DOPA Doh!

[Gunter]

EDIT: feel free to skip over my incorrect rambling and just download our entire custom map pack which now includes the DOPA maps and LIT files:
http://fvfonline.com/FvFmaps.7z




Well, now that I have FTP access, I thought we would be able to try the DOPA map pack, which looks very promising: https://www.quaddicted.com/reviews/dopa.html

But nopa....

The maps contain no coop spawn points.
Trying to load a map and make use of coop spawn points (as FvF does in Quest mode) when there are no coop spawn points, will soft crash the server back to console.

WHY do mappers create nice maps and neglect to do something as simple as adding coop spawn points? DOPA Derps.



Now, I COULD go in and program specifically for the maps in the FvF progs, and stuff some coop spawn points in there via QuakeC....

But meh.

This is why it's hard to find good maps to run for FvF. More praise to Iikka and Terra maps for including coop spawn points... although some of them contain no DM spawn points, so you get a similar problem if you try to load them in DM mode... but why would you? I do prevent the server from trying to do that anyway.

I suppose a mapper might be able to go in and ad coop spawn points to the DOPA maps.,, but there's no guarantee they would be playable in Quest mode, because it's a weird combination of coop + DM, and some mappers leave doors in DM mode but remove the keys that are supposed to open them (this happens every now and then in the id1 maps too, but not very often -- I removed those doors in QualeC).

[gulliver-trans]

I recall editing entities like 18 years ago.

Darkplaces can dump them:

".ent file replacement allows you to modify sky and fog settings on a per-map basis (use sv_saveentfile command in singleplayer and then edit the [entities] in a text edito

I think CTF used to use them.

Edit the .ent file. Copy the info_player_start code block serveral times, and add in coordinates you get from the game, I guess. Replacement .ents may work with any engine. Not 100% sure. You'll probably have to find some tool to integrate them into the .bsp.

[gulliver-trans]

Who knows if this old (DOS?) program will run for you. Might need a DOS box:

https://www.quaddicted.com/files/tools/qentity.zip

Actually, QuArK might do it. Or some modern pak file explorer.

[Gunter]

Waiiiit! I Derped out. DOPA DOES have Coop spawn points.

It just doesn't have Deathmatch spawn points.... The problem was, the server starts up in DM mode by default, and tries to load that DOPA Start map, and instantly crashed back to console because of no DM spawn points.

If I get rid of that Start map and then start up in DM mode and switch to Quest before trying to load the other maps, then the other maps work fine....

So we CAN try them to see if they will otherwise work in FvF Quest mode (there still could be other issues).

I will repackage them and make it available for download (the original way they are packed into a pack file with a replacement Start map, and some progs.dat.... it's just.... not optimal).

[Gunter]

Here are just the DOPA maps needed for us to test them out [edit: DL the whole map pack from first post]

Grab them and install them and some time we will try them.

If they work well, I might add them to the "custom mission" which has us jaunting through the Iikka and Terra maps. No peeking! let's go in blind without knowing what to expect!

[foq]

At least they're already vispatched. As are the IKSPQ series and the Terra series. Might want to make a note of that on the front page.

[gulliver-trans]

Cool. I got the maps installed.

Btw, proquake 3.90 server (linux) doesn't seem to have external .ENT file loading. But you could still import an .ENT file into each of DOPA's .BSP files.

Should be a server-side solution with no need to get the modified maps to everyone.

Anyhow, just a thought in case anyone wants to run through all the maps (after we try them out together) and find DM locations.

So... we trying them out as part of Sunday Night FvF?

EDIT: Confirmed. You can just open a BSP file in QuArK, edit the ent file, and save the bsp.

[Gunter]

At least they're already vispatched. As are the IKSPQ series and the Terra series. Might want to make a note of that on the front page.

I thought I said no peeking!

The penalty for peeking....

[foq]

How are there co-op spawn points when we're telefragging eachother at each map start?

Also... I find it comical how many secret nails I've found in my limited time getting DOPA'd up. Did that trend continue, or did it kinda drop off in the later levels?

[Gunter]

It did not drop off. There were many unspectacular secrets...

But then there were a couple that actually had good stuff, like a Pent secret at one point, right before some shamblers.

And there were some pretty nastardly traps (yes, I said "nastardly" .. I made a new word, nasty + dastardly).

Good thing I was such a MAN and was able to survive them!

I could not, however, survive DX Mark V crashing.....

The "secret level" you can access by an alternate exit is kind of lame. It's a pretty small map where you get ganked by a lot of monsters from the beginning. And you are rewarded with a few extra nails for your effort.... Best to skip that level.


I did just whip up some colored light files for the DOPA maps, which helps quite a bit on those bland base levels.

I updated the map pack to include them -- re-download from the link in the first post.