So I'm ready to make the beta of my map public. How do I convert the .vmf file into a map that TF2 can use as an actual, playable map?
And if you're looking for the actual .bsp file that's generated upon compile, you can find that in your SteamUserId\team fortress 2\tf\maps directory with all your other maps, as well as the SteamUserId\sourcesdk_content\tf\mapsrc directory.
Golden rule of thumb -
I stick by this, if you want to put screenshots up or send it out privatly thats fine and up to you but unless you have previous mapping experience or are a natural you shouldnt be releasing your first map, and I'm guessing that because you don't know how to generate a BSP you're new to mapping.
Unfortunatly too many new mappers release their first map and get comments from idiots like
If I seem a little harsh here, know this: Self improvement is key to getting better, releasing 10 dozen rubbish maps will get loads of people saying that you suck, whilst privatly mapping for a while untill you know what you are doing then releasing a reasonable map will get loads of people giving you good critique and giving you hints on how to improve, one of these paths is easy but ends in failure and one is hard and hopefully ends in sucess.
Ultimatly though its up to you wether you heed my advice or not, but ask your self this question:
Is your map good enough to release publicly? Is it? Is it really?
I stick by this, if you want to put screenshots up or send it out privatly thats fine and up to you but unless you have previous mapping experience or are a natural you shouldnt be releasing your first map, and I'm guessing that because you don't know how to generate a BSP you're new to mapping.
Unfortunatly too many new mappers release their first map and get comments from idiots like
and thats not very helpful and often will make the new mapper stop mapping completely. What you have to do ibe REALLY harsh on your self and ultimatly scrap your first map and start over (90% of us do it) I remember my first map took 14 hours to compile and was appaling in almost every respect, but I sat down and figured out what I needed to make it better, I eventually rebuilt that map 3 times in total, each time I made it significantly better than the last but even at the end of the third it was nowhere near good enough for the wide world to see. Over that time I learnt lots about how to map and I looked at countless tutorials and resources to see what and how other people do things then I took the plunge and made a map worth releasing, I must have over 100 map files with either fully fledged maps in or simple tests to see what things do or how to do them from before I entered the world of 'releasing maps'
If I seem a little harsh here, know this: Self improvement is key to getting better, releasing 10 dozen rubbish maps will get loads of people saying that you suck, whilst privatly mapping for a while untill you know what you are doing then releasing a reasonable map will get loads of people giving you good critique and giving you hints on how to improve, one of these paths is easy but ends in failure and one is hard and hopefully ends in sucess.
Ultimatly though its up to you wether you heed my advice or not, but ask your self this question:
Is your map good enough to release publicly? Is it? Is it really?
ah you are the guy that was asking about ramps a couple of days ago? Well, no offence intended but if you have just learned how to make a ramp I seriously doubt you have a map which is playable. If you do have a playable map then I would guess aesthetically its an eyesore.
Maybe he just wanted to post a [WIP] thread and get some constructive criticism from the site? You gotta start somewhere right?
My advice is to ignore the confidence-crushing comments in this thread and post your map wherever you damn well please and just be prepared for whatever comments come your way.
My advice is to ignore the confidence-crushing comments in this thread and post your map wherever you damn well please and just be prepared for whatever comments come your way.