Texture replacements

[Ranger]

If I download the Quake WADs, change their textures and place them into the ID1 or maps folder, would it change the textures of all the maps that use those textures, or do I need to replace the textures in the BSPs?

[Baker]

Quake WADs, like at Quaddicted.com: Quake Texture Wad Archive are compiled into the Quake maps at build time.

So putting WAD files in id1 or maps won't do anything. Other games like say Half-Life, can load textures from an external WAD so it would make a difference.

The only option for replacement textures in Quake is put them in id1\textures and obviously use a replacement texture supporting engine like DarkPlaces or Qrack and name the replacement textures as the original texture like the Quake Retexture Project.

[Ranger]

What can convert BSPs to editible MAPs?

[MH]

Nothing. It is possible to convert a BSP to something that conforms to the .map format (using an old tool, I think it was called bsp2map) but because the map brushes have already been split into BSP surfaces the resulting .map will be huge, may not even load in a map editor, won't compile well, may take forever to compile, may be full of errors, entities might have been removed during the original compilation, and so on. It's like trying to convert a cake into it's ingredients, if you get what I mean.

If what you want is to replace the textures in an existing BSP using ones you've found in a WAD, your best bet is to export the textures (using something like TexMex), name the exported textures the same as the original BSP textures, convert them to TGA, and use regular external texture support in the engine of your choice.

[Baker]

If you are looking to re-wad a map, you may be able to do this directly with TexMex.

If not, you should be able to do this with one of the many command line utilities available, but you'll have to read the readmes and learn them yourself. They have names like bsp2wad and such.

Index of /pub/idgames2/utils/level_edit/converters

You can decompile maps with winbspc

See the mapping page at: Quake Navigator

This is not likely to be as easy as you probably initially thought it would be. But if you are intermediate with Quake mapping it isn't so hard to pull off.

[Ranger]

Thanks a bunch (TexMex does the trick), but one more question, how can I edit the strings or titles of the BSPs?

Like e1m1 is named: The Slipgate Complex - If I wanted to rename it to: Tele Zone, how could I?

[Baker]

Probably re-enting the map --- if that's a word. Like re-entity'ing the map. You rip out the entities into a text file and save as something like "e1m1.ent" renaming the map title in worldspawn and then do something qbsp e1m1.bsp e1m1.ent -onlyents

[Ranger]

How do I re-ent the maps?

[Baker]

How do I re-ent the maps?

Actually explained it. That's how unuserfriendly the process is.

I'd recommend asking that question in this thread:

Func_Msgboard: Mapping Help

Because you'll have like 5 follow up questions where you will likely need more handholding than at least someone like myself would be able to provide.

[Ranger]

Ok, one last question: How can the singleplayer map order be changed?


Let's say I wanted e2m6: The Dismal Oubliette to take place after e2m4: The Ebon Fortress, instead of e2m5: the Wizard's Manse

I tried renaming e2m6.bsp to e2m5.bsp, but after I finish e2m5.bsp (The Dismal Oubliette), it repeats The Dismal Oubliette.

[Baker]

Ok, one last question: How can the singleplayer map order be changed?


Let's say I wanted e2m6: The Dismal Oubliette to take place after e2m4: The Ebon Fortress, instead of e2m5: the Wizard's Manse

I tried renaming e2m6.bsp to e2m5.bsp, but after I finish e2m5.bsp (The Dismal Oubliette), it repeats The Dismal Oubliette.

Renaming the maps would work but an alternate way would re-enting the map and in the exit teleporter, it will be "trigger_changelevel" and have the name of the next map and changing that.

Renaming the maps may have failed because all files found in pak files take precedence over gamedir files.

Regardless, the mapping questions you are asking exceed the ability of this forum format to "do it well" ... you should really go to either Func_Msgboard or Inside3D to get the level of hand-holding you need. Plus the number of expert mappers and modders is far higher in concentration.