[[Image:simplemega_ingame.jpg|right|thumb|500px|A simple MegaTexture, easily created with only 3 texture layers!]]
So now that you've made [[A Simple First Terrain]], no doubt you'll want to apply a MegaTexture to it! This MegaTexture won't be as detailed or as attractive as an advanced MegaTexture, but will demonstrate the basics of creating a [[Surface Tree]], assigning textures, and compiling it all into a working MegaTexture file.

= Introduction =
'''For this tutorial you must:'''
* Have a terrain model UV-mapped in the 0-1 range (covered in the simple first terrain tutorial)
* Have access to some tiling textures.
* Have a little understanding the ETQW material system

If you don't have any of the above things, you are not ready to do this tutorial!

'''This tutorial covers:'''
* How to set up a MegaTexture material
* How to create a Surface Tree
* How to add texture nodes in the Terrain Editor
* How to render and compile a full MegaTexture

'''This tutorial does not cover:'''
* How to use Blender/Maya/Lightwave/ZBrush/Mudbox/3DSMax/Photoshop
* How to create tiling textures or heightmaps
* Anything overly complicated

= Creating a MegaTexture material =
Firstly you need to create a new material for your terrain to use. If you have never made a new material before, read the article on [[Adding Custom Textures]]. All you need to do is create (or use an existing) ''.mtr'' file and place a material declaration in it, in the manner shown here:
material megatextures/mapname { useTemplate megatextures/default_ambient< "mapname" > }

This material would automatically search for a MegaTexture called {{filename|mapname.mega}} in the {{filename|/megatextures/}} folder. This example material uses the ''"default_ambient"'' template, which expects a 3-channel RGB MegaTexture. These are generated by the default settings of the [[Generate a MegaTexture|MegaTexture tab in the SDK Launcher]].

Obviously you would want to use the actual name of your map instead of "mapname", for consistency's sake and ease of reference.

Remember that if you made a new ''.mtr'' file after the game or editor was started, you'll have to restart the whole game and editor before it will read your new file.

=== Assigning the material ===
You should assign the material you just created by naming a material in your 3D application and applying it to your terrain mesh, then export the model to your preferred format (LWO, ASE or OBJ).
Tips on this process can be found in the [[A Simple First Terrain|simple first terrain tutorial]].

= Creating the Surface Tree =
As described in the Simple First Terrain tutorial, terrain models are set up in the Terrain Editor, accessible via {{accelkey|shift}}{{accelkey|N}} in [[editWorld]]. This tool creates a Surface Tree file ({{filename|.sft}}) that contains all the information about the terrain, including roads, stamps, and detail texture information that MegaGen needs to generate a MegaTexture. The Surface Tree will be saved every time the map is saved, or any time you press the "Save and Unload" button in the Terrain Editor.
[[Image:simplemega_terrainmodel.png|thumb|300px|Root node set up to use the correct terrain mesh]]

=== Add the terrain mesh ===
Here's how you bring the terrain mesh into the surface tree:
* {{accelbtn|RMB}} on the left-hand pane, and choose ''New -> Tree'' via the menu.
** If you already have a Root node, click the "Begin Editing" button instead.
* Click on the Root node, and set {{keyname|Model}} to the name of the terrain mesh, in this case {{keyvalue|models/terrain/simpleterrain.obj}}.
* Press {{accelkey|enter}} to confirm the selection, and the terrain should appear in the 3D view.

Be aware that your terrain model will probably appear bright orange or red.
The console will probably give you a few WARNING messages, don't worry about these for now, this is because your Megatexture doesn't exist yet!

=== Important note about nodes ===
When you are editing properties of nodes (names, numbers, texture sources etc.) always remember to hit {{accelkey|enter}} after changing a value, to make sure that the value is stored. If you just type something in and then click somewhere else without pressing {{accelkey|enter}}, your changes may not be applied.
{{clear}}

== Create the first texture node ==
[[Image:simplemega_firstnode_diffuse.png|thumb|300px|The first texture node's diffuse texture properties]]
Now that the model is in place, you can start laying down the texture layers (or "nodes") that will make up your MegaTexture.

First you need to create a new Image Source node in the Terrain Editor.
* {{accelbtn|RMB}} on your "Root" node and choose ''New -> Image Source'' (or press {{accelkey|shift}}{{accelkey|i}})
* This will make a new node called "New Image Renderer". You can rename this using the "Name" property field in the '''Object''' section.

You will notice in the top right of the Terrain Editor, a section listing things like "Diffuse", "Distribution", "Distribution Pattern" etc. Selecting one of these will list all of the properties for that section of the current node.
The ones we need to worry about are as follows:

<big>'''Diffuse'''</big>
----
This is the colour map of the current node, and it should point to a tiling TGA texture.
* Make sure the Diffuse section is highlighted in the top right of the Terrain Editor.
* In the ''File Name'' field of the '''Image Properties''' section, browse to a generic tiling dirt texture. Remember to hit {{accelkey|enter}} afterwards!
** This example is using {{filename|textures/megagen/temperate/dirt_02_d.tga}}
* The ''Scale'' field at the very bottom of the property list allows you to choose how much to tile the texture.
** The default value is 1 1, but you don't want that since it will stretch your texture over the whole mesh, and look really blurry!
** Instead set the Scale to something like 48 48, this means that the texture will be repeated 48 times across each axis of the terrain. This results in a sharper final output.
That's all you need to do for the Diffuse settings in this node.

<big>'''Distribution'''</big>
----
This is how we control where the layer is drawn (ie. no grass underwater, no sand on angles over 60 degrees etc). It's basically a big mask where ''white = fully shown'' and ''black = fully hidden''.
* Make sure the Distribution section is highlighted in the top right.
* Since this is our first node, we want to show over the whole terrain. This means the distribution map should be 100% white.
* You can either assign a pure white TGA texture, or change the ''Source Type'' to ''geometryBased''.
** ''geometryBased'' will by default create a fully white map, so if you don't have a white TGA handy, this is faster.

<big>'''Distribution Pattern'''</big>
----
This controls how the current node blends into others. Usually this will be set to a tiling TGA heightmap texture that matches the Diffuse texture.
* We don't need a Distribution Pattern for the first node, since it doesn't blend with anything. Nodes on top of this one will need Distribution Patterns for more interesting and natural blends though!

<big>'''Local'''</big>
----
This is the normal-map of the current node. This should be a tiling TGA texture representing the local normal information of the matching Diffuse texture.
* Make sure the Local section is highlighted in the top right.
* In the ''File Name'' field of the '''Image Properties''' section, browse to the matching normal map for your tiling dirt texture.
** This example is using {{filename|textures/megagen/temperate/dirt_02_local.tga}}
* The Local texture's tiling amount is automatically the same as the Diffuse texture.

<big>'''Surface Type'''</big>
----
Your image nodes should all specify a surface type, so that when players walk over or shoot the surface, it gives the correct sound and particle effects.
* Find the ''Surface Type Properties'' section of the property list.
* In the '''Type''' field, enter ''dirt''. It should drop down a list of valid surface types as soon as you hit the first letter.
* Hit {{accelkey|enter}} to accept the surface type.

Your dirt textures will now produce correct "dirt" effects when shot or collided with!

<big>'''Previewing the result'''</big>
----
[[Image:simplemega_firstnode_preview.jpg|thumb|300px|The Render mode preview of the first node]]
Now we can easily check if this is all set up correctly. You should notice a little icon at the top left of your Terrain Editor which looks like this: [[Image:simplemega_previewbutton.png|MegaTexture Render Preview button]]

* Notice the drop-down arrow on the right of the button. Click it, and select ''"Full"'' instead of ''"None"''.
* Your terrain should change colour to black. This means it's ready for a preview to be rendered onto it.
* Click the button itself now, instead of the drop-down. An "Active Tasks" window should pop up, and when it's done, you should see your dirt texture appear on your terrain model.
* You can switch the camera to Render mode too, which will show your terrain model's shading better.
* If you want a full-resolution preview of a small area, choose ''"Window"'' instead of ''"Full"'' from the drop-down menu.
** This creates a small window that you can move around using {{accelbtn|LMB}}-drag in the XY Top view. Simply position the window where you want to preview the full-resolution MegaTexture, and hit the Render Preview button.

Now any time you add new nodes, or change a node's properties, you can just click the Render Preview button and the view will update with your changes.
{{clear}}

== Adding a second node ==
Now that the first layer of dirt is in place, we can try putting some grass on top of it!
* Again, {{accelbtn|RMB}} on your "Root" node and choose ''New -> Image Source'' (or press {{accelkey|shift}}{{accelkey|i}})
* This will make another new node below your "Dirt" node.
* Name this new node "Grass".

The Surface Tree hierarchy is rendered from the top down, so nodes ''above'' other nodes in the hierarchy will be rendered ''before'' the other nodes. So currently it'll be rendering our Dirt node, and then rendering the Grass node on top of the dirt.

Again, the main map types need to be specified before the node can be rendered:

<big>'''Diffuse'''</big>
----
* Make sure the Diffuse section is highlighted in the top right of the Terrain Editor.
* In the ''File Name'' field of the '''Image Properties''' section, browse to a generic tiling grass texture.
** This example is using {{filename|textures/megagen/temperate/grass_04_d.tga}}
* Again you will want to set the ''Scale'' value to something other than 1 1, to tile your texture. Let's use 32 32 for this one.

<big>'''Distribution'''</big>
----
This is important now, since we need to control where this layer is visible. Pure white won't work, since that'll just completely cover our underlying Dirt node!
* Make sure the Distribution section is highlighted in the top right.
* Change the "Source Type" from ''texture'' to ''geometryBased''.

'''Geometric Texture Distribution'''
----
[[Image:simplemega_geometric_distribution.png|thumb|300px|The geometric texture distribution settings of the second node]]
This is where it gets interesting! There are many settings to alter, and they can have a drastic effect on how different your terrain looks, so try playing around with different values if you're not happy with the initial results.

* '''Altitude Lower''' - Enabling this will limit the lower parts of the terrain from receiving this node's textures.
** '''Altitude Lower Value''' - The Z height in world units that the node will be drawn above. The default of 0 means that any parts of your terrain mesh below Z=0 will not show any of this node's textures.
** '''Fuzziness''' - The amount of blur applied to the mask. The higher the value, the more blurry the boundary.
* '''Altitude Upper''' - Enabling this will limit the higher parts of the terrain from receiving this node's textures.
** '''Altitude Upper Value''' - The Z height in world units that the node will be drawn below. The default of 0 means that any parts of your terrain mesh above Z=0 will not show any of this node's textures.
** '''Fuzziness''' - The amount of blur applied to the mask. The higher the value, the more blurry the boundary.

* '''Clamp Distribution To Edge''' - Leave this on Default.

* '''Resolution''' - The size in pixels of the resulting mask. The default value of 256 is fine for nearly any terrain model.

* '''Slope Lower''' - Enabling this will limit shallower angles of the terrain model from receiving this node's textures.
** '''Slope Lower Value''' - The angle in degrees that the node will be drawn past. The default angle of 0 will result in no change to your mask.
** '''Fuzziness''' - The amount of blur applied to the mask. The higher the value, the more blurry the boundary.
* '''Slope Upper''' - Enabling this will limit the steeper angles of the terrain model from receiving this node's textures. This is great for masking out cliffs from your nodes.
** '''Slope Upper Value''' - The angle in degrees that the node will be hidden past. The default angle of 0 will result in a fully black mask.
** '''Fuzziness''' - The amount of blur applied to the mask. The higher the value, the more blurry the boundary.

The settings you use for each of these will vary depending on your terrain model, and the type of node you're making. For our Grass node, you can see the settings used for this example in the screenshot above on the right.
{{clear}}

<big>'''Distribution Pattern'''</big>
----
[[Image:simplemega_dist_ramps.jpg|thumb|300px|The difference between using or not using a Distribution Pattern, and varying Ramp Widths]]
This controls how the the grass will blend into the dirt. If you don't have a Distribution Pattern texture, the grass will just slowly fade into the dirt, which doesn't look very natural!
So what we want here is a texture to identify the "height" of the areas of grass. This means that the dirt can blend in based on the height of each clump of grass, so instead of a smooth fade you will get a more natural blend between the grass and the dirt.

If you examine the screenshot to the right, you can see what effect a good Distribution Pattern can have - when the node is rendered with no Distribution Pattern, the blend between the nodes is a simple smooth gradient, which does not look very natural at all. You can also see the difference that the '''Ramp Width''' value makes - this is a very powerful value, so experiment with it until you really understand the effect it has!

* Make sure the Distribution Pattern section is highlighted in the top right.
* In the ''File Name'' field of the '''Image Properties''' section, browse to the matching heightmap or mask for your tiling grass texture.
** This example is using {{filename|textures/megagen/temperate/grass_04_mask.tga}}
* The ''Ramp Width'' should be set to a value lower than the default of 1, since this causes a very blurry blend, which is usually not what you want. Try a value of 0.25 and re-render the preview - try a "Window" preview as described earlier to get a full-resolution preview where you can really see the blend working.
* '''Important!''' You will also need to set the ''Distribution Pattern Texture Scale'' to the same value as the Diffuse Scale, in this case we just use 32 32 again.
{{clear}}

<big>'''Local'''</big>
----
Again we want the normal-map which matches the diffuse texture for the grass.
* Make sure the Local section is highlighted in the top right.
* In the ''File Name'' field of the '''Image Properties''' section, browse to the matching normal map for your tiling grass texture.
** This example is using {{filename|textures/megagen/temperate/grass_04_local.tga}}

<big>'''Surface Type'''</big>
----
Again, you need to specify a surface type, so that when players walk over or shoot the surface, it gives the correct sound and particle effects.
* Find the ''Surface Type Properties'' section of the property list.
* In the '''Type''' field, enter ''grass''. It should drop down a list of valid surface types as soon as you hit the first letter.
* Hit {{accelkey|enter}} to accept the surface type.

Your grass textures should now produce correct "grass" effects when shot or collided with!

<big>'''Preview again!'''</big>
----
[[Image:simplemega_secondnode_preview.jpg|thumb|300px|The Render mode preview of the second node blended with the first node]]
Now that's all set up, you can hit the Render Preview ([[Image:simplemega_previewbutton.png|MegaTexture Render Preview button]]) button again and see what effect the new Grass node has.
If it's being distributed into the wrong places, you can go back into your Distribution settings and tweak the values for the ''geometryBased'' settings. Then you can preview again until it looks right.
{{clear}}

== Adding a third node ==
[[Image:simplemega_thirdnode_preview.jpg|thumb|300px|The Render mode preview of the third node blended with the other two nodes]]
Now that the grass and dirt are in place, we need some rocks to make the terrain look more natural.
* Again, {{accelbtn|RMB}} on your "Root" node and choose ''New -> Image Source'' (or press {{accelkey|shift}}{{accelkey|i}})
* This will make another new node below your "Grass" node.
* Name this new node "Rock".

Again, the main map types need to be specified before the node can be rendered:

<big>'''Diffuse'''</big>
----
* In the ''File Name'' field of the '''Diffuse''' section, browse to a generic tiling rock texture.
** This example is using {{filename|textures/megagen/temperate/rock_01_d.tga}}
* Set the ''Scale'' value to 32 32.

<big>'''Distribution'''</big>
----
Again we can use Geometric Texture Distribution to easily apply the rock textures only to the cliff-like angles.
* Make sure the Distribution section is highlighted in the top right.
* Change the "Source Type" from ''texture'' to ''geometryBased''.
* To make the rock texture only appear on near vertical surfaces, set the ''Slope Lower Value'' to 23, and the ''Fuzziness'' of Slope Lower to 0.05

<big>'''Distribution Pattern'''</big>
----
Again this will control how the the rocks blend into the other nodes. Again, we want a texture to identify the "height" of the tiling rock texture.

* Make sure the Distribution Pattern section is highlighted in the top right.
* In the ''File Name'' field of the '''Image Properties''' section, browse to the matching heightmap or mask for your tiling rock texture.
** This example is using {{filename|textures/megagen/temperate/rock_01_h.tga}}
* The ''Ramp Width'' should be set to a value much lower than the default of 1, since this causes a very blurry blend, which is not natural for rocks blending with dirt. Try a value of 0.1 here, then render a "Window" preview to see how the blending looks.
* Remember to set the ''Distribution Pattern Texture Scale'' to the same value as the Diffuse Scale, 32 32.

<big>'''Local'''</big>
----
Again we want the normal-map which matches the diffuse texture for the rocks.
* In the ''File Name'' field of the '''Local''' section, browse to the matching normal map for your tiling rock texture.
** This example is using {{filename|textures/megagen/temperate/rock_01_local.tga}}

<big>'''Surface Type'''</big>
----
* Find the ''Surface Type Properties'' section of the property list.
* In the '''Type''' field, enter ''stone''.
* Hit {{accelkey|enter}} to accept the surface type.

Your rock textures should now produce correct "stone" effects when shot or collided with.

<big>'''Preview again!'''</big>
----
Now that the rocks are set up, you can hit the Render Preview ([[Image:simplemega_previewbutton.png|MegaTexture Render Preview button]]) button again and see what effect the new Rock node has.

== Further tweaks ==
There are other simple changes that can be done in the Terrain Editor to make your MegaTexture look even better.

<big>'''Node order'''</big>
----
[[Image:simplemega_node_order.png|frame|Click and drag a node to change the order]]
You may notice, if you look carefully at the blends between the rock and grass nodes, that some areas of the MegaTexture appear to show the rock texture ''on top'' of the grass! This doesn't look very natural, and it's happening because of the node order.

Since the Rock node is below the Grass node, it will always be rendered on top of the grass. However, there is an easy way to fix this! In the node list of the Terrain Editor, you can click and drag any node to move it above or below existing nodes.

* {{accelbtn|LMB}}-drag the Rock node and move it up in the list until you see a black bar appear between the Dirt and Grass nodes, as shown on the right.
* Release {{accelbtn|LMB}} when you have positioned the node in the correct place.
* With the Rock node now positioned between the Dirt and Grass nodes, the grass will appear on top of the rocks as well as the dirt, which looks much more natural!

<big>'''Color changes'''</big>
----
Maybe your dirt texture is too bright? Or maybe your grass looks a little ''too'' green?
You can easily fix this from the Terrain Editor itself! No need to create a new image every time you want to tweak the color or brightness, you can set this up on a per-node basis.

Let's say you want to make the dirt texture darker and a bit more red. Here's how you'd do it:
* Select your Dirt node.
* Look under the ''Color Properties'' area in the property list, and {{accelbtn|LMB}} on the '''Color''' swatch (next to where it says 1 1 1, which is white).
* A color wheel and brightness slider will pop up in a new window. You can use this to darken and tint your texture.
* Choose a darker brightness, and a color slightly towards red. I used '''RGB Values''' of 225, 220, 220.
* Hit ''OK'' to accept the color.
* Re-render your MegaTexture preview. You should notice that the dirt layer looks darker now!

<big>'''Texture rotation'''</big>
----
If you're building up a lot of layers of tiling textures, it can sometimes become obvious when a texture tiles in a particular direction. You may see repeating patterns extending into the distance when looking in particular directions, especially if all your nodes have the same orientation.

An easy way to overcome this is to play with the ''Rotation'' value in the Texture Properties section of the Terrain Editor's property list.
For each node, you should also set the ''Distribution Pattern Texture Rotation'' to match the Rotation value if you want your distribution patterns to line up and work correctly.

= Render the MegaTexture =
=== Save the Surface Tree ===
Once you're happy with how the preview looks in the editor, you should make sure that your final Surface Tree is saved. Either click the "Save and Unload" button in the Terrain Editor, or save the whole map.

=== Compile Only Entities ===
At this stage, your MegaTexture material is still technically "broken", since no ''.mega'' file exists yet. This means that if you try to compile the map, it'll take ages to process the terrain model, since it treats it as a regular model rather than the special case of terrain. Not only will this waste 5-10 minutes of your time, but it'll also produce a broken map.

However, we need to compile the map in order to tell the [[renderLight]] process which atmosphere to use when lighting the MegaTexture!

So the solution is to do an '''Only Entities''' compile. You can find this in the menu ''Compile -> 2 - Only Entities'' in editWorld. This should be done in a few seconds, and compiles all the information that renderLight needs.

Bear in mind that this compile process will not produce a playable map, so you will have to do a full recompile once the MegaTexture is fully rendered.

=== Run the SDK Launcher ===
Now that your ''.sft'' is saved, go through all the steps outlined in the [[Generate a MegaTexture]] tutorial.

= That's it! =
[[Image:simplemega_ingame.jpg|thumb|300px|The MegaTexture in-game!]]
You've now created your very own MegaTexture to use in your map!

Before you even compile the map, you can get an accurate preview of how it will look in-game by pressing {{accelkey|F6}} to toggle "anim" mode while in editWorld's "RENDER" Camera view (toggled with {{accelkey|F3}}).
{{clear}}

= Troubleshooting =
If your terrain model still shows as red even after you've compiled the MegaTexture, there are a couple of things you should check first:
* See if the console gives you any warnings about missing ''.stm'' files. If this is the case, you probably forgot to assign any Surface Types to your texture nodes. Double-check them and make sure it's all set up correctly.
* Make sure there aren't any spelling mistakes or typos in your ''.mtr'' material file. The 2nd part of the material should have exactly the same name as your map (the ''< "mapname" >'' part described in [[A Simple First Megatexture#Creating a MegaTexture material|this section]]), otherwise it will not be searching for the correct images.
* Make sure there aren't any spelling mistakes in your ''.rlt'' file (as described in [[RenderLight|this article]]). If any of the names are inconsistent, the Megatexture will not have been compiled fully.

If your map compile is taking ages (ie. over 2-3 minutes for a 32,000 triangle terrain model) then it's probably because the MegaTexture material is broken. Double-check the issues listed above, and make sure you have run the {{consolecmd|reloaddecls}} console command if you changed any ''.mtr'' or ''.rlt'' files.

If your ''.mega'' and ''.stm'' files definitely exist, in the right folders, try closing and re-opening the ''.world'' file in editWorld. This should load and display the MegaTexture properly.

= See Also =
* [[An Advanced Terrain and Megatexture]] - an advanced guide for complete MegaTexture creation
* [[Generate a MegaTexture]] - steps for generating a MegaTexture from the SDK launcher.

[[Category:Art]]
[[Category:Basic Level Design]]
[[Category:Tutorials]]

2007-12-12T16:38:14Z

MoP:

File:Simplemega thirdnode preview.jpg

2007-12-12T16:29:15Z

MoP:

A Simple First Megatexture

2007-12-12T14:17:00Z

2007-12-11T17:38:46Z

MoP: /* Terrain Editing */

__NOTOC__

Welcome to the Enemy Territory: QUAKE Wars section. Here you'll find a variety of reference documentation and tutorials related to editing ETQW, along with links to the SDK. To learn more about Enemy Territory: QUAKE Wars, visit [http://www.enemyterritory.com www.enemyterritory.com].

==Software Development Kit==

The Enemy Territory: QUAKE Wars Software Development kit is currently in BETA. A list of download locations is [http://community.enemyterritory.com/index.php?q=node/210 available here].

==Tutorials==
{| width="100%"
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{| style="border: 1px solid #AAAAAA;" width="100%"
| style="border-bottom: 1px solid #AAAAAA;" |
=== Basics ===
|-
|
* '''[[A Simple First Map]]''' - a step-by-step guide towards making a simple map.
* '''[[A Simple Second Map]]''' - a second step-by-step guide.
* '''[[Taking A Screenshot]]''' - Settings and options for making a great screenshot!

|-
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=== Terrain ===
|-
|
* '''[[A Simple First Terrain]]''' - a step-by-step guide for terrains.
* '''[[A Simple First Megatexture]]''' - a step-by-step guide for basic Megatextures.
* '''[[Making a Terrain Model]]''' - more detailed guide for terrain meshes.
* '''[[An Advanced Terrain and Megatexture]]''' - a comprehensive guide for making detailed terrain models with Megatextures.
|-
|}
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{| style="border: 1px solid #AAAAAA;" width="100%"
| style="border-bottom: 1px solid #AAAAAA;" |

=== Vehicles ===
|-
|
* '''[[Vehicle Tutorial]]''' - The whole thing! Click below for smaller segments.
** '''[[Vehicle Tutorial Part 1|Step 1]]''' - Design considerations, before you do anything else!
** '''[[Vehicle Tutorial Part 2|Step 2]]''' - Initial rough model, rig and basic script.
** '''[[Vehicle Tutorial Part 3|Step 3]]''' - More advanced rig and scripting.
** '''[[Vehicle Tutorial Part 4|Step 4]]''' - Further technical setup ideas.
|-
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=== Models & Textures ===
|-
|
* '''[[Adding Custom Textures]]''' - Create materials to add your own custom textures to the game.
* '''[[Making A Normal Map]]''' - Using Renderbump to generate a bump-map from a high-poly model.
|-
|}
|}

==Script & Code==
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=== Coding ===
|-
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* '''[[Windows Code Notes]]''' - General information about compiling on Windows.
* '''[[Linux Code Notes]]''' - General information about compiling on Linux systems.
* '''[[Generating Compiled Scripts]]''' - Information on building a compiledscript DLL.
|-
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=== Declarations ===
|-
|
* '''[[Materials]]''' - All you need to know about material declarations.
* '''[[Templates]]''' - Setting up templates to save time and effort.
* '''[[Surface Types]]''' - Available surface types for particle & sound effects.
* '''[[Skins]]''' - Easily switch textures on surfaces.
|-
| style="border-bottom: 1px solid #AAAAAA;" |

=== Vehicle Scripting ===
|-
|
* '''[[Vehicle Scripting: Basic_Overview|Basic Overview]]''' - Introduction to vehicle setup.
* '''[[Vehicle Scripting: Entity_Definition|Entity Definition]]''' - One definition to rule them all!
* '''[[Vehicle Scripting: Vehicle_Definition|Vehicle Definition]]''' - Introduction to the ''.vscript'' file.
* '''[[Vehicle Scripting: Positions_&_Views|Positions & Views]]''' - Configuring player positions & camera views.
* '''[[Vehicle Scripting: Components|Components]]''' - Details of various vehicle components.
* '''[[Vehicle Scripting: Weapons|Weapons]]''' - Things that go boom!
* '''[[Vehicle Scripting: IK|IK]]''' - Inverse Kinematics & you...
* '''[[Vehicle Scripting: Cockpits|Cockpits]]''' - Cockpit setup.
|-
|}
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{| style="border: 1px solid #AAAAAA;" width="100%"
| style="border-bottom: 1px solid #AAAAAA;" |
=== Entity Scripting ===
|-
|
* '''[[EntityClass:Overview|Classes]]''' - Tree of entity types.
* '''[[ScriptEvent:List|Events]]''' - List of all script events.
* '''[[Scripting:Examples|Examples]]''' - Some example walkthoughs of building up a scripted entity.
* '''[[Script:Files|Script Files]]''' - List of the script files used by the game.
|-
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=== GUIs ===
|-
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* '''[[GUIs|GUI Overview]]''' - Overview of the GUI system.
* '''[[GUIs: Event Based Scripting|Event Based Scripting]]''' - GUIs are event-based.
* '''[[GUIs: Materials|Materials]]''' - Using materials in GUIs.
* '''[[GUIs: Transitions|Transitions]]''' - Transitions.
* '''[[GUIs: Templates|Templates]]''' - Using templates in GUIs.
* '''[[GUIs: List Enumeration|List Enumeration]]''' - List enumerations.
* '''[[GUIs: Properties|Properties]]''' - Player/Global properties and more.
* '''[[GUIs: Timelines|Timelines]]''' - GUI timelines.
* '''[[GUIs: Layouts|Layouts]]''' - Window layouts.
* '''[[Reference (GUIs)|Reference]]''' - GUI reference.
|-
|}
|}

==Design==
{| width="100%"
| width="50%" valign="top" |
{| style="border: 1px solid #AAAAAA;" width="100%"
| style="border-bottom: 1px solid #AAAAAA;" |
=== The Basics ===
|-
|
* '''[[A Simple First Map]]''' - step-by-step guide towards making a simple map
* '''[[A Simple Second Map]]''' - step-by-step guide towards making a simple map
* '''[[A Simple First Terrain]]''' - step-by-step guide creating a simple terrain
* '''[[An Advanced Map]]''' - includes terrain
* '''[[Design: How do I|How do I ...?]]''' - Common and useful tasks
* '''[[Map Troubleshooting]]''' - Common problems and fixes
----
* '''[[Brush Basics]]'''
* '''[[Entity Basics]]'''
* '''[[Lighting Basics]]'''
* '''[[Portal Basics]]'''
----
* '''[[Common Textures]]'''
* '''[[Decals]]'''
* '''[[Editor Groups]]'''
* '''[[Map Objects]]'''
* '''[[References]]'''
* '''[[Sound]]'''
* '''[[Texturesheets]]'''
* '''[[Water]]'''
----
* '''[[Ambient Light Editor]]'''
* '''[[Atmosphere Editor]]'''
* '''[[Texture Editor]]'''
|-
|}
| width="50%" valign="top" |
{| style="border: 1px solid #AAAAAA;" width="100%"
| style="border-bottom: 1px solid #AAAAAA;" |

=== Advanced Stuff ===
|-
|
* '''[[Batches]]'''
* '''[[Deployables]]'''
* '''[[Detail Groups]]'''
* '''[[Developer cheats]]'''
* '''[[List of Entities]]''' - Descriptions for all entities
* '''[[LOD Groups]]'''
* '''[[Locations]]'''
* '''[[Model Instancing]]'''
* '''[[Occlusion Tests]]'''
* '''[[Performance Optimizations]]'''
* '''[[Surface Tree]]'''
* '''[[Surface Types]]'''
* '''[[Terrain Editing]]'''
* '''[[Terrain Editor]]'''
* '''[[Vehicle Route Constraint System]]'''
|-
|}
|}

==Art==
{| width="100%"
| width="50%" valign="top" |
{| style="border: 1px solid #AAAAAA;" width="100%"
| style="border-bottom: 1px solid #AAAAAA;" |
=== Models ===
|-
|
* '''[[In-Game Models]]''' - Making models for use in the engine.
* '''[[Collision Meshes]]''' - Optimized models for in-game physics collision.
* '''[[High-Poly Models]]''' - Making source models for baking normal maps.
* '''[[Renderbump]]''' - Create normal maps from high-poly geometry.
* '''[[Imposters]]''' - Sprites used for rendering complex models cheaply at a distance.
|-
| style="border-bottom: 1px solid #AAAAAA;" |

=== Animation ===
|-
|
* '''[[MD5 Export Process]]''' - How to export an animated MD5.
* '''[[Vehicle Setup]]''' - How to set up a vehicle.
|-
| style="border-bottom: 1px solid #AAAAAA;" |
=== Textures ===
|-
|
* '''[[Basic Texture Overview]]''' - Supported texture types and implementations.
* '''[[Texturesheets]]''' - Overview of what texturesheets are, and when to use them.
* '''[[The Atlas Editor]]''' - Create environment texture sheets to improve performance.
* '''[[RenderBumpFlat]]''' - Create normal-maps from high-poly geometry.
* '''[[Detail Textures]]''' - Add high-frequency detail to your textures.
|-
|}
| width="50%" valign="top" |
{| style="border: 1px solid #AAAAAA;" width="100%"
| style="border-bottom: 1px solid #AAAAAA;" |
=== Terrain Editing ===
|-
|
* '''[[A Simple First Terrain]]''' - Simple steps to creating a terrain-based map.
* '''[[A Simple First Megatexture]]''' - Following on from the Simple First Terrain tutorial.
* '''[[Generate a MegaTexture]]''' - Render and compile your Megatexture.
* '''[[An Advanced Terrain and Megatexture]]''' - A detailed guide to making a realistic, natural terrain and Megatexture.
* '''[[Terrain Editor|EditWorld's Terrain Editor]]''' - Set up a Surface Tree for your Megatexture.
* '''[[Making a Terrain Model]]''' - All aspects of terrain mesh creation including Out-of-Bounds geometry.
* '''[[Water Surfaces#Water Models|Water Surfaces]]''' - Create water to go with your landscape.
* '''[[STUFF System]]''' - Procedurally distribute models over your terrain mesh.
|-
| style="border-bottom: 1px solid #AAAAAA;" |

=== Atmospheres and Effects ===
|-
|
* '''[[Atmosphere Editor|The Atmosphere Editor]]''' - Create and edit atmospheres for your map.
* '''[[Ambient Light Editor|The Ambient Light Editor]]''' - Create and edit ambient light setups.
* '''[[Environment Maps]]''' - Used for reflection effects.
* '''[[Water Surfaces]]''' - Creating water effects.
* '''[[Effects Editor|The Effects Editor]]''' - Create and edit particle effects.
* '''[[Cheap Decals]]''' - Bulletholes and other collision decals.
|-
|}
|}

Enemy Territory: QUAKE Wars

2007-12-11T17:22:58Z

2007-12-11T14:09:52Z

MoP: line break

A skybox is a set of images used to create an exterior sky. These can be added to an atmosphere using the [[Atmosphere Editor]].<includeonly>

{{main|Skybox}}</includeonly><noinclude>
__NOEDITSECTION__
= Creating A Sky Box =
== Make The Image ==
* Create a sky image that tiles horizontally. Make it 4 times wider than it is high (eg. 2048x512).
* Save the image as {{filename|/base/atmosphere/skies/<mapname>.tga}}.

== Convert The Image To a Skybox ==
Launch the game using the SDK Launcher to make sure your save paths are set up correctly (if you don't, it will output the files to the base ETQW folder rather than your mod directory).

Then you can use the {{consolecmd|halfSphereToSkybox}} console command to convert your image into a distortion-free skybox that can be used by the game.
* For example, type {{consolecmd|halfSphereToSkybox atmosphere/skies/<mapname>}}
* This will output {{filename|<mapname>_side.tga}} and {{filename|<mapname>_top.tga}} images into the same folder.
Here is an example showing what happens to your source image to get the skybox textures:
[[Image:skybox_conversion.jpg|Before and after converting a skybox image]]

== Create A Material ==
Create a material for your new skybox. These are very simple since they're set up from a template. In general these materials are stored in {{filename|/base/materials/atmospheres/skydomes.mtr}}.
Example material:
// used by ''<mapname>''
material atmospheres/skydomes/''<mapname>'' {
useTemplate material/skybox< "highquality atmosphere/skies/''<mapname>''" >
}
Save the material file and type {{consolecmd|reloadDecls}} in the console to load the updated material.
Your sky material should now be available to choose in the "Layer Material" section of the "Skydome & Clouds" tab of the [[Atmosphere Editor]].

[[Category:Art]]
[[Category:Level Design]]
</noinclude>

Skybox

2007-12-11T14:09:34Z

MoP: launch with SDK launcher so the paths are correct

A skybox is a set of images used to create an exterior sky. These can be added to an atmosphere using the [[Atmosphere Editor]].<includeonly>

{{main|Skybox}}</includeonly><noinclude>
__NOEDITSECTION__
= Creating A Sky Box =
== Make The Image ==
* Create a sky image that tiles horizontally. Make it 4 times wider than it is high (eg. 2048x512).
* Save the image as {{filename|/base/atmosphere/skies/<mapname>.tga}}.

== Convert The Image To a Skybox ==
Launch the game using the SDK Launcher to make sure your save paths are set up correctly (if you don't, it will output the files to the base ETQW folder rather than your mod directory).
Then you can use the {{consolecmd|halfSphereToSkybox}} console command to convert your image into a distortion-free skybox that can be used by the game.
* For example, type {{consolecmd|halfSphereToSkybox atmosphere/skies/<mapname>}}
* This will output {{filename|<mapname>_side.tga}} and {{filename|<mapname>_top.tga}} images into the same folder.
Here is an example showing what happens to your source image to get the skybox textures:
[[Image:skybox_conversion.jpg|Before and after converting a skybox image]]

== Create A Material ==
Create a material for your new skybox. These are very simple since they're set up from a template. In general these materials are stored in {{filename|/base/materials/atmospheres/skydomes.mtr}}.
Example material:
// used by ''<mapname>''
material atmospheres/skydomes/''<mapname>'' {
useTemplate material/skybox< "highquality atmosphere/skies/''<mapname>''" >
}
Save the material file and type {{consolecmd|reloadDecls}} in the console to load the updated material.
Your sky material should now be available to choose in the "Layer Material" section of the "Skydome & Clouds" tab of the [[Atmosphere Editor]].

[[Category:Art]]
[[Category:Level Design]]
</noinclude>

Necessary map declarations

2007-12-11T12:19:16Z

MoP: one as

{{first etqwmap toc}}
== Materials ==

Here is a list of materials for assets created later on. Simply copy the text from the boxs below and save to {{filename|materials/yourmapname.mtr}} Don't forget to find/replace 'etqwmap' with yourmapname.

This is needed for some codey reason.

#include <materials/commandmaps.include>

These are the megatexture materials. They look pretty as they use a template.

material megatextures/etqwmap { useTemplate megatextures/default_ambient_spec< "etqwmap" > }
material megatextures/etqwmap_noshadows { useTemplate megatextures/default_ambient_spec_noshadows< "etqwmap" > }

These are the command map materials. One for the regular command map, one for out of bounds.

material commandmaps/etqwmap
{
templates/game/maps/cmMap( "commandmaps/etqwmap.tga" )
}

material commandmaps/etqwmap_oob
{
templates/game/maps/cmMap( "commandmaps/etqwmap_oob.tga" )
}

These are the territory materials.

material commandmaps/etqwmap_territory_01 {
templates/game/maps/cmIcon( makealpha( commandmaps/etqwmap/etqwmap_ter01.tga ) )
}

material commandmaps/etqwmap_territory_02 {
templates/game/maps/cmIcon( makealpha( commandmaps/etqwmap/etqwmap_ter02.tga ) )
}

material commandmaps/etqwmap_territory_03 {
templates/game/maps/cmIcon( makealpha( commandmaps/etqwmap/etqwmap_ter03.tga ) )
}

material commandmaps/etqwmap_territory_04 {
templates/game/maps/cmIcon( makealpha( commandmaps/etqwmap/etqwmap_ter04.tga ) )
}

material commandmaps/etqwmap_territory_05 {
templates/game/maps/cmIcon( makealpha( commandmaps/etqwmap/etqwmap_ter05.tga ) )
}

The level shot (loading screen image) material.

material levelshots/etqwmap {
sort gui
{
blend blend
vertexColor
map nopicmip clamp "levelshots/etqwmap"
}
}

The material for the small thumbnail of your map.

material levelshots/thumbs/etqwmap {
sort gui
{
blend blend
vertexColor
map nopicmip clamp "levelshots/thumbs/etqwmap"
}
}

== Definitions ==

Here are the map definitions needed for a functioning map. Save these to def/yourmapname.def

#include "def/pathfinder.include"

heightMap heightmaps/etqwmap {
heightMap "heightmaps/etqwmap.tga"
}

deployMask masks/etqwmap/mcp {
mask "masks/etqwmap/mcp.tga"
}

deployMask masks/etqwmap/default {
mask "masks/etqwmap/default.tga"
}

deployMask masks/etqwmap/mcp_route {
mask "masks/etqwmap/mcp_route.tga"
}

deployMask masks/etqwmap/playzone {
mask "masks/etqwmap/playzone.tga"
}

stringMap pathfinder_etqwmap {
_pathfinder_default( "etqwmap", 20 )
"playzone_0" "etqwmap_playzone_path_and_heightmap"
"resolution_x_playzone_0" "1280"
"resolution_y_playzone_0" "1280"
"mg_resolution_x_playzone_0" "1280"
"mg_resolution_y_playzone_0" "1280"
}

[[Category:Basic Level Design]]

A Simple First Megatexture

2007-12-11T12:18:07Z

MoP:

A Simple First Megatexture

2007-12-11T12:11:02Z

MoP:

A Simple First Megatexture

2007-12-11T12:07:04Z

MoP:

MegaGen

2007-12-11T10:51:21Z

MoP: swapped incorrect headings around

MegaGen is the in-game tool for generating uncompressed, un-lit [[MegaTexture]] tiles. It loads a [[Surface Tree]], analyses the nodes and texture layers, and renders out sets of 4096x4096 pixel diffuse and local normal-map textures.<includeonly>

{{main|MegaGen}}</includeonly><noinclude>

Output files can be found in the base game folder under ''maps/<mapname>_x_y.tga'', where x and y denote the tile number (0,0 being top left).

= MegaBuild Options =
*Resolution - the final [[MegaTexture]]'s width and height in pixels.
** Same as '''-r <resolution>''' on the command line
*Render hidden nodes - this will render all nodes, even if they're hidden by the designer
** Same as '''-renderHidden''' on the command line

= Memory Cache =
* '''st_imageCacheSize''' - amount of system RAM used for caching textures. The bigger this is, the faster compiles will go.
**32-bit EXEs should only use up to around 1.5GB or so (1536).
**64-bit EXEs can use up to around 7GB (7168) (This is on a machine with 8GB of memory, more could be used if more is available. Safe bet is to use at least a GB less than there is physical memory available).

= Video Cache =
* '''st_imageCacheVidMemSize''' - amount of video RAM used for caching textures. This shouldn't be more than half of your card's RAM.

[[Category:Art]]
[[Category:Level Design]]
</noinclude>

Portal Basics

2007-12-11T10:36:52Z

MoP: /* Developer Commands */ r_useportals not t_useportals

'''Portals are not teleporters!'''

Portals are used to reduce the amount of work the renderer has to do. In essence, a portal is a window into an area of a map; if the renderer can not see a portal into an area of the map, it knows the area behind the portal can not be seen by the player either, and therefore does not need to render it. Similarly, if the player is very far from the portal, such that it only uses a few pixels on the screen, the renderer knows it's not worth rendering the area behind it.

The important thing to understand is that portals are only useful when used to distinguish separate areas, and when the area they hide is complex enough to make it worth not rendering. Hence portals are usually created in doorways or entryways that are crucial for the player to get from one part of the map to another.

There are several types of portals. 'Visportals' are the most basic and simply won't render the area behind it when it itself isn't on-screen (or is too small to be considered worth rendering). Other portals are used to control the flow of light and to alter the ambient lighting within the different interior sections of maps. However, all portals are created in the same way and follow the same basic rules.

== Creating a portal ==
A portal is created by assigning all but one face of a brush the [[Common Textures#common/nodraw|nodraw]] texture. The remaining face should be given the portal texture ([[Common Textures#common/visportal|visportal]], [[Common Textures#common/outsideportal|outsideportal]], or [[Common Textures|otherwise]].) The face with the chosen portal should cut completely through the area to be portalled - that is, the portal-textured face should touch ceiling, floor, and walls on both sides. Usually, this means portals are rectangular.

[[Image:Portals_goodbad.jpg|frame|none|How to set up a simple portal correctly.]]

It is also important to note that '''portals must completely seal areas from each other'''. So if you have two rooms joined by three doorways, if you add a portal to one doorway, you need to add a portal to the other two doorways as well. In other words, it should be impossible to look at one side of a portal and then look at the other side without needing to pass through a portal to do so.

== Portal types ==

=== visportal ===
* Texture: <tt>[[Common Textures#editor/visportal|/editor/visportal]]</tt>

The most common portal, used to hide areas of a map that should not be rendered when the portal is not in view. Note how the green visportal texture is placed in doorways - when those doorways are not in view, the areas behind them will not be rendered. Also note how the purple 'nodraw' texture in the first screenshot is actually the backside of the bigger portal in the second screenshot.

[[Image:P_vis1.jpg|frame|left|visportal placement in Sewer]] [[Image:P_vis2.jpg|frame|left|visportal placement in Sewer]]
{{clear}}

==== Uses ====
Visportals serve two main purposes:
# They can reduce the number of polygons that need to be drawn, hence
# They can reduce the number of textures that need to be in memory

The combination of these means that portals can lead to significant performance gains, as the renderer has less work to do. Hence some areas can use more detail than normal, knowing the additional detail will be culled away by portals when not in sight. Conversely, portals can also make the game more accessible on lower-spec machines as the renderer knows which areas can be safely culled without affecting the experience for the user.

The difficulty is placing portals and geometry appropriately. If placed badly, it can mean that two high-detail areas are in view at the same time, so the engine renders many more polygons and uses more texture memory, in some cases leading to a sudden decrease in performance.

=== ambientportal ===
* Texture: <tt>[[Common Textures#editor/ambientportal|/editor/ambientportal]]</tt>

Used to separate ambient lighting areas defined by [[Entity light_ambient|light_ambient]] entities.

=== audioportal ===
* Texture: <tt>/textures/editor/audioportal</tt>

Used to separate areas of sound, for example to make sure the sound of machinery in one room doesn't leak into an adjacent room.

=== aasclusterportal ===
* Texture: <tt>/textures/common/aasclusterportal</tt>

Distinguishes to areas for AAS generation purposes.

=== outsideportal ===
* Texture: <tt>[[Common Textures#editor/outsideportal|/textures/editor/outsideportal]]</tt>

Used to separate the inside (indoors) and outside (outdoors) of a level, in order to control light (and shadow) from sunlight.

=== playzoneportal ===
* Texture: <tt>/textures/editor/playzoneportal</tt>

Used to separate a map into two or more playzones - in the same manner that Slipgate is split across two environments. Each of Slipgate's environments are surrounded with a playzone portal hull.

== Developer Commands ==
[[Image:Portals_showportals.jpg|frame|left|r_showPortals in action]]
* {{consolecmd|r_showPortals 0/1/2/3}} - turns on rendering of portal outlines so it's possible to see which portals are active (rendered green) and which are not (rendered red). This is a good command to use to help understand how portals work and where they are placed in other maps. Setting {{consolecmd|r_showPortals 3}} displays what type each portal is.
* {{consolecmd|r_usePortals 0/1}} - turns on/off portals (when turned off, everything is drawn, whether it is visible or not)
{{clear}}

== Additional Resources ==
* [http://www.iddevnet.com/doom3/visportals.php Vis Portals] - a good overview of visportals and explanation of how they work
* [http://www.modwiki.net/wiki/Visportal Visportal topic on modwiki] - a slightly simpler explanation

[[Category:Basic Level Design]]

How do I

2007-12-11T10:36:20Z

MoP: /* General Editing */ selecting is LMB not RMB

'''This is your quick reference guide for all those tasks you know are possible, but just can't quite remember how to do...'''

The commands listed below assume default key shortcuts.

== Views ==
* '''Move the 2D view''' - drag with the {{accelbtn|RMB}} in a 2D view
* '''Zoom the 2D view''' - use {{accelbtn|mouse wheel}} in a 2D view
* '''Change the grid size''' - use the {{accelkey|]}} and {{accelkey|[}} keys, numbers {{accelkey|1}} to {{accelkey|9}} on the keyboard, or the 'Grid' menu
* '''Place camera at cursor''' in 2D view - {{accelkey|ctrl}}{{accelbtn|LMB}} on new camera position
* '''Aim camera at cursor''' in 2D view - {{accelbtn|MMB}} at new camera target

== General Editing ==
* '''Create a brush''' - {{accelbtn|LMB}}-drag in a 2D view
* '''Create an entity''' - {{accelbtn|RMB}}-click in a 2D view
* '''Select an object''' - use {{accelkey|shift}}{{accelbtn|LMB}} or {{accelkey|alt}}{{accelkey|shift}}{{accelbtn|LMB}}
* '''Select several objects''' (box-selection) - {{accelkey|alt}}{{accelbtn|LMB}}-drag a box around the objects to select.
* '''Move an object''' - select it, then click {{accelbtn|LMB}} inside the object to drag around
* '''Rotate an object''' - select it, then press {{accelkey|ctrl}}{{accelkey|R}} followed by {{accelkey|ctrl}}{{accelkey|X}}, {{accelkey|ctrl}}{{accelkey|Y}} or {{accelkey|ctrl}}{{accelkey|Z}} (depending on axis)
* '''Rotate an object arbitrarily''' - select it, then press {{accelkey|R}} for rotation mode
* '''Duplicate the selected object''' - press {{accelkey|space}}
* '''Delete the selected object''' - press {{accelkey|backspace}}
* '''Deselect an object''' - use {{accelkey|shift}}{{accelbtn|LMB}}
* '''Deselect all''' - press {{accelkey|Escape}}
* '''Stretch a brush''' - select it, then {{accelbtn|LMB}}-click outside the brush to drag the nearest face
* '''Shear a brush''' - select it, then use {{accelkey|ctrl}}{{accelbtn|LMB}} outside the brush to drag the nearest face.
* '''Vertex manipulate a brush or patch''' - select it, then press {{accelkey|E}} or {{accelkey|V}}
* '''Clip/Slice a brush''' - select it, then use {{accelkey|ctrl}}{{accelbtn|RMB}} to place clipping points (up to 3), and {{accelkey|enter}}/{{accelkey|shift}}{{accelkey|enter}}/{{accelkey|ctrl}}{{accelkey|enter}} to finish
* '''Select a face''' - in the 3D view, use {{accelkey|ctrl}}{{accelkey|shift}}{{accelbtn|LMB}}
* '''Copy texture from a face''' - in the 3D view, with a target face selected, {{accelbtn|MMB}}-click on the face with the texture to copy
* '''Copy texture to a face''' - in the 3D view, with a source face selected, {{accelkey|ctrl}}{{accelbtn|MMB}}-click on the face with the texture to overwrite
* '''Shift or rotate a texture''' - select the brush(es) or face(s) to modify, and press {{accelkey|S}} for the surface inspector
* '''Edit an entity's properties''' - select the entity and press {{accelkey|N}} for the entity inspector
* '''Export selected brushes as .obj''' - press {{accelkey|ctrl}}{{accelkey|E}}
* '''Snap selected objects to grid''' - press {{accelkey|ctrl}}{{accelkey|G}}

== Map Features ==
* '''Spawn a player''' - place a player spawn entity, for example [[Entity info_team_gdf_spawn|info_team_gdf_spawn]]
* '''Spawn a vehicle''' - place a deployable entity, for example [[Entity deployable_spawn_icarus|deployable_spawn_icarus]]

== Map Technicalities ==
* '''Create a [[LOD Group]]''' - go to the ''Groups Inspector'' ({{accelkey|L}}), press the ''LOD Groups'' button and press the green plus sign.
* '''Assign objects to a LOD Group''' - select the objects, then {{accelbtn|RMB}} on the LOD Group and choose 'Add Selection''
* '''Change the fade in/out distances of a LOD Group''' - select the LOD Group, then alter its {{keyname|MinVisDist}} and {{keyname|MaxVisDist}} settings

== Map Organisation ==
* '''Hide unselected objects''' - press {{accelkey|ctrl}}{{accelkey|shift}}{{accelkey|h}}
* '''Hide selected objects''' - press {{accelkey|h}}
* '''Show hidden objects''' - press {{accelkey|shift}}{{accelkey|h}}
* '''Show/Hide Caulk''' - toggle with {{accelkey|Alt}}{{accelkey|6}}
* '''Show/Hide Clips''' - toggle with {{accelkey|Alt}}{{accelkey|7}}
* '''Show/Hide Entities''' - toggle with {{accelkey|Alt}}{{accelkey|2}}
* '''Show/Hide Patches''' - toggle with {{accelkey|ctrl}}{{accelkey|p}}
* '''Show/Hide References''' - toggle with {{accelkey|alt}}{{accelkey|r}}

== Testing ==
* '''Toggle the real-time renderer''' - press {{accelkey|F3}}
* '''Load the game window''' - press {{accelkey|F2}}
* '''Load my map''' - get the game window up, go to the console, and use the {{consolecmd|devmap}} command (e.g. {{consolecmd|devmap mymap}})

== In-game console commands ==
The console can be accessed by pressing the tilde button (above the TAB key). Also see [[Developer cheats]]
* '''Fly around''' - {{consolecmd|noclip}} toggles no clipping mode
* '''Be invincible''' - {{consolecmd|god}}
* '''Spawn a vehicle''' - {{consolecmd|spawn}}, e.g. {{consolecmd|spawn vehicle_husky}}
* '''Render portal outlines''' - {{consolecmd|r_showPortals}}
* '''Render face outline/wireframe''' - {{consolecmd|t_showTris}}
* '''Render coloured batch groups''' - {{consolecmd|r_showBatches}}
* '''Render occlusion tested objects''' - {{consolecmd|r_showOcclusions}}
* '''Test vis distances''' - {{consolecmd|r_visDistOfs}} e.g. {{consolecmd|r_visDistOfs 16384}} to be 16k units further away.

[[Category:Level Design]]

MegaTexture

2007-12-07T17:24:35Z

MoP: links so this page isn't entirely useless

The MegaTexture is a very large texture (32,768x32,768 pixels per map in ETQW), used on terrain models.

If you have [[A Simple First Terrain|made a terrain model]], you can create a MegaTexture using the [[Terrain Editor]], and then compile it by following [[Generate a MegaTexture|this tutorial]].

== Related Articles ==
*[[An Advanced Terrain and Megatexture]]
*[[Surface Tree]]

[[Category:Art]]
[[Category:Level Design]]

Surface Tree

2007-12-07T17:21:46Z

MoP: don't edit SFT manually!

A Surface Tree (''.sft'' file) is a set of nodes containing references to textures, roads, stamps and projectors used to create a [[MegaTexture]] for a terrain mesh.<includeonly>

{{main|Surface tree}}</includeonly><noinclude>

A surface tree is needed if your map contains a terrain model. You can create a surface tree using [[editWorld]]'s [[Terrain Editor]].

Do not edit ''.sft'' files manually, since they are generated by editWorld and will be overwritten every time the Terrain Editor content is saved.

[[Category:Art]]
[[Category:Level Design]]
</noinclude>

Generate a MegaTexture

2007-12-07T17:19:19Z

MoP: Updated with paths image at Jared's request, RLT info at Hoffa's request.

The ETQW SDK Launcher includes all the settings required to generate a MegaTexture. It includes options for MegaGen (to render the raw texture tiles), Renderlight (to bake lighting info into the tiles) and MakeMegaTexture (which compiles the tiles into a compressed ''.mega'' file). It's a one-stop shop for compiling MegaTextures!

Each section contains a ''"View Command Line"'' button, which will output a set of options for each process. You can add these to a command line of {{filename|ETQW.exe}} in a ''.bat'' file if you need to automate your MegaTexture compiles.

= Using the tools =
[[Image:sdk_launcher_paths.png|300px|right|The "Launch The SDK" tab of the ETQW SDK Launcher.]]

=== Paths setup ===
Firstly you need to select a valid game path, and a valid save path in the main ''"Launch the SDK"'' tab. If you have already set this up to work with your custom maps and mods, you shouldn't have to change anything here.

Just make sure you have the correct ''"Save Path"'' and ''"Mod Name"'' which contain your custom terrains, textures and maps selected.
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== Generate a MegaTexture ==
[[Image:sdk_launcher_megatexture.png|300px|right|The "Generate a MegaTexture" tab of the ETQW SDK Launcher.]]
To access the MegaTexture generation tools, run the ETQW SDK Launcher, and go to the ''"Generate a MegaTexture"'' tab.

=== Load a Surface Tree ===
Now you will need to load a [[Surface Tree]] (''.sft'') file which contains the texture and surface information you want to render into your MegaTexture.
Surface Trees are generated automatically by EditWorld from the [[Terrain Editor]]. Do not edit ''.sft'' files manually, or you may lose your changes whenever the map is saved!

* Click the ''"Browse..."'' button next to the "1. Choose a Surface Tree" field.
* Browse to your save path's ''/maps/'' folder and select your {{filename|<mapname>.sft}} file.

=== Create a RenderLight Template ===
Before you can compile a full MegaTexture, you will need to create a ''.rlt'' template. You can find examples of these in {{filename|base/renderlight/}}. You can create one by making a blank ''.txt'' file and renaming the extension to ''.rlt''.

A RenderLight template looks like this:
{
mesh "models/terrain/<mapname>.lwo"
diffuse "maps/<mapname>_d.tga"
bump "maps/<mapname>_local.tga"
out "megatextures/<mapname>_lit.tga"
map "maps/<mapname>.entities"
atmosphere "<atmosphere name>"
}

* '''mesh''' - this should point to the relative path of your terrain model.
* '''diffuse''' - this is the path to the output diffuse texture tiles from the MegaGen stage.
* '''bump''' - this is the path to the output local normal-map texture tiles from the MegaGen stage.
* '''out''' - this is where RenderLight will output the lit texture tiles.
* '''map''' - this is the path to your map's ''.entities'' file, which is created when the map is compiled. RenderLight should read the atmosphere information from this file. If Renderlight is giving warnings about missing atmospheres, make sure your map has an atmosphere entity, and has been compiled successfully.

=== Important notes ===
* You must have fully compiled your map successfully at least once before these processes will work.
* Your map's terrain model must have a "MegaTexture material" applied to it, and must be UV-mapped inside the 0-1 range. If you are unsure of how to do these steps, read through the tutorial for [[A Simple First Terrain]].
* These processes can take a long time, and use a lot of memory and hard drive space. For a full-resolution (32k x 32k) MegaTexture, you will need at least 18gb of free space on the drive ETQW is installed to.
* Make sure all your paths are set up correctly, otherwise files may be missing.
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= The processes =
== MegaGen ==
[[MegaGen]] is the first stage of making a MegaTexture. It scans your ''.sft'' file for textures and then renders them all to flat "tiles", 4096x4096 pixels across. Each tile comes in two parts, a "diffuse" tile (contains un-lit surface color), and a "local normal" tile (for the bump and directional information).

These tiles will be outputted to your ''/maps'' folder, in the format {{filename|<mapname>_d_0_0.tga}}, and {{filename|<mapname>_local_0_0.tga}}.

Click on the "MegaGen Options >>" button to expand the option list. The settings are fairly straightforward:
* '''Resolution''' - sets the width and height in pixels of your final MegaTexture. For ET:QW we used a ratio of 1 pixel to 1 game unit, so a terrain which is 32,768 units across would use a MegaTexture with a resolution of 32,768. You can choose smaller sizes for faster "preview" compiles, or for smaller terrain sizes.
* '''Video Memory''' - how much of your graphics card's memory the program is allowed to use. 128 is a good value for most modern graphics cards.
* '''Cache Memory''' - memory used for caching all of the source images and writing out the tiles. Give it as much as your computer will allow! For a computer with 2GB of RAM, 1536 is a good value here.
* '''Additional Options''' - this is for advanced users to choose specific settings. A more comprehensive guide can be found in the [[MegaGen]] article.

== RenderLight ==
[[RenderLight]] bakes atmospheric lighting information into your MegaTexture. Depending on the settings used here, MakeMegaTexture will either output a 3-channel (RGB) or 4-channel (RGBA) MegaTexture. RenderLight reads in the "tiles" from the previous MegaGen stage, and calculates the lighting based on the terrain model, the bump maps, and your map's atmosphere. It will output tiles in the same manner as

For RenderLight to work correctly, first you need to create a ''.rlt'' file (RenderLight Template) containing various options. You can find out how to create a RenderLight Template by reading the [[RenderLight]] article.

Click on the "RenderLight Options >>" button to expand the option list. The settings are as follows:
* '''Bake lighting''' - when checked, this option will bake the atmospheric sunlight into the MegaTexture.
* '''Bake ambient''' - when checked, this option will bake the ambient atmospheric light into the MegaTexture.
* Leaving both '''Bake lighting''' and '''Bake ambient''' un-checked will produce a 4-channel MegaTexture, which is larger size on disk but contains more accurate surface bump information, and requires a different material setup to the default settings found in {{filename|/materials/megatextures.mtr}}.
* '''Additional Options''' - this is for advanced users to choose specific settings. A more comprehensive guide can be found in the [[RenderLight]] article.

== Make MegaTexture ==
[[MakeMegaTexture]] is the process which compiles the tiles output from the RenderLight process into a compressed ''.mega'' file.

Click on the "Make MegaTexture Options >>" to expand the option list. The settings are as follows:
* '''Best Quality''' - denotes using the best quality compression. You should usually leave this enabled.
* '''Luminance Error''' - controls the brightness compression quality, where lower amounts mean better quality but larger file sizes.
* '''Chrominance Error''' - controls the colour compression quality, where lower amounts mean better quality but larger file sizes.
* '''Alpha Error''' - controls the alpha compression quality, where lower amounts mean better quality but larger file sizes.

For our retail Megatextures, we used 3-channel output from RenderLight, with all the MakeMegaTexture Error settings at 1, for best quality.
If you are making a 4-channel MegaTexture, we would recommend the Error settings at around 20-30 for each value. Lower values might greatly increase the file size, while higher values might result in very blurred MegaTextures.

= Run the processes =
Once you have set up all of the options for your MegaTexture, you can set the processes running.
* Each process can be launched individually by clicking the ''"Run"'' button on the right of each section.
* The ''"Run Selected Tasks"'' button in the bottom right will launch all of the checked processes.
** If this is the first time you're compiling a MegaTexture, check all 3 boxes for MegaGen, RenderLight and MegaTexture.
* You can un-check any processes you don't want to run. For example if you want to re-compile some tiles from RenderLight with different compression settings, un-check MegaGen and RenderLight, leave Make MegaTexture checked, and then select ''"Run Selected Tasks"''.
** Alternately, you can just click the ''"Make MegaTexture"'' button in the MegaTexture field.

[[Category:Art]]
[[Category:Level Design]]

File:Sdk launcher paths.png

2007-12-07T17:10:39Z

MoP: SDK Launcher Paths

SDK Launcher Paths