Releasing a Map
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Final compile
- Examine the compile log to ensure there are no compile errors, you could also use the Interlopers Compile Checker.
- 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. Do not ever release a map compiled with Fast VIS or RAD.
- Remember to run the buildcubemaps command in the console before releasing your finished product, otherwise reflections will not work properly.
Distributing custom content
If you have custom models, sounds, textures or materials, you must either:
- Bundle them into the map BSP file (using Bspzip, Map Analyst, Pakrat, 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-Stirke: Source edit the bot Navigation Mesh so bots will behave more intelligently in your map.
- For Counter-Strike: Source or Day of Defeat: Source create a level overview material.
- 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 websites, so that other people can download and play it.
- A list of file hosting websites is available here.
- On the other hand, if you do have a server 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.example.com, then set the following commands on your server:
sv_downloadurl mymaps.example.com sv_allowupload 0
- This would tell clients connecting to your server to directly download the BSP file from that url, instead of directly downloading from the server.
- You may wish to contact news sites to publicise your map's release.