Author Topic: FH2 Modding Q&A  (Read 143189 times)

azreal

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FH2 Modding Q&A
« on: 30-03-2009, 00:03:21 »
The old Q&A thread was quite useful for some people so I figured I'd create a new one.

Post all your small questions here in order to give more priority to those topics that need it.

Fenring's tutorial site:
http://forgottenhope.warumdarum.de/tutorials/

There are also a TON of mapping/modding tutorials here for beginners and advanced modders.
http://bfeditor.org/forums/index.php?s=db10e6399726bc94a992b76ae1bdefba&showforum=17

Happy modding!
« Last Edit: 26-08-2014, 18:08:21 by Mayhemic.MAD »

Offline Kebert Xela

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Re: FH2 Modding Q&A
« Reply #1 on: 30-03-2009, 00:03:59 »
ok...easy one
is mapping for FH2 harder then for FH1?

azreal

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Re: FH2 Modding Q&A
« Reply #2 on: 30-03-2009, 00:03:54 »
ok...easy one
is mapping for FH2 harder then for FH1?

Well that really all depends. The BF2 editor has a steeper learning curve, but the more time you put into it, the higher quality maps you can make. Also there are plenty more people who make maps for BF2 than BF1942 so its much easier to find tutorials/content/ask questions imo.

Offline Kebert Xela

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Re: FH2 Modding Q&A
« Reply #3 on: 30-03-2009, 00:03:18 »
I pretty much taught myself mapping for 1942 by trying :)
Will probably check the editor out in the next days and see what it works like

Offline Fenring

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Re: FH2 Modding Q&A
« Reply #4 on: 30-03-2009, 14:03:18 »
When you learn the optimal workflow the bf2 level design is far easier, altough as azreal said its getting the optimal workflow that is hard. I will try to find the time to make better tutorials than goes trough the ideal and fastest workflow of a whole map from ideas/layout to complete heightmap and texturing.

Offline Torenico

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Re: FH2 Modding Q&A
« Reply #5 on: 31-03-2009, 21:03:05 »
Mapping in BF2 is fun.. you must be creative and all you want.

The bad thing is.. its slow. Paiting takes alot of time for "Good" maps. The onei am making has the EL Alamein Size or something.. painting the tarrain is costing me ALOT. Ive done a BF2 map.. 512 or 1024 i cant remember now.. for painting took me +50 Minutes. And then i discovered that the texture is  a "Chess Board" hehe.

When you finish the Painting and you start placing objects and configuring the teams.. all you want is a bed and rest for 1 hour. Stressing. Lightmapping.. i wont talk about it lol.


Dunno about the BF42 editor.. never tried it. I cant belive that the BF42 seems to be more Hard than the BF2 one..


azreal

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Re: FH2 Modding Q&A
« Reply #6 on: 22-04-2009, 22:04:21 »
Quick question for our mapper friends. Is there anyway to turn off ambient sounds in the editor without deleting them? Its really annoying to hear explosions and distant Mgs playing in the background of my music.

Offline Fenring

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Re: FH2 Modding Q&A
« Reply #7 on: 23-04-2009, 20:04:43 »
You can lower the volume or turn of the sound the the bottom right of editor...dunno if that does the trick for you.

Offline Ionizer

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Re: FH2 Modding Q&A
« Reply #8 on: 23-04-2009, 22:04:53 »
Can someone give me a list (with links if possible) of everything I need to start trying to make a map?  How much HDD space does all of it take up?

Also, what do I need to start modeling stuff?  I figure if I suck at one (mapping or modeling), I might suck less at the other one.

I get really bored and have nothing to do except looking up random articles on Wikipedia.  I figure I could try to fill that time with something constructive...
 

azreal

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Re: FH2 Modding Q&A
« Reply #9 on: 24-04-2009, 03:04:22 »
@Ferning: Ahhh thanks a bunch. Stupid ambient sounds were annoying me to no end!

@Ionizer: Try this link for starters. Its for mapping only but it has links to just about every file you'll need and instructions on how to set them up.
http://fenring.bf1942.cl/tutorials/

Offline Ionizer

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Re: FH2 Modding Q&A
« Reply #10 on: 24-04-2009, 21:04:57 »
The link in Fenring's thing for the LightMapSamples (this link: http://files.filefront.com/Battlefield+2+Light+Map+Samples/;3994655;/fileinfo.html) doesn't work.  I didn't get any farther.

EDIT:  I've extracted the stuff I needed to (menu, common, objects, shaders, fonts) into my /mods/fh2 folder, waiting on a download of the fh2 light maps (still need the vanilla ones, though) and will get the objects spawners once my lightmap download is complete.  I can't go any farther without the vanilla lightmaps, though...

EDIT2:  Got the FH2 lightmaps, and object spawners.  I looked around on the forums here and found a different link to Download the vanilla lights maps (http://www.files.doomlab.com/Library/_Mod_Day_/LightMaps/lightmapsamples.zip).  Once the download finishes and I copy the files (not unzip, the tutorial says not to unzip), I should be all set to start making a map, right?  Anyways, thanks for the help.

EDIT3:  Seems like after the lightmap samples, I need to load something into the Editor itself, which the tutorial says could take a while...  Ugh.  Well, at least I'll only have to do this all once, right?

EDIT4:  I think everything is working now.  Look forward to more questions soon!
« Last Edit: 24-04-2009, 23:04:25 by Ionizer »
 

azreal

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Re: FH2 Modding Q&A
« Reply #11 on: 24-04-2009, 23:04:47 »
Firstly, you need to extract your zips to mods/fh2/objects. Then you load all the objects up in the editor like Ferning's tutorial says which yes you only have to do once. (but the editor takes forever to load anyways).

And P.S. you don't need the lightmaps to start mapping, only to finish a map.

Offline Ionizer

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Re: FH2 Modding Q&A
« Reply #12 on: 25-04-2009, 01:04:32 »
Well, I followed the basic tutorials and made a simple map in a valley, with two bases, two tents, and two transports.  It worked, but it wasn't pretty.  Big green mountains out of bounds, the objects didn't rest perfectly on the ground and the lighting was all weird.  But for my first "map," it actually worked.  Now I need to do some research and figure out which historical battle I should attempt to re-create.  I'll make a new thread for that once I decide what to do.

I've figured out that mapping is very time-consuming.  Making my simple map took over an hour and a half.  Oh well, at least I won't be bored.

I just hope to god that I didn't screw up anything and that I can still play FH2 online.
 

Offline Torenico

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Re: FH2 Modding Q&A
« Reply #13 on: 25-04-2009, 06:04:16 »
Well.. actually it takes more than u think.
It takes time to understand the Basics.. and more to understand the whole concept.

I reccomend you.. for the first Real map.. a little one. Very detailed but small in terrain.. whit a couple of hills and maybe a single River.

I.. i really dont tons of projects, PR Maps, FH2 Maps.. ill give you a name "Ruhr Pocket".. only because it had Panzerfausts :P


But the Editor is awesome.. you can even use things that are not in oficially in FH2.. like the Submarine and the Carrier + the Agazzis.. (The carrier is movable!)

Right now FH2 doesnt works anymore.. and i relaly dont want to reinstall it again.. saldy yea.. but i will start working again.

Just do it.. dont think about the Lightmap.. never.. take a break and listen to music all the time.. if not you will get bored.


Offline Ionizer

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Re: FH2 Modding Q&A
« Reply #14 on: 08-06-2009, 22:06:54 »
Is it possible to make a flag that spawns different stuff depending on how many times it's been taken?  For example:  A flag that will initially spawn APCs (Hanomags and Bren Carriers) and/or armed transports (Willy MB, Chevy, Opel Blitz w/ Zwillingsockel MG34s, etc) at both of the "Main Bases".  When it's taken, it then spawns Armored Cars (222s and Marmons) at both bases.  If it gets capped again, it spawns light tanks for both sides, and then if it gets taken again, it spawns medium tanks for both sides (and continues to spawn them until the map ends).  If possible, it'd be best if it continues to spawn all the "lighter" equipment as well as "upgrading" to the heavier stuff as the battle progresses.

I suppose I could get a similar outcome by putting the heavier stuff on delayed spawns.  That would make it kinda beneficial to take the main flag and set up defenses ASAP to repel the heavier stuff, but if the attackers take too long taking the flag, the defenders get the heavier reinforcements to help push them back.

I don't know.  I originally wanted to try this for a Fort Capuzzo map.  The fort was taken and retaken like 5 times over the course of the North African campaign and I thought I could maybe recreate that with the steadily progressing equipment, kinda showing how time goes by.  But now my thought process is all screwy (not to mention I can't find very many good period photos of Fort Capuzzo to base my map on, and the BFEditor keeps crashing once I get the road system around the Fort completed, etc).  I'm thinking of starting over on a new battle/location.  Unfortunately, I can't find one that really pops out at me the way Fort Capuzzo did.  Oh well.