Halo 2 Map Editing Evaluation Thread

[et_cg]

So I know there's tons to go through with familiarizing any one's self with this editing kit. But here I'm going to try to post up information that I find deemend nessecary by the map editor to follow through by. So hopefully this will help anyone new to making maps, find their problem's answer easier.

If anyone else has something they can post, please post it here.

Anything off topic should be deleted.

Starting off with my most recent major problem, and it's fix.

Level Directory Setup;
What you may not do; create your own directory for a map outside of the scenarios directory.

Example:

http://img406.imageshack.us/img406/6164/nonodirectorysetuprb8.jpg

Some problems you might face:

Compiling:
Will see the following, on certain unkown occasions:

### ERROR importing with older tool version 11081 (was 11091)

Lighting:
Tool relaying the message; writing out 0 buckets..., then stops responding and needs to closed.

What you may do; create your map files in the data\scenarios directory. This will allow the map to export correctly, compile correctly, and in the end - light correctly.

Example:

http://img225.imageshack.us/img225/7291/gooddirectorysetupff6.jpg


Known History:


July 28th-July 29th, 2007 (http://www.h2vista.net/forums/showthread.php?t=4619)

[Bastinka]

Needs to be a bit more detailed in some parts, very contributing nonetheless!

+Rep :)

[Con]

Maybe this should be stickied to help newbies with problems they encounter. If we all contribute towards this thread it'll be great.

[SuperSunny]

Textures on released maps!

This isn't like Halo 1, where a decently/blah textured map appears to still look fantastic! Halo 2 is HEAVY on texture and shader work. Most of the maps, except for a few exceptions, I have seen on H2V are poorly textured, have no detail, or have no textures either.

By releasing something of a monster like that, you are subject to a negative reputation around map-makers. Your work, deemed on the H2V engine, looks incredibly poor and thus will not contribute to helping you. You will fail. And your maps will not be played.

UNDERSTAND this editing kit first. Don't rush out a map release. You can cause people to waste time downloading your map online in H2V. They will realize it sucks, and they'll get angry. At you.

Learn the editing kit first, please. Don't learn how to make a map. Learn how to make a map GOOD! Learn how to use the shader system, the lighting system, the brain system (very unused, obviously), and the ability to balance out a map.

Not textured well with terrible shaders:
http://i19.tinypic.com/4mj8bco.jpg

Textured well with good shaders! (albeit not too awesome but hey we're all still learning):
http://i14.tinypic.com/4m7ycz8.jpg

The first screenshot is the kind of map you should never release. The second screenshot is a map that can be released as a beta, and maybe to some as a final.

[et_cg]

Portalling:

When Portalling in Halo 2, it's good to remember a few things;


A) Add a +portal material to your material editor in 3ds Max. Apply this to any of your portals.
B) Once you've figured out where all of your portals will be placed, attach them to the level geometry!
If you do not do this, and just link the objects as "%portal," or any other object name, it will compile into Halo 2 as a wall that you can pass through on one side, but not the other. (I don't know how other's do it, but once I figure out another way, I'll add it's method later)


C)After you've got them compiled into a map, hit the tilde key (~) and type: "rasterizer_wireframe 1" so you can see the level in wireframe mode. The next thing to do is use "visibility_debug_portals 1" this way, you can check out where all of your portals are.
If you have any portal leaks, just be sure to optomize where they are places, and turn off error geometry in Sapien. ("error_geometry_hide_all")
I'll add some more as I encounter problems, and/or pictures later.

[et_cg]

Instancing/Non-collidable objects:

Instancing - Be sure to make instanced objects a separate object, at least for easier optomization/saving framerate in 3ds max. (use the % character in it's name, too)

Non-collidable objects - Be sure to make these have the ! character value at the end of the material's name, apply it to your surface(s), and make sure it is a part of the level's geometry just use Attach in 3ds max, there's no need to weld it's geometry to the rest of the level. Just as long as it's a part of your level geometry, then it will be fine.

[teh lag]

I posted this in a thread a few weeks ago but noone cared :(

The Non-uniform scale .ass error

example - (warning : butts) http://img293.imageshack.us/img293/5082/untitleddf7.png

To solve the scale error:

1. Select the objects that the exporter is saying have bad scaling.
2. Go to the "Utilities" tab. (It's the one with the hammer.)
3. Select "Reset XForm."
4. Press "reset selected."
5. Convert the objects to editable mesh (or poly, but mesh exports better, and you can always convert to poly again if you want to continue modeling.)

Note : this WILL nuke instancing. If you wish to preserve instancing, you must select each object individually and collapse the XForm modifyer. Do NOT do collapse all, but rather collapse to, or the instancing will be nuked as well. There are also some issues with mirrored over instances - they may or may not function right afterwards, (some of mine were turned inside out and caused physics glitches ingame) so be prepared to recopy them without using mirrors if they are somehow damaged.




Corrupt scenario error : (NOTE that this is only sometimes the solution, and if this does not work you should seek other causes and solutions for the problem.)

This is fairly simple - when you load a level in Sapien after your first compile, sapien declares it invalid and closes.

1. First, you should ALWAYS do both BSP compiling and lightmaps on the first compile of a level - the helpfile lies to you. This MUST be done, or sapien says the scenario is corrupt.

2. If that does not work, open up your .scenario in Guerilla, and go to the Structure BSPs section.

3. Point the "Structure Lightmap" feild to either
A. A lightmap tag in your scenario's folder. If there is not one, point it to
B. The one in scenarios\multi\example, which will allow you to open your map until you make proper lighting for it.

[Ki11a_FTW]

MAP MODELING

I cant tell you the numerous maps that are out there are just boxes with some tessalates and extrudes.

Plan You Map before hand!

If you have to do a practice map, just draw your terrain layout in whatever way you want it.
[SIZE=2]Throw it onto a plane in max and start createing your vertices around the maps edge, then once you have you vertices all set up, start createing your faces. Youll notice that your level has much much better results, but not only that it will catch users attention, and play it.


^jus some modeling tips from Myself

(thread needs a sticky)


ill update this with pics in a minute

[Con]

Gameplay is Important!
Check out this gameplay guide at the H2V Wiki for some helpful tips on making your map fun for everyone:

http://www.h2ek.com/wiki/index.php?title=Map_Creation_Gameplay_Guide

Remember to contribute to the article!