Greets, I'm A Mapping Newbie...

DooM_Space_Marine

<div class="IPBDescription">And I could use some help =)</div> Been playing NS for a bit now, and I suddenly had an idea for a map.. I won't tell much about it yet, but that's because I have no questions on the map or NS mapping as of today <!--emo&:)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/smile.gif' border='0' valign='absmiddle' alt='smile.gif'><!--endemo--> But I've drawn and Vertexed my plans and now all I need to is learn WorldCraft/The Hammer <!--emo&;)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/wink.gif' border='0' valign='absmiddle' alt='wink.gif'><!--endemo-->

Sooo here we go.. What is the best site with tutorials and problem-solving tips/FAQ out there, for NS specifically if possible? I've done a map before, quite a while ago, never finished it, and I lost my knowledge over the months.. Now I have a hard time putting a light somewhere.

I need to know about everything, from making a door open (gr! mine don't move <!--emo&:(--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/sad.gif' border='0' valign='absmiddle' alt='sad.gif'><!--endemo--> ) to making an area dark with gloomy lights and a particle system.

I'd also love to make some textures of my own as well, but I just can't seem to make it so the textures match together from a tile to another =[ Any help would be appreciated... And a mentor would be a gift from "God"! =)

HanzGruber

go to <a href='http://www.valve-erc.com' target='_blank'>Valve ERC</a> first and foremost...

The ns side of things can be solved by reading the mapping faq...don't have a URL but if you go to the ns main page you can find it there..

DooM_Space_Marine

Thanks for the fast response. I've already read most of the tutorials on the Valve-ERC site, as well as downloaded the utilities and tools to compile and create maps, and read the mapping guideline/FAQ on the Natural Selection site, but I'm looking for more stuff.. =)

Ollj

doors in ns dont move automatically like in most other mods.
you need a toggle-entity for each door.

For all ns entities and "rules" go here:

<a href='http://www.planethalflife.com/nsworld/MappingGuide/MappingGuide.ASP' target='_blank'>http://www.planethalflife.com/nsworld/Mapp...appingGuide.ASP</a>

Lord_Requiem

Thats all I had, in fact I didnt know about valve-erc until after i had already built a few levels. The NS mapping faq is all you need to get started, advanced problems can be posted when you run into them.

All I do usually is go to google and search for "insert_compiler_problem_name_here worldcraft" and it always brings me plenty of answers.

DooM_Space_Marine

Well alright, thanks for the sites I guess I'll review the information I already have an improvise? ;p Ahhh.. I can't make lights =( I always get them damned Leaks from lights (how is that even possible?) which of course makes it impossible to place lights... I need a Light tutorial badly, in other words.

Lord_Requiem

<a href='http://www.planethalflife.com/nsworld/Main.ASP' target='_blank'>http://www.planethalflife.com/nsworld/Main.ASP</a>

<a href='http://www.vlatitude.com/tutorials.php' target='_blank'>http://www.vlatitude.com/tutorials.php</a>

<a href='http://collective.valve-erc.com/index.php?doc=1037817263-40130500' target='_blank'>http://collective.valve-erc.com/index.php?...817263-40130500</a>

<a href='http://members.telocity.com/pdebaan/errors.htm' target='_blank'>http://members.telocity.com/pdebaan/errors.htm</a>

<a href='http://liquidfusion.fateback.com/fusion/tuts/wc/glass01.html' target='_blank'>http://liquidfusion.fateback.com/fusion/tu...wc/glass01.html</a>

<a href='http://www.karljones.com/halflife/almanac.asp' target='_blank'>http://www.karljones.com/halflife/almanac.asp</a>

<a href='http://ns.valve-erc.com/' target='_blank'>http://ns.valve-erc.com/</a>

<a href='http://www.valve-erc.com/' target='_blank'>http://www.valve-erc.com/</a>

DooM_Space_Marine

<!--QuoteBegin--^Requiem^+Dec 21 2002, 07:55 AM--></span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (^Requiem^ @ Dec 21 2002, 07:55 AM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--><a href='http://www.planethalflife.com/nsworld/Main.ASP' target='_blank'>http://www.planethalflife.com/nsworld/Main.ASP</a>

<a href='http://www.vlatitude.com/tutorials.php' target='_blank'>http://www.vlatitude.com/tutorials.php</a>

<a href='http://collective.valve-erc.com/index.php?doc=1037817263-40130500' target='_blank'>http://collective.valve-erc.com/index.php?...817263-40130500</a>

<a href='http://members.telocity.com/pdebaan/errors.htm' target='_blank'>http://members.telocity.com/pdebaan/errors.htm</a>

<a href='http://liquidfusion.fateback.com/fusion/tuts/wc/glass01.html' target='_blank'>http://liquidfusion.fateback.com/fusion/tu...wc/glass01.html</a>

<a href='http://www.karljones.com/halflife/almanac.asp' target='_blank'>http://www.karljones.com/halflife/almanac.asp</a>

<a href='http://ns.valve-erc.com/' target='_blank'>http://ns.valve-erc.com/</a>

<a href='http://www.valve-erc.com/' target='_blank'>http://www.valve-erc.com/</a><!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Thanks, you rock, Requiem! =)

DooM_Space_Marine

Problem: On a map I just compiled (it's a prefab, specifically), Half-Life crashes when running the compiled version. Used to work fine last version of the prefab, however. Doesn't generate any error message, other than a "leak" I can't fix due to the map crashing...

Anyone has AIM or MSN or Yahoo or ICQ or IRC for some realtime help?

Ollj

When it crashes at the moment the game should start it most times is the fault of a wrong point entity.
eg:
a point entity (most times info_player_start or info_team_start) does not exist or is to close to a wall and you spawn inside the wall or outside the level , or it has a wrong setting (team value -2 for example) .

The custom particle system often causes extreme crashs on my machine, too, depending on its settings.
In rare moments its a buggy or missplaced light source.

DooM_Space_Marine

Thanks! You were correct -- It was because of the info_player_start. However now, I have another bug... Now it freezes when I look too far on the X axis. Can basically only face the wall. Changing the angle of the info_player_start will also crash. Any idea?

Ollj

Freenzing when looking somewere is most times a leak you are looking at ingame.
if not I better tell you that long straight corridors or open areas are neither good for the old HL engine (r_speed ...) nor for team ballance in NS.

DooM_Space_Marine

Fixed it, and my leak problem at the same time. Changed some vertices and re-made the sky bounding box. Looking good... <!--emo&:)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/smile.gif' border='0' valign='absmiddle' alt='smile.gif'><!--endemo--> Just need to find the right textures now.

DooM_Space_Marine

Here are 3 shots of the current version of my bridge =) Not too bad for a first prefab, if you ask me... Ultra-compressed JPEGs so the quality isn't at it's best. I actually finished this version yesterday after my post, but my connection went down, couldn't post <!--emo&:(--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/sad.gif' border='0' valign='absmiddle' alt='sad.gif'><!--endemo-->

DooM_Space_Marine

Also note there will be no way of crawling/flying outside the map. =P

DooM_Space_Marine

And that I still have to make changes to it, for the r_speeds more than anything... (nearing 200-250 per bridge)

cindows_xp

Very nice.