfectly 99% of the time. If it misses anything, inform a compilepal dev and they'll fix it.

Cubemaps - Just to make sure you understand. Cubemaps are placed manually in your map. Cubemaps can be compiled automatically by compilepal. I strongly suggest you add cubemaps in your map, even if it's just a single one because not having them can mess with reflective materials. Normally you'd compile cubemaps with the 'buildcubemaps' console command but compilepal can do that for you.

Nav - you want to put some work in your cubemap, awesome! but do note that the nav file needs to be packed, compilepal's 'pack' feature will detect the file and pack it for you so here's what you might want to do. When you compile, untick 'pack' and everything that comes after. Now you get the opportunity to work on your nav file, then you can resume your compile by unticking the steps that were already completed, and ticking back 'pack', 'repack' etc... Essentially, you'd make a compile in two steps.
 
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