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Buildcubemaps problem! Need help

Wed, 28 Jul 2010 23:14:27 -0500

I got a problem, I was playing Left 4 Dead on survival mode and I opened the console and typed in "buildcubemaps" I hit enter and the screen when all weird on me and it quit the game. Now when I try to play a game it says
"No pure server whitelist. sv_pure = 0
Your map [maps/l4d_sv_lighthouse.bsp] differs from the server's." when I try to create a game it won't start, it just stays on the lobby. What did I do! and how can I undo it! I want to play again!!!!

This man is a Mapping God.

Wed, 30 Jun 2010 18:16:40 -0500

Check it yourself. He is officially my hero.
One of the, if not the best mapper around.

Don't forget to check out the fly-through he made in his last post.

Also check his latest post, but also those before it. Also check out Dear Esther, the mod he's remaking right now while you're at it.

Triggering using fire

Fri, 18 Jun 2010 17:56:52 -0500

Hello all,
I am working on a survival map set in the dark and the idea is that the survivors must make their own light by starting vans and their headlights and such. And I have a section of the map where there are several bins. I want to know whether it is possible to start a fire on the bins (bin fire) by shooting them with incendiary ammo or setting them on fire with molotovs or fire boxes.

Any help appreciated

Tanks & Witch Spawns

Thu, 17 Jun 2010 12:46:51 -0500

This is an extremely simple question. So simple that I am rather ashamed to be asking it, but I have not delved so deep in the mechanics of actual map population and am still on the phase of creating the brush work.

What is it exactly that tells tanks and witches where to spawn? I do recall that there are particular spots that I infamously seem to get tanks in L4D1 and L4D2, but in my mind it may just be coincidence or infamous spots to get them. I also seem to see witches in 'really bad spots' or in places as far from the path as possible. What tells the Director the ideal places for placing tanks and witches?

[Resource] L4D2 VScript Editor (Custom finales, carnival games, etc.)

Sun, 23 May 2010 11:00:02 -0500

Some of you guys may recognize me from tf2maps, but I've been getting into some l4d2 mapping lately. One of the coolest new features in L4D2 is the ability to script events outside of the BSP file. This is how Valve did the carnival games in Dark Carnival, the custom finales in Dead Center and The Parish, and the witch mobs and gas cans on the survivors' backs in Hard Rain, among many other things that aren't as clear in game (horde manipulation, special zombie limits, etc.) Read more here.

However, information on VScripts is largely incomplete, as valve has released next to no documentation on the matter. To make matters worse, the official scripts are encrypted, so they're impossible to read.

Not anymore.

VScript Editor (Beta)

To make your mapping life easier, I made a very small program to help with writing VScripts for your map.

Features:
- Syntax highlighting for Left 4 Dead 2 classes and functions
- NUC Decompiler with automatic NCF/VPK extractor to view Valve's official scripts in plain text. You don't even need GCFScape!
- NUC Compiler to (somewhat) protect your scripts from being human-readable

To come in the future (maybe):
- Auto Complete
- Custom Horde Event/Finale Generator

Screenshots:
The UI with a decompiled carnival game script loaded
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/4565971/screens/vscript/ui.png

The script decompiler:
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/4565971/screens/...mpiler.png

The script compiler:
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/4565971/screens/...mpiler.png

A test script
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/4565971/screens/...script.png
Run in-game (works compiled and non-compiled):
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/4565971/screens/...ingame.jpg

I'm done rambling now, so here you go: Download from DropBox

Quote:Credits:
- Nem's Tools (http://nemesis.thewavelength.net/index.php?p=35) for HLLib and HLExtract, 2 excellent utilities for extracting files from VPKs among other things.
- "RavuAlHemio" on the VDC for vice3, a standalone version of Valve's ICE Encryptor
- "Hlsdk" on the VDC for figuring out how to decrypt NUC files
- http://famfamfam.com for the Silk icon set, where most of the icons in this project come from
- "UrielGuy" on CodeProject for writing the syntax highlighting text box, a slightly modified version of this was used in this project. (http://www.codeproject.com/KB/edit/Synta...ting.aspx)
- Everyone on the VDC who contributed to the page on VScript syntax
- Valve for making an awesome game

I welcome all feedback. If you need help scripting, see here: http://developer.valvesoftware.com/wiki/L4D2_Vscripts

I Hate Mountains Video Trailer

Sat, 22 May 2010 19:28:32 -0500

Hello,

Maybe you've already heard about us from Portal: Prelude back in 2008. At this time we asked a few people a favor by giving us a bit of visibility on their website and for what it's worth, it worked really well and helped Portal: Prelude gain the incredible praise it got. Well, we're back and we need to ask you the same favor. We're still a team of three Frenchies and we are happy to announce that our next project, I Hate Mountains, is nearing its conclusion.

We don't know if you heard about it yet, we unveiled this project in early 2009 and have been working on it since then. 'I Hate Mountains' is the name of a new Left 4 Dead 1 campaign that we built following Valve's standards of quality. We are not trying to revolutionize anything, we just want to provide more content to this awesome game. The I Hate Mountains campaign is divided into five levels, just like Valve did with their own campaigns. The difference is that our campaign is entirely nature-oriented, there's only a few building and most of the action takes place in outdoor environments much Like Blood Harvest on Left 4 Dead 1. We also focused our development on offering a better re-playability by providing several long alternate paths in the levels.

Now that the campaign is nearly finished, we are looking for sponsors to help us promote it around the world and provide hosting if possible. First, we would really appreciate if you could help us promote our work by relaying the news and offering a link to our official website or embedding our trailer on your website. In a second time, if you are able to provide us with a hosting mirror for the game files (approximately 200 MB compressed) please let us know by replying to this email or sending an email to mirrors@ihatemountains.com. If you can't do any of this, just talk about it around you, with your friends, on your Twitter or Facebook.

Here's a list of media you can use:

# About the campaign: http://www.ihatemountains.com/about-the-campaign
# Press kit: http://www.ihatemountains.com/logos-and-banners
# Video trailer: http://vimeo.com/11879320

# Action screenshots:
http://www.ihatemountains.com/action-screenshots
http://www.ihatemountains.com/images/screenshots/action

# Ambient screenshots:
http://www.ihatemountains.com/ambient-screenshots
http://www.ihatemountains.com/images/scr...ts/ambient

# Frequently asked questions: http://www.ihatemountains.com/faq
# The team: http://www.ihatemountains.com/meet-the-team
# Forums: http://www.ihatemountains.com/forums

The campaign is set to be released right at the beginning of June 2010 for Left 4 Dead 1 only, we'll try to make a Left 4 Dead 2 port right after.
We hope you'll take us seriously and offer us the visibility we need thanks to your website.
Thanks in advance!

Sincerely,
— The I Hate Mountains Team

Adjusting Scavenge Timers

Mon, 10 May 2010 14:37:02 -0500

Does anyone know if/how to adjust the scavenge timer? I want to increase the time added per can and the start time, as the map I'm working on has them spaced out quite far. Are there any server commands, scripts I can fiddle with, etc?

Only 35 pages of new threads.

Thu, 06 May 2010 08:04:42 -0500

You failed me!
In my absence of mapping, this forum only generated 35 pages of threads.
I atleast expected 99 pages of threads to plow through!
Some might know me as awesome-o from tf2maps, or from playstuff.net
I've been on this site before at the start, just right before i got sucked into WoW (<-- evil). As i need to brush up l4dmy skills in hammer again, i only got one question, are there any good l4d(2) tutorials that cover making a really simple map?

Cheers,

Captain Planet

Name Change Request

Thu, 29 Apr 2010 18:42:52 -0500

I would like my forum name changed to "Vozo", without the quotes please.

A little introduction as well. I have an account on tf2maps.net under the name "Josephohsnap" and am friends with Radaka (also has an account on tf2maps.net), and made the cave textures for his map. I signed up on this site a long time ago, and have recently grown interest in l4d mapping again.

Thanks in advance, and thank you to DRP for wearing the l4dmaps tag in your steam name, because it reminded me of this place.

The Road

Thu, 15 Apr 2010 00:29:23 -0500

Recently found over at the escapist, comes a cool cross-over concept art for a unlikely pairing: The L4D series meets Wizard of Oz.

http://multiplayerblog.mtv.com/2010/04/1...ft-4-dead/

Quote:"If Dorothy, the Tin Man and the rest killed zombies instead of fighting winged monkeys, it might look something like this...."

[article]

Call To Your Duty!

Mon, 05 Apr 2010 14:25:54 -0500

Its time for the developer's showdown!
The Escapist magazine is holding a rundown of all developers to see who is the best. It is our duty to vote on our favorite. I know my favorite, and it happens to be in the very final - Valve!

From the Escapist Magazine:

Quote:Welcome to The Escapist's 2010 March Mayhem: Developer's Showdown, where the top 64 developers go head-to-head to see who is the best. Our elimination style tournament has started and won’t end until 1 developer remains and it's up to YOU and visiting communities to determine the outcome of each match-up through voting for your favorite developer!
Round 5 begins on April 5th at noon, EST, so tell your friends and be ready to bring the noise for your favorite developers.

Quote:Welcome to the Final Showdown of voting for The Escapist's 2010 March Mayhem, which will be between Number 1 seeded Valve against Number 1 seeded BioWare. Both developers need no introduction as the recognition for their games span the globe and their road to getting here was hard fought, especially in Round 5. Will all of their devoted fans show up to support their favorite in the finale? With votes coming from both previous match-ups, each developer will need every vote possible to win.

Respond to this call to all gamers, to vote for Valve (or go for bioware of course)

We all know Valve, and most will know Bioware from the Mass Effect and Dragon Age series. But think carefully, and decide in all earnest.

Cheers to games, gamers and the devs!

[Release] L4D2-HotelSwiss [Scavenge+Survival]

Sun, 04 Apr 2010 17:09:19 -0500

L4D2-HotelSwiss Release and Download

L4D2 version of HotelSwiss. Scavenge and Survival.

L4D2-HotelSwiss Download (L4DMaps.com Mirror)

"Check in, but never check out." Frantic map set on a mountainous hotel in Switzerland. The survivors check in but they never check out.

L4D2-HotelSwiss Download (L4DMaps.com Mirror)

window frames

Thu, 01 Apr 2010 08:26:40 -0500

In the original L4D1 and L4D2, there are windows that when broken, still have the frame present, as if something busted through the window. However, if the remains were to be damaged, it would collapse into various inappropriate wooden gibs, leaving behind an empty eyesore of a blank hole.

In the above picture, 1 is an untouched window. 2 is the window that is semi-broken, and 3 is the one completely broken to the point of it no longer existing in any way.

I want it to remain at 2 and then from that point, it would not be broken. How is this simulated?

Breaking Railings

Tue, 30 Mar 2010 22:40:23 -0500

An awfully simple question, yet I can't exactly figure it out due to the several props that are available. I'm not entirely sure how this works, but is it a prop_dynamic or prop_physics, or is it some special flags and values in combination with whatever else?

I'm talking about the railings on the exterior of the plantation house. They seem to transform as they take damage, but I'm not entirely sure how this effect is achieved.

one item, random location?

Sun, 28 Mar 2010 23:21:08 -0500

I have several locations for a shotgun to be. However, I only want it to be in one place. I know that if I distribute several weapon spawn locations with the shotgun, the director will go ballistic and happily throw an excessive number of shotguns than I would like there to be.

I only want there to be one shotgun out of the various places it can be. How is this achieved? I know that it -is- possible, so I guess we all need to put on our thinking caps for this one if necessary.

Some more stuffs

Sun, 21 Mar 2010 05:11:45 -0500

Thanks to the awesome HL2 mod of Operation Lambda, I have been delving into the inner working of MyBB (Before that it was SMF).
One of the cooler things I have figured out how to do is using the MyBB template system on customised pages on a separate domain (or separate folder on the same domain). The system is currently working on my own site
http://cazzaserver.com/ (Forums are installed at /forums/, index.php and page.php pull from the MyBB install)

Anyway, to the point.... after reading this post:

(12-28-2009 03:44 PM)DJive Wrote: We are working on that like the old front page.

If you would be interesting in using the system (It is DEAD simple how it works) for the front page (And downloads section etc) I would be happy to share it. There are currently a few bugs with some of it (i.e. users show up on the who's online list as "Unknown Action"), which I am working on getting fixed.

Also, after mentioning a downloads section if you would be interested in help for developing it, I can both help code it (I know PHP very well), as well as providing a mirror to have files hosted on.

[L4D2] Outpost2_V3

Sat, 20 Mar 2010 04:57:54 -0500

Outpost2_V3 is a L4D2 survival map, featuring a leveling system used to upgrade the base you're defending. The longer you stay alive, the more points you gain... you can spend these points to upgrade your base(Mines, Lasers, Health Regen etc).

You can watch a quick video I made here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H5vHg9tSsW0

... and to download go here:
http://www.l4dmaps.com/details.php?file=4867

Welcome Corion and Vander as Site Admins.

Fri, 19 Mar 2010 14:38:34 -0500

Hey Guys!

As you may have noticed I've been busy and then the second I've been free... Busy again =/

Needless to say we've had a wonderful staff and members of the site waiting on me for updates and revamps which is fine, its what is expected as an admin.

Sadly I haven't been able to "live up" to this however luckily I do have 2 wonderful staff members, Corion, and Vander who are willing to work together with me in giving you a community to be proud of!

So please welcome Corion and Vander to our Admin team and we all thank you in being part of our community.

A dozen terms from the Left 4 Dictionary!

Fri, 19 Mar 2010 14:26:39 -0500

L4D Official Blog Wrote:While we are finishing up on the new L4D2 DLC "The Passing", we wanted to take a minute and talk about the process we use when designing maps.

But before we jump into that, we also wanted to give you a heads up to Watch Spike TV's GTTV this Friday night (March 19th) for more information on The Passing, including the poster tagline.

Internally, when we are in the early design stages of a campaign, we need an easy way to discuss the design without having to constantly consult drawings or rough maps. To do this, we created the Left 4 Dictionary. The dictionary is a set of terms used to describe a space.

Read the rest of the article here!
Awesome read!

Questions for IHM?

Wed, 17 Mar 2010 13:41:22 -0500

I recently got in touch with Nicolas "NykO18" Grevet from ihatemountains.com via twitter to ask him to answer a few questions. He graciously accepted and says he has written a 10-page article on the making-of IHM in response.

And the best part?
He wants to know if I have any more questions!

Well, I don't - not off the top of my head at least - so I've decided to come here and ask you guys if you had any questions for him.

So, what do you want to know about the making-of I Hate Mountains, approaching L4D level design in a professional manner, L4D level design, level design in general, or maybe just what he had for lunch? Reply to this thread with your questions, and I will compile them all and e-mail them to him.

For reference, here is a list of the questions I have already asked him:

How does one go about professionally developing a campaign?
What does Agile mean for map development?
What software do you use for version control?
How do you track bugs?
What kinds of bugs have you come across?
How do you stay motivated despite a lack of official L4D support?
Have you guys played L4D2 (do you own it)?
On that note, what workarounds for custom L4D content have you found and used?
What kinds of L4D mapping pitfalls have you found (and solved ... or not)?
Did you create dev-textured orange maps to test gameplay?
How exactly did you go about your initial campaign planning?
How did you divide the work among your group of mappers?
How do you guys stay in touch and communicate while mapping?