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DMAPEDIT.FAQ
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DMapEdit v4.0 FAQ
-----------------
Ok, this is a FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) for DMapEdit specific
problems. Also, I put in questions I got asked a lot. So, if you have
a question about general map building problems, and the answer isn't
listed here, check out the Doom level design FAQ (design11.faq), which
should be available at ftp.cdrom.com. Probably been updated, so that
may not be the correct version anymore. Anyway..
Creating maps for Doom isn't always an easy business. As easy as any
editor gets, there is still quite a bit the user still needs to know.
When first starting out, you usually don't know all that much about
everything else, except in theory perhaps. It's easy to make a mistake
without even realizing it, and then not know what to do. To help anyone
out that finds themselves in this situation, I have written up this
little troubleshooting guide to assist you. If you can't find a
solution to your problem here, you are welcome to contact me directly.
I can usually resolve any problems people have, although not always
without actually having a copy of the problem map to analyze.
The best way to avoid a lot of problems is to arm yourself with
knowledge. If you haven't, you should read the file 'concepts.txt'. A
basic understanding of the principles and theory of map editing can help
you avoid doing anything wrong in the first place.
Whenever you are having a problem with anything, first make sure you are
doing it correctly. Read about it in the documentation to make sure
there's nothing you are doing wrong, or overlooking. After that, if you
are sure you are doing it correctly, but it 'asking strange' or
whatever, run the error checker on your map. Select 'check all of the
above' option, to run all the checks on your map. Several things are
checked for while you edit, but not everything. These checks will find
these 'other' errors. Also, many functions you perform while editing
may assume certain things are correct. If they aren't, it may get
confused and screw up. I usually try to make them not assume much, but
sometimes they have to, or something might be wrong that I didn't
consider when writting the code. In any case, running the error
checkers and fixing things that are wrong can help a lot. After things
are fixed up, try it again and see if it works.
The rest of this file is broken up into question/answer pairs. 'Q'
will state a question or problem, and 'A' will provide a answer or
solution to that question or problem.
-----
Q: How do I make a door?
A: The most asked question! This is now explained in the 'doors.txt' file.
In this file, you will learn everything you ever wanted to know about
doors. Check it out!
-----
Q: I can't even get DMapEdit to run! It keeps bombing out while
starting up saying something like 'Can't find a Doom or Doom II
IWAD file'.
A: In order to work properly, DMapEdit needs to know where to find your
doom.wad and/or doom2.wad files. If you get the above error, it
wasn't able to find them. You can either use the '-i' or '-i2'
command line switches, or change the 'doom path =' and/or 'doom 2
path =' lines in the dmapedit.ini file with any text editor, such as
MSDOS's 'edit' command.
-----
Q: I have created a map, but it doesn't run in Doom. What's up?
A: Before you can run any map in Doom, you must make sure it is error free.
This is most easily done by doing a 'check everything' under the 'error
checker' menu. If it detects no errors, you must next tell DMapEdit to
generate the blockmap, nodes, and reject bitmap which Doom requires to
run. Select 'make, save and quit' from the 'file' menu, and if all goes
well, you will be returned to Dos. At this point, you can run your map.
-----
Q: Whenever I select "generate sectors", it sets all the sectors to a
default value. Why doesn't it just add new sectors and not wipe out
the old ones I have in place?
A: Generate sectors, like all of the "generate" options, operates from
scratch. Thus, it will first erase all the sectors (or whatever), and
then proceed to generate new sectors. If you want to just fix damaged
sectors and add new sectors where needed, use the "fix sectors" option.
-----
Q: I've created my map following all the rules laid out in the docs, but
when I go do run it in Doom/Doom II, it just bombs out.
A: Before you can play any map in Doom, you have to generate some final map
structures that Doom requires. These are the Blockmap, the Nodes (a BSP
tree), and the Reject bitmap. This can be done the most easily by just
selecting 'make, save and quit' from the file menu. If all goes well,
you will find yourself back at the dos prompt when it's all done. You
are now ready to run the map in Doom.
-----
Q: With vertical lines I know which side it left and which is right, but
which is which with a horizontal line?
A: The right and left sidedefs do NOT work like you are thinking. It
not left and right as seen on the screen, but left and right looking
down the line from the line's starting vertex (think of the line as a
vector). To fully understand this and more, read the 'concepts.txt'
file.
-----
Q: I made a door, but I can't get it to open. Or: I made a lift, but I
can't activate it.
A: Many (if not all) lines can only be activated on the right side. The
left side will not do anything. Make sure you are trying to activate
the right side, and not the left. If so, flip the line around. Walk-over
linetypes are activated by crossing over them from the right side to the
left side, while switch linetypes are pressed while standing on the
right side of such lines.
-----
Q: I made a door, but when I try to open it, the ceiling comes down on me!
A: You are using a door type that requires a trigger id to tie the activating
line to the affected sector. Your trigger id, however, is zero, which
ties it to every sector sector on the map with a zero trigger id, which is
usually all untied sectors. So, either switch to a non-trigger id
activation linetype, or give both your line and the door sector the same,
unique trigger id.
-----
Q: I noticed in other editors, floor and ceiling heights are usually
much larger than in DMapEdit. Why is this? What's going on?
A: All of id's original maps use heights at multiples of 8. Also, most
PWADs build today also do so. As a result, I decided to simply divide
heights by 8 to make dealing with these numbers easier. You can use
true Doom units if you with, however, by changing it in the preferences
menu.
-----
Q: For my first map, I didn't want to get complicated with it, so I just
created a square. But when I went to create the nodes for it, it
said 'Map is too simple (Can't create a nodeline)'.
A: Almost everyone tries to create a square room for their first map.
Unfortunately, it's a little to simple of a map. The node generator
needs to have at least 2 convex polygons, or 1 non-convex polygon. A
square is only 1 convex polygon. Try making an outlined 'L' shaped
room, or 2 squares with a common line instead. These slightly more
complex shapes will work better.
-----
Q: I created this line I want to face a certain direction, but it keeps
getting flipped around to face the other direction. How do I get
DMapEdit to stop flipping it around and leave it face the direction I
want?
A: First, a single sided line must have it's sidedef on the right side.
You can't have it on the left. For a 2 sided line, if one of the
sidedefs has wall textures but the other doesn't, then the sidedef
with textures must be on the right side. To prevent DMapEdit from
flipping it around for you automatically, you can place a texture in
the upper or lower texture position of the sidedef that doesn't have
any textures. Uppe