Createing Maps - Is it Hard? Personal Experiences

FiReToY · Post by **FiReToY** » Tue Aug 31, 2004 11:19 pm

Hello,

I've been requesting a map from people for a long time now and no one has stepped up to the plate and given it to me. So (even thought i dont know how to do this, nor really have time), i've decided to try and make one...The map i want to make is extremely simple..its just a box and its completely textured blue (true blue forgot the RGB value its like 0.0.255 i think). ANYWAY I want it to have all vehicles respawnable...and only needs one respawn point...thats it.

My question is, is it hard to make a map? I've looked over the tutorials it it looks complicated and difficult. But I know photoshop like the back of my hand...and it appeared hard when i first tired it out then became easier. So is Mapping for Halo ce, just looks hard or is it actually hard? Also i have a really simple computer (sorta) its an PIII 800mhz with like 330sdram 110hd (30gb + 80gb) with ati radeon 9200 all-in-wonder 128mhz 8x vidcard. Will my computer be able to handle the 3d capablities for it? I have anim8or which runs ok but its an extremely weak 3d program and i barely know how to use it.

Can you guys give me some info on how your mapping (For the first or 30th time) experiences went? This will most likely be my ONLY map because i really dont have time to do it (i usually work on video/advertising/photoshop).

Pie · Post by **Pie** » Wed Sep 01, 2004 12:03 am

It really all depends on your fantasies. With a map with only a box, that should be fairly simple. Once into Sapien (if it works that is) that part is fairly simpel as well. Like i said, it all depends on what you want. If you want to make a new weapon/vehicle/etc then it can increase in difficulty DRAMATICALLY, depending on the extra....if you have a box gun, simple, if you have a realistic looking SMG, then it can prove to be harder (all for the poly count/creation/etc)

So like i said 2-3 times already. All it depends on is your dreams, dependence, and patience....

Good luck with this map that you are making/planning

05H3T5KY · Post by **05H3T5KY** » Wed Sep 01, 2004 7:58 am

If all it is going to be is a box completely textured true blue....that would take all of like 5-10 minutes to completely make, radiosity and all because of it's 6-polygon simplicity. But I do not think the 3D modelling program you have there can use the blitzkreig exporter, so you wouldn't be able to export it to compile it. However, If you want, after the radiosity run I have going on my map finishes in a few minutes and I test run the latest build, I could pull this off for ya. If I had seen this request of yours sooner, I would have offered sooner. Hope to be able to give it to ya by tonight if all goes well.

EDIT: Ugh. For some reason the Devs made "true blue" (0, 0, 255) register as completely nonexistant when you compile a texture. I got the true blue texture made into a tag, but when I go to look at it in guerilla by saying "Show bitmaps" it lets me see through to the main window below it.

Would it be OK if it's a tiny bit off in hue, just enough so that tool actually compiles it as a solid bitmap? Let met know.

davek20 · Post by **davek20** » Wed Sep 01, 2004 6:45 pm

Well, I have many personal experiences with making maps, mostly bad. Half the time I am trying to figure out where the open edge is, LOL

. But that was within the first 2 weeks I tried making a map. Once I got used to it, it became easier. It all comes with time. But a simple cube map will take about 10 mins tops for me. The map that I am trying to make right now would be considered normal/hard to make, IMO. I've been working on it for about 3 days now, I'm almost done the base for it.

But overall, it all depends on the type of map you want to create, like Pie said. It's all a matter of experience too. If you've tried making a very simple map, like in Kirk's tutorials, its pretty much the same thing for any map, but just more thing in the map. If you want to get into a simple map, not cube map, check out Kirk's tutorials in the Tutorial section on the main page. That will give you an idea of what making a map in Halo is like. You might also want to look at the HEK Tutorial that comes with the HEK, IMO I didn't find it that much of help.

Really though, making maps is all about experience and creativity. If you do actually decide to make a map, just make sure you don't leave ANY open edges. Its get annoying after about 20 minutes searching for it.

As for the modelling software, your computer should be able to handle GMax. Download that from discreet.com and try it out. Its way better than anim8or.

Good luck if you decide to make maps.

FiReToY · Post by **FiReToY** » Thu Sep 02, 2004 5:47 am

thanks guys for the info, (sorry it took me so long to reply) Yeah if not true blue (0.0.255) then how about green (rgb 0.255.0)....The map is for Halo ce commerical im working on and will/can be used by anyone (will post it in maps section) Thats why its gonna be an cube...anybody know about video editting? well here it is...my idea is to run an "campain" type ad , and flood the internet with halo ce ads involving real people with spartans...i need a blue/green map because they can be rendered transparent (via blue screen like in the matrix). I have no map experience so taking 6 to 10 minutes will likely mean 20 to 30 minutes for me but ill try it imma download Gmax but i wont be able to try it till this weekend thanks guys! Ill post the finished work when i get done (most likely sunday or tuesday).

oH btw do any of you guys know any good tutorials for newbies (i mean complete newbs)

mr_admin_returns · Post by **mr_admin_returns** » Thu Sep 02, 2004 6:43 am

Look at Kirk's:

http://www.halomods.com/tutorials/Mappi ... torial.php

dr. funk · Post by **dr. funk** » Fri Sep 03, 2004 6:32 am

You really just need to do some trial and error.I'm on my first three maps, and they've turned out pretty good! I had the most difficulty with mapping and uvw maps, but once i actually figured out how they work, it's easy as pie! Now i don't even think of it anymore. I've run into the most problems outside of modeling, in tool. I just can't get past that part, but like I said, trial and error!

Gaara of the Sand · Post by **Gaara of the Sand** » Sun Sep 05, 2004 5:28 pm

gah.. i have the *cough* full version of 3dsmax 6 (pirate? i would never!

) and the blitzkrieg plug-in is there, but it is't letting me export as .jms in 3dsmax. i can't export to .jms either in gmax...

FiReToY · Post by **FiReToY** » Sun Sep 05, 2004 7:30 pm

Gaara trying to take over my thread? you punk

yeah but im having a weird problem i have 3d stuido max 6 trail and i tried to installt he blitzkreg file and it said it couldnt run it ...does blitzkreig work with 3dSmax6?

"faild to initialize. error code 127 - specified procedure could not be found"

Gaara of the Sand · Post by **Gaara of the Sand** » Sun Sep 05, 2004 8:21 pm

oh yeah, that was totally my intent

it's really a pain when you have a nice map set up and you can't export it...

FiReToY · Post by **FiReToY** » Sun Sep 05, 2004 11:20 pm

ok i got blitz working and i exported my jms file (or whatever) but i dont know how to operate tool.exe i know i have to go into my command prompt but i forgot how to use .dos a long ass time ago somebody help me figure out how to navigate to my halo ce folder?

F:/Program Files/Microsoft Games/Halo Custom Edition

Its in that folder but i can't get it to work (even though im sure my map wont work). I tried to go through the video tutorial here (halo mods) but its such a low resolution i cant read the text...and the video editor just skims through the navagtion part of it.

I got toolrunner.exe but i dont understand how to use taht either...anybody got more tutorials/videos on how to use these?

Gaara of the Sand · Post by **Gaara of the Sand** » Sun Sep 05, 2004 11:25 pm

if you tell me how you got blitz working, i will show you how to use dos.

jk... get the video tutorials and pay attention.

did you do anything special to get blitz to work??? i need it.

FiReToY · Post by **FiReToY** » Mon Sep 06, 2004 12:07 am

Ok i figured it out through searching the forums...as for the blitz thing hold on a sec

Ok first you have to download the blitzkreig to 3dsmax6 exporter file...make sure you put the 4 files included in the .rar file into the right spots (system32 folder) then put the blitz file in the right directory (3dsmax6 plugins) then it should work

Gaara of the Sand · Post by **Gaara of the Sand** » Mon Sep 06, 2004 12:25 am

if i try to put the blitz files in the system32 folder, it tells me that they are in use and can not be modified, and to try to close apps. even though i have nothing related to blitz open (to my knowledge)

i put them in the 3dsmax folder, and when it gets to loading blitz, it says "dll <C:3dsmax6\plugins\Blitzkrieg.dle> failed to initalize. Error code 126 - the specified module could not be found"

that sounds to me like it is not seen in the system32 folder.

bad bad

Gaara of the Sand · Post by **Gaara of the Sand** » Mon Sep 06, 2004 12:29 am

*ignores edit button*

ok i got it now to error code 127, like firetoy, but it still is not working...

FiReToY · Post by **FiReToY** » Mon Sep 06, 2004 1:03 am

ok i had that problem now...i restarted my computer and then tried again and it worked.....but i decided i hate HEK because ive made the jms file and i can't get my file to work but i got the tutorial file to work...so iwas wondering if there is an way to retexture it...but it would take forever. Imma have to remake a map and try again.

This is harder then people said it would be...it easy to make (per se) but its complicated without an understanding of anything...Im a true to blood newbie....Its probably easy to make a map with stuff in it...other then making a map for video editting....

Gaara of the Sand · Post by **Gaara of the Sand** » Mon Sep 06, 2004 1:13 am

meh... i have restarted many times in the last hour or so.... to no avail

i got the entire tutorial map made and done, so i am set, but i just need that damned jms exporting capability....

edit: i reinstalled hek and 3dsmax. still nothing.

that's it. just

FiReToY · Post by **FiReToY** » Tue Sep 07, 2004 11:37 am

maybe you have the wrong file for the exporter for 3dsmax6 imma search for the one i got and get back to you....

Gaara of the Sand · Post by **Gaara of the Sand** » Thu Sep 09, 2004 3:42 pm

thanks, i'll be waiting....

Lanche · Post by **Lanche** » Thu Sep 09, 2004 3:49 pm

Making maps can be hard, too many people give up. I just put AI in mine, and play, I never release my maps. Why? Because even though the gameplay is killer fun, I know that they'll get blammed because they don't have Bungie Dev-quality gfx. And what's really funny is that at the top, it was lookin like this thread is the new King of Long Posts...