Hey everyone, I have an "interesting" problem. I say interesting, because that's typically the answer I get, which isn't much help. Anyway, there's a lot of background behind this, so please bear with me.

I started creating maps when the tools became available, but I haven't been able to make a single coop map with anything significant inside it. And not for a lack of trying. The first map I created was compiled as a single BSP file, using the standard coop spawn room and the standard coop exit room. It included some portal detectors (for checking to see if the bots have trapped themselves), a clientcommand object (to kill the bots in the event they do get trapped), the global_ents instance, and some minor challenges. When I had my friends test the map, they said it wouldn't work. Something about the map being missing for the joining player, even though they both had it.

I also included the VMFs for the map, and thinking that Valve's tool put a unique identifier in the BSP file (to guarantee both people are using the exact same map), I packed everything in a VPK file, and gave it to them. Same result, so I threw that map away thinking something I had done screwed it up, ad started over.

The second map I created was a race map, with two chambers. Lots of flings, no big deal. I also created my own spawn room, use a couple of point_teleport objects to put the loser of the race in a kill box, and created the kill box. I also used the modified exit room (found here http://developer.valvesoftware.com/wiki/Level_Transition_(Portal_2)) to send the players back to the hub once the race was over. I again used global_ents (for the servercommand object, to send them back to the hub), but other than that, nothing special. Still, it didn't work (same error).

Thinking my compilers were messed up, I created a simple coop map with just a spawn room, with the exit walled off. That one worked (see here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZkCkQIuwa_I ... WARNING possible foul language), so my compilers all see to be working fine.

I thought I had tracked the error down to the global_ents object (the only thing common in both which isn't found in the Valve coop levels), so I created a fourth coop-map (similar in nature to the one seen in the video) as both a bit of light hearted revenge, and a test of my theories. This one didn't use global_ents, but it still didn't work.

All of these (with the exception of omg_simple) give them the same error...something about the maps being missing:

First map (broken, just the BSP): http://www.mediafire.com/?13paaqjr73npc71
Race map (broken): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZkCkQIuwa_I
Compiler test map (works): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZkCkQIuwa_I
"Revenge" map (broken): http://www.mediafire.com/?he10d4858lo1jsg

I should point out that all of these maps work when I test them on my own computer (with ss_map), but once they leave my system (with the exception of one, meaningless map), no one seems to be able to get them to work. I'm honestly about read to so if anyone has any ideas...

Do you still have your compile log? If so, can I see it?

Do you mean the .log files in sdk_content\maps? If so, I zipped them all up: http://www.mediafire.com/?gbvk9gbb967cr7t

If not, please explain.

Oh and before you say anything, yes I know about the lighting warnings in testchamber_3. I wanted flickering lights, and I'm still trying to figure out how to do what I want and not have issues with it.

How did you compile this?
Was this final compile?

All of them except the simple one yeah.

Then try not to compile them in final, try default, and have tested them by yourself?

All of them work in ss_map, but I don't have another person to test with.

I think that the map file is corrupt, or one of your friend's map or portal 2 is corrupt, anyway,
This works for me, copy everything except the disassembly elevator, then, create a new file and paste everything , then at the end of the map make a trigger_changelevel and set it to the hub map, and then compile it, then test it, if that works, just make a new disassembly elevator at the end.

It's very possible that my maps are corrupted, but if you were able to get them to run ...somehow I don't think that's the problem. And I don't think my friends' Portal 2 is the problem either, since they download, play, and YouTube coop levels all the time. But I've copied everything out of my race map, put it into its own map, recompiled, and uploaded it: http://www.mediafire.com/?rgxkjdftoa17z3s. I'll let you know what they say, though it may be a couple of days since they're out of town.

Also, forgot to mention I compiled it on Default, not Final.

Okay so...no dice yet, but I have logs. Ooooo...shiny.

Host's log:

changelevel mp_coop_coopcrowd_fliiiiiiiiing
 (51342196):Remove listener class CPortal_Player
 (51342196):Remove listener class CPlayerInventory
 ---- Host_Changelevel ----
 (69783512):Remove listener class C_Portal_Player
 (69783512):Remove listener class CPlayerInventory
 (51342196):Remove listener class C_Portal_Player
 (51342196):Remove listener class CPlayerInventory
 CMaterial::PrecacheVars: error loading vmt file for models/maps/mp_coop_lobby_2/simpleworldmodel
 exec: couldn't exec skill1.cfg
 Executing listen server config file
 exec: couldn't exec listenserver.cfg
 exec: couldn't exec skill1.cfg
 ==== calling mapspawn.nut
 PrecacheScriptSound 'music.mp_coop_coopcrowd_fliiiiiiiiing_lbout' failed, no such sound script entry
 Commentary: Could not find commentary data file 'maps/mp_coop_coopcrowd_fliiiiiiiiing_commentary.txt'. 

 Portal 2 Coop
 Map: mp_coop_coopcrowd_fliiiiiiiiing
 Players: 2 (0 bots) / 2 humans
 Build: 4674
 Server Number: 2

 No pure server whitelist. sv_pure = 0
 SignalXWriteOpportunity(3)
 SignalXWriteOpportunity(3)
 Can't find factory for entity: wearable_item
 NULL Ent in UTIL_PrecacheOther
 ==== calling mapspawn.nut
 (69783512):Added listener class CPortalPlayerInventory
 (69783512):Added listener class CPortal_Player
 Weapon_portalgun has no owner when trying to upgrade!
 Receiving uncompressed update from server
 (69783512):Added listener class CPortalPlayerInventory
 (69783512):Added listener class C_Portal_Player

Joiner's log:

Portal 2 Coop
 Map: mp_coop_coopcrowd_fliiiiiiiiing
 Players: 2 (0 bots) / 2 humans
 Build: 4674
 Server Number: 4

 (69783512):Remove listener class C_Portal_Player
 (69783512):Remove listener class CPlayerInventory
 (51342196):Remove listener class C_Portal_Player
 (51342196):Remove listener class CPlayerInventory
 SignalXWriteOpportunity(3)
 No pure server whitelist. sv_pure = 0
 Missing map maps/mp_coop_coopcrowd_fliiiiiiiiing.bspmp_coop_coopcrowd_fliiiiiiiiing, disconnecting


 Host_Error: Disconnected

In the joiner's log, "maps/mp_coop_coopcrowd_fliiiiiiiiing.bspmp_coop_coopcrowd_fliiiiiiiiing" looks very suspect to me, like it's appending the map name after the bsp extension. And if it's trying to open that as a map, it would definitely give players a bit of grief. Still, I have no idea why it would be doing that...

So no ideas? I've uploaded the entire (hopefully) source here, including the "back to hub" script, and the disassembler room instance I made for it.

http://www.mediafire.com/?lotxu8t2vx282cg

Thanks for any help guys.

Well, I had a suggestion from a new friend (and personal hero now, for saving me from three months of torment) that the file name was too long. I shortened the name, and it seemed to work so I just have to ask...how long can the file name be, exactly? My shortest map that worked (mp_coop_omg_simple) was: 18 characters, but my next shortest (mp_coop_fliiiiiiiiing) was 21 characters and apparently was too long. I haven't seen anyone give an exact length, and was wondering if anyone knew of an exact length that you can't exceed?

12 characters