New to modding

[Swaffy]

Cajun, I recommend BGA (Battlefield Game Archive Tool) over all of the other RFA tools such as WinRFA and MakeRFA. Check it out some time if you haven't already. It's fairly new compared to the other tools, so I thought I'd bring that to light.

[cajunwolf]

Everybody has a preference, and at days end it's all about what your used to that works for you. I haven't used the tool you mention but have heard of it from others, and I am sure it works well; I will look into it. To me they are all just another attempt to create a better mouse trap when the original trap is still the best. I say this because I use the tools from the cmd console or most often from batch files (MS-DOS .bat files). After you have packed or unpacked your 2000th or so map or archive an interface doesn't matter, lets just get er done! I am not knocking anyone's tool or choices here, rather explaining why I do it the way I do and it's simple, it's the way the game developers at EA\Dice do it using their tool, the bf1942 debugger. Now they released this tool to the community late but had it all along, had to. Any half @$$ programer worth his salt knows that to develop a piece of software you have to have a debugging tool. I can look at the pathmaps in the original maps and see they were done by the debugger pathmapping engine. This is the only purpose for the AI meshes by the way, but I digress. Darn ADHD, I always see bunnies LoL.

Back to the point I am trying to make. As to extracting a map that's well, extracting a map, big deal. Just so it gets extracted to the proper directory, which is the mods root directory. In the case of BF1942 that would be as follows. (for those of you who are experienced modder's and mapper's these extra details are meant for someone new to bf modding who might be reading this, please be patient) ...

C:\Program Files\EA GAMES\Battlefield 1942\Mods\bf1942 or
C:\Program Files (x86)\EA GAMES\Battlefield 1942\Mods\bf1942

... Depending on your OS being 32 or 64 bit. I use 64 bit OS's (Win XP & Win 7 pro x64) on most of my machines so to save time my example will relate this path. Also, if your using an alternate path other than the standard above you will have to adjust for any examples, but you know this. OK once extracted the path looks like this ...

C:\Program Files (x86)\EA GAMES\Battlefield 1942\Mods\bf1942\bf1942\Levels\<map_name>

Now why do I do this? I am getting to that, but first why do I use WinRFA? It's simple really, it comes with the MDT, it works, and it's got a simple cmd structure. When I work on any map, mine or those of others, the first thing I do is in my "bf_working" directory I create a folder <map_name> then (added to the directory via template) run a batch file called unpack.bat and it looks like so.

Code: Select all

@echo on
call "C:\Program Files (x86)\EA GAMES\Battlefield Mod Development Toolkit\RFA Tools\Console\rfaUnpack.exe" "C:\Program Files (x86)\EA GAMES\Battlefield 1942\Mods\bf1942\Archives\bf1942\levels\<map_name>.rfa" "C:\Program Files (x86)\EA GAMES\Battlefield 1942\Mods\bf1942"
pause

Couldn't be simpler, and if you rem or leave out the "pause" it's just a black flash. The pause btw will require you to "hit any key to continue .." to end the batch or continue.

Next I edit the shortcut in this working directory to this maps newly extracted archives. I now have access to all the map files etc. So when I am finished doing what I am to the map, and ready to pack, I use the good ole debugger (bf1942_r +makeArchive Bf1942/Levels/<map name> 1 1) in the form of GUI_RfaPack; which comes with the Battlefield MDT. GUI_RfaPack is nothing more than a GUI for the above debugger commands and being it is using the game engine to create the archives your doing it the way Dice does, therefore getting full compression. Now funny thing is long before Dice released GUI_RfaPack in the MDT (2.5 I think?) 4c (FourCentsShy) had already reverse engineered the debugger and discovered this hidden archiving feature. He then did a tutorial providing a batch file you edit, to do exactly what dice did with a nice interface. We often though Dice copied 4c and there is some truth to this. I will link to his site at the end of this long sermon (I didn't intend it to be, honest, darn bunnies ..), but let me continue before winter sets in. Now we all used to use 4c's batch file, but GUI_RfaPack made the chore so much easier and as with 4c's link, I will link my old tutorial at the end, please read it and you will see what I mean. Now, same as above with WinRFA (note in the batch it's real name is rfaUnpack) I have a mappack.bat file (go figure right?), and it is rather simple and efficient.

Code: Select all

@echo off
call "C:\Program Files (x86)\EA GAMES\Battlefield Mod Development Toolkit\RFA Tools\Console\RfaPack.exe" "C:\Program Files (x86)\EA GAMES\Battlefield 1942\Mods\bf1942\bf1942\Levels\Dambuster" bf1942\Levels\Dambuster "C:\Program Files (x86)\EA GAMES\Battlefield 1942\Mods\bf1942\Archives\bf1942\Levels\<map_name>.rfa" -Compress
pause

Poof, and your done with full compression and you can go ahead and add a line to your batch to load the map if you like. I often do but have batch files that call on others to do this and other things, but that's another story. You see now why I extract to the mods root, it's where the debugger expects it to be as does GUI_RfaPack. Now to show that this saves time, and again why I do it this way let me, as briefly as I can (it's real hard for me to be brief I know) give you a run down. I will include a detailed novel (lol) in my tutorial, but let me try an outline to see how it reads.

Now before I even get started .. WARNING WILL ROBINSON, WARNING! ..., a batch file in the inexperienced hands of a noob is a very dangerous thing indeed! I don't mean this in a derogatory way, but rather as a "I told you so" ahead of time if you do not heed my warning. So please read and follow manufacturers instructions when using Windows batch files to prevent injury to your computer from a short between the chair and keyboard.

Ok here is a view of one of my map working folders, they can vary in directories or files depending on map, mod, or what I am doing, but this one is fairly generic.

You know what it is ...

Now you see some of the batch files mentioned and some others, along with shortcuts to the extracted and archive files. The file bkup.bat does what it says and backs up both the extracted (xcopy) and rfa to a safe directory. The mapfix.bat is a compound batch and by this I mean it calls on others to do it's work. First of course is backup then it extracts, copies in the env, init, and others BC can screw up (just in case) and re-packs everything so your ready to test the map. Now lets open the pathfinding\infantry folder ...

again ...

Now you will see a file called "converttopath.bat" and it is where I can really save time by all of this. While editing and painting my infantry pathmaps for <map_name> in ED42 for example, I can "Tools -> Save -> Textures", then dbl click this .bat and it will process my new pathmaps (complete start to finished map packed) and load the game to <map_name> for testing. I never shut down Ed42 in the process and instead if what I just tested didn't work, try again till it does. Now this batch files calls the batch files that run the various program that do the task. You can see where this saves time right? Now this all works because I use a standard system with a standard directory structure across all computers, usually with conditionals that handle the different path for x32 and x64. Now I doubt most go to the extremes I do but I will lay all this out in my mapping tutorials, and invite any who think they have a good procedure to submit it too, there is more than one way to skin an alligator. After all I am mad I tell you, totally mad, and they only let me out of my cage an hour a day.

Anyhow as a symbolic lolly pop for being patient with me and and to close this thing before it gets longer than the service manual for the space shuttle, here is a new toy you will love. As mention above as <map_name> loads for the test I have another of 4c's totally kewl tools installed (in map via a add on rfa) that allows me to test said new path by clicking on point A and B watching the debugger draw a line if the path is valid.

Check this out ...

Bad image the fault of Cajunwolf, all rights reserved.

... that kewl or what? All part of the debugger and 4c's debugging toolkit calls the commands via key binding and a few con files. Now here is where it gets even better and ties all of this back together. The debugger is creating this path using the waypoints we have been discussing in this thread here "Smallones". This works in SinglePlayer mode only! It does not work in COOP or other game modes. I must also warn you that while in singleplayer mode your running from the extracted map if you remove the <map_name>.rfa from the levels directory, and even so the extracted one can in most cases supersede the rfa. 4c taught me that when we were working on ai for some mod way back, I don't remember now. It's very productive because when you remove the rfa you can make changes on most cons then reload the map from console and see them live. You can go as far as extracting all archives to the games root and run the whole game extracted if you want to. So if you keep the extracted map there, keep it current.

Now here is where you get it, FourCentsShy's Website, and it's under tutorials with instructions and examples. Be sure and read the section on pathmapping because if you followed the thread, Smallones, mentioned above this will make more sense. 4c knew more about the bf1942 pathmapping system than EA\Dice and even Tobias Karlson said this. As far as tutorials on LandingZones go, there is no better so check it out.

Now if you are interested here is my old, needing an update, tutorial on GUI_rfapack. Check it out because it has many many features. There is a readme that explains in all in the installed directory.

Thanks for your time and sorry for the novel, but being ADHD I keep seeing bunnies as I go along. What I mean by this for those who do not know, is that as I start explaining something in detail I see all kinds of other interesting interconnected things I want to tell you about. LMAO, no one ever accused me for lack of detail! Also please excuse any errors because at one time or th eother I have to click on submit or it never ends!

Go ahead Swaffy, ask me another question, I dare you! LoL (jokin .. maybe)

I got to go now ... they are coming to take me away. OH Noes!