Totally new to Torque

#1 Was that map file created in WorldCraft? Unfortunately not all map files are created equally. Each tool is just a little different. We have tested thoroughly with WorldCraft. You might want to try and load the map in WorldCraft and save it back off.

No you do not need a terrain.

Rick (GG)

#2 Thanks for the info Rick, but the map was created with an older version of worldcraft. Does that matter?
I also tried making a new map from scratch with worldcraft 3.3 and had the same problem. I've double checked all the worldcraft settings, but I still cant get it to work.

Here is the excact error;
Fatal-ISV:(map2dif/main.cc @ 334)
"Error, the map file must have a .map extentsion"

I dont think that will help much though. I have tried using both save as, and export to .map without success. Please help.

Thanks again.

#3 OK,
I've tried using map2dif from the command line, and no matter what paths I use or what arguments I use with map2dif, it can not find the textures. I have read the map2dif doc several times but cant get it to work..

On the upside, if I use map2dif from the command line I dont get the map file must be .map extension error. :)

Can anyone help, I'm going crazy trying to get this to work. Or should that be crazier? ;P

Thanks.

#4 There's a tutorial that comes with the V12 download that shows how to configure Worldcraft to work properly.

It's important that you follow that to the letter, especially when setting up your path settings, etc.

Also, I think the latest version of Worldcraft is required with V12... err, Torque :)

#5 Thanks rodney,
I have worldcraft 3.3 installed
I have set up worldcraft and the paths exactly as described in the docs, and I still cant get it working.

#6 hehe,
still havent got it working but heres a bit of worldcraft humour

Windows gave the error message;
"The operation completed successfully."

#7 OK, I finally got map2dif to work from the command line, but I'm still unable to get It working from within worldcraft.
The problem I had was that the modname has a space in it.. apparently map2dif does not like spaces in the path.

If anyone can explain why worldcraft is still giving me the "map file must have .map extension error" could you please help.

Thanks for the replies so far, I was hoping this forum would be better than AuranJet, and so far it has been far better.

#8 You have to export your file to a .map before running map2dif. That option is on the file menu.

#9 Thanks Rodney but i've already tried export to .map and save as .map, without success. Also the map files I have saved work with map2dif from a command line, but not within worldcraft.

#10 When do you get this "map file must have .map extension error" error? Is it a WC pop up? Does it show up in the process window? Never seen this error before.

#11 yes it shows up in the worldcraft process window.
I cant work it out, because the maps work with map2dif, but not from within worldcraft.

#12 I had this same problem way back when I started. At that time I posted about it, and got this reply:

Quote:Did you put $path\$file.$ext in the Parameters box for the CSG Program Cmd so that when you look at the command it reads $csg_exe $path\$file.$ext

Also...make sure that the Long Filenames checkbox is checked.

I can't remember which part of that solved my problem, but you might check that :)

#13 Thanks for your help. :)
Its nice to see an engine community that helps others out..
However I have set these commands in WC and it still doesn't work. :(

I've hacked together a batch file that runs map2dif and lets me input a map filename, but its really nasty to use, and being able to run map2dif from WC would be much more pleasant.

I Installed Torque and WC on one of my other 'puters. Set it up as described in the docs, and still get the same error message so it must be me doing something really stupid. Hopefully I'll find out what it is..

Thanks again for the help.
Cheers,
iNeLuKi aka Llewellyn Collins

#14 The good news is that the instructions do generally worked. I, myself (non-artist), have followed them and can build maps (DIF files) from WorldCraft.

Lets make sure of a couple of things. The docs being referred to above that describe how to set WorldCraft up specifically for the Torque Game Engine are in the "v12\docs\tools\worldCraft.html" file. That's where you got your instructions - correct? In particular, the following couple of paragraphs from that document are the most important:

Quote:
Using Map2Dif from WorldCraft

After you have exported or saved your map to a .map file, press F9 to bring up the Run Map dialog box. (If you haven't saved this file before you will be presented with the save dialog box before you can continue.) Press the Expert button to switch to the advanced the dialog box. Top left will be Configurations press the Edit button and create a new V12 configuration. Next press the New button to add a new command, which will be blank to start with. From the upper right side select the Cmds button (this is actually a drop-down), select CSG Progam from the drop down. Below this is the Parameters box cut and past the following into the edit box:

$path\$file.$ext

This set of options assumes that you will be saving your maps into an immediate subdirectory of the texture pack's root dir.

The command in the Compile/run commands box should look like this

$csg_exe $path\$file.$ext
Make sure the checkbox is checked. Pressing the Go! should compile the map.

I found that the directory structure must be defined just as the docs mention or things don't work right. Can you let us know what your relavent directory and file structure looks like just before you try to build the DIF file in WorldCraft? For example:

myMaps\myWad.wad
myMaps\texture1.jpg
myMaps\helloWorld\helloWorld.rmf
myMaps\helloWorld\helloWorld.map

Also, replying to this message with the exact contents of the WC output window (after pressing F9 and getting the error) might be helpful in diagnosing the problem.

Building DIF files from WC definately works and I think you are close.

#15 Perhaps it is working better than you think. My problem was when I initially created a map file I forgot that the textures for the map were still in the Wordcraft wad and they must also be available to the resulting DIF file. I had to go backand use BuildWad to make a wad with the textures I wanted then made those textures available externally in a subdirectory that the loaded DIF could find.

I have been able to get both a level and a precreated object out of WC and into the game without too much trouble once I figured out the setting in WC, the paths for the WAD and png/jpg textures and worked out the correct way to use those parameters.

By the way I also noticed that the parameters for map2dif are inconsistent. If you just type map2dif it brings up the format that the parameters should be used and then a list of what each parameter does..

Unfortunately, the first list gives the following parameters...
-v -p -s -l -h -g -e -n -o -t
The list of explanations give the following letters...
-p -d -l -h -g -e -s -n -o -t

Matching them up leaves questions about -v (which I assume should really be -d - or is there another magic parameter which we should know about?

#16 G'day
Thanks for all the help guys!!
This forum is so much better than AuranJets (my previous engine of choice)

I have FINALLY got map2dif to work from WC.
Anyone like to guess the problem?

Don't do as the WC doc says and cut and paste the "$path\$file.$ext" into WC. I cut and paste this into worldcraft and it didn't work.

I removed the compile/run commands and typed it in manually and wham! It works..

Strange that it didn't work before, but I've got it going and I'm happily exporting .dif files from WC now.
Thanks for all the help and suggestions ppl! :)
Cheers,
Llewellyn.

#17 Hi,

Concerning the buildWad, map2dif, etc. tools...
I do have a Windows Interface for the V12 Tools, I'll have the download available soon...
See www.lilchips.com/lilgames/v12toolshell.asp

David

#18 G'day David.

Thanks for making such a cool looking app, I can't wait to download it. It looks like it will save a lot of hassles in the long run. Especially if I'm using it everyday.

Cheers.