QUALKER: Extreme Usage of Q3 Map Format
Started by Baker
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Baker Rep. 0
#1   25 Aug 2024
If you like the Q3 map format, you may be interested in QUALKER 0.3 total conversion that has one of the most complex Q3 maps ever made (there are 2 or 3 large maps, but the first map of the single player campaign to me is particularly remarkable):
Screenshot:
www.quaketastic.co...s/qualker_2.gif
Download (it's standalone, no Q1 or Q3 required):
www.moddb.com/mods...ads/qualker-v03
Mod author: KleskBY
Blender OBJ to Q3 converter used for this, as I understand:
github.com/c-d-a/io_export_qmap
Map compiler:
Netradiant Custom at github.com/Garux/netradiant-custom
Engine:
The map is using Zircon Engine (fork of DarkPlaces retaining full compatibility, although large number of user interface enhancements and some extra capabilities) at www.moddb.com/mods/zircon-engine
This map probably could eventually be made to load in Quake SandBox -- which has a high capacity Q3 engine that is a fork of Open Arena, but due to using q3map2.exe to target the DarkPlaces engine
---
I don't claim this is the most complex Q3 map ever made --- no doubt there are many fine and ambitious Q3 maps out in the wild -- but the complexity of the map and the terrain and the level of detail is quite high and the map was largely made in Blender (KleskBY can do things in Blender that would very difficult or maybe impossible to do in any of the Quake 3 map editors -- he once gave me a video of him working in Blender in real-time modifying an "outdoor pipe line system" in a map and was stunned). In fact, a year ago, QUALKER 0.2 ran using a Github Beta version of DarkPlaces with some stability issues and it was not using the Q3 map format at all, but rather the .OBJ model format (which DarkPlaces has been able to load for years).
Anyway, just sharing information for anyone taking the time to read this thread --- if you take the time to look at the screenshot and the sheer detail and terrain -- it is quite interest what can be done with the Q3 map format with the current toolset / compilers and using a high capacity engine to run the maps.
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Noire-dev Rep. 56
#2   22 Sep 2024
Hmm, it's interesting and i will test it now
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Noire-dev Rep. 56
#3   22 Sep 2024
hmm it's not quake 3 format or this use obj and modified q3map2 compiler, i want sources of this map
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Baker Rep. 0
#4   19 Oct 2024
Hey noire, I didn't notice your reply because in September I was trying to get a mod out (didn't happen) and when I came up with the .map processor idea, I was coding furiously for an extended period.
When I load up the Qualker start map in Zircon (the qualker.exe is Zircon), I type "map":
Output ....

map is lost_village

supportwateralpha? Yes
vis data? Yes
num triangles 422459
num vertices 595090
normalmins -3840.0 -4096.0 -256.0
normalmaxs 5120.0 4352.0 1792.0
size 8960.0 8448.0 2048.0

Keys

mapversion "220"
classname "worldspawn"
tb_textures "textures;textures/common;textures/stalker"
ambient "5"
fog ".3 .3 .25 .2 .6 20 2000 1500 30"
message "Lost Village"
light_lev "25"
q3map2_cmdline "-bsp -meta; -vis; -light -fast"
q3map2_version "2.5.17n-git-5daf2e2"
I'm not as familiar with Quakesandbox engine as Zircon, but I see DarkPlaces fog numbers. Those are incompatible with stock Q3 (99% certain, I remember fog being a crasher when I was trying to get some of my maps loading in your game).
So the "fog" could be a load issue for Quake Sandbox.

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Noire-dev Rep. 56
#5   04 Nov 2024
@Baker :
Hey noire, I didn't notice your reply because in September I was trying to get a mod out (didn't happen) and when I came up with the .map processor idea, I was coding furiously...

Hmm, I'll look at fog code in my engine
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Noire-dev Rep. 56
#6   04 Nov 2024
I'm working on rewriting my QVM modules, making new fonts, also adding improved physics and already implemented my own scripting language
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Baker Rep. 0
#7   04 Nov 2024
Sounds cool
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Tig Rep. 2422
#8   04 Nov 2024
@Noire-dev - Curious as to why are you have implemented your own scripting support. Was there something missing or some kind of syntax limitation that prevented your from doing what you wanted?
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Noire-dev Rep. 56
#9   04 Nov 2024
@Tig :
@Noire-dev - Curious as to why are you have implemented your own scripting support. Was there something missing or some kind of syntax limitation that prevented your from...

I was just wondering how to make my own scripting language, I made it inside qvm and made a simple syntax, this language is not compiled and works on the fly, it is good for modding
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Noire-dev Rep. 56
#10   04 Nov 2024
I've been on this site for 4 years
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Baker Rep. 0
#11   15 Nov 2024
noire, KleskBY is back for a bit and I let him know you were in interested in the map source for LostVillage.
re: Scripting ...
I can't speak for Quake 3, but for Quake 1 some of the limitations of what you can do in QuakeC is rather limiting.
Except with DarkPlaces you can make the QuakeC support scripting.
Member submitted image
Case in point, I made DarkPlaces play chess and blackjack and other stuff and the scripting support is done in QuakeC. I myself still haven't gone "all in" on scripting -- either with engine support or via QuakeC support -- because I would need to collect more information on what other games do for scripting and that isn't a high enough priority for me right now.
(Because I want to use the .map pre-processor in Zircon engine to make random dungeons and do it before Christmas).
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Noire-dev Rep. 56
#12   16 Nov 2024
@Baker :
noire, KleskBY is back for a bit and I let him know you were in interested in the map source for LostVillage. re: Scripting ... I can't speak for Quake 3, but for Quake 1...

It's cool
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Baker Rep. 0
#13   16 Nov 2024
Map source for LostVillage:
github.com/KleskBY.../tree/main/maps
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Baker Rep. 0
#14   20 Nov 2024
I made an animated pic for this for an engine update and when I started this thread lvlworld couldn't do pics:
So here is a pic:
Member submitted image
Rather unbelievable that is Q3 map format, KleskBY can do things in Blender that are challenging or maybe nearly impossible in the traditional map editors and the python Blender to Q3 map made this happen.
Edited 2.25 minutes after the original posting.
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Hipshot Rep. 336
#15   27 days ago
I don't find such a thing strange to be in the map format. Just let models handle the detail really. The map format really isn't a limit for such a thing, the editor, compiler and engine is as I see it.

The editor because you need a smooth one to work details and all that.
The compiler because you need to be able to compile the details, the light map (if needed), visibility and so.
The engine because you need to be able to render all these triangles and shaders properly.

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