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This is a "walk-through" as to how to set up Tread3D from its initial settings to actually compiling a map.
Before starting this tutorial you should first get acquainted with the basics of the "Tread3D" editor; the screen and the various commands that are available. (This means read the manual)
Start the "Tread3D" editor and once the editor has started you should see the following screen.
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Now, before you can start mapping Tread3D first needs to know where the game and it's associated files are located on your computer. This is necessary because Tread3D does not have to be located on the same drive as the game you are mapping for.
Click on the "Options" menu and scroll down to "Game Setup".
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A new window will appear which will allow you to input the location of the games files.
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First click on the game you want to setup.
In this example click on "Quake2".
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Then click on the "Texture Files" button.
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Now in the middle window navigate until you locate the appropriate directory where the textures are located.
For Quake2 the textures are located in the baseq2 directory.
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Finally, in the right window, click on the appropriate file type for the textures.
For Quake2 the textures are located in the ".pak" files.
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Now click "Add File".
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Now you will notice the path is now in the Status window.
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If you are not sure which .pak files have textures in them just add them all.
Now you will notice all the .pak files are now in the Status window.
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Now it is time to tell Tread3D where files are located and where files should be located to "compile".
Click on the "Build Options" button.
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You will now notice that the display window changes.
The changes take place in the status window.
Tread3D is now asking you to fill in some paths.
Now in the status window click on the directory item you want to set.
For this example we will set the "Maps" directory.
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Now in the navigation window navigate until you locate the appropriate directory folder where the item is located.
In this example the maps will be located in the "maps" directory which is within the baseq2 directory.
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Now click "Set Path".
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Now you will notice the path is now in the Status window.
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Now lets fill in the Quake2 directory.
As before we click on the directory item you want to set.
For this example click on "Quake2 Directory".
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Now in the navigation window navigate until you locate the appropriate directory folder where the item is located.
In this example the Quake2 Directory will be located by just the name "Quake2".
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Now click "Set Path".
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Now you will notice the path is now in the Status window.
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Now lets fill in the locations for the compiler programs.
The BSP, VIS and RAD programs are located in the same directory and were supplied when you downloaded Tread3D.
Now lets fill in the compiler programs locations.
As before we click on the directory item you want to set.
For this example click on "BSP, VIS and RAD Program".
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You will notice that all the compiler programs are in the Tread3D/Quake2 directory.
Now in the navigation window navigate until you locate the appropriate directory folder where the item is located.
In this example the BSP Program will be located in the Tread3D/Quake2 directory.
In the right window, click on the appropriate file type for the program.
In this example it's the program called "qbsp.exe.".
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Now click "Set Path".
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Now you will notice the path is now in the Status window.
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Now do the same for the VIS and RAD Programs.
The Game Setup window should look like the one below:
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Now, since you would like to play your map after a compile lets locate the main Quake2 program.
As before we click on the directory item you want to set.
For this example click on "Quake2 Exe".
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Now in the navigation window navigate until you locate the appropriate directory folder where the item is located.
In this example the Quake2 Exe Program will be located in the Quake2 directory.
Remember since Quake2 is a "Windows" game there is no special file.
Finally, in the right window, click on the appropriate file type for the program.
In this example it's the file called "quake2.exe".
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Now click "Set Path".
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The Game Setup window should look like the one below:
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Finally, now click "Done".
There is one more task to complete before you can start mapping.
Some basic parameters should be checked and modified if so desired.
Click on the "Options" menu and scroll down to "Tread Setup".
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A new window will appear which will allow you to modify some basic parameters.
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Texture Gamma With this you can adjust the brightness of the textures in the 3D view.
Back Plane Clipping Distance This will adjust the visible distance in the 3D view.
Curve Sub Division This will adjust "smoothness" of curves in the 3D view.
Now click on the "Max Texture Memory" arrow and a drop-down menu will appear.
Just adjust the memory allocation you desire.
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Now click on the "Max Open Maps" arrow and a new drop-down menu will appear.
Just adjust the number of open maps you desire.
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Finally, now click "Save".
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Now you may say "How do I get Tread3D to recognize custom textures".
Let us now walk-through that procedure.
In Quake2 all custom textures must be in a separate file under a directory called "textures" and the textures directory is under the "baseq2" directory.
As you can see I have tons of custom textures in my textures directory.
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All of your custom texture should be in a directory named for the map that they are used in.
Tread3D does not and I repeat does not need to see every .wal file, all you need to do is point Tread3D at the directory that the individual .wal files reside.
In this case we will let Tread3D recognize the texture for my Gibcity map.
First point Tread3D to the directory called "e8u2".
Your Game Setup screen may look like this:
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Now, just click on the "Add Directory" button.
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Now you will notice the path is now in the Status window.
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That's all there is to it.
You should now restart Tread3D for all changes to take effect.
Start "Tread3D" editor and once the editor has started you should see the following screen.
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Click on the "File" menu and scroll down to "New".
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A new window will appear which lists all .GDF2 game files you have.
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Now click on "Quake2", the game we want to make a map for and then click "OK".
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The following is the screen you should now see:
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Now, before we start make sure that you have the latest version of the game.
Also, make sure you have the latest version of the GDF2 file.
Lets check the version of the GDF2.
Click and hold on "Options" and scroll down to "Script Information".
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Now let go of the mouse button and a new window will appear.
The script information window should look like the one below:
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As you can see we are using the latest version of the Quake2 GDF2.
This is version 2.3.
Now, lets pick a texture for the walls in our simple room.
Click on the "Browse" button.
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The texture window will now appear.
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Let us now pick a simple brick texture for our walls.
The texture window should look like the one below:
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Click on the "Done" button.
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The editor window should now look like the one below:
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Now click on the "Brush Creation" icon.
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You will now notice in the "Object Workspace" that a "Primitives-Cube" is automatically selected.
Now "drag" out a square in the "TopX/Y" view.
Adjust the sides until they are 256 by 256 quake units long.
The editor window should now look like the one below:
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To adjust the size of the "Cube" just click on the arrow tool.
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Now place the mouse cursor over the handle of the line.
Click on the handle and hold while stretching the line out.
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Now expand out the Cube in the "FrontX/Y" view.
Adjust the height until it is 128 quake units.
The editor window should now look like the one below:
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Now lets "Hollow" out the Cube to form a room.
Click on the "Hollow" icon.
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The "Hollow Depth" window will now appear.
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Now lets "Hollow" out the Cube to a thickness of 32 units.
Click on the "Hollow" button.
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Since we used a positive value for "Hollow" the walls will be made within the dimensions of the cube.
If we used a negative value for "Hollow" the walls will be made larger than the dimensions of the cube.
The editor window should now look like the one below:
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Now, let's position the camera within our room.
Just click on the "Camera" icon.
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The camera and its handles will now appear.
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Just position the camera so we are now looking into the room.
The editor window should now look like the one below:
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Now, to clean up the 3D view just click anywhere outside the cube.
The editor window should now look like the one below:
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Now let's add a player start position.
Just click on the "Entity" icon.
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You will now notice a change in the "Object Workspace" window.
All the available entities are listed.
The "Object Workspace" window should now look like the one below:
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Just click on "info_player_start".
Now, anywhere within the room where you would like a player to start.
Just click once for entity placement and click on the arrow icon.
(This will prevent you from placing multiple entities)
The editor window should now look like the one below:
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Now to check the properties of this entity, just click on the "Entity Properties" icon.
First make sure the entity is highlighted.
The "Entity Properties" icon is shown below.
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The Entity Properties window will now appear.
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If you are happy with the values just click the "Set Entity" button.
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If you wish to change a property just double click on the specific property.
A dialog window will allow you to make changes.
Now, let's add two lights to our room.
As before, just click on the "Entity" icon.
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Scroll through the entity list until you find a "light" entity.
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Just click on "light".
Now, anywhere within the room where you would like a light to appear.
Just click once for each entity placement and click on the arrow icon.
(This will prevent you from placing multiple entities)
The editor window should now look like the one below:
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Now to check the properties of this entity, just click on the "Entity Properties" icon.
First make sure the entity is highlighted.
The "Entity Properties" icon is shown below.
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The Entity Properties window will now appear.
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If you are happy with the values just click the "Set Entity" button.
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If you wish to change a property just double click on the specific property.
A dialog window will allow you to make changes.
The editor window should now look like the one below:
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Now before we finish lets add a wall made up of three sections.
The wall should divide the room in half.
Use any contrasting texture and make the wall 16 quake units thick.
The editor window should now look like the one below:
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Now click on the center section.
The editor window should now look like the one below:
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Let's make the center section a door.
Just click on the "Link To Entity" icon.
(The wall section must be highlighted)
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The Entity Properties window will now appear.
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Check all values.
If you are happy with the values just click the "Set Entity" button.
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If you wish to change a property just double click on the specific property.
A dialog window will allow you to make changes.
The editor window should now look like the one below:
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You will now notice that a "Linked" entity shows up yellow.
Now its time to learn how to compile the map.
(Remember to save your map)
Now that you have hopefully saved your map, lets compile.
Click on the "Build Map" icon.
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The "Build/Run" window will now appear.
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Now click on each one of the options in the "Build Section".
We will start with the BSP option and then go down the list.
Click on "BSP Options" and you will now see a list of BSP options.
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If you are not sure what the options are just click on the next option.
A good source for a description of the options is the game developer.
In our case no options are chosen.
Click on "Vis Options" and you will now see a list of VIS options.
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In our case no options are chosen.
Click on "RAD Options" and you will now see a list of RAD options.
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In our case only the "Extra" option was chosen.
Finally, click on "Quake2 Options" and you will now see a list of Quake options.
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This is what options you want for the game once the map is compiled.
Some authors choose "None", then run the map later.
In our case no options are chosen.
The option to input "Command Lines" is also provided.
Now click "Build Map" Button.
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After a short time the game will start up with your map.
Your game screen should look like this:
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After you are done walking around your map, quit the game.
You will see that Tread3D is still running.
In the Status Window will be all the build information from the compile.
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That's all there is to it and we hope that this somewhat lengthy tutorial has been helpful.