Note: It is assumed that you are aware of how the Unreal Editor works and how to use it to make maps.
IMPORTANT NOTE: DO NOT SAVE OVER ANY EXISTING RENX PACKAGES AND MAPS! This will cause unstability in the editor and the mod.
Starting the Editor:
The Renegade X map editor is the same editor as the one in UT3, and the only difference is that all of the Renegade X content will automatically be loaded and ready to go. The Renegade X Editor is launched through the Renegade X frontend program. To run the Editor simply goto the "Editor" tab in the frontend and click on the "Start Editor" button. Before you launch the editor, there is a known bug where it will prompt you to recompile scripts and will also not load the Renegade X content. The solution to that problem is posted in the "How to run the map editor" topic.
General Map Info:
Due to the nature of the current system, map with Obelisk and/or Advanced Guard Tower will not be able to be published. However maps without the base defences will have no trouble publishing. Maps with secondary base defences (Nod Turret, GDI GuardTower) and no primary base defences are able to be published. Asymetrical maps are possible in Renegade X. If you wish to create an assault type map using Kismet, you are able to do that.
Each map must have the proper prefix that will identify the game mode. There is currently only one game mode that is present at the moment and that is the "Command & Conquer" game mode. The current prefix for any Renegade X capable map is "Renegade". For example, the map "Field" would be saved as "Renegade-Field.ut3". This is very important, otherwise the map will not be recognized by the mod. You do not need to have any game modes defined the in "GameTypeSupportedOnThisMap" setting in the "World Properties".
The Frontend extracts some info from the map. The map names must also be defined as the "Title" in the "World Properties" of the map. The title does not have to have the same name as the file name.
You are able to test your maps directly inside the editor using the play through editor feature. You do not need to load the mod and launch the map manually.
Maps will only be visible ingame if they are placed inside of the Published folder. If you publish the maps, they should create the published version inside the correct folder. If you cannot publish the map for whatever reason and wish to play the map, then it must be placed inside of the published folder.
Placing Buildings in a map:
Each building is made up of a large number of different actors that together make up the visual and gameplay elements of that specific structure. There is one "Building Actor" for each building which is what makes up the gameplay elements. That building actor has all collision information along with info on where to place doors, purchase terminals and the master control terminal, and will automatically spawn them in the right place. The visual elements of each building is made up of static meshs of each building (Exterior, Interior, Complex Interior), static meshs of the PTs and MCT, Lights, Spawn Points, and Particle Emitters. It would be a very tedious task to place each and every single element in the right place everytime you wish to place a building. All buildings were assembled once and saved into a single prefab instance. This allows level designers to place a building with just 2 clicks instead of manually setting up each element of the building.
Here is a list of all building Prefabs and locations:
Example: <PackageName>/<SubFolderName>/<PrefabInstanceName>
BU_RenX_AGT/Prefab/RenX_AdvancedGuardTower
BU_RenX_AirStrip/Prefab/RenX_AirStrip
BU_RenX_AirStrip/Prefab/RenX_AirTower
BU_RenX_Barracks/Prefab/RenX_Baracks
BU_RenX_Hand/Prefab/RenX_HandOfNod
BU_RenX_Oblisk/Prefab/RenX_Obelisk
BU_RenX_PowerPlant/Prefab/RenX_GDI_PowerPlant_New
BU_RenX_PowerPlant/Prefab/RenX_Nod_PowerPlant
BU_RenX_Refinery/Prefab/RenX_GDI_Refinery
BU_RenX_Refinery/Prefab/RenX_Nod_Refinery
BU_RenX_WeaponsFactory/Prefab/RenX_WeaponsFactory
To place a building, you must first select the prefab of the building located in the upk package file of each building. First fully load the package in the Generic Browser. The in the sub-folders of the package, there will be a folder called "Prefab", and inside that folder there will be one or more Prefab Instance items depending on the building. Once you have selected the prefab in the generic browser, simply place that inside of the map. It is recommended that you revert the Prefab Instance back to normal actors, this way you will also have control over all visual elements of the building and will be able to hand tweak things such as materials, emitters, spawn points, and lighting on the building to suit your map.
Tiberium:
Tiberium works the same way that the buildings work. There are two elements that make up tiberium. One is the visual elements which holds the textures, emitters, and tiberium crystals, and the other is the gameplay element that makes the player get hurt when they enter the area. Tiberium's game play elements are setup through a volume which will damage any player that enter it. To make this volume, simply setup your builder brush in the shape and position of the area where you want there to be tiberium damage to infintry, and then add a tiberium volume. You can find it by going to Brush>Add Volume>Volume_Tiberium or by right clicking on the add volume button and selecting "Volume_Tiberium". You are free to add the visual elements which ever way you wish to do so. In general all of ours are currently setup as a terrain layer which uses a material located in the "RenX_Tiberium.upk" package file. There is also an emitter located in the same upk file which creates a small mist of tiberium fumes. In another package file "Tiberium.upk" there are 4 variations of tiberium crystals. The most efficient way to add them is to create a foliage volume above your tiberium field and have those static meshs be randomly generated based on settings you can define.
The Tiberium volume alone is not enough to get the harvesters to reach the tiberium field. You must place a specific path node called "RenX_Tib_Node". This path node can be found in the Actor Classes browser within the "NavigationPoints". You must place one per team, and must define the team number in it's properties. 0=Nod, 1=GDI.
Paths and Spawn Points:
You must create a path from the Airstrip/WF to ther Tiberium field, and a two way path from the Tiberium Field to the Refineries. You can do this by creating a path using the default path nodes. It is recommended that you test your paths and make sure that the harvesters dont drive into areas they should not be driving into.
After building/re-building paths, some spawn points will fall inside of the building and must be brough back to their original locations. Particularly the spawn points on the second floor of the Hand of Nod will drop to the ground level. Simply select them after building paths , and bring them back up. The Nod harvester spawn point on the AirStrip will also drop to the ground. Simply raise it so that it has enough room to spawn, otherwise the harvester will not spawn.
Secondary Base Defences:
To place the secondary base defences (Nod Turret, GDI Guard Tower) in the map, you must first select them in the Actor Classes browser. Under the Pawn class, there will be a sub class called Vehicles. Expand the vehicle sub class all the way down to the SecondaryBaseDefences sub class where you will find more sub classes for the Turret and Guard tower. Expand them and select their actors (in bold text), right click anywhere in the map and click on "Add <SecondaryBaseDefenceActorName> here" and that will spawn the selected base defence on that location.
Conclusion:
Now you know how to setup your map for Renegade X. Please post any inquires you may have in side this topic and I will do the best I can to answer them. I hope you guys enjoy making maps for Renegade X. I'm looking forward to seeing maps made by the community.
I may or may not create a video tutorial going much more indepth into details and throughly explain everything, but that depends on how much time I have in the next few months.
Happy Mapping!
UPDATED JANURARY 31st 2010
