Geocomp4 "Quake 3 Lives" Contest info

[MegaMan44]

I am a whole lot more impressed by lots of good and efficient brushwork rather than someone modeling everything.

I say: let's allow models and if voodoo can tell apart the modeled faces from the brush ones on 95% of the faces in all the levels he gets a price!

[voodoochopstiks]

I say: let's allow models and if voodoo can tell apart the modeled faces from the brush ones on 95% of the faces in all the levels he gets a price!

Which is EXACTLY the reason that they should not be allowed. They can do nearly everything brushes can and more. While you can say 'you are not allowed to make models look like anything but brushes' it is a very vague rule and leads to problems with the judging imo.

The reason models shouldn't be allowed is that it is so much easier working with higher polygon counts/fine detail in a modeling app. There are even things that are impossible to do with brushes or patches which are fairly easy to do with a modeling application.

[Infernis]

Your still bound to the ten base textures. So your shader posibilities are limited.

I'm did not intend to sound as if we were generous towards you or others by allowing 10 textures. What I meant is that, in comparison to the first 2 Geocomps, this limit is generous.

And really, I don't know every single person on leveldesign.nl, but I have no doubt in my mind that a non-mapper or a mapper who began his mapping career with a newer game like d3 will not appreciate good and solid brushwork in the same way, and would rather just vote for the creation with the roundest edges/bumpmapping.

True, it defines the line between old school en the new generation.

It seems the opinions are divided. I'm willing to listen if more people seem to feel the same way. But so far only you a couple have expressed this. So for you guys, what do you propose instead?

Define 'textures'.

Skybox textures for instance. Does that count as a 'texture' or not... or does that count as 6? Portal sky effects? What about projection lighting images and external lightmaps?

Not trying to raise a fuss or deliberately bend the rules, but I've started working on a few concepts and I need to know. If we're talking explicitly about map geometry textures, then I may be using only 2 textures for the whole map - maybe just one. If we're also talking about other stuff, I may be over the texture limit.

You are allowed to use a skybox. It will not count as 6 textures and I’m not even sure if it would count as 1. I would have to discuss this with the team but imo everyone is free to use a skybox in there design. You can build anything you want with the base textures, so if you can create some cool effects with them fine, but effects themselves will count. Not sure about lightmaps, this I too, would have to discuss with the team.

[Fjoggs]

Bleh, whatever. I'm still gonna kick your ass.

EDIT: Seriously though, I'm not really bothered about it, I just wanted to see if people agreed. One's making the map for fun anyway right?

[voodoochopstiks]

IMO there ought to be a vote about it. I'm sure not everyone is bothered to write a full-length forum post about mere preference.

But yeah, even though I care, it's not the whole world if models are allowed.

[Magnus]

Do effects like fog or tinted glass count as a texture or shader?

I know they are considered shaders, but like the rules say would their effect count as one of the ten textures?

[voodoochopstiks]

I think no more than ten images may be used, you can probably make glass out of a concrete wall and fog without a texture, so they shouldn't count towards your texture count.

[Hex]

How about this:

In addition to the sky jpgs and the lvlshot you are allowed 10 additional jpg (or tga) in your pk3. you can do whatever you want with them. If there are more than those 10 images, your pk3 is disqualified.

Only ase models are allowed. Mappers who cannot q3map2 an ase are behind the curve, and need to catch up if they want to be competitive.

[Magnus]

I see. Cool thanks.
Since this may be the last competition I think I may enter.
Kinda funny since this will be my first entry into this competition....Heh!

[Foo]

Bichering about small stuff seems to plague all these kinds of things, no disrespect to anyone intended.

Set some clear rules, clarify where needed without asking for opinions, and I'm sure it'll go smoothly

[Fjoggs]

Oh and I demand a Waffle-service, so we can eat waffles and drink coffee during the long nights..!

[voodoochopstiks]

mmmmmmmmmm waffles

[pjw]

(I'm looking forward to seeing the results of the comp, once all the dust settles.)

[Survivor]

In preparation for this comp i started up ye old q3map2 because i know shit about bsp>ase but it seems something fucked up causing the following message.

The path to botcompiler is misssing or invalid, restart q3map2toolz to reset.

I restart, it's still giving the same error. any help :icon32:

[Infernis]

Rules have been explained better. Here's some copy 'n pasting:

To clarify: In addition to the lvlshot your map may not use more than 10 textures. You can do whatever you want with them. If there are more than 10 textures in total, your pk3 is disqualified. A skybox counts as 1 texture. You can use any effect you want as long as it uses no additional textures then the 10 in your .pk3.

Shaders = You may have an unlimited number of shaders... just as long as they use the 10 base textures and nothing more. Be careful about shaders that references several images in their stages, each of these images count to your texture limit.

Lightmaps = Your free to do whatever you want with them.

Models = You may only use .ase model created by Q3map2. Imported models created by modeling software are not allowed.

I think that settles it, if not, I'm sure you guys will let me know

Please note that you must enter your submission before 01/02/06 otherwise your entry won't count!

[voodoochopstiks]

wow infernis great, thanks, I am really eager to do it now!

[obsidian]

In preparation for this comp i started up ye old q3map2 because i know shit about bsp>ase but it seems something fucked up causing the following message.

The path to botcompiler is misssing or invalid, restart q3map2toolz to reset.

I restart, it's still giving the same error. any help :icon32:

Just use a bloody batch file. I wrote one yesterday (messy, unfinished, but works). Feel free to copy/modify:

Code: Select all

@echo off
@echo Q3Map2 Convert MAP to ASE 1.0 - 2006-01-19
@echo Obsidian
@echo.

"C:\Program Files\GtkRadiant\Compilers\Q3Map2\q3map2.exe" -meta -patchmeta "C:\Games\Quake III Arena\purity\maps\ase-butress.map" >logdump\zase.log

"C:\Program Files\GtkRadiant\Compilers\Q3Map2\q3map2.exe" -fs_game purity -convert "C:\Games\Quake III Arena\purity\maps\ase-butress.map" >>logdump\zase.log


@echo Cleanup Map Directory . . .
del "C:\Games\Quake III Arena\purity\maps\ase-butress.bsp"
del "C:\Games\Quake III Arena\purity\maps\ase-butress.prt"
del "C:\Games\Quake III Arena\purity\maps\ase-butress.srf"

@echo Finished
PAUSE

[obsidian]

Updated to be easier to change if you have a lot of different models to convert. Just set up the variables once under Setup Configuration, and then just change the map name for each map you want to convert. Double click to run.

* Save as map2ase.bat
* Assumes your map is placed in Q3InstallDir\ModDir\maps
* Log file location is assumed to be the relative directory from where ever the batch file is located. You can change this to any other directory on your computer if you wish.

Let me know if you have any questions.

Code: Select all

@echo off
@echo Q3Map2 Convert MAP to ASE 1.1 - 2006-01-20
@echo Obsidian
@echo.


REM // MAP you want to convert to ASE
set MAPNAME=ase-butress

REM // Setup Configuration
set Q3MAP2DIR=C:\Program Files\GtkRadiant\Compilers\Q3Map2\Q3map2.exe
set GAMEDIR=C:\Games\Quake III Arena
set FS_GAME=purity
set LOGFILE=logdump\zase.log


@echo -----------------------------------------------------------
@echo Executing Q3Map2 at:
@echo %Q3MAP2DIR%
@echo.
@echo Converting MAP to ASE at:
@echo %GAMEDIR%\%FS_GAME%\maps\%MAPNAME%.map
@echo -----------------------------------------------------------
@echo.
@echo Ready to run Q3Map2 . . .
PAUSE

@echo.
@echo Compiling MAP to BSP . . .
"%Q3MAP2DIR%" -meta -patchmeta "%GAMEDIR%\%FS_GAME%\maps\%MAPNAME%.map" >"%LOGFILE%"
@echo Done
@echo.
@echo Converting BSP to ASE. . .
"%Q3MAP2DIR%" -fs_game %FS_GAME% -convert "%GAMEDIR%\%FS_GAME%\maps\%MAPNAME%.map" >>"%LOGFILE%"
@echo Done
@echo.
@echo Cleanup Map Directory . . .
del "%GAMEDIR%\%FS_GAME%\maps\%MAPNAME%.bsp"
del "%GAMEDIR%\%FS_GAME%\maps\%MAPNAME%.prt"
del "%GAMEDIR%\%FS_GAME%\maps\%MAPNAME%.srf"
@echo Done
@echo.
@echo Finished
PAUSE

[Infernis]

wow infernis great, thanks, I am really eager to do it now!

I know...

I rock

[Infernis]

Since people seem to disagree with having to submit an entry before the start date, I've adjusted this in the initial post.

Please note that you must enter your submission on 31/03/06 or no later then 01/04/06, otherwise your entry won't count!

As always, at your service!

BTW, it doesn't matter whether you use a custom texture or a stock texture. Each texture will count as will the stages using images in a shader.

[Infernis]

Well guys, how far a long are you all? Got something to show?

[Foo]

I'm out. I have a level 50% down the line with university deadlines across the next month end I've resolved not to touch it until May now.

[voodoochopstiks]

Holy shit, I forgot about it, I better get started (Don't worry, I'm a fast guy)

[Infernis]

Do your pimping on the Screenshots Thread.

Don't worry, it's at this place. If you want to pimp it Ld as well, you can do it here.

Foo, sorry to hear that, be sure to submit when it's done so it can be added to the mappack on a later date.


Edited by: Obsidian

[obsidian]

Please post your screenshots for the contest in the screenshots thread. Just label them as "For Geocomp 4 Contest" or whatever.