New OGR-Maps

[Ratte]

Hi,

I´ve scripted 2 new [GR]-maps. both are designed by GRIN, the maps of the missions VIP 2 down and bulldog. I think the scripting is succesful. You could download the beta- versions on -http://hosted.filefront.com/Ratte6783/- 1.Protektorat, 2. Bulldog [GR].

But I cannot solve the problem with the dark-stained lightmaps. I´ve tried to render in windowed mode and different qualitys and passes.... the stains are still there. Is it possible that my hardware isnt good enough? (Core2Duo E6600, Geforce 7600GT)

Please help, it's too bad about the time i spend in it. Or is there sombody who have pity with me and would render it

Thanx

[Nutlink]

Wrong part of the forum, try the GRAW Mods->Map Making section. Several of us, including myself found the solution to this a few months back. I don't remember details anymore, but look in there for the thread

[GRIM-GENERAL]

Now I cant recall exactly how I done it but I think I fixed that same problem by manual editing the discription xml the rendering again. My training map kept rendering a few wall pieces dark like shadowed even though it shouldnt have been. I'm pretty sure I fixed it by changing the line <lightmaps value="true"/>

Try changing it to false then render. If its already on false try changing it to true then render. Like I said though

I'm not positive this how I fixed the problem but I know it was one of the last few things I tried. Also I have notice low and draft 3 passes or below can cause such dark spots aswell. I always rendered at Medium 5 Passes to avoid the problem. Pretty time consuming but its about the best quality rendering most people systems can handle. You should always render in windowed mode by the way. I'm rather decent at rendering just ask Evil_Ducky. If you would like I can give the rendering a try for you to see if I can clean it up. Hope this helps you out.

Example:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>

<description>

<menu name="Grim Training" mode="MPCoop" />

<level_desc value="" />

<level>

<set value="city"/>

<set_graffiti value="0"/>

<backdrop_cube value="atlas_mission_spec_editor/backdrop_cube_d"/>

<mission_time value="day"/>

<cube value="atlas_mission_specific/mission02_specific/cube"/>

</level>

<export>

<export_name value="Grim Training"/>

<gametype value="MPCoop"/>

<lightmaps value="true"/>

<ai_graph value="true"/>

<lightmap_resolution value="medium"/>

<lightmap_num_passes value="5"/>

</export>

</description>

Edited June 27, 2007 by GRIM-GENERAL

[Ratte]

@Grim-General

I followed your advice..but no changes. Could I choice your offer to render the map for me? I think its a great [GR]-Map, so it will be worthwhile.

I´ve uploaded the work folder on filefront: http://hosted.filefront.com/Ratte6783

Thanks for your time

[Rpghard]

You don't need to rendered what's already rendered specialy if you take a GRIN map.You will have to use the Bundler.Here's the link for the tutorial.Bundler tutorial link You must know how to use the 'Bundle reader' open the quick bundle and open mission 02 (VIP is down) extract it somehere then copy the 'textute_scope' document xml,ambient_cubes (bin) and massunit(bin).Create a 'My mod' folder on your C or D drive.Open your work_temp folder in your GRAW derectory,every time you do a render of a map it record a data file in your work_temp folder.Just do a draft to have the data you need.Copy the data into your 'My mod' folder.Open data file and replace the 3 files below.And last rebundle it with the 'Bundler'.If you do a remake don't add new props cause some of them need to be rendered but you can change them position with the editor and save the world file and replace it in your data file.

If you dont' anderstand something just ask me and I will explain to you if you fallow those steps your maps will looks perfect.

Rp,

[Ratte]

I know this method to use the original lightmaps. I hope i understand you correctly. But the problem is that I add new probs to get a new walktrough-path. Dont i have to render the map again?

I´ve also think about the possibility to combine the 2 renderings. I just need to add the lightmaps of the new Probs to the original ones. the question is: is this possible? or exists an easier way?

[AmEyeBlind]

it should be possible to combine the both renders

if u look in the lightmaps folder u will see that the targa images have an id and a name

and at the bottom u will find the lightmap_positions.xml

in there all thos targa images have the positions

i had some flowerbeds in my ciuidad juarez map that werent corectly rendered

so i changed them with lightmaps from other flowerbeds, that worked fine

its a bit work but not hard, u just need to find the right lightmaps

good way would be name the props u added and find them with that in the world.xml

so u have the id number of the prob then

with that number u can fin the right lightmap

hope that helps u a bit

[Ratte]

Thanks but it isn´t the solution for me, because the black lightmaps are too often. My idea was to take the original lightmaps from bulldog rendered by GRIN and combine them with the lightmaps for the new added probs renderd by me. So I get a clean rendered map with some not so perfectly probs.

I think for this its necessary to decrypt the atlas.dds of the map from the quick.bundle. Does anybody know how it works?

[Ratte]

I got the solution to combine the lightmaps of original GRIN-MAPS and the lightmaps of my added probs.

The key is the texture_scope.xml. First I rendered the map with my added props in the quality i want. Then I delete the lightmap-files in the work-folder but these ones of my added props and also delete the paths in the lightmap_positions.xml in the lightmaps-folder. Then I export the map again in the editor (without rendering)--> so i got a bundle or the atlas.dds etc. just from my added props.

The final step is to combine the lightmaps. The texture_scope.xml says what lightmaps to handle for the map. So i take the texture_scope.xml from the last bundle (only the props) and add the lines for the original lightmaps from the quick.bundle/data/settings/set_texture_scope.xml

rebundle and voila!!!

Special thanks to AmEyeBlind

Edited July 20, 2007 by Ratte

[fishmonger]

excellent information! Finally found a post that may help me get past the low quality light maps in two mission map remakes I have put together. One of them has additional statics and props, so I'll have to follow your instructions except for "added props in the quality I want" - that's just not possible on the map as I keep running out of memory. I'll have to render those in the quality I "can get," which is 5 pass low, however, I don't want the bulk of the map to be fuzzy as it is now. Your approach may just save the day

[fishmonger]

and some related information that may save somebody a lot of time (if there's still anyone else but me making maps for GRAW )

I was looking at how much work it would be to track the many props I'd have ot add on a remake of an original mission map to block off paths and do some changes to force the ghosts to take a complex route through the area. So before I started editing and hacking texture xml links, I went into the map and tested what props that are available in the given texture set actually worked without having to be re-rendered. Well, to my surprise, there are a number of them that work without having to be rendered at all!

On the ghetto set I tested, I was able to use all the wood fences, some trees, the "spansk rutare" and even a blown up Abrams. The shanty walls did not work, for some reason, nor the "shanty fence," but sonce some of the wood fences can't be blown up completely to open up a walk way, I can use those wherever I need to close paths between buildings. These items even have proper shadows in the map, so as long as you can restrict map edits and objects added to the set that works like that, you don't need to render anything and you can avoid the labor to make sure you have every single prop listed in the DDS file.

Obviously, once you start changing statics, my approach won't work.