Mission objects creation automation

Aspirin on 6/11/2005 at 09:22

Hi,
first of all I'm not an experienced dromeder (T3Ed). However, I wonder about some automation mission creation system - some macro (prerecorded-preprogrammed), that automatically create any part of mission. Lets say I need a hallway - so I create hallway from basic parts and store it as "macro" with parameters (lenght, high, texture etc.). When I need another hallway I simply call this macro, enter parameters and system generates whole hallway itself. "Hallway macro" could be simple (hallway in THIS mission with fixed shape/form, texture, etc. and parameter is only lenght, wide, high) or could be complex (common hallway with many parameters: lenght, wide, high, used textures, use of columns Y/N, spacing of columns, dtto for windows, etc. whatever you want). Macros could be hierarchically nested e.g. lets have macro for column, for window, for hallway (hallway macro inside eventually call column/window macros). This way it's not necessary to construct every part of mission from scratch from basic objects. It's possible to create own library of complex objects and call them. I hope you understand my idea. Is it possible with T3Ed ?

Krypt on 6/11/2005 at 09:52

No, this isn't a feature in T3Ed, unless you made a bunch of modular pieces yourself and copied and pasted them as needed. However, static meshes serve the same function, though on a smaller scale. Windows, doorframes, columns, stairs, tables, etc. are all made already as static meshes. You just have to build some BSP and decide how to arrange the pieces to create what you want.

van HellSing on 6/11/2005 at 09:55

Pity, I used a similar technique during my Quake1 mapping days.

Ziemanskye on 6/11/2005 at 10:37

If Crispy could find the right things, I guess this is vaguely possible...

Just need to find someway to program it in unrealscript, then find some way to compile it - all the basic brushed in Ued are based on this idea, so in theory it ought to be possible.

But I don't think it'd work too good anyway - Pillars (True/False) - Pillar Smesh (...um, there's like 300 types or something), windows or doors would have the same problem, and you might not be able to modify the results, since that would be modifying a single object - so maybe it wouldn't let you move the details around.

I've just started a spare *.unr file, into which I copy/paste anything interesting looking, so it's easy to find (smeshes and all)

ProjectX on 6/11/2005 at 12:18

There used to be a prefab manager in UED but 3 seems to have gotten rid of that, basically you made such and such a room, selected allthe actors and added it as a prefab, thn you'd go to the prefab browser and add it to the level. Instant room, including lights, etc. Afterwards everything was editable because all it did was generate the brushes, etc. as if you'd made them yourself.

Crispy on 7/11/2005 at 05:49

My modification can't access the content of the level, unfortunately. All it can do is modify and drive the interface (not including what's inside the viewports); and while it would be theoretically possible to move and create objects by sending the correct mouse events, for practical purposes it wouldn't really work.

Bardic on 7/11/2005 at 06:19

I think the best bet would be in Doomedit but even that looks way more complicated than it would be worth. I've done some looking at the map file.

A simple solid brush:

Quote:

Version 2
// entity 0
{
"classname" "worldspawn"
// primitive 0
{
brushDef3
{
( 0 0 -1 128 ) ( ( 0.0078125 0 0 ) ( 0 0.0078125 0.5 ) ) "textures/enpro/encyl3" 0 0 0
( 0 0 1 -512 ) ( ( 0.0078125 0 0 ) ( 0 0.0078125 -0.5 ) ) "textures/enpro/encyl3" 0 0 0
( 0 -1 0 64 ) ( ( 0.0078125 0 -0.5 ) ( 0 0.0078125 -1.25 ) ) "textures/enpro/encyl3" 0 0 0
( 1 0 0 -256 ) ( ( 0.0078125 0 0 ) ( 0 0.0078125 -1.25 ) ) "textures/enpro/encyl3" 0 0 0
( 0 1 0 -256 ) ( ( 0.0078125 0 0.5 ) ( 0 0.0078125 -1.25 ) ) "textures/enpro/encyl3" 0 0 0
( -1 0 0 -128 ) ( ( 0.0078125 0 -0 ) ( 0 0.0078125 -1.25 ) ) "textures/enpro/encyl3" 0 0 0
}
}
}

0 0 -1 xxx bottom from 0 (higher # means bottom of box is higher)
0 0 1 -xxx top-xxx=0 (lower # means top is higher)
0 -1 0 xxx lower wall from 0 (higher # means lower wall is north more)
1 0 0 -xxx right wall-xxx=0 (lower # means right wall is east more)
0 1 0 -xxx Upper wall-xxx=0 (lower # means upper wall is north more)
-1 0 0 xxx left wall from 0 (higher # means left wall is east more)

and that is just a brush, you need 6 for a room, and they need to line up so you don't have leaks. The later numbers probably have to do with rotation, and the texture portion isn't too tough.

A program that could make stuff based on settings you choose, or randomize rooms and throw them in the level and then you could go in and arrange them how you wanted them would be cool, but I get a headache thinking about it.

Ziemanskye on 7/11/2005 at 16:58

I was meaning more like the unrealscript to create arbitrary cube brushes:

Code:

//===================================================
// CubeBuilder: Builds a 3D cube brush.
//========================================================
class CubeBuilder
extends BrushBuilder;

var() float Height, Width, Breadth;
var() float WallThickness;
var() name GroupName;
var() bool Hollow;
var() bool Tessellated;

function BuildCube( int Direction, float dx, float dy, float dz, bool _tessellated )
{
local int n,i,j,k;
n = GetVertexCount();

for( i=-1; i<2; i+=2 )
for( j=-1; j<2; j+=2 )
for( k=-1; k<2; k+=2 )
Vertex3f( i*dx/2, j*dy/2, k*dz/2 );

// If the user wants a Tessellated cube, create the sides out of tris instead of quads.
if( _tessellated )
{
Poly3i(Direction,n+0,n+1,n+3);
Poly3i(Direction,n+0,n+3,n+2);
Poly3i(Direction,n+2,n+3,n+7);
Poly3i(Direction,n+2,n+7,n+6);
Poly3i(Direction,n+6,n+7,n+5);
Poly3i(Direction,n+6,n+5,n+4);
Poly3i(Direction,n+4,n+5,n+1);
Poly3i(Direction,n+4,n+1,n+0);
Poly3i(Direction,n+3,n+1,n+5);
Poly3i(Direction,n+3,n+5,n+7);
Poly3i(Direction,n+0,n+2,n+6);
Poly3i(Direction,n+0,n+6,n+4);
}
else
{
Poly4i(Direction,n+0,n+1,n+3,n+2);
Poly4i(Direction,n+2,n+3,n+7,n+6);
Poly4i(Direction,n+6,n+7,n+5,n+4);
Poly4i(Direction,n+4,n+5,n+1,n+0);
Poly4i(Direction,n+3,n+1,n+5,n+7);
Poly4i(Direction,n+0,n+2,n+6,n+4);
}
}

event bool Build()
{
if( Height<=0 || Width<=0 || Breadth<=0 )
return BadParameters();
if( Hollow && (Height<=WallThickness || Width<=WallThickness || Breadth<=WallThickness) )
return BadParameters();
if( Hollow && Tessellated )
return BadParameters("The 'Tessellated' option can't be specified with the 'Hollow' option.");

BeginBrush( false, GroupName );
BuildCube( +1, Breadth, Width, Height, Tessellated );
if( Hollow )
BuildCube( -1, Breadth-WallThickness, Width-WallThickness, Height-WallThickness, Tessellated );
return EndBrush();
}

defaultproperties
{
Height=256
Width=256
Breadth=256
WallThickness=16
GroupName=Cube
Hollow=false
Tessellated=false
BitmapFilename="BBCube"
ToolTip="Cube"
}

But yeah, it's still way evil, even if you do have to add/subtract it to use it.

Crispy on 8/11/2005 at 11:16

Would "brush hacking" do what you mean? It works in normal UEd and I don't see why it wouldn't work in T3Ed either. I read about it on the UnrealEd wiki. Basically you just copy an existing brush and paste it into any text editor. You'll get a bunch of text that you can edit. Copy that text, and paste it back into T3Ed to create your hacked brush. You can basically make anything you like, assuming you don't create BSP holes in the process (a big assumption to make :erg:).

I could provide support for reading and writing to the clipboard in my modification, if that sounds useful.

ascottk on 8/11/2005 at 16:06

Quote Posted by Crispy

I just tried that with a couple of volumes & it works! Just highlight a volume/brush & copy then paste into notepad. Get rid of the volume/brush in the map, highlight the text in notepad & copy then paste into the map.