Spearhead Mapping Tutorials - Beginning Help

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Spearhead Mapping Tutorials - Beginning Help

Bobzilla here and lets get started...I will be adding some info and links to help new mappers get started.
Watch here!!

VERY IMPORTANT NOTE: ALL OF THE FOLLOW TUTORIAL is for learning to map for MOH Spearhead, not Allied Assault nor Breakthrough. I prefer to map for Spearhead for one primary reason, since everyone that has Spearhead also must have Allied Assault, all the models and textures are available for use. If you were to map for Breakthrough..you could not use Spearhead items/textures as NOT EVERYONE has Spearhead and Breakthrough installed. Spearhead adds a lot of new models and great textures to the game.

We need just 3 tools and the Spearhead game to start mapping. Here are the 3 tools you need:
1. The Spearhead Software Development Kit (SDK). This is adjust for Spearhead and used for making Spearhead maps, not Allied Assault maps. Link: http://cyberzilla.net/mohaamapping/mohaas_sdk_install.exe

2. MBuilder is what we need to help us compile the map (make a bsp). Here is a link: http://cyberzilla.net/mohaamapping/mbuilder.zip (1052)

3. Finally we use PakScape to pack up the map to a .pk3 for distribution. Here is link: http://cyberzilla.net/mohaamapping/pakscape.zip (1111) (zip file includes readme and info text file of no importance). Unzip and extract PakScape.exe file.

All of these programs are for PC and it is assumed that you have your game installed on drive c:

Watch this space for upcoming setup and install instructions (very important if  you want to sucessfully map for Spearhead!)

OK..let us setup the SDK. If you have not already, run the .exe, look inside your MOHAA folder and should find a folder called: spearhead sdk. Inside this folder you will find the actual install program. Go ahead and run this..and after it is finished you will have a new folder called SDK. You should check that you have some folders docs, maps, tools, etc. (IMPORTANT NOTE: Once you've completed this, you must copy the entdefs.pk3 file from the MOHAA/SDK/tools directory to the "main" folder of MoHAA. This is important, because MoH Radiant will not work properly if you don't do this. If you do not see an entdefs.pk3 file you can download here http://cyberzilla.net/mohaamapping/entdefs.pk3 (104) and put into your main (do not unzip or unpack).
Now that we have the Spearhead MOHRadient installed, we need to add a few support folders for us to work our maps out of. Inside your main folder (not mainta nor maintt), create a folder called maps. Inside that folder create 2 additional folders called dm and obj. NOTE: I suggest at this time you make shortcuts to the main folder,  dm folder and the MOHRadient application (look  inside your SDK/tools) and put these shortcuts on the desktop for quick entry. Also once we get Pakscape and MBuilder installed, I suggest shortcuts for these also. We can also create a folder inside the main called prefabs, which I will be showing you how to use later.

-----> Setting up MOHRadient ---> Launch your MoHRadient from you should see the following on the screen before you.

Click on File->Project Settings, and you should see:

NOTE: I have circled some very important settings..make sure you specify mainta. Also watch the direction of the slant key, they are different.

Enter the following (or the equivalent on your machine) :

basepath: c:\program files\ea games\mohaa\
mapspath: c:\program files\ea games\mohaa\main\maps\dm
autosave: c:\program files\ea games\mohaa\main\maps\dm\autosave.map

Next head to Edit -> Preferences

Click the "Paint Sizing Info" box - This displays the size of any brush that you are creating so you can easily see it. ( I prefer this off, as it clutters up the screen). Then click the "Show Non-Shader Images" button because you'll not be able to find the ladder textures if you don't. Then head down to the "prefabs path" bit. Set this to c:\program files\ea games\mohaa\main\prefabs. Then click on OK.

ONCE YOU HAVE entered these correctly, you MUST QUIT radient to save the current settings.

//////////////// MAPPER ALERT ////////////////
Now is a good time to provide future and current mappers with a warning. Before you start any new map, you MUST MOVE any custom skins, mods, and maps from your main or mainta folder. Notice that I said MOVE..not remove..you can move these files to a temporary folder (call it gamefiles) and when you are ready to play some Spearhead, simply move them back into your main folder.
 If you do not do this, not only will you inadvertantly use a texture that is in someone else's map, skin and when your map is compiled/packed and distributed, you will see that missing texture (usually a checkered white and black texture. Also, the compile engine will be overloaded with unnecessary scripts (crash). I call this process "cleaning your main" and a MUST DO before you map.

----------------------------
SETTING UP MBUILDER

Now let’s set up Mbuilder!
Put simply, Mbuilder is a batch file that will compile your map for you.
When using Mbuilder, there is no need to click on the three BSP options in Radiant!
They need to be set up to work, anyway!
When you download and run Mbuilder, it will look like this:

Look in the upper right corner of Mbuilder.
You see three fields, titled: Game Directory, Compiler Directory, and Map Source Directory.
These are where you will set up Mbuilder to use the correct files to compile your map!
Once these fields are filled in, your Batch File (located in the bottom left) will be written!
Let’s start with the Game Directory. It is pretty much self explanatory.
This field is identical to your Radiant “Basepath”
But instead of c:\program files\ea games\mohaa,
it will be:
C:\PROGRA~1\EAGAME~1\MOHAA

The next field is your Compiler Directory. This is where you have your q3map file! It is located in your SDK/tools folder and it is also where your MohLight file is located. This field entry should be:
C:\PROGRA~1\MOHAAT~1
Now Mbuilder looks in the right place for your files!
The third is Map Source Directory. This is where you have your .map files that Radiant makes when you save your map.
It should be the same as your Radiant Mapspath directory.
So, it reads like this:
C:\PROGRA~1\EAGAME~1\MOHAA\main\maps\dm

Your Batch file should now look like this:

"C:\PROGRA~1\MOHAAT~1\Q3map.exe" -v -gamedir C:\PROGRA~1\EAGAME~1\MOHAA

pause

"C:\PROGRA~1\MOHAAT~1\Q3map.exe" -vis -gamedir C:\PROGRA~1\EAGAME~1\MOHAA

pause

"C:\PROGRA~1\MOHAAT~1\MOHlight.exe" -gamedir C:\PROGRA~1\EAGAME~1\MOHAA

pause

Copy "C:\PROGRA~1\EAGAME~1\MOHAA\main\maps\dm\.bsp" C:\PROGRA~1\EAGAME~1\MOHAA\main\maps\dm
cd C:\PROGRA~1\EAGAME~1\MOHAA

"C:\PROGRA~1\EAGAME~1\MOHAA\MOHAA.exe" +set developer 1 +set thereisnomonkey 1 +set cheats 1 +set ui_console 1 +g_gametype 1 +devmap

Now you should be able to create a map, and compile it!
But remember, this is just to get the programs working properly!
You still may have errors showing in the console when you run MBuilder!

tutorial says: (]IMPORTANT NOTE: Once you've completed this, you must copy the entdefs.pk3 file from the MOHAA/SDK/tools directory to the "main" folder of MoHAA. This is important, because MoH Radiant will not work properly if you don't do this. If you do not see an entdefs.pk3 file you can download here http://cyberzilla.net/mohaamapping/entdefs.pk3 (104) and put into your main (do not unzip or unpack).

Re: Spearhead Mapping Tutorials - Beginning Help

If you are using the spearhead q3map.exe to compile the map i thought the correct path for the compiler directory would be something like

C:\PROGRA~1\EAGAME~1\MOHAA\SDK\tools

?

 

 

 

 

 

 

Re: Spearhead Mapping Tutorials - Beginning Help

this is what my batch file thing says

 

"C:\PROGRA~1\EAGAME~1\MOHAA\SDK\tools\Q3map.exe" -v  -gamedir C:\PROGRA~1\EAGAME~1\MOHAA
pause
"C:\PROGRA~1\EAGAME~1\MOHAA\SDK\tools\Q3map.exe" -vis -fast  -gamedir C:\PROGRA~1\EAGAME~1\MOHAA
pause
"C:\PROGRA~1\EAGAME~1\MOHAA\SDK\tools\MOHlight.exe" -fast  -gamedir C:\PROGRA~1\EAGAME~1\MOHAA
pause
Copy "C:\PROGRA~1\EAGAME~1\MOHAA\main\maps\dm\dm\.bsp" C:\PROGRA~1\EAGAME~1\MOHAA\main\maps
cd C:\PROGRA~1\EAGAME~1\MOHAA
"C:\PROGRA~1\EAGAME~1\MOHAA\MOHAA.exe" +set developer 1 +set thereisnomonkey 1 +set cheats 1 +set ui_console 1 +g_gametype 1 +devmap

 

what is this line here about wiht the 2 dm

Copy "C:\PROGRA~1\EAGAME~1\MOHAA\main\maps\dm\dm\.bsp" C:\PROGRA~1\EAGAME~1\MOHAA\main\maps
cd C:\PROGRA~1\EAGAME~1\MOHAA