Need help mapping (Not a stupid question i swear)

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firehawk010

L1: Registered
Jul 9, 2009
11
0
Well, I've been working on this map for a few months now (On and off) and now it's gotten to that point where it takes forever to compile. I know there are ways to fix this, but i have neither the time nor experience to use these methods. I was wondering if anyone would mind lending a hand. I have till friday july 10th then i'm gone for four weeks at various summer camps. if you would like to lend a hand just leave a post, i may put it online, but last time i did that with something people plagiarized it.
 

DJive

Cake or Death?
aa
Dec 20, 2007
1,465
741
Welcome to the Community!

how long is "forever" and have you optimized at all?

do you have a leak, running HDR, have a lot of lights etc etc.

I'm sure many will be willing to lead a hand however would like to have a little more info before so.
 

firehawk010

L1: Registered
Jul 9, 2009
11
0
Nice to see an admin who cares. Well I try running the maps without changing the settings (due to me not knowing what each does...) I have a sun that i think i set up right, 32 lights in the lower portion of the map and no leaks. The only kind of optimizing i know how to use in NoDraw and I've used it where i can. I need help optimizing and things like that, it's a large map (by my standards) it's skybox is 12849 by 12686 and there are to areas with water, one i have yet to finish. I think that's it... oh yeah, there is a spy hanging off the wall of the red base.

By forever I mean that i leave it to compile overnight and it's still on the same spot in the morning.

hope this don't get plagiarized but here is a link to the file.

http://www.megaupload.com/?d=PNQE3O7S
 
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firehawk010

L1: Registered
Jul 9, 2009
11
0
That will be helpful, but i just simply don't have the time right now, and after my camps it's back to school:bored: During school my computer time is limited so i won't have the time then either.
 

Westerhound

L5: Dapper Member
Feb 5, 2009
248
104
Know about func_detailing, as that may make the compile "a bit" longer than you want it :p
 

grazr

Old Man Mutant Ninja Turtle
aa
Mar 4, 2008
5,441
3,814
func_detail can quarter your compile time, and hint brushes can shave another third off your compile time if done well.

This is going to sound harsh but it's something i tell everyone who comes here saying they "don't have the time" to pull off what's around them.

This is a hobby that requires the dedication of time and patience to both research and construct a final outcome. You cannot rush this. If you don't have the time. Don't bother. Because you'll just waste what little time you do have starting something you'll never manage finish.

My advice would be to drop your crappy summer camps and make this your top priority in life :thumbup:

But on a serious note. If you're starting out. You're better off experimenting with the tools available to you. Make some small rooms, tiny projects that you will be able to finish. Just like a room with some props, overlays, maybe a dynamic door. Just so that you can get to learn the process a little more. Then when you have the time/are willing to dedicate more time to producing something proper, start a full blown mapping project.

Most people do this as a career and get paid for it, and those who do it as a hobby have their lives eaten up by it, and turn crazy. Lose wife's and jobs. Get fat and die on a toilet.

Oh wait, sorry, i was thinking of WoW.

But yea. This (level design) is a big deal. I really wish there was a better way to say this without discouraging you or telling you you need to drop something to pick this up. But there just isn't.

Most people here will be too busy with their own practical projects to be able to help yourself physically. This is a forum where we give technical advice for the msot part. I've given out minor help for people on their maps and i've been set back by weeks on my own projects. It's an unfortunate reality.
 

firehawk010

L1: Registered
Jul 9, 2009
11
0
Heh, it's not like i got anything better to do, and i got the thing to run finally, now i just got to puzzle out how to have two control points active and one locked then the last one only unlock after those are captured, ah well i got all day tomorrow. Thanks for the advice but i think i'll keep mapping on this project and learn as i go.

Here is the current version, unfortuanately i have a spawnpoint glitch. i'll fix it with the scant few hours i have before camp...

http://www.megaupload.com/?d=K24S08PH
 
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firehawk010

L1: Registered
Jul 9, 2009
11
0
thanks, i just can't figure out why things arn't working right. it's probably something stupidly simple too...
 

Vigilante212

L420: High Member
Dec 21, 2008
481
33
Well 2 things I notice right away you have a box aroundthe entire map this is a big no no. You should have only the ground and the sky.

Second thing your death pit cuts the brush into funky shapes. anything not square should be func detailed, or turned into a displacement. For the floor you should have cur a square slightly larger then the pipe.

The scale of your map is way too large. and open. makes runing vis a biatch. Some of your geomerty is very sloppy and doesnt line up or overlaps.

The map im currently working on is slightly maller then yours, but with alot more detail and it compiles in just over 6 minutes.
Remove the HL textures also almost 80% of your map is hl textured.
 

firehawk010

L1: Registered
Jul 9, 2009
11
0
Okay, i'll work on that. i'm new to this. the main problems i need to fix are that the spawns and control points arn't working.
 

firehawk010

L1: Registered
Jul 9, 2009
11
0
I have only one cap point, and i indexed it as <1>. the number i put in the field on the control point for the index thing was 1.
 

PL-7764

L6: Sharp Member
Aug 4, 2009
376
84
I don't know if this will be helpful in your case (haven't looked at the file as I have very limited Hammer knowledge), but I know it caused me nightmares when I first started out and went to compile (not that long ago actually :p): Have you used the Carve tool a lot? It can reveal itself to be your worst enemy when it comes to compiling. There are multiple tutorials out there that teach how to substitute your own brushes for the apparent "easy out" of the Carve tool when creating holes in things. It takes a little bit longer than just punching a hole in the middle of a brush, but they're WAY easier to adjust later on, and I think they really help keep the compile time down compared to the use of the carve tool.

I know that I had exactly the same problem as you describe on my own super-carved-up maps (had to compile overnight only to find it not even close to finished the next morning) so perhaps this is what's affecting you? If you haven't used it then I guess that's not the problem, but it's an idea ...
 

Bockagon

L3: Member
Jul 15, 2009
147
72
well i think i figured out your control point issue. On your team_control_point_round entity you have the "control points in this round" field filled out as "4". This field is supposed to contain the names of all of your control points (with each separated by a space) so in your case you would want to put control_point in that field.

As for the spawn points your first (and maybe only) issue is that the red ones are right on top of each other, spawn points are tricky and you need to make sure that they are spread out enough and not intersecting with each other or anything else.

As for your long compile times idk if there's much you can do about that. This map has MASSIVE amounts of open space which makes it very hard to optimize.
 

firehawk010

L1: Registered
Jul 9, 2009
11
0
Thanks for the suggestions. I'll try some of those suggestions i have an idea for the red spawn. As for the control point i'll try the suggestions.