Releasing a Map: Difference between revisions

From Valve Developer Community
Jump to navigation Jump to search
No edit summary
(some cleanup, could use more)
Line 1: Line 1:
* Examine the compile log to ensure therce are '''no compile errors or warnings'''
{{cleanup}}
 
===Final compile===
 
* Examine the compile log to ensure there are '''no compile errors or warnings'''
* When you load the map into the game, check the console to ensure there are '''no errors or warnings'''
* When you load the map into the game, check the console to ensure there are '''no errors or warnings'''
* Make sure you have compiled the map with Normal VIS and RAD, not Fast. Do '''not''' release a map compiled with Fast VIS or RAD.
* Make sure you have compiled the map with Normal VIS and RAD, not Fast. Do '''not''' release a map compiled with Fast VIS or RAD.
* If you have created any custom materials, models, sounds, etc. see "Distributing Custom Content" below
* Remember to run "buildcubemaps" in the console.
 
===Distributing custom content===
 
If you have custom models, sounds, textures or materials, you must either:
 
* Bundle them into the map BSP file (using [[Using Bspzip to Embed Custom Content|Bspzip]], [[Map Analyst]], etc.). See [[Using Bspzip to Embed Custom Content]], or
* Add a ".res" [[Map Resource File]] to your map release to let the server know there's files that should accompany the BSP when it's downloaded.
 
If you don't do this, then anyone downloading the map through a server whilst playing will not get your custom content!
 
===Game specific considerations===
 
* For Counter-Strike: Source or Day of Defeat Source, create a ".txt" file with the same name as the map. This text will be displayed to players when the map starts. Lines are wrapped.
* For Counter-Strike: Source or Day of Defeat Source, create a ".txt" file with the same name as the map. This text will be displayed to players when the map starts. Lines are wrapped.
* Consider editing the bot nav file to paint place names. Also, examine bot behavior in your map and edit the nav file to remove the more stupid elements.
* Consider editing the bot nav file to paint place names. Also, examine bot behavior in your map and edit the nav file to remove the more stupid elements.
* Consider creating a map overview image.
* Consider creating a map overview image.
* For Counter-Stike: Source, run the map with only bots playing, 10 a side, and see whether either side has an outright advantage. There is no substitute for human players, but bots will typically show up the obvious design flaws in a map (poorly positioned meeting points, not enough entrances/exits in critical areas, and so on)
* For Counter-Stike: Source, run the map with only bots playing, 10 a side, and see whether either side has an outright advantage. There is no substitute for human players, but bots will typically show up the obvious design flaws in a map (poorly positioned meeting points, not enough entrances/exits in critical areas, and so on)
* Remember to run "buildcubemaps" in the console.


*Uploading: When your map is all done, You can upload it at some useful website, so that other people can download and play them.
===Uploading/Public release===
Here are a few sites that you can upload to:
;http://www.yousendit.com/ :Though YouSendIt let you upload very big size file(1GB), but it only keeps your file for a week.
;http://rapidshare.de/ :While rapidshare is good, the downside is on the downloader's side, Lots of ads and waiting...
;http://csm2.net/ :Many Counter-Strike: Source maps there and free to upload your own. No caps on map files sizes, no ads as well.
;http://www.ihud.com/ :Great file up/down-loading website.
*Advertising Your Map:
;http://www.nlxr.com :Great place to advertise your maps are on the forums.
;http://www.cdg.net :Also a great place to advertise your maps in the "Source Releases" section.


On the other hand, if you do have a website of your own that you could store your BSP file on, you could use the [[sv_allowupload]] and [[sv_downloadurl]] commands.
* When your map is all done, You can upload it at some useful website, so that other people can download and play them.
* A list of file hosting websites is available [[File_Hosting_Sites|here]].
* On the other hand, if you do have a website of your own that you could store your BSP file on, you could use the [[sv_allowupload]] and [[sv_downloadurl]] commands.


For example, if you create a sub-domain on your website mymaps.mywebsite.com, then set the following commands on your server:
:For example, if you create a sub-domain on your website mymaps.mywebsite.com, then set the following commands on your server:


  sv_downloadurl mymaps.mywebsite.com
  sv_downloadurl mymaps.mywebsite.com
  sv_allowupload 0
  sv_allowupload 0


This would tell clients connecting to your server to directly download the BSP file from that url.
:This would tell clients connecting to your server to directly download the BSP file from that url.
 
*You may wish to contact [[Fan_Site_List|fan sites]] to publicise your map's release.
== Distributing Custom Content ==
 
If you have custom models, sounds, textures or materials, you must either:
 
* bundle them into the map BSP file (using [[Using Bspzip to Embed Custom Content|Bspzip]], [[Map Analyst]], etc.). See [[Using Bspzip to Embed Custom Content]], or
* add a ".res" [[Map Resource File]] to your map release to let the server know there's files that should accompany the BSP when it's downloaded.
 
If you don't do this, then anyone downloading the map through a server whilst playing will not get your custom content!


== See also ==
==See also==


* [[How To Take Screenshots]]
* [[How To Take Screenshots]]


[[category:Level design]][[Category:Tutorials]][[Category:Publicity]]
[[category:Level design]][[Category:Tutorials]][[Category:Publicity]]

Revision as of 03:05, 14 March 2006

Broom icon.png
This article or section needs to be cleaned up to conform to a higher standard of quality.
For help, see the VDC Editing Help and Wikipedia cleanup process. Also, remember to check for any notes left by the tagger at this article's talk page.

Final compile

  • Examine the compile log to ensure there are no compile errors or warnings
  • When you load the map into the game, check the console to ensure there are no errors or warnings
  • Make sure you have compiled the map with Normal VIS and RAD, not Fast. Do not release a map compiled with Fast VIS or RAD.
  • Remember to run "buildcubemaps" in the console.

Distributing custom content

If you have custom models, sounds, textures or materials, you must either:

If you don't do this, then anyone downloading the map through a server whilst playing will not get your custom content!

Game specific considerations

  • For Counter-Strike: Source or Day of Defeat Source, create a ".txt" file with the same name as the map. This text will be displayed to players when the map starts. Lines are wrapped.
  • Consider editing the bot nav file to paint place names. Also, examine bot behavior in your map and edit the nav file to remove the more stupid elements.
  • Consider creating a map overview image.
  • For Counter-Stike: Source, run the map with only bots playing, 10 a side, and see whether either side has an outright advantage. There is no substitute for human players, but bots will typically show up the obvious design flaws in a map (poorly positioned meeting points, not enough entrances/exits in critical areas, and so on)

Uploading/Public release

  • When your map is all done, You can upload it at some useful website, so that other people can download and play them.
  • A list of file hosting websites is available here.
  • On the other hand, if you do have a website of your own that you could store your BSP file on, you could use the sv_allowupload and sv_downloadurl commands.
For example, if you create a sub-domain on your website mymaps.mywebsite.com, then set the following commands on your server:
sv_downloadurl mymaps.mywebsite.com
sv_allowupload 0
This would tell clients connecting to your server to directly download the BSP file from that url.
  • You may wish to contact fan sites to publicise your map's release.

See also

Retrieved from "https://developer.valvesoftware.com/w/index.php?title=Releasing_a_Map&oldid=30166"