Wednesday, March 08, 2006

CoDUO: Broadsword Beta

Not my map, but one that I found interesting.

Labels: 2006, CallOfDuty

posted by Wuphon's at 9:44 AM (0 comments)

Wednesday, March 01, 2006

CoDUO: Key map debug commands

/devmap [mapname]
- Allows you to load a map in debug mode.

/cg_drawFPS 2
- Shows you additional information, such as the number of tris / vertices / primatives / entities visible at the moment.

/cg_drawshader 1
- Shows you the texture names under your crosshairs.

/r_showportals 1
- Draws the portal boundaries, allowing you to see how the map was sectioned out.

/r_showtris 2
- Draws the outlines of surfaces. Useful for seeing how finely an area was divided.

/r_showsurfcounts 1
- Shows the number of textures in use by a particular model.

/r_showtricounts 1
- Shows the number of triangles in use by a particular model. This is a good measure of model complexity.

Labels: 2006, CallOfDuty

posted by Wuphon's at 7:58 AM (0 comments)

Sunday, February 05, 2006

CoDUO: Alpha Town test shots

Just two screen shots from a bit of mapping I was doing where I was considering creating a central town for a map. The key idea was that there would be a river running up the middle of the city that tanks and vehicles could use as a travel path.

Here's the T34 in the canal. The water is 30u deep, which is about the maximum depth before you run into issues with players wading into it.


An overhead shot of the probable street locations. Two vehicle crossings with a foot bridge in the middle. You can see that the canal wall has been broken in two places to allow vehicles to exit the canal.



Mostly, this was an experimental map. I was experimenting with street sizes, how tall bridges needed to be, and whether a sewer system would work. One thing I found out with the sewers is that forcing the player to crouch-walk for more then 300-500u is boring. So I made the sewer tunnels tall enough that players could stand up inside and run/sprint.

I also did not understand patches or terrain meshes when I created this map. So everything was done with simple brushes. That gets to be a bit of a pain when you're trying to do more realistic terrain.

There's also the issue that I'm not sure how I would've portaled this map. I wanted players to be able to get up onto rooftops, which was going to be tricky with frame rates.

Labels: 2006, CallOfDuty

posted by Wuphon's at 8:30 PM (0 comments)

Friday, January 27, 2006

Call of Duty - United Offensive Links

Just recompiling my old blogs that have to do with CoD.

CoD Compass Bug fix
CoD - Interesting map projects
CoD:UO Stalingrad
CoD concept maps (towers)
CoD - Concept Map (underground storage)
CoD Mapping Links
CoD Texture Listing
CoD:UO screenshots (Foy)

Labels: 2006, CallOfDuty

posted by Wuphon's at 3:29 PM (0 comments)

Friday, November 05, 2004

CoD:UO Maps

Some mapping projects that I might look at for use on the clan's United Offensive server:

Office - Looks nice, sorta like an axis HQ.


Trenches - Trench warfare, could be hit or miss...

Abbey St. Juste - Could be a bit small.

Labels: CallOfDuty

posted by Wuphon's at 4:57 PM (0 comments)

Sunday, October 31, 2004

CoD:UO Tactics

Reverse Slope Defense - Mildly applicable to Call of Duty:UO, mostly in the lesson that you (as defenders) shouldn't set yourself up on the forward slope. But most maps in CoD:UO aren't big enough to have multiple ridges, so it's rare that you'll see this put into effect.

Index of articles available - a rather large list of articles.

Labels: CallOfDuty

posted by Wuphon's at 10:22 AM (0 comments)

Wednesday, October 13, 2004

CoD:UO Compass Fix

Okay, taking some stabs at a fix. Looking at the basic structure of every gametype GSC file (e.g. "maps\mp\gametypes\bas.gsc", "maps\mp\gametypes\dm.gsc", etc).

A) main() function always has the following (3) lines, identical for all game types:
CODE
if(!isDefined(game["compass_range"])) // set up the compass range.
game["compass_range"] = 1024;
setCvar("cg_hudcompassMaxRange", game["compass_range"]);

B) SpawnPlayer() function only contains the following (2) lines on the BAS/CTF/DOM gametype GSC files.
CODE
// make sure that the client compass is at the correct zoom specified by the level
self setClientCvar("cg_hudcompassMaxRange", game["compass_range"]);

C) All of the maps in UO also have GSC files (e.g. "maps\mp\mp_arnhem.gsc", "maps\mp\mp_foy.gsc"). In them, the main() function always has the following line, unless it's supposed to use the default 1024 units for the compass.
CODE
game["compass_range"] = 2816; //How far the compass is zoomed in


The bug seems to be comprised of two parts:

1) mp_cassino, mp_ponyri, mp_sicily and mp_uo_stanjel do not set a compass_range. Looking at the following map sizes:

Arnhem 6100x3800 (compass_range = 2816)
Berlin 8550x5550 (compass_range = 2816)
Cassino 7550x3850 (compass_range = NONE SET)
Foy 11250x18550 (compass_range = 6124)
Italy 14900x20100 (compass_range = 13000)
Kharkov 11050x17700 (compass_range = 6124)
Kursk 15650x20500 (compass_range = 13000)
Ponyri 14300x16000 (compass_range = NONE SET)
RhineValley 16550x21000 (compass_range = 12500)
Sicily 8850x7100 (compass_range = NONE SET)
Stanjel(UO) 5550x5500 (compass_range = NONE SET)

Brecourt - 8100x5900
Bocage - 8600x13200
Dawnville - 10500x6800

Ponyri should probably use a range of 12500, Sicily at 4096, Cassino and Stanjel at 2816. Simply adding the missing line (shown in part C above) will fix the issue for those (4) maps.

2) The old-style game types are missing the line shown in part B in their SpawnPlayer() function. Simply adding that missing line that sets the client-side cvar when the player spawns should fix the issue.

Labels: CallOfDuty

posted by Wuphon's at 10:52 AM (0 comments)

CoD:Compass Fix

Yes, and I *think* I have properly mod'd GSC files for the maps/gametypes affected. I've played through all combinations on my personal test server and it seems to work fine. However, I'm probably going to be out of town this weekend, so I don't have time to play test it extensively. It's even possible that the PK3 file is not pakscaped properly and there's no readme file yet.

Now, if I haven't driven you off yet, attached is a PK3 file that fixes the issue (or seems to). The fix is exceedingly trivial and I didn't get into anything advanced like adjusting the compass range for a particular gametype (BEL / HQ / SD / RE would all benefit from a slightly more focused compass).

The gory technical details are over at the CA Forums, but basically I've added lines to Ponyri, Cassino, Stanjel, and Sicily's GSC files, and patched up the SpawnPlayer() function in the old-style gametype GSC files.

Last night was the only night that I had to muck with it this week, so if it doesn't work I can't promise a fix until the middle of next week.

Labels: CallOfDuty

posted by Wuphon's at 8:53 AM (0 comments)

Saturday, October 09, 2004

CoD:UO Compass Bug

One of the more annoying bugs in Call of Duty: United Offensive is with the range scale on the compass that shows where you are in relation to teammates or objectives. On some maps, it's set to a pretty high value (13000) which lets you see where things are pretty far away (otherwise they cluster at the edge of the compass). Older maps which are much smaller use a tiny value like 1024 so that you can see individual markers for people in the same room.

Well, I spent most of the past week trying to learn how to fix the bug in the game's script files. I think I know what's going on, but I'll have to muck with it next week to see if I can implement a fix. Looks like it's simply error of omission, where they forgot to set range values on certain maps and some of the gametypes don't properly initialize the player's compass on the client side.

Labels: CallOfDuty

posted by Wuphon's at 10:09 AM (0 comments)

Friday, October 08, 2004

CoD:UO Compass Settings

The default range for all maps in UO is still 1024 units (I think that's the same as old CoD). Tried changing the cvar (cg_hudCompassMaxRange) for the compass when connected to a UO server, but it is flagged as read-only.

Only a few maps use a different value in UO. Look in the GSC files for those two maps for:

game["compass_range"] = 13000;

Here's the maps that I've found that override whatever the default is:

mp_arnhem - 2816
mp_berlin - 2816
mp_foy - 6124
mp_italy - 13000
mp_kharkov - 6124
mp_kursk - 13000
mp_rhinevalley - 12500

Notice that Ponyri does not have a default value! Which means that Ponyri is using a compass range of 1024 units, even for BAS/CTF/DOM.

Anyone know what would have to be done server-side to override or add new values to the game's GSC files? Or is it better to do a server-side mod that puts an upper limit on the compass size?

Or maybe someone knows where to change the default compass size setting?

So the current rules for compass range are:

1. defaults to 1024
2. Unless the map is one of the above
3. Gets reset to 1024 if the game type is BEL, DM, HQ, RE, SD, or TDM

That means on a map like Italy, all of the new types (BAS, CTF, DOM) will use a compass range of 13000 units, while any of the old game types end up with a compass range of 1024 units.

Labels: CallOfDuty

posted by Wuphon's at 10:51 AM (0 comments)

Friday, September 17, 2004

More CoD:UO screenshots

Base assault - this is an undamaged bunker.


Base assault - destroying the upper part of the bunker


Base assault - upper part destroyed, now you can gain access to the basement to blow it up.


Flame thrower vs tank.

Labels: CallOfDuty

posted by Wuphon's at 1:30 PM (0 comments)

Sunday, September 12, 2004

CoD Texture Listing

COD Textures - CHM Help File Compiled - 23MB, but shows all of the stock textures in a help file. Much easier then trying to page through the various textures.

File name is CODModelsAndTextures.zip, MD5 is EFFCF03ED400ABCE25520631AC27814D (in case you need to get it from somewhere other then FileFront).

Labels: CallOfDuty

posted by Wuphon's at 2:49 PM (0 comments)

Wednesday, September 08, 2004

CoD Mapping Links

Devmap mode - useful for exploring a multi-player level that you don't know, but you want to find out what textures were used.

1. Create a new link to the multi-player EXE file [ "C:\Program Files\Call of Duty\CoDMP.exe" +set thereisacow 1337 +set developer 1 +set sv_cheats 1 +set monkeytoy 0 + set com_introplayed 1 ]
2. Fire up the link, type \devmap mp_hurtgen and then \cg_drawshader 1.
3. Point your gun at a texture.

Bubba's Arena Mapping - level design, prefabs

MODsOnline tutorials - more short tutorials

IWNation forums (adding gametype models) - How to add in search and destroy locations, etc.

Labels: CallOfDuty

posted by Wuphon's at 1:40 PM (0 comments)

Tuesday, September 07, 2004

Call of Duty - Underground Storage

More mucking about in the CoDRadiant editor (oh, and the new expansion pack coming out on the 14th supposedly includes the base game). This is the 5th redesign of this concept. The basic idea is for a 2-level, underground combination of a mine shaft and underground bunkers/storage. The upper level will be concrete and steel (standard bunker fare) while the lower level will be more like a mine with cave-ins and dark passages. There will be a vent system allowing you to bypass rooms (players have to move through vents in a crouched position) or attack from above. And a sewer system to allow attacks from below.

The first four attempts were either scaled wrong, or got too big too quick, or the layout got way too confusing for players. So I've gone back and re-examined how the mp_rocket map from the original game was done and am basing a lot of my scale off of that map (prior to play testing). The mp_rocket map seems to have been laid out on a 32 unit grid (1 foot is somewhere between 12 units and 16 units). The textures on the interior walls is a light gray with dark gray lines running horizontally. The vertical distance between the dark gray lines is 32 units. Most corridors and rooms in mp_rocket are then around 96u high, with a few 128u high ceilings. Doorways are around 48-64u wide and 96u tall.

The bunker portion of the map will have 128u ceilings, but with crossbeams that lower clearances to 96u. All "people" doors are 64u wide at the moment, but will probably be shrunk to 56u or 48u as I go back and do the detail work. (The initial design is done on a 32u grid, sometimes stepping down to a 16u grid.) Any brushes inside the main blocks are usually tagged as detail brushes (interior walls, the support columns, the crossbeams, ladders, the murder hole walls).

Top view of the layout so far. The wallpaper-textured shaft is the central lift shaft which I haven't fleshed out yet. Upper right is a single-story storage room with simple columns for support. Lower right is a two-level storage room with cross-bracing between the columns. (Haven't decided which style I'm going to use, it may depend on how many brushes I end up with.)




Upper-right corridor and storage area. The "wallpaper" texture is a placeholder, representing the location of the central lift shaft. You'll see that there is a guard room with murder holes right at the lift shaft (to control that section of corridor). Easy enough to sneak below the windows, which is as designed. The map is being designed for either HQ or Domination, so I want lots of defendable spots, but also allow the attackers to flank around.





This is the other corridor (with the two-level storage area). The first shot is lookup towards the central lift shaft (wallpaper texture) showing the storage area entrance on the left and the guard area on the right. Near the lift shaft is a pile of boxes that can be climbed to get into a vent (bypassing the murder holes).






This stack of boxes hides the ladder down into the sewers from people in the corridors. It should be enough cover that you can come up the ladder and make a break for the two side corridors. Or it could be used as a defensive position covering the main corridor. Looking at the screenshots, that main corridor is quite long and is going to be a major battleground (or no man's land). I'll need to provide for ways around it as well as adding enough boxes or other items to provide cover.



Inside the one guard area showing the murder holes in the wall as well as temporary textures showing where beds will be.



Ramp leading down to the lower level storage area.



Tops of two of the ladders leading down into the sewers. The left image is in the back of the one guard area (with the beds) and also shows access to the vent system. The right image is on the upper level of the two-level storage area (allowing the player to access both levels of the storage area as well as the sewer).



Underground sewer area. I'm not completely satisfied with this so it will probably get redesigned (at least the interior detail brushes). I may rip it out and just put a simple 96x128 box in until I decide. The current interior is 80x128 (if you don't count the detail brushes). Besides, I still need to route the sewers and figure out where all of the exits will be. And that depends on what the final main layout looks like and where I need to allow flanking routes.

Labels: CallOfDuty

posted by Wuphon's at 10:06 AM (0 comments)

Sunday, July 18, 2004

Call of Duty Screenshots (multi-player)

Dawnville (Team Deathmatch)
This was something to see, there were around 18 players per team on this server (talk about a lagfest). The allies are flanking in from the right side (along the train tracks) and over-running the axis positions along the wall / road on the left side. It was a pretty well coordinated attack that quickly put the axis team on the run.



Pavlov (Team Deathmatch)
Same server, different game, I was trying out different video settings to see how well my framerate held up under intense fights (40+ players, lots of explosions, bullets and corpses).



Depot (Team Deathmatch)
The "Depot" map isn't really one of my favorites. It's rather small, somewhat constricted, and there are a ton of spots where you have to have eyes in the top and the back of your head. Having 40+ players in it really makes it seem crowded, and a well placed grenade can take out half a dozen players.

Labels: CallOfDuty

posted by Wuphon's at 9:49 AM (0 comments)

Saturday, July 17, 2004

Call of Duty Screenshots (single-player)

Screenshots from the single-player missions in Call of Duty.

Training Camp (obstacle course)


Burnville (ending speech)


Pegasus Day Mission (towards the end)

Labels: CallOfDuty

posted by Wuphon's at 1:37 PM (0 comments)