An appeal to all mappers - bspzip!
Almost everytime I install a new Portal map, all custom files are separated into at least 2-3 folders. It's not that complicated to install, but to remove maps is!
So I have a suggestion, which makes it easier for mappers to pack and distribute maps and for players to install and uninstall maps. Use Pakrat! It's a small but very handy program which can embed files into the bsp file. When you load a map with the program, click the "Scan" button and it will locate all the custom files that belong to the map. Then click "Add" and "Done" and save the map.
Pakrat may not be useful in all situations, like large map packs with many maps that share the same files. But I don't see an excuse not to use it for single maps.
Here's a link to the Pakrat website.
I agree. I only use Pakrat, and it makes things a lot easier when it comes to installing. One point though - don't rely on Pakrat adding embedding everything that is in your map. I've found that if you have custom materials for the skybox or for models, you sometimes have to add them yourself. When embedding, check through the list of items that are to be embedded yourself, to see if there is anything missing.
gepy wrote:"The companion toilet cannot speak, however it can take your crap."Journey - no idea on length = don't know the % done
/me has been making maps for tf2 and now knows how to use pakrat in detail
not that ts13 will require pakratted bsps, it will need a full blown installer
not that ts13 will require pakratted bsps, it will need a full blown installer
speaking of which... How do you actually make an installer?
A good general suggestion, to be sure. PakRat pops up in conversation, and I thought it had been in the useful links thread. Now it is.
One thing I will say is that there is no way that I know of to PakRat in bonus map scripts, or the logos that show up in the bonus map screen. You still have to have the folderinfo.bns, a .bns with the actual info, and then a .vmt&vtf or .tga with the logo.
One thing I will say is that there is no way that I know of to PakRat in bonus map scripts, or the logos that show up in the bonus map screen. You still have to have the folderinfo.bns, a .bns with the actual info, and then a .vmt&vtf or .tga with the logo.
In the bns file, write "./" before every file name and you can place all those files in any folder in the maps folder. Example:
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"My Portal Map"
{
"map" "./mapname"
"image" "./imagename.tga"
"comment" "This is my awesome Portal map!"
"lock" "0"
}
Anyone who wants to install this map will be able to create a folder in the maps folder and place the map, the bns and the image files there. Easy to install, easy to remove. Or if the mapper makes a bmz file, the game will do all this automatically.
Pakrat has never failed me, but I've heard of other people having problems too.
Using BMZ auto-generates .bns files? I'd be very interested in the uses of this.
Also, I wasn't saying that the bonus map files had to be in the root, just that they couldn't be a part of the bmz. If you check my work in the map packs, you'll see that the directory structure is maps/TWPApril08 and materials/vgui/TWP so that the files are as compact as I can make them.
So.... I would use Pakrat to add my custom content and .ain files to my .bsp file, and then add that .bsp to a .bnz along with my .bns and screenshots?
You missunderstood. I meant that when you import bmz files in the game, it will automatically create a folder in the maps folder and place the files there.
If you're talking about the folder icons, they can be a part of the bmz, if you do the bns script right (see my previous post). I did it in this map for example.
Yes
Hmm... Anyone mind if I add a page on the Wiki that walks people through the process of publishing a map?