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  #1  
Old July 5th, 2004, 01:55 PM
devinrayolsen devinrayolsen is offline
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Programmer Willing To Help?

I have a HUGE request for a exsprenced programmer.
Could someone help me make a tool that is IN HUGE DIER NEED in the communitys of mappers and level designers for Q3 Engin Games, such as, Call of Duty.

This tool, it would let a map/level designer cut down the
time it takes to setup and pack their maps up into a zip
format called .pk3, that right now winzip and other small
pk3ing programs are doing a ok job, but require a person to
manuly setup each folder for his or her map's files, like a
maps custom model files,custom texture files,their map's
.map/.bsp files and script files, then once the map's files
folders are created, they are then add to a new zip and
saved as .pk3 fewwwww.

But if thats not enough, people useing, say a single
custom model in there map, have to setup not only that
model's file's folder's, for winzip to pk3 up, but they
have to make 3 additional more model folders that are
needed cause each model carrys 2 to 3 other version of its
self in the same dir as the orignal model, but in other
folders that are named xmodelsurfs,xmodelparts and if a
model has animations xanim, not to mention each model has a texture or two that brings it to life and a user has to
setup a folder in the pk3 for that too and so on, sooo...
What if a user has a map FULL of custom models and
textures? would they ever be able to find them? Answer:
DUNNO. Time in doing so? NOT WORTH IT.

Sooo if you have not clicked me away by now and are still
with me, I am about provide a solution to this problem with
a new pk3ing tool that has some orignal features, and how
it should look, but as you might be able to tell I cant
code and dont have the time to learn, Im a 3d artist and I
am way too busy providing mappers with CUSTOM MODEL and Prefabs haha so you see my Rock and Hard spot, Ill shut up and get to exsplaning.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
URL
This is the tool with its compleatd look but let me break it all down for you.
URL
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

URL
Ok what we have here is a nicely layed out solution to our
problem, starting right with what else? The custom models
up in the left hand connor titled 1. This looks at the game
of choice's main/games.pk3/models folder at all times, BUT
because CUSTOM MODELS will have a special symbol in their
name like *, the tool will be able to distinguish the
custom ones from the games orignal models, allowing users
thee fasted method ever! to spot there map's custom models
in a list of... custom models , once the user highlights
one in the list, its textures that brings it to life, is
displayed in the next window below this titled 2. and gives
it another faster method to finding that models textures.

This textures window can be done because a models file, if
opened with notepad clearly stated the textures the model
is useing, they can only be 1 format of texture .dds, and
under one dir named skins in the games main/ directory, so
do what yo can with that info and it shouldnt be too hard.

As for a models other 3 additional model files?
I was hopeing there could be some way of makeing the tool
know where to find, and how to setup/name folders for the
models exstra files, all in the background with out the
users help what so ever. The user siply has to have a
custom model file selected in window 1. and use feature
titled .9 at the end and the tool will do the work.
This might be a little hard because the models and its
other files have be setup in there own folders, BUT they
the files them self still carry a name of the orignal file
its self so it shouldnt be too hard for the tool to see the
exstra model files.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
URL

We now move onto the actul map/level's .map/.bsp and
scripter file browsers, titled 3. through 7.
mapstuff.jpg

Now as for every game that uses the Q3 Engin, their maps
formats are all the same .map and .bsp, but each games
script file format's do vary from game to game, but are
simply made with notepad, so ill have to gather a little
list of scipt formats, and from what game they came, so
this tool can make do all this for a series of games.
For now we will just go with Call of Duty where there
script file formats are all .gsc
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

After the script file browsers we have the Custom textures
window titled 8.

URL

This is a window that is always viewing the user's
"chossen game's" main/games.pk3/textures/. Then a user can use the search bar or browse button to find the custom
texture they are useing and need.

Once a user has a custom texture found, and has one
highlighted, they can then click the "Add Me" button that
adds that texture to a more powerful "over-all list"
makeing buffer zone of less mistakes at the end. The
"remove me" removes a texture from the over-all list.

DONT get confused on what a skin and custom texture is THEY ARE DIFFRENT but do use the same texture format .dds, just rember

Skins:are textures that are used by models only!

Custom Textures: are textures we use to paint our levels/maps with!
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

URL

After the user think he/her has all the feilds compleated
correctly, all they have to do is hit the browse button in
section titled 9. and tell the tool where to put the pk3 then hit "PK3 Me" and watch the folders and pk3 be made for them instantly.
___________________________________________________
Im going to provide a dummy .pk3 that will shows and give a better idea on how a normal
pk3's files and folders/files should be set up
URL

WHO EVER MAKES THIS IS GOING TO BE DOING ME, AND A WHOLE LOT OF INDEPENDENT MAP MAPKERS AND LEVEL DESIGNERS VEARY VEARY VEARY HAPPY, AND THANKFUL. PLEASE SOMEONE HELP US!

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  #2  
Old July 13th, 2004, 05:53 PM
DaJackel DaJackel is offline
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I sent you a private message with my email / messenger, add me or email me and I'll help you out.

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