New waypoint for ET Transmitter

[craig]

A *Long* time since I've been on the forum...

I had a look, and couldn't see if anyone had made an ET Fritzbot map for Transmitter.
It is one of my favourite looking maps - other than the eagles (where they dare) map.

Which I see is WIP at present - coo-el..

Anyway, I have made a playable one for transmitter over the weekend, and if anyone is interested, let me know how I can post it centrally for access.

I haven't much spare time of late, so it will be a take it or leave it thing I think, as I doubt I'll have time for any modifications once I post it.


But I thoroughly welcome any thoughts, and if someone wants to take the batton, then I'll gladly pass it on....

Keep up the good work fellas...
Craig.

[TomTom]

Hey Craig

Nice to see an old waypointer back for a visit. ASAIK ET transmitter is transmitter_final. A year ago a novice waypointer was trying it out but AFAICT he has been stuck in internet amber since last fall and hangs around like a wallflower . Anyway the inactivity got the map posted to the waypoint orphan list so you are welcome to go ahead.

Now to answer your question, I'll just switch hats to my Whitehall one.

(1) post your WIP, Beta or release here on the waypoint sub-forum as an attachment (either rename your .pk3 to .zip or re-zip it). A revision readme is appreciated.
(2) Make/update an entry in the wiki here and here. (if you don't want to fill-in the wiki-work just say so and one of us can do it for you).
(3) If you think it is release quality (checklist here and readme template here or here) them PM the bindlestiff so that he will know to include it in any new map-pack.
(4) When it is released in a map-pack it will be uploaded to the file-base.

Then there are the papers to fill out for the EU....

[craig]

Thanks for the reply........

whoa.....!!!

Things have certainly moved on in "whitehall" mode... Wow.

Quite some paperwork to do here... hmmm...
not sure I want to do too much of that......
Maybe a bit, just the once.

I was hoping to sort of do a hit-and-run on this, and post what I have - which is basically a zip of the various files and let others take a call on it.

It plays to completion, but if you want to, you could probably take a "b-route" to complete the objectives whilst the enemies are getting on with it.
(Not really in the spirit of things I felt..)

It is a difficult map, as goal state 1 is absolutely massive with multiple non-key objectives - and they can be done in different sequences.
I had to really try to orchestrate the bots to play in a linear sense.

Maybe others could do it smarter, but I am happy to play their version if they want to try it.

So - before *I* say yep - it's ready to go, and open it up to the scorn of the world, amongst the various new admin roles for mapping these days, is there a quality control role that anyone does ?

You know - to give maps a thumbs up or down ?

I can post or mail what I have, but if it isn't up to scratch, then there is little point.
I don't have time to keep working on it to get it improved beyond where it is....

[craig]

A last thing... not sure about the map name transmitter_final....

Both the map(bsp) and pk3 file are both called the same thing.

But I may have renamed the pk3 file a year ago or so - but my bsp file within it is certainly this (and that is what holds the entity#'s etc... - so it is vital to use the same one).

Can you verify that you have the same files ?

transmitter.bsp 15/10/2004 18:15 16,547,376 bytes

And for a 2nd check

transmitter.arena 15/10/2004 23:34 720 bytes (obviously a late nite for someone.!)

Can you verify that these files are in the one you referred to ?

Thanks
Craig.

[TomTom]

Yes those dates correspond to my copy of transmitter.pk3 The term transmitter_final may just be how it is zipped on some download sites 1 2 as compared to others? or maybe they include a trival auxilary file change like a jpg. This is why we include map links in the readme and wiki. We have to careful because some mappers would issue more than one "final' version not with unique bsp file names, while others would issue post-final versions without the final postfix (e.g. byzantine came after byzantine-final). I generally download one copy to make absolutely sure before I post a beta waypoint.

As for testing there is no formal thumbs up down nor any formal testers. Each person gets to chose what they like and dislike. we all depend on each other here so flaming or scorn is self defeating. However We do aspire to a certain professionalism for full-Released maps in map packs to keep up the high standard of Mal and crapshoot et al.. so we do share suggestions and help but leave it up to the waypointer to decide on how to make changes to their betas...

SO My advice is post yours as WIP and we will all be kind.


FYI
Coming from a development background, for my own purposes I define waypoint files in one of 5 status classes.
1-Test files are investigations of a particular aspect or area of the map. These are incomplete in some other map areas. I post these to my web site normally but will also attach them to the forums when useful for sharing.
2- WIP (work in progress) are waypoints covering the complete area to be waypointed but with varying amounts of work to do. These are normally playable over part or all of the map ("playable WIP" implying bots can play to completion mostly)
3- Beta means that I believe I am complete but for maybe one minor item and final testing and feedback. Almost all of the release check list may be satisfied (typically route testing and minor balance improvements remain). I post them to these forums because some feedback is necessary in my model to advance to release. Pre-beta is a WIP that typically is held up but otherwise finished. (e.g. supplydepot is pre-beta until Mal makes the axis bots understand not to attack the truck uselessly)
4- Release is a well balanced tested complete waypoint that at least one Fritzbotian has given feedback on.
5- Branch is an alternate waypoint not compatible or consistant with the original. This is the term to use if re-using somebody else's waypoints without having taken over the baton(trunk).

P.S. If you want I can set up your waypoints for unattended balance testing to get some stats on bot only games.

[craig]

Ok - Thanks.

Posting it as Test seems a good starting point then..

I'm ashamed to say I'm not entirely sure how I get my zipped file up onto somewhere for people to see it.
I think last time (like 1-2 years ago), I emailed them to crapshoot or denny and they posted them up.

What is the process now ?

(If you've said alreay, or it is so totally obvious that I can't see the wood for the trees, I'll appologise in advance..!)

Let me know, and I'll bung the stuff up when I get a chance (next few days).

Thanks,
Craig.

[TomTom]

Great!
As I said just use the forums to store it.

To add an attachment to the forums use the go advanced button when you post a reply. Then below the edit window will be the Additional Options section and the Manage attachment button. That will open a popup window with a browse and upload button that you can use to upload a file from your computer. Because it does not permit .pk3 extensions use a .zip extension on your file. This part of the main wiki has a link to an example zip file you can use for packing. BTW Winrar is easier than winzip for packing the files but programs both do work.

The file naming convention I use is Fritz_<bspname>_<type>M.mm.zip where <bspname> in your case is transmitter, and your chosen <type> is test giving say;

Fritz_transmitter_test0.01.zip (or what ever minor rev number you prefer.)

This convention is not mandatory and even I on rare occasions vary it.
(BTW we prefer the attachments be in posts in the waypoints subforum but again that is not mandatory.)

As for using the filebase I leave that to Mal, crapshoot and the bindlestiff to maintain and don't interfere.

I'll PM you an email of mine in case you can't get the attachment working.