Level transition (SP)?? help please!!

[jverne]

ok, i've searched the net for tutorials and found the VERC, and another here! but...they are crappy and difficult to understand and not very detailed!

i figured out that:

-on both maps there must be an "info_landmark" named exactly the same (did it, named "land")
-both map need to have triggers "trigger_changelevel" (did it)
--------------------------------------------
trigger_changelevel settings (map1)---->
Name: map1
New map name: ???????????????
Landmark name: land
---------------------------------------------
trigger_changelevel settings (map2)---->
Name: map2
New map name: ???????????????
Landmark name: land
---------------------------------------------
-both maps need to have the player start on the same "relative" position "x,y,z" (did it)


And now the questions:

-what the hell should i put in the "New map name" option of the trigger??? the directory of the map with the map name exp: c:\Steam\...........\maps\mymaps\map1(2).vmf or just the name of the map exp: map1(2).vmf???

that is because when i run the map and trigger the trigger ) it gives me a mesage that "this map could not be found"??!!

-in the tutorial says that i need to run the map from HL2 not hammer, whats the console command for that??? (but this sounds stupid that i need to run HL2 just to test the map??? valve really screwed up if this is the only way!!)

summary:

-how can i make hammer/HL2 locate my second map (map2)???
-where and how do i need to store both maps?? (in the same folder, a specialy designed folder for this, anywhere,...)

i'd apreciate from the bottom of my heart if you'd help me!

 

[Jay9475]

I'd say that in the new map name part of the trigger you should just put the name of the map, not the full directory, so for example, if the 1st is called 'map' and the next is called 'maptastic' then just put 'maptastic' (without the quotation marks obviously) into the ''new map name'' field.

Oh and yes you''ll have to test this is half life 2 by walking through the trigger,

-J

 

[Anable]

You don't want to use the .vmf extention. Half-Life can't load those files. It needs to be the .bsp file that you're pointing at. I assume you can just type in mapname.bsp because that's how you load it from the console.

 

[Jay9475]

I don't think you even have to put bsp, I never put .bsp after the name of my maps when loading them in the console,

-J

 

[jverne]

yea, but what do i type in the console?? the map name?? does HL2 automaticaly find the path to the map or do i have to type it manualy, whats the command for changing maps anyway?

thanks

 

[Tynan]

map (mapname)

i.e. map dm_overwatch

 

[omnix32]

change level???

"(but this sounds stupid that i need to run HL2 just to test the map??? valve really screwed up if this is the only way!!)"

no,......... Valve did not screw anything up. the tools are unsupported by Valve. We should be thankful that there are tools as good as these. Anyone map with MOHRAD? yea, thanx EA for no GTKRadiant support. anyway..........

This is not that hard.

make two levels and sort of duplicate where the transition is going to take place. This engine does an awsome job of level transition (10 times better than the old Half-life)

make a trigger_changelevel in both maps I will call this level_1 and level_2

Level_1 place your trigger_changlevel at the spot where the player is going to change levels at.
enter this: the use of quotes is my comments and not to be added.
-------------------------------------------------------------
trigger_changelevel
name: ;"only used if a trigger is going to make the level change."

new map name: Level_2

landmark: land ;"used for entity transitions"
----------------------------------------------------------------
info_landmark

name: land
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Now compile map level_1 and bring up map level_2 in the editor.

Note: the use of command (MAP) ie.. "map Level_1" is only needed in the console. you don't need to add the path, .bsp or anything else

now make the same two entities in map level_2
only this time for the trigger_changelevel the new map name will be
level_1

the landmark will be called land.
you don't need an info_player_start for level_2 and should not add one unless your testing level 2 seperatly.




this will now work.

 

[jverne]

"(but this sounds stupid that i need to run HL2 just to test the map??? valve really screwed up if this is the only way!!)"

no,......... Valve did not screw anything up. the tools are unsupported by Valve. We should be thankful that there are tools as good as these. Anyone map with MOHRAD? yea, thanx EA for no GTKRadiant support. anyway..........

This is not that hard.

make two levels and sort of duplicate where the transition is going to take place. This engine does an awsome job of level transition (10 times better than the old Half-life)

make a trigger_changelevel in both maps I will call this level_1 and level_2

Level_1 place your trigger_changlevel at the spot where the player is going to change levels at.
enter this: the use of quotes is my comments and not to be added.
-------------------------------------------------------------
trigger_changelevel
name: ;"only used if a trigger is going to make the level change."

new map name: Level_2

landmark: land ;"used for entity transitions"
----------------------------------------------------------------
info_landmark

name: land
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Now compile map level_1 and bring up map level_2 in the editor.

Note: the use of command (MAP) ie.. "map Level_1" is only needed in the console. you don't need to add the path, .bsp or anything else

now make the same two entities in map level_2
only this time for the trigger_changelevel the new map name will be
level_1

the landmark will be called land.
you don't need an info_player_start for level_2 and should not add one unless your testing level 2 seperatly.




this will now work.

hey thanks man, thats the best tutorial so far!!!

 

[jverne]

ok, i've done all this, i start HL2 open the map trough the console and it does perfectly with no errors. but when i go into the trigger i get the loading. the problem is when it starts loading, HL2 freezes.
any idea why?

-i've compiled both maps
-the second map is without the "player_start"
-both maps work fine if started separately (if the second map has player_start)

maybe i'm doing something wrong, but that's immposible because this procedure is too easy to mess up or maybe is something wrong with my HL2?

thank you again for the help, you've saved me alot of nerves and time, but it's just that hammer rarely does something perfectly (lots of bugs)!

 

[omnix32]

ummmmm

if you followed my mini tutorial it should work.
because there is a crash on next level load then pat yourself on the back. The level is trying to load and can find the next map.

The only thing I would do If I were in your shoes is to make two levels (Just a hallway with room on the end) and test these.

you can just make one room then mouse over the whole level in hammer with the selection tool in the top 2d view and hit CTRL+C

then create a new level and hit CTRL+V and copy the first level to the new map. this way you have identical maps. This is not needed for a level transition but it makes things look more real.

next place your entities. and make sure you have a trigger_changelevel in both maps. one that points to the other so you can walk back and forth. don't forget the info_landmark's

don't add any weapons or other entities except light. then test the level and see if it works well.

if it works (no reason it should not) then something in your original levles is not making the transition probley due to some entity not acting right when you change levels.

If you had left your e-mail I would have e-mailed you my example I made to write that mini tutorial so you can see how it works.

[email protected]

 

[jverne]

that would be great:

mail

[email protected]

 

[Dr.breen]

Ive got the level change working well....only recently when the next map loads up my character is stuck I can look but can't walk......so when you change to a new map it starts you on the landmark entity? is there any way of changing to a new map to a info_player_start?

Because the landmark start makes you get stuck......even though the entity is nowhere near any walls or floors......



PS, how do you make a NPC just stand still......Ive got them to stand still but thats because AI is disabled and there are no ground nodes etc...but I want them to be alive...but stand still...urm, yeah.


Also how do you enable AI?