Mapping for ZM: List of helpful threads

[Bad King Urgrain]

This sticky holds a small list of various useful mapping threads, so we can keep things tidy and avoid having to sticky all of them.

The official logic test map -- Contains various entity logic examples.

Mapping Cheat Sheet -- Some useful console commands and Hammer techniques.

Milkman's lighting settings -- Reference of realistic lighting configurations for use in maps, composed by Milkman.

Setting up Hammer -- Guide on configuring Hammer for ZM.

Beginner Video Tutorials -- Videos that show you how to start mapping with Hammer.

If you've seen a thread that would fit in this list, feel free to link it in a reply to this thread.

[oldgregg]

Link to the "how to set up source sdk for ZM" thread ?
EDIT HARE SHE BLOWS http://www.zombiemaster.org/smf/index.php?topic=910.0

[Notary]

This thread has been forgotten

http://www.zombiemaster.org/smf/index.php?topic=2306.msg33219#msg33219

[Roast Zombies]

This might be useful to include.
http://developer.valvesoftware.com/wiki/Multi-stop_elevators
No more struggling with elevators (when you have more than two floors that is)!


http://developer.valvesoftware.com/wiki/Client_Command_by_Trigger_proximity
This could be a very useful thing.

[OneTooManyZombies]

I think this is a good page to link to:
http://developer.valvesoftware.com/wiki/Abstract_Mapping
It has links to tutorials on weather, elevators, cables, doors, etc.

[Shambie]

http://developer.valvesoftware.com/wiki/List_of_entities
For when you want to map without access to hammer.

[Roast Zombies]

I just found out something neat.

To make a ZM able to command zombies through a ceiling, make the survivor-visible side a displacement and you're done!


Example ladder and item snapping. (Battery; turns on lights.)
http://rapidshare.com/files/95790549/example_ladder_and_snapping_items.rar.html

[sharkey4123]

When i load up hammer for Zombie master, i have no entities. Anyone know why?

[Shambie]

You clicked on the entity tool and there were no entities in the list? Sounds like a configuration problem.

[AlexCrafter]

-Snip- sorry.

[Rilman]

Here's a few useful ones I use:

A good base texture site:  http://www.cgtextures.com/

Making tiled textures: http://www.interlopers.net/index.php?page=tutorials&id=1968

A list of HL2 skynames:  http://www.snarkpit.net/userimages/tutorials/tut185_3.jpg



Nems tools: http://nemesis.thewavelength.net/index.php?p=2

(has Batch Compiler, GCFScape and Photoshops VTF Plug-In - all a must for mappers imo)

Also this is a compile command I use in  batch compiler (under the Steam, additional parameters section). Change the 'test8' to your map name

-applaunch 215 -game "C:\Program Files\Valve\Steam\SteamApps\SourceMods\zombie_master" -dev -console -allowdebug +map test8 +sv_cheats 1 +sv_lan 1 +maxplayers 16


..also if you add -onlyents  to the BSP command line (or tick the box in the batch compiler) untick all the other sections on the right apart from the steam section you can recompile just the entities in your map and you don't mess with the lighting, obviously you can only edit entities in between compiles or it wont work.

[The Necrinomicon]

A good base texture site:  http://www.cgtextures.com/

that is very usefull

[bov]

Good stuff!

[Roast Zombies]

http://www.interlopers.net/index.php?page=tutorials&id=5056

Easier to use than PakRat.


http://www.interlopers.net/index.php?page=tutorials <-- Very, very useful...

[alpha.omega]

Helpful people on this forum: http://twhl.co.za/forums.php?id=5

Optimizing: http://www.student.ru.nl/rvanhoorn/optimization.php?chapter=intro

http://developer.valvesoftware.com/wiki/Category:Level_Design_Tutorials

[Roast Zombies]

How to make yourself a self-illuminated texture with the least fuss (meaning, no damn obscure tools from Valve).

1. Create with MSPaint, or something else. Doesn't matter, as long as you save it as a bmp. (If you can, save it as a bmp with an alpha channel. Macromedia Flash does this easily.)

2. Open the bmp with GIMP. Add alpha channel (if you haven't already got one) and copy-paste the image from MSPaint straight into the alpha channel. Save as a tga.

3. Use VTFEdit. Import with RGBA8888 on both normal and alpha. Leave all other options off (except reflectivity/thumbnail if you want it). Save as your vtf.

4. Create the vmt, and make sure you have the line: "$selfillum" "1"

5. Copy-paste both files into the materials folder of ZM or whatever.

6. PROFIT! You have a glowing texture.




That's the image I used to test. You can see that it is self-illuminated, as I had wanted it to be.

[Notary]

well, I use photoshop with vtf plugin to create my custom textures. Is it all about adding "$selfillum" "1" when I already have a vtf with alpha channel created in photoshop?

[Roast Zombies]

You can do it that way, yeah. I'm just pointing out a way that is neither difficult nor needs you to fork over money for software.

EDIT: I'm making a custom particle effect now. It's gonna look wicked-sick.

[blue12]

can you give me link to site where i can download mapping program to make my own map

[blue12]

whats hammer