Map Pack 2.0 Released

[tk]

How do I make the shortcut?

[stumpy]

How do I make the shortcut?

Make a copy of another mod shortcut (drag the shortcut while holding the Ctrl key). For example, use your ffx shortcut. Now, rename the copy (here, I renamed it DC Merged Maps). Then, right-click on the new shortcut and choose Properties. Go to the Target field, replace the ffx3 with whatever you called the folder for the merged mod, for example, DCMerged. Don't lose any spaces.

That's it.

[tk]

How do I make the shortcut?

Make a copy of another mod shortcut (drag the shortcut while holding the Ctrl key). For example, use your ffx shortcut. Now, rename the copy (here, I renamed it DC Merged Maps). Then, right-click on the new shortcut and choose Properties. Go to the Target field, replace the ffx3 with whatever you called the folder for the merged mod, for example, DCMerged. Don't lose any spaces.

That's it.

Thanks for the help.

Well it definately appears to be an issue with the merging.
Whats involved is basically a 2 step process.

1. Copy over all the data (models textures etc...)
2. Merge the dats together.

Ideally you'll want to start with one mod as your base, and then add the contents form the other one.

So lets say we start with the DC Mod.
Make a copy of that mod folder and call it "DCMerged"
Now your gonna wanna copy all of the FF1 objects etc.. from the Mappack mod to this new folder.

Most of this content is located in "\Art\library\" folder. Though there are some custom characters, and some FX as well.

So now you should have a new Folder called "DCMerged" that started with the DC mod in it.
You've copied over the content from the Mappack. Now you need to merge the dats. You only need to merge the objects and character ones. You'll want to merge FROM the mappack ones.

Now you just need to create a new shortcut to start the game using this new MOD folder you created.

NOTE:
Because the DC mod has a lot of custom content as well, there is the possibility that there may be naming conflicts in the dats (especially in the character one) there may be instances where files get overwritten form one to the other. There are still a lot of issues that COULD happen.

Ok, now, that works, but is there a way I can get it so that I can still use my DCUG icon to get in?

[stumpy]

If you want the same shortcut with a different icon, I think you can just open the properties of your new icon and click Change Icon. Then just click Browse... to find the DCUG icon. For instance, if the DCUG installer put an icon on your desktop, then click Browse... and go to your DCUG folder and there should be a DCUG icon. (I don't have DCUG yet - waiting for the final release - so I don't have more detail on that.)

Alternately, if the DCUG installed with a special icon, then just use that one instead of FFX when you make a copy in the first step I described above. Then, when changing the Target field, instead of replacing ffx3 with DCMerged, replace whatever follows -game (is it just DCUG?) with DCMerged.

[tk]

Yeah sorry I actually meant the DCUG folder.  Cause I've further customized DCUG for myself and don't want to lose that stuff.  Maybe I'll retry merging my DCUG and the maps.

[GogglesPizanno]

Unless Im missing something (which has been known to happen) since you started with a copy of the DCUG folder as your base for merging, all your changes should be there.

[tk]

Nope nope nope. I tried that originally and it didn't work.  In fact, it automatically shut down FFVTTR.  So I merged it with a redowloaded version of DCUG.

[tk]

Ok I figured out that I only merged the dat files when trying to merge with DCUG.  Now that I merged everything else, it all works. So another question is: how would I alter the skin of something like the TRex.  Because when I tried changing the TRex skin in both the Data and DCUG folders, it didn't work.  I put the original in another skin folder and my new one in the standard folder, but it still uses the original skin.  Any ideas?

[stumpy]

Try saving the new skin as a DDS file. I'm not 100% sure on this, but I seem to recall some folks saying that the game uses a DDS file instead of a TGA, even if the TGA is in the right place.

[tk]

K that worked. Thanks.  Would you know how to add or remove objects from the map?

[stumpy]

FFEdit's Mission tab does this..

[tk]

I'm trying to use that but having trouble.  When I try to edit in-game it says: "alert: loadRPGMap: %s cannot be opened., res.dat".  Also, I'm having trouble setting up the template for a new character object.  The other character objects have their templates on the side screen but have alchemiss in the pulldown menu. 

[GogglesPizanno]

Due to the way the map files had to be hex-edited to make work, using the pull down menus to change a template is gonna be sometimes tricky. Some things that were set up as characters in FF1 had to be switched to objects in FFvTR to make work right in some instances etc... While its not impossible to edit the files this way, you'll just need to be aware that not all templates exist as the map thinks they do, so you will probably have to do some searching around to find characters that are now objects and things like that. My guess is that the editor is still reading some unchanged flags that exist in the map file that don't affect game play but do affect how ffedit sees them. For me to fix that quirk, I would have had to open up all 150+ maps after final conversion and manually reset each individual object's template and re-save the map...

Unfortunately the best way if you want to add or change objects on a map, is using the "Edit in Game" method and manually placing the objects that way. But if you cant run that, then that creates kind of a catch-22... Maybe someone else has a better idea on the error.

As for what causes the error? I'm not sure about that. Did you happen to to try and merge your res.dat file?
Cause its quite likely that might have made something go out of whack... Maybe someone else has a better idea.

[tk]

I just needed to reinstall the res and it worked.  So where (what folder) should I put the template for an object I want to use so that I can see it in the pulldown?

[GogglesPizanno]

Any character that is defined in the characters tab will show up in the drop down if characters is selected.
Same thing for objects. If an object is defined in the objects tab, then it should show up in the drop down when objects is selected.

If you are talking about adding a new mesh to the game as an object.
You would place the nif file somewhere where it makes sense to you.
The create a template for it on the objects tab and specify the path where you placed it.
Be aware that when creating new objects for the game, in the same folder as the nif file, you need to create a text file called "template.txt" The content of the text file should just be the name of the template you defined in on the objects tab.

So for example, lets say you had a batboat model and want it to be an object placed on the map.

1. Create a folder somewhere in \library\area_specific\... called batboat
2. Copy the nif file to this new folder
3. Create a text file called "template.txt" and make the contents "batboat" (minus the quotes)
4. Open up ffedit and go to the objects tab.
5. Create a new object (or copy and rename existing) and call it batboat (or whatever you set in the text file -- the text file and the object name have to match.) Then set the path to wherever you placed you nif file. Set whatever other parameters you need it to have.
6. It should now be available in the objects pull down menu, as well as editing in game by navigating to the the nif file.

[Boalt92]

If I may....

I believe the problem is the merging itself.  DCUG and Mappack 2.0 use many of the same FF1 maps.  If I'm not mistaken, GP and BG (say that 5 times fast) placed files in different locations.  If you only merged .dats, the new .dat is probably looking for stuff in the wrong place.  The only way to know for sure is to check each missing resource and make sure everything's pointed in the right place.

I don't think there's an easier way, so I hope you made backups  :wacko:

EDIT--one more thing:

Some things that were set up as characters in FF1 had to be switched to objects in FFvTR to make work right in some instances etc...

When I merged FF1 maps way back when I did not do this step.  It was not in Renegade's original tutorial, so I'm guessing BG did not do it either.  Your screen shows the_batwing as a character, but Mappack 2.0 has it as a vehicle.  I'm guessing that's your problem right there.  I know most of the FF1 maps defined these items as characters.  As I said before, the only way to be sure is to go through each missing resource and confirm that it knows where to look.  If it is a character, just make sure the template name and the character name are the same and you should be able to get it from the characters drop down menu.


B92

[GogglesPizanno]

Yeah what he said (with much more clarity that my ramblings).  :)

Really this goes back to what I was saying originally in that the two mods are both really huge with lots of their own content. so merging them is not going to be for the weak. I have been waiting for Benton's full release of the DCUG mod to really explore and play around with it, so there really may be more an issue of overlap than I first thought which complicates things a bit.

[Boalt92]

For what it's worth, you can try to merge them this way:

1) start with a clean copy of Mappack 2.0 and your modified DCUG

2) copy .dats from your clean Mappack 2.0 and save them somewhere (just in case)

3) copy all the data from DCUG (file folders) and paste them into Mappack 2.0 (overwrite if prompted)

4) merge FROM your modified DCUG .dats (all of them) TO the clean Mappack 2.0 .dats


Some of these steps may be redundant, but this way, you get all the Mappack content added to your modified DCUG without overwriting anything.  If there are conflicts, your modified DCUG will win out.  You may lose some Mappack stuff, but you'll definitely keep all your DCUG stuff intact.  Then you can go back and clean up specific maps as needed.

Not easy, but it's an option.

B92

PS--sorry to hijack this thread...I'll stop now :rolleyes:

[tk]

Any character that is defined in the characters tab will show up in the drop down if characters is selected.
Same thing for objects. If an object is defined in the objects tab, then it should show up in the drop down when objects is selected.

If you are talking about adding a new mesh to the game as an object.
You would place the nif file somewhere where it makes sense to you.
The create a template for it on the objects tab and specify the path where you placed it.
Be aware that when creating new objects for the game, in the same folder as the nif file, you need to create a text file called "template.txt" The content of the text file should just be the name of the template you defined in on the objects tab.

So for example, lets say you had a batboat model and want it to be an object placed on the map.

1. Create a folder somewhere in \library\area_specific\... called batboat
2. Copy the nif file to this new folder
3. Create a text file called "template.txt" and make the contents "batboat" (minus the quotes)
4. Open up ffedit and go to the objects tab.
5. Create a new object (or copy and rename existing) and call it batboat (or whatever you set in the text file -- the text file and the object name have to match.) Then set the path to wherever you placed you nif file. Set whatever other parameters you need it to have.
6. It should now be available in the objects pull down menu, as well as editing in game by navigating to the the nif file.

I'm trying to do this but after I do it still doesn't show up.

http://i219.photobucket.com/albums/cc254/tylerkenny/trybutnoworky.jpg
http://i219.photobucket.com/albums/cc254/tylerkenny/trybutnoworky2.jpg

[stumpy]

Just making sure, but:

4. Open up ffedit and go to the objects tab.

You know that "objects" means "Templates", right? That's caused confusion before...

[GogglesPizanno]

Yes... what stumpy said.  :doh:
This is what I get when trying to answer this stuff while working.

If you followed the other steps, just remove the entry from the characters tab, and add an entry in the Templates tab. then it should show up in the drop down.

Now be sure when selecting the newly created object from the drop down that you set the "type" dropdown above it to generic, NOT character.

[tk]

Ohhhhhhhhh. K it works now.  Thanks.

[tk]

I thought that would work but now the objects aren't showing up in the game.   One just leaves a small purple box.

[GogglesPizanno]

Usually that means its looking in a location for a mesh and cant find it.
Double check that the path you supplied for the object in the template tab matches where the .nif file actually exists.

[stumpy]

Others are better at this than I, but I think that almost always means the mesh isn't where the game thinks it is. Check the NIF location in the Templates tab and see if that could be it. I find that relative entries work best, e.g. library\characters\alchemiss\character.nif instead of C:\Program Files\irrational games\Freedom Force vs The 3rd Reich\Data\Art\library\characters\alchemiss\character.nif, though I am not sure that's the best way in the map pack...

PS:

Yes... what stumpy said.  :doh:
This is what I get when trying to answer this stuff while working.

I actually blame this on IG. I think the "objects"<—>"templates" thing is up there with "custom hero" <—> "built-in hero" in the list of naming convention choices that cause confusion in mods. Actually, "mods" may be on that list, too...  :rolleyes:



[Edit: Ninja'd!]

[TaskMasterX]

First, let me say a big thank you to GP for getting this done. I'll have to echo USAgent's statement that this sure does add alot of replay value to the game. Your work on this project is greatly appreciated!

Now, I'm not sure if someone's already mentioned this but I was able to lighten up the Batcave and a few other maps that seemed to dark for my tastes by changing the light and shadow settings in the danger.py file.

Also, I merged the MapPack with my modded version of the game and a vast majority of them work perfectly, except for a couple that do have the missing mesh path issue, which I'll now check, thanks to GP and Stumpy's advice. But there are some others that (maybe this is a related issue) have pink "street corners". For instance, I tried the Alien City Map and it never crashed on me but all the corners were pink. Also, the Alpha Catacombs and Asteroid Field maps had "street corners" that were pink even though it's really suppose to be rock. Are there templates for street corners?

[GogglesPizanno]

All things being equal, if there are only a few quirks like this floating around, I'm glad. I figured a lot more would have crept in.

As for the Alien City (and any of the other "crashing ones" in the Crash Game folder) those are definitely more likely to have errors, as I didn't spend any time fixing or cleaning them up due to them...uh...crashing the game (for me).

In the case of the others I just took a look before leaving for work, and the alpha catacombs do have pink "corners" however, as with almost all the FF1 maps, the terrains are just a single flat nif file so there wouldn't be a template or anything for a corner. In that case it looks to be a missing texture.

So I think I figured it out.

Short Answer:
For that map and any others with pink corners that use their own custom texture folder try finding the texture called "t_footpaths_coner.tga" and rename it "t_footpaths_conerNEW2".tga

Long Answer:
The street corner graphics were problematic across the board. I fixed the texture to a degree by coming up with a new one (called t_footpaths_conerNEW2). Now that graphic exists in the default the texture folder and maps that have been updated to use it that pull textures form there and all is well. Maps that have their own custom texture folder that are using non-custom terrain Nifs will not have that newly named texture. They will still have the old one. By renaming it, that should make the problem go away.

This was probably a hold out from testing that I never bothered to go back and clean up.

Was this an ideal fix? No.
Should I go back and make it less cryptic and more straightforward? Yes.
But for now this,should fix at least that problem.

[TaskMasterX]

Thanks, GP. Actually renaming it to *NEW1.tga instead of NEW2.tga is what worked for me. But this only fixed Alien City and some others I did the same thing for, but not for Alpha Catacombs and Asteroid M. I tried NEW1 and NEW2 but no go. This isn't a rush to get resolved. Just a heads up. I think these two maps are very similar in their design so fixing one may fix both.

Also, I noticed something with the Cemetary Stormy Map and that is it locks up shortly after the mission loads for several seconds and then resumes. When I looked in the script.log I found alot of lines initializing rain. This may be the reason why the Stormy Downtown Map crashes because I think it's a larger map with more rain. I noticed the rain template's Class is a civilain, when I changed the Class to generic, it didn't freeze the game, but the rain didn't look as good as when the Class is set to Civilian. Maybe FFX needs to not initialise the rain template?

[GogglesPizanno]

Thats odd, I tried changing the texture in the alpha catacombs texture directory to NEW2 and it worked fine... unless in my race to get out the door this morning I forgot something. I'll look again tonight... stupid computers.

I did notice that the storm maps that use the rain do tend to get bogged down in terms of system performance. Its just too many particles at once for the game to like. However I never thought about all those objects in FF1 that were set up as characters instead of generic objects. If FFX is trying to enable and handle them as characters that could be a huge drain on the game. That should probably be looked into.

Maybe if I ever get some free time in between all my other stuff, I can release a patch of some kind that addresses some of this. Though the biggest problem with that is that most people who use it tend to merge it with some other MOD, which makes doing simple updates difficult given how much stuff tends to get altered and potentially screw up customizations.

[tk]

I forgot to mention it works in edit-in-game but not...uh...in-game. 

Edit-in-game
http://i219.photobucket.com/albums/cc254/tylerkenny/editingame1.jpg
http://i219.photobucket.com/albums/cc254/tylerkenny/editingame2.jpg
http://i219.photobucket.com/albums/cc254/tylerkenny/editingame3.jpg
http://i219.photobucket.com/albums/cc254/tylerkenny/editingame4.jpg

In-game
http://i219.photobucket.com/albums/cc254/tylerkenny/ingame1.jpg
http://i219.photobucket.com/albums/cc254/tylerkenny/ingame2.jpg
http://i219.photobucket.com/albums/cc254/tylerkenny/ingame3.jpg
http://i219.photobucket.com/albums/cc254/tylerkenny/ingame4.jpg