Become a Quake Modder

[MadGypsy]

hmmm, honestly, I have never actually tested this feature. Your take on it is something that I had not considered. I wrote my explanation based on my understanding of LordHavocs docs BUT even LordHavoc admits that writing docs are not his strong suit. I can generally figure out what he is saying, but I'm not gonna lie, sometimes I'm like "What the hell does that mean?" (lol). Honestly I think he just strips the comments out of his code and calls them docs. jk LH!

♪ The knee bone is connected to the head bone ♪

[Seven]

Hello Mike_Tyson,

If your question was, how to create a skybox yourself:
You need a program called Terragen.
Then you need a detailed and bulletproof tutorial.
Try this or this
The later is very detailed and uses screenshots as your guide.



Good luck,
Seven


PS: There are trillions of skyboxes available for download, in case you didnt know.
Here you will find one of the biggest skybox archive with previews and all: click me
You will most probably find a matching one there.

[MadGypsy]

Net Radiant Build Menu Explained in like 5 seconds

Net Radiant Build Menu Explained in like 5 seconds

I am rewriting this tutorial because I have the words now to tell you everything much faster.

An absolute bare minimum template. This is copy and paste right here. I don't care what Radiant you use.

<?xml version="1.0"?>
<project version="2.0">
	<build name="build">
		<command></command>
	</build>
</project>

<command> = your command line, literally. Whatever you would put on the command line, you just stick in some quotes within <command />. This means anything you could ever put on any command line can be written here. I have build commands that open other stuff on my computer. After all, that's all you are doing in the first place - opening up "something else".

<?xml version="1.0"?>
<project version="2.0">
	<build name="build">
		<command>"path/to/light.exe -extra4 [MapFile]"</command>
	</build>
</project>

* [MapFile]: an internal token that represents your map file. Use it anytime you would normally hard type the map file name.

Is there more?

Barely. You can make your own tokens with the <var /> tag:

<?xml version="1.0"?>
<project version="2.0">

	<var name="light">"path/to/light.exe"</var>

	<build name="build">
		<command>[light] -extra4 "[MapFile]"</command>
	</build>

</project>

[MapFile] has to be in quotes when you break a command up like this.

You can put as many <var /> & <build /> tags as you need within <project /> and you can put as many <command /> tags as you need within <build />

*[RadiantPath] (not shown) is another internal token that can be used. It is obviously the path to radiants root dir.

*[EnginePath] (set in settings/1.5.0/q1.game/local.pref) is a customizable internal var. Handy if you want to make a Run Map build. If you go to the file I specified, anything that has a value of a path can be used as a token.

The End

I still don't understand. - maybe my previous tutorial is what you need

BONUS: Build Example

My actual current build menu - I can compile, read the compile logs and even open my QC editor. I defined every compiler, even if it is not in use.

<?xml version="1.0"?>

<project version="2.0">

	<!-- engine/mod/QC config vars -->
	<var name="Engine">"darkplaces.exe"</var>
	<var name="ModFolder">"QuakeMod"</var>
	<var name="junk">"[RadiantPath]/settings/1.5.0/junk.txt"</var>
	<var name="QCEdit">../qcedit/notepad++.exe</var>
	
	<!-- my dynamic bat for running any map from the build menu-->
	<var name="Run">"[EnginePath]/run.bat"</var>
	
	<!-- hmap2 compiler -->
	<var name="hmap2">"[RadiantPath]/compilers/map2/hmap2.exe"</var>
	
	<!-- bsp1 compilers -->
	<var name="bsp">"[RadiantPath]/compilers/map1/txqbsp.exe"</var>
	<var name="vis">"[RadiantPath]/compilers/map1/wvis.exe"</var>
	<var name="light">"[RadiantPath]/compilers/map1/light.exe"</var>
	
	<!-- bsp2 compilers  -->
	<var name="bsp2">"[RadiantPath]/compilers/map2/txqbsp2.exe"</var>
	<var name="vis2">"[RadiantPath]/compilers/map2/wvis2.exe"</var>
	<var name="light2">"[RadiantPath]/compilers/map2/light2.exe"</var>
	
	<!-- newskip tool -->
	<var name="skip">"[RadiantPath]/compilers/extras/newskip.exe"</var>
	
	<build name="Quick">
		<command>[hmap2] "[MapFile]"</command>
		<command>[hmap2] -vis -fast "[MapFile]"</command>
		<command>[hmap2] -light "[MapFile]"</command>
	</build>
	
	<build name="Full">
		<command>[hmap2] "[MapFile]"</command>
		<command>[hmap2] -vis  "[MapFile]"</command>
		<command>[hmap2] -light -extra4x4 "[MapFile]"</command>
	</build>
	
	<build name="Run Map">
		<command>[Run] [Engine] [ModFolder] "[MapFile]"</command>
	</build>
	
	<build name="QC Editor">
		<command>[QCEdit]</command>
	</build>
	
	<build name="Read Junk">
		<command>[junk]</command>
	</build>
</project>

note: <!-- comments --> is how you write a comment in (I believe) all mark-up languages (ie xml, html, etc). I realized that I just kinda threw those at you and never explained them.

BONUS: Run Map Script

run.bat // in root engine directory

cd /d %~dp0
%1 -game %2 +map %~n3

The entire first line does nothing but change the directory to the one the .bat is in. We do this because the .bat is in the same directory as the engine. We want to make sure that we are about to call the engine from the .bat directory and not the radiant one.

All the %'s ($ on linux) are variable placeholders. The only maybe confusing one is %~n3 - this is just saying to strip the file down to it's basename (no extension or path) because that's how all engines expect the map name to be. You don't have to know how it works though cause, there is nothing to change (except maybe % to $ for linux).

The above coupled with the below, makes maps run from the build menu. [EnginePath] must also be set properly (see above description for [EnginePath])

<?xml version="1.0"?>

<project version="2.0">
	<!-- config vars -->
	<var name="Engine">"darkplaces.exe"</var>
	<var name="ModFolder">"QuakeMod"</var>
	
	<!-- run maps from the build menu -->
	<var name="Run">"[EnginePath]/run.bat"</var>

	<build name="Run Map">
		<command>[Run] [Engine] [ModFolder] "[MapFile]"</command>
	</build>
</project>

As you can see, in the Run Map build, I first call the run.bat and then I pass it the engine, mod folder and map file tokens. These are the %1 %2 %~n3 values for the .bat. if we untokened that entire statement it would read:

<command>c:\Quake\run.bat darkplaces.exe QuakeMod c:\Quake\QuakeMod\maps\myMap.map</command>

My bat converts it to:

darkplaces.exe -game QuakeMod +map myMap

Pretty simple stuff.

[golden_boy]

that is good stuff and I'm going to link it. \m/

[MadGypsy]

Thanks GB! Even though it is titled "....five seconds" I probably edited it for 45 minutes (lol). I hope this time I have made it so simple that everyone will understand it.

When I realized that "<command /> = the command line, literally", explaining this became much easier. You are somewhat to thank. Your recent blog entry spurred me to think about this again.

edit: actually I just edited it for the final time. I made the Run Map bonus more complete and clarified a couple of important things.

[foogs]

Output compiler messages to radiant console?

Is there a way to output whatever goes to junk.txt to netradiants console so I don't have to open up junk.txt everytime? Warsow / Xonotic use q3map2 and I think it outputs to the radiant console. Thanks for the tutorials and great information in this thread guys!

[MadGypsy]

add this line to your default_build_menu.xml between the <project /> tags

<build name="junk">
    <command>[RadiantPath]/settings/1.5.0/junk.txt</command>
</build>

this will not output it to the console, but it will add an option in your build menu to open up the file. Alternately you could add the <command /> line to the end of any <build /> and it will auto-open after compile.

note: [RadiantPath] is not an example, that is the real piece of code that you want there.

note2: (ex) <command /> implies everything from <command> to </command> (including both <tags> )

[MadGypsy]

If you already read the above foogs, go re-look at my code. I had to include an edit. I forgot to include the name field within the opening build tag. Without it, there is no name for radiant to put in the menu as an option.

to quote Smith "sorry for being a trouble-maker"

[foogs]

Hmm, I couldn't get that to work.

Here's my build menu:

<project version="2.0">

<var name="bsp">"[RadiantPath]q1.game/compile/qbsp.exe"</var>

<var name="vis">"[RadiantPath]q1.game/compile/WVis.exe"</var>

<var name="light">"[RadiantPath]q1.game/compile/Light.exe"</var>

<var name="go">"[EnginePath]go.bat"</var>


<build name="Quick: bsp vis -fast -extra">

<command>[bsp] "[MapFile]"</command>

<command>[vis] -fast "[MapFile]"</command>

<command>[light] -extra "[MapFile]"</command>

</build>


<build name="Final: bsp vis -extra4 -soft">

<command>[bsp] "[MapFile]"</command>

<command>[vis] -threads 3 -noambientsky "[MapFile]"</command>

<command>[light] -extra4 -soft "[MapFile]"</command>

</build>


<build name="Run Map: ezquake-gl loadmap">

<command>[go] "[GameName]" "[MapFile]"</command>

</build>


<build name="junk">
    <command>[RadiantPath]/settings/1.5.0/junk.txt</command>
</build>

</project>

What the Radiant console outputs after I click on junk from the build menu:

Writing the compile script to 'C:/netradiant/settings/1.5.0/qe3bsp.bat'
The build output will be saved in 'C:/netradiant/settings/1.5.0/junk.txt'

Then nothing happens.

So I check qe3bsp.bat contents and it displays:

C:/netradiant//settings/1.5.0/junk.txt > "C:/netradiant/settings/1.5.0/junk.txt"

I'm using Windows 7 64bit with a portable NetRadiant install.
NetRadiant 1.5.0n-git-aa9e315
Mar 1 2012

Thanks in advance for the help.

[MadGypsy]

the answer was right in front of you the whole time.

C:/netradiant//settings/1.5.0/junk.txt > "C:/netradiant/settings/1.5.0/junk.txt"

see the double slash

remove the "/" after [RadiantPath] in your junk build

must be a win7 thing cause I need that slash or it won't work. If I remove the slash, I get this:

C:/netradiantsettings/1.5.0/junk.txt > "C:/netradiant/settings/1.5.0/junk.txt"

its not doing anything because netradiant//settings is not a path to anything

[foogs]

Tried that and still the same result. Only thing different is now qe3bsp.bat now says:

C:/netradiant/settings/1.5.0/junk.txt > "C:/netradiant/settings/1.5.0/junk.txt"

[MadGypsy]

hmmm, you got me. Your code is correct...WAIT! is junk.txt actually in the path you are using?

[MadGypsy]

Oh DUH! my mistake man, put the command line in quotes. I'm sorry, that's entirely my fault. I know why I made that mistake. I don't do it this way. I was trying to give you a linear way that didn't involve <var />. When you use var you put the quotes in the var tag, so you don't need them in the build. This should definitely fix it.

<build name="junk">
    <command>"[RadiantPath]settings/1.5.0/junk.txt"</command>
</build>

[foogs]

no dice. it's fine ill just open it manually it won't hurt me. if you were curious as to what the qe3bsp.bat now says though:

"C:/netradiant/settings/1.5.0/junk.txt" > "C:/netradiant/settings/1.5.0/junk.txt"

quickedit:

i opened up a command prompt (cmd.exe) just for shits and giggles and just typing C:/netradiant/settings/1.5.0/junk.txt or "C:/netradiant/settings/1.5.0/junk.txt" then pressing enter and it does open up junk.txt. so i dunno why it doesn't work still =[

[MadGypsy]

Wow man, I have no idea what's going on. I have exhausted every possibility. It works for me

However if you find yourself wanting to give it another shot, there is another option. Use my runMap method, where you call a .bat and the .bat calls the file.

This makes no sense. All that build menu does is pretend to be a command line. All those compilers you are opening are just external files, which is all junk.txt is.

hmmm, maybe I'm just wrong, maybe you actually can't use a direct path in <command />. You should move everything in <command /> to a <var /> and then place the var name in the command, this is actually how I have it.

<var name="junk">"[RadiantPath]settings/1.5.0/junk.txt"</var>
<build name="Read Junk">
    <command>[junk]</command>
</build>

that is identical to my setup, but I took the liberty to remove the forward slash for you. To go 100% identical (I highly doubt this matters) put <var /> with all the other <var />s

if that doesn't work, I have no idea.