Author Topic: The Evangel Map Project  (Read 17230 times)

Evangel - Project 7

  • Minion
  • **
  • Posts: 28
  • Never Surrender.
The Evangel Map Project
« on: November 17, 2012, 04:13:16 PM »
*note: wasn't sure where exactly to put this so mods feel free to shuffle this somewhere else*


At the announcement of City of Heroes' closure I had made a post on here about my intent to create and extensive map project for the purpose of being able to create and edit video demorecords after the sunset of CoH. I've been playing with demorecords since launch, won one of the two video contests back when they were around, and recently published my Farewell Video to celebrate 8 years of memories in Paragon City. And the great thing about the demorecord function is that it doesn't require the CoH servers to be up, it only requires you to have the game installed. But you need some other things too, and that's why I started this thread now.

This post I'm going to talk about what my map project is, what I have, what I need and what resources we have to work in demorecords - and most importantly what you might want to capture before the ultimate mapserver on Nov. 30. Then I'm going to copy/paste my post in this thread to give an example of how my project works using Atlas Park as an example.


What is the Evangel Map Project?

Using the demorecord function in CoH  (typing /demorecord <filename>  in the chat box) I mapped the four corners (or more than four in most cases) of most of the zones in CoH. Then, using a grid program I map out the zone's map to scale with each unit of location on the grid equal to one foot. The units in the CoH coordinate system appear to coordinate to feet, so if you type /loc and then move about one foot and type /loc again one or two of the numbers (depending on your location relative to center, and where you're facing) should move by almost exactly 1.

My goal is to create a map grid for every zone and host them for download so that after sunset you can create demorecord movies and screenshots of your hero, so that you can still enjoy the game in a fashion. The project is currently on hold because I want to spend the next few weeks doing what I loved about CoH - playing it. I don't want to spend time on a project when I can still enjoy the game. But as you'll see below I'm posting this now so that you can prepare your character in case you want to use these maps.

After sunset I will finish the grids and host the maps. And then I plan to do an extensive set of how-to posts and perhaps a few videos to get people going on how to record/edit/dump their files to make videos and screenshots.


What I Have:

All hero, praetorian, and villain zones, as well as a few dozen unique indoor and outdoor maps.



Resources:

There are many but my particular favorite is The CoH Codex Site. It's out of date but has a massive collection of movement files, NPC character names, and FX animations. It even has a map section for zone files. If there are any more like this that you know about please post them here, it's great work by the author capturing all of that!


What YOU Need:

If you want to take advantage of these maps to make your own movies or screenshots then you'll want to prepare with your character(s) by making demofiles of what I call their "skins". You can log in to the game and make a demofile that contains all of a character's costumes and once that is saved you can copy/paste that info into new demofiles even after sunset and you can have your hero walk the streets of Paragon once more! Here's how:

How to make a demorecord:

1) The less clutter in a demofile the better - so I like to either enter a mission and clear it out completely or, easier in my opinion, make a quick MA arc that has no villains and something trivial like a glowie and then go into test mode and enter the mission. Either way the trick is to have it empty so that you don't have 100 other models cluttering up your demo file.

2) Once ready, keep the camera still, don't mess around with the mouse and pans because that clutters up the file as well.

3) in the chatbox type  /demorecord <filename> and hit enter  (note: replace <filename> with whatever you want to call the file, like: evangels_costumes )

4) in local chat type costume 1 and switch to that costume. wait thirty seconds, then type costume 2 and switch to that one, rinse and repeat. You can name them whatever is helpful for you to remember that costume.

5) when all done type /demostop and hit enter. You're done with the game portion!

6) navigate to your game folder (usually Program Files/NCSoft/CityOfHeroes) and there should be a folder labeled "client_demos". Inside that you should find your file. You can open it up using Notepad and if you scroll down a bit it should look similar to this:




7) Keep that file in a safe place and then go back to playing CoH while you can!




As stated above later I will do some how-to's so that you can clean that file up, make some edits and have some fun in Paragon City even after the doors are locked. The next post is an example of how I've used this all to map out AP. For now, capture your character(s) and then put it aside for a bit. Go enjoy the game!!




Go. Hunt. Save CoH.
Evangel | Infinity Server
« Last Edit: November 28, 2012, 08:57:58 PM by Evangel - Project 7 »
Go. Hunt. Save CoH.
Evangel | Infinity Server

Evangel - Project 7

  • Minion
  • **
  • Posts: 28
  • Never Surrender.
Re: The Evangel Map Project
« Reply #1 on: November 17, 2012, 04:14:35 PM »
The Atlas Park example copy/pasted from another thread:



1) I mapped each corner of AP using demorecord and got the following coordinates for the map, using "top" and "bottom" in coordination with how the map looks in the view window in game. Positions are in x,y,z with x being the horizontal, z being the vertical (when looking at the map from birdseye view) and y being the height of the object on the map:

Bottom Left: 2815 -25.843838 1023
Bottom Right: -1792 20.917597 1023
Top Right: -1792 16.555946 -2432
Top Left: 2815 18.061245 -2432

For purposes of mapping I ignore the Y coordinate as that can be determined through basic trial and error when mapping later on, as far as I can tell each integral is equal to about 1 foot so you can use your zone knowledge to think "oh, that bridge is about 20 feet off the ground", etc...


2) I took a picture of AP's map from the wiki and pasted it onto a simple square in Google Sketchup - a program that allows you to accurately build shapes based on feet measurement which, as stated above, seems to be the rough estimate for each coordinate integral in the game. Using the above coordinates we can determine that AP is 4,608' by 3,455'. But based on the positive to negative ratio the map is actually read 180' opposite from how it appears in the view finder in game, so the bottom right of the map in the game actually belongs in the top left when viewing it as a graph, if that makes sense.


3) Using either a demorecord or math, I calculate 0,0,0 on the map and center the Sketchup model so that 0,0,0 corresponds with the center of the x,y,z plane. And the result is this:






Now you can accurately find a coordinate (x,z) anywhere in AP using the measurement tool in Sketchup. So if I want to place a character at, say, the tram station, I can measure out:


x-coordinate:


z-coordinate:



Now I put them into the demorecord, assuming that the tram station is probably about 74 feet up from ground level (actually I cheated, I guessed 70 but when I tested the record I noticed I was off a few feet) so my position would be 690, 74, -1399. I make a simple demorecord:



You'll notice I placed the camera a dozen or so feet further on the x plane, so that Evangel would be in view. Also, I'm not going to bother explaining the PYR functions right now as this is just an example to answer your question... albeit a lonnnngggg example :)


Once I dump that demo I get this pretty little record that has Evangel placed nicely where I wanted him:








Go. Hunt. Save CoH.
Evangel | Infinity Server
Go. Hunt. Save CoH.
Evangel | Infinity Server

Cinnder

  • Boss
  • ****
  • Posts: 246
Re: The Evangel Map Project
« Reply #2 on: November 18, 2012, 09:33:16 AM »
OK, Ev -- I have emailed you all the Praetorian zones.  Will get to work on the Isles soon.

This finally got me round to recording bases as well.

Mister Bison

  • Elite Boss
  • *****
  • Posts: 686
  • *psychotic grin*
Re: The Evangel Map Project
« Reply #3 on: November 18, 2012, 10:08:04 AM »
Am I stupid or doesn't /loc (or whatitsname) give you correct coordinates already ?
Yeeessss....

Evangel - Project 7

  • Minion
  • **
  • Posts: 28
  • Never Surrender.
Re: The Evangel Map Project
« Reply #4 on: November 18, 2012, 06:01:07 PM »
Am I stupid or doesn't /loc (or whatitsname) give you correct coordinates already ?

Indeed, and all the demorecord does is record the same numbers. But the demorecord also records other important information like the map filename, and different array information that's good to have. Essentially you could get these same numbers by just going to corners of the zone and typing /loc and writing that down but it's just easier to record it. And post sunset there will be no /loc command to utilize.

The point of the Map Project is to be able to make movies after sunset, so the more we can get before using the "easy" way (i.e. logging into the game) the better. In fact I record regularly each night. If I see something I like I record quick just to be safe. Ran a BAF and Lambda last night and thought "hey, I like those turrets on top of the Lambda sector but I don't know if I have that model name" so I did a quick record.



Go. Hunt. Record CoH.
Evangel | Infinity Server
Go. Hunt. Save CoH.
Evangel | Infinity Server

Kaiser Tarantula

  • Elite Boss
  • *****
  • Posts: 580
  • @Nerva
Re: The Evangel Map Project
« Reply #5 on: November 18, 2012, 07:50:03 PM »
Praetoria's zones might be hard to map like this - you can't actually physically reach the corners of the map, due to the sonic fences that shut off all your powers (including travel powers and resistance toggles) and then inflict a heavy unresistable DoT on you until you either get out of their range or run out of HP.  Not even sucking down a shedload of oranges will save you.

Also, specifically for Nova Praetoria/Imperial City, the west edge of Nova and the east edge of Imperial are a zone-change border.  Crossing the line puts you in the corresponding other zone.

Do these zone peculiarities make your method unusable?  Or can they be adapted to account for the effects?

Evangel - Project 7

  • Minion
  • **
  • Posts: 28
  • Never Surrender.
Re: The Evangel Map Project
« Reply #6 on: November 18, 2012, 08:17:28 PM »
Praetoria's zones might be hard to map like this - you can't actually physically reach the corners of the map, due to the sonic fences that shut off all your powers (including travel powers and resistance toggles) and then inflict a heavy unresistable DoT on you until you either get out of their range or run out of HP.  Not even sucking down a shedload of oranges will save you.

Also, specifically for Nova Praetoria/Imperial City, the west edge of Nova and the east edge of Imperial are a zone-change border.  Crossing the line puts you in the corresponding other zone.

Do these zone peculiarities make your method unusable?  Or can they be adapted to account for the effects?

Cinnder actually did a great job of capturing those. Essentially I told him just to get as close to the border as possible, then I can use the demorecord to push those limits a bit to get the exact numbers. Currently Preatoria is all captured.


Still Needed:

All CoV zones



Go. Hunt. Record CoH.
Evangel | Infinity Server
Go. Hunt. Save CoH.
Evangel | Infinity Server

Kaiser Tarantula

  • Elite Boss
  • *****
  • Posts: 580
  • @Nerva
Re: The Evangel Map Project
« Reply #7 on: November 18, 2012, 08:44:19 PM »
Oh whoops, I missed Cinnder's post.  My mistake.

Cinnder

  • Boss
  • ****
  • Posts: 246
Re: The Evangel Map Project
« Reply #8 on: November 18, 2012, 08:52:10 PM »
Oh whoops, I missed Cinnder's post.  My mistake.

You probably didn't notice when I offered to give you my car either. :-)

Morvani

  • Underling
  • *
  • Posts: 18
Re: The Evangel Map Project
« Reply #9 on: November 19, 2012, 07:31:11 AM »
I was wondering... did you get a /demorecord of Pocket D -with- the ski chalet?

Mister Bison

  • Elite Boss
  • *****
  • Posts: 686
  • *psychotic grin*
Re: The Evangel Map Project
« Reply #10 on: November 19, 2012, 02:44:51 PM »
I was wondering... did you get a /demorecord of Pocket D -with- the ski chalet?
Carefully looking at the map shows that the chalet is always here, just the door doesn't open.

I have a friend that touted having access to the old Paragon Dance Party, should I drop him a mail ?
Yeeessss....

Mister Bison

  • Elite Boss
  • *****
  • Posts: 686
  • *psychotic grin*
Re: The Evangel Map Project
« Reply #11 on: November 19, 2012, 02:49:08 PM »
Indeed, and all the demorecord does is record the same numbers. But the demorecord also records other important information like the map filename, and different array information that's good to have. Essentially you could get these same numbers by just going to corners of the zone and typing /loc and writing that down but it's just easier to record it. And post sunset there will be no /loc command to utilize.

The point of the Map Project is to be able to make movies after sunset, so the more we can get before using the "easy" way (i.e. logging into the game) the better. In fact I record regularly each night. If I see something I like I record quick just to be safe. Ran a BAF and Lambda last night and thought "hey, I like those turrets on top of the Lambda sector but I don't know if I have that model name" so I did a quick record.


Go. Hunt. Record CoH.
Evangel | Infinity Server
So you also want the map name, but it's still easier to do a single demorecord for it and then note the (other if demo'ed in a corner) locs by hand, less work. Just wanting to point the possible alternative.
Yeeessss....

Codewalker

  • Hero of the City
  • Titan Network Admin
  • Elite Boss
  • *****
  • Posts: 2,740
  • Moar Dots!
Re: The Evangel Map Project
« Reply #12 on: November 19, 2012, 03:19:29 PM »
Carefully looking at the map shows that the chalet is always here, just the door doesn't open.

Not quite, the geometry layer is present, but hidden, so it would be invisible even if you were to fly out there. I'm not 100% sure if demorecords capture the visibility state of groups or what the magic command is, but I can find out.

Evangel - Project 7

  • Minion
  • **
  • Posts: 28
  • Never Surrender.
Re: The Evangel Map Project
« Reply #13 on: November 19, 2012, 05:29:24 PM »
I did get Pocket D and even did the chalet when the winter event was active just to be safe. I think the Dance Party map is available through the Codex site I listed above but a capture would be nice if someone has access. The big thing now is any newer mission maps (say, past i15-ish) that you like, if you can get a character to capture them that would be great!


Go. Hunt. Record CoH.
Evangel | Infinity Server
Go. Hunt. Save CoH.
Evangel | Infinity Server

Cinnder

  • Boss
  • ****
  • Posts: 246
Re: The Evangel Map Project
« Reply #14 on: November 19, 2012, 07:29:49 PM »
OK, got all the Isles zones, including Abyss and Monster Island.  Saw the Tom Hanks easter egg, which I would never have known about otherwise!

downix

  • Phoenix Project Technical Lead
  • Elite Boss
  • *****
  • Posts: 1,962
Re: The Evangel Map Project
« Reply #15 on: November 20, 2012, 01:36:20 AM »
OK, got all the Isles zones, including Abyss and Monster Island.  Saw the Tom Hanks easter egg, which I would never have known about otherwise!
WILSON!!!!

Cinnder

  • Boss
  • ****
  • Posts: 246
Re: The Evangel Map Project
« Reply #16 on: November 20, 2012, 09:16:20 AM »
WILSON!!!!

Yes!  Except in this universe it's, "SPAULDING!!"

Evangel - Project 7

  • Minion
  • **
  • Posts: 28
  • Never Surrender.
Re: The Evangel Map Project
« Reply #17 on: November 20, 2012, 05:53:22 PM »
Thanks a bunch Cinnder for getting all the extra outdoor zone maps! Now nothing is really needed, just capture whatever you feel like and especially get your characters and their costumes and keep them in a safe place for now, and get back to cleaning Paragon's streets while you still can.



Go. Hunt. Record CoH.
Evangel | Infinity Server
Go. Hunt. Save CoH.
Evangel | Infinity Server

Evangel - Project 7

  • Minion
  • **
  • Posts: 28
  • Never Surrender.
Re: The Evangel Map Project
« Reply #18 on: November 21, 2012, 05:23:28 AM »
I have a demo of the most amazing base I have ever seen for you, Evangel.  It's a castle.  A real castle, with 3 levels, a moat, a dungeon, hidden areas....I've seen a lot of bases and this one blows me away.

This was posted in my farewell video thread and thought it would be a good comment to address here as well: base capturing.


Demorecords do have some odd limitations/quirks. Invisibility and any phase powers, for instance, do not work in demo mode. Also all interactable objects do not appear in demos. The model names exist and you can put it in the file but it simply does not play back - I don't know if this was intended or not. But the other thing this effects is base objects.

If you do a demorecord of your base it will playback 100% accurate to your base layout. All objects will be present. But you can't edit those objects in the demo file to move them around. So my point here is feel free to do demos of your bases as well for sake of nostalgia - but just know that what you record your base as will be your limitation after sunset for if you ever use it to record a movie or make a picture. After Nov. 30 you can't move the couch to the other side of the room when you have a desire to do some spring cleaning. That couch will stay where it's at... forever!!!



Go. Hunt. Record CoH.
Evangel | Infinity Server
Go. Hunt. Save CoH.
Evangel | Infinity Server

healix

  • Elite Boss
  • *****
  • Posts: 1,695
  • Every good friend was once a stranger
Re: The Evangel Map Project
« Reply #19 on: November 21, 2012, 02:24:11 PM »
Yes!  Except in this universe it's, "SPAULDING!!"

I LOVED finding that...it was by accident, and of course, had to take a screenie!
For those who have never seen it....
Listen to the 'mustn'ts'. Listen to the 'don'ts'. Listen to the 'shouldn'ts', the 'impossibles', the 'won'ts'. Listen to the 'you'll never haves', then listen close to me... Anything can happen . Anything can be.

Codewalker

  • Hero of the City
  • Titan Network Admin
  • Elite Boss
  • *****
  • Posts: 2,740
  • Moar Dots!
Re: The Evangel Map Project
« Reply #20 on: November 27, 2012, 10:22:34 PM »
I have a friend that touted having access to the old Paragon Dance Party, should I drop him a mail ?

May I direct your attention over here for a moment? There's something there that might be helpful. :)

Mister Bison

  • Elite Boss
  • *****
  • Posts: 686
  • *psychotic grin*
Re: The Evangel Map Project
« Reply #21 on: November 27, 2012, 10:28:45 PM »
Okay, I don't know about that, thanks Codewalker ;) ;) ;)
Yeeessss....

Evangel - Project 7

  • Minion
  • **
  • Posts: 28
  • Never Surrender.
Re: The Evangel Map Project
« Reply #22 on: November 28, 2012, 03:36:13 AM »
Yep i used that fun trick to get the old zones and to have a bit of teary-eyed nostalgia. I forgot how fun Old Faultline was. Man, getting caught down in those canyons with no travel powers back in the day! Many a keyboards were slammed upon in frustration!! :)


Go. Hunt. Record CoH.
Evangel | Infinity Server
Go. Hunt. Save CoH.
Evangel | Infinity Server

Sekoia

  • Titan Network Admin
  • Elite Boss
  • *****
  • Posts: 1,848
Re: The Evangel Map Project
« Reply #23 on: November 28, 2012, 09:19:48 PM »
What YOU Need:

If you want to take advantage of these maps to make your own movies or screenshots then you'll want to prepare with your character(s) by making demofiles of what I call their "skins". You can log in to the game and make a demofile that contains all of a character's costumes and once that is saved you can copy/paste that info into new demofiles even after sunset and you can have your hero walk the streets of Paragon once more! Here's how:

Costume information is also captured in Sentinel+ exports. Here's an excerpt from the example export:

Code: [Select]
<costume>
<bodytype>1</bodytype>
<skincolor>ff000000</skincolor>
<scales>0.000000 0.000000 0.000000 0.000000 0.000000 0.000000 0.000000 0.000000 0.000000 0.000000 0.000000 0.000000 0.000000 0.000000 0.000000 0.000000 0.000000 0.000000 0.000000 0.000000 0.000000 0.000000 0.000000 0.000000 0.000000 0.000000 0.000000 0.000000 0.000000 0.000000</scales>
<parts count="28">
<part>Tucked_In Cargo_01 !Hips_Sharp 00000000 0031614d</part>
<part>Armored !X_Chest_Robot_Mask !Chest_V_Pattern_Jaws 00001c55 0031614d</part>
<part>V_fem_Head.GEO/GEO_Head_V_Asym_Standard !Face_Skin_V_Fem_Head_76 !V_Face_Small_Mask_3 0031614d 00cc00ca</part>
<part>Robotic_02 Robotic_Banded Robotic_Banded_01b 00000000 0031614d</part>
<part>Banded Tech_Modern_01 !Boot_V_Assassin_01 0031614d 00001c55</part>
<part>Tech_01 Tech_01a Tech_01b 0031614d 00001c55</part>
<part>Dreads Afro_01a Afro_01b 0031614d 00001c55</part>
<part>none none none 00000000 00000000</part>
<part>Goggle_07 Lens_01a Lens_01b 00001c55 00000000</part>
<part>Armored_Strap_01 Strap_01a Strap_01b 00000000 00000000</part>
<part>V_FEM_SPADR.GEO/GEO_SpadR_Spikes_17 !Emblem_V_Spikes_01 !Emblem_V_Spikes_01_Mask 00001c55 0031614d</part>
<part>none none none 00000000 00000000</part>
<part>none none none 00001c55 00000000 00c063c0 00cc00ca WEAPONS/Custom_Pistols/Fem_PistolRight_SemiAuto01.fx</part>
<part>Gas_Mask Tech_01a Tech_01b 0031614d 00001c55</part>
<part>none none none 00000000 00000000</part>
<part>none none none 00000000 00000000</part>
<part>none none none 00000000 00000000</part>
<part>none none none 00000000 00000000</part>
<part>none none none 00000000 00000000</part>
<part>none none none 00000000 00000000</part>
<part>none none none 00000000 00000000</part>
<part>none none none 00000000 00000000</part>
<part>none none none 00000000 00000000</part>
<part>none none none 00000000 00000000</part>
<part>none none none 0031614d 00000000 00c063c0 00cc00ca WEAPONS/Custom_Pistols/Fem_PistolLeft_SemiAuto01.fx</part>
<part>none none none 00000000 00000000</part>
<part>none none none 00ffffff 00ffffff 00ffffff 00ffffff WEAPONS/Custom_Mace/Fem_Mace_Arachnos01.fx</part>
<part>none none none 00000000 00000000</part>
</parts>
</costume>

Here's the corresponding text you'd want to put in a demorecord:

Code: [Select]
0   42 Player
0   42 NEW "Bob the Biohazard"
0   42 COSTUME 1 ff000000 0.000000 0.000000 0.000000 0.000000 0.000000 0.000000 0.000000 0.000000 0.000000 0.000000 0.000000 0.000000 0.000000 0.000000 0.000000 0.000000 0.000000 0.000000 0.000000 0.000000 0.000000 0.000000 0.000000 0.000000 0.000000 0.000000 0.000000 0.000000 0.000000 0.000000
0   42 PARTSNAME Tucked_In Cargo_01 !Hips_Sharp 00000000 0031614d
0   42 PARTSNAME Armored !X_Chest_Robot_Mask !Chest_V_Pattern_Jaws 00001c55 0031614d
0   42 PARTSNAME V_fem_Head.GEO/GEO_Head_V_Asym_Standard !Face_Skin_V_Fem_Head_76 !V_Face_Small_Mask_3 0031614d 00cc00ca
0   42 PARTSNAME Robotic_02 Robotic_Banded Robotic_Banded_01b 00000000 0031614d
0   42 PARTSNAME Banded Tech_Modern_01 !Boot_V_Assassin_01 0031614d 00001c55
0   42 PARTSNAME Tech_01 Tech_01a Tech_01b 0031614d 00001c55
0   42 PARTSNAME Dreads Afro_01a Afro_01b 0031614d 00001c55
0   42 PARTSNAME none none none 00000000 00000000
0   42 PARTSNAME Goggle_07 Lens_01a Lens_01b 00001c55 00000000
0   42 PARTSNAME Armored_Strap_01 Strap_01a Strap_01b 00000000 00000000
0   42 PARTSNAME V_FEM_SPADR.GEO/GEO_SpadR_Spikes_17 !Emblem_V_Spikes_01 !Emblem_V_Spikes_01_Mask 00001c55 0031614d
0   42 PARTSNAME none none none 00000000 00000000
0   42 PARTSNAME none none none 00001c55 00000000 00c063c0 00cc00ca WEAPONS/Custom_Pistols/Fem_PistolRight_SemiAuto01.fx
0   42 PARTSNAME Gas_Mask Tech_01a Tech_01b 0031614d 00001c55
0   42 PARTSNAME none none none 00000000 00000000
0   42 PARTSNAME none none none 00000000 00000000
0   42 PARTSNAME none none none 00000000 00000000
0   42 PARTSNAME none none none 00000000 00000000
0   42 PARTSNAME none none none 00000000 00000000
0   42 PARTSNAME none none none 00000000 00000000
0   42 PARTSNAME none none none 00000000 00000000
0   42 PARTSNAME none none none 00000000 00000000
0   42 PARTSNAME none none none 00000000 00000000
0   42 PARTSNAME none none none 00000000 00000000
0   42 PARTSNAME none none none 0031614d 00000000 00c063c0 00cc00ca WEAPONS/Custom_Pistols/Fem_PistolLeft_SemiAuto01.fx
0   42 PARTSNAME none none none 00000000 00000000
0   42 PARTSNAME none none none 00ffffff 00ffffff 00ffffff 00ffffff WEAPONS/Custom_Mace/Fem_Mace_Arachnos01.fx
0   42 PARTSNAME none none none 00000000 00000000

Most lines are just straight copy-and-paste. The only line you have to manually assemble is the "COSTUME" line, which is simply COSTUME followed by <bodytype> followed by <skincolor> followed by <scales>.

Note though that if you want to have any power effects applied to the character (armors, etc.), you'll still need to make a demorecord.

Shadowhawke

  • Minion
  • **
  • Posts: 43
Re: The Evangel Map Project
« Reply #24 on: November 29, 2012, 11:05:14 PM »
Being as these demos record all the objects in a zone, won't these go a long way toward reconstructing entire zones when someone tries to get an emulator server up and going? I mean, I've read the posts here, and know everyone is collectively archiving the shit out of everything- without actually saying it, that IS a potential goal right? To emu it once it looks like the original game can't be saved?

epawtows

  • Elite Boss
  • *****
  • Posts: 498
  • Mechanical Engineer
Re: The Evangel Map Project
« Reply #25 on: November 29, 2012, 11:18:03 PM »
Being as these demos record all the objects in a zone, won't these go a long way toward reconstructing entire zones when someone tries to get an emulator server up and going? I mean, I've read the posts here, and know everyone is collectively archiving the shit out of everything- without actually saying it, that IS a potential goal right? To emu it once it looks like the original game can't be saved?

Not really necessary for that.  All the demos are recording is the ID of the objects in the zone, so the client (the part installed on the user's PC) can play them back.  Thus, the client *already* knows what those zones are, and what they look like. A Demorecord is simply the easiest way of getting it to show them to you. 

If you saw those youtube videos of the half-finished zone that was supposed to come out in an issue or two?  They didn't get that by hacking a machine inside Paragon Studios.  It was a demorecord from a client.  That half-finished zone is *already* on *all* of our computers.  They just figured out how to point a demorecord at it (and I don't know how, so don't ask me :-)





Evangel - Project 7

  • Minion
  • **
  • Posts: 28
  • Never Surrender.
Re: The Evangel Map Project
« Reply #26 on: November 30, 2012, 05:07:55 PM »
Not really necessary for that.  All the demos are recording is the ID of the objects in the zone, so the client (the part installed on the user's PC) can play them back.  Thus, the client *already* knows what those zones are, and what they look like. A Demorecord is simply the easiest way of getting it to show them to you. 

If you saw those youtube videos of the half-finished zone that was supposed to come out in an issue or two?  They didn't get that by hacking a machine inside Paragon Studios.  It was a demorecord from a client.  That half-finished zone is *already* on *all* of our computers.  They just figured out how to point a demorecord at it (and I don't know how, so don't ask me :-)

Should be relatively easy - the map numbering scheme is mostly sequential - creating a demo file then changing the map name until you hit the right one shouldn't be to hard. Post sunset that will give me something to do :)



Go. Hunt. Remember CoH.
Evangel | Infinity Server
Go. Hunt. Save CoH.
Evangel | Infinity Server

Arachnion

  • Elite Boss
  • *****
  • Posts: 642
  • Professional Cynic
Re: The Evangel Map Project
« Reply #27 on: December 02, 2012, 07:21:12 PM »
Should be relatively easy - the map numbering scheme is mostly sequential - creating a demo file then changing the map name until you hit the right one shouldn't be to hard. Post sunset that will give me something to do :)



Go. Hunt. Remember CoH.
Evangel | Infinity Server

That sounds like a really good idea. I haven't seen this "half finished zone" or the videos...

I look forward to your maps and stuff Evangel.
I'm all dressed up with nowhere to go
Walkin' with a dead man over my shoulder

Waiting for an invitation to arrive
Goin' to a party where no one's still alive

Megajoule

  • Lieutenant
  • ***
  • Posts: 98
Re: The Evangel Map Project
« Reply #28 on: December 03, 2012, 06:25:05 PM »
It sounds like you may have most or all of the zones already, but in case you don't:

https://docs.google.com/open?id=0B0rmU0UrIINISHpfTjFOU3pWeEU

Leandro

  • Elite Boss
  • *****
  • Posts: 310
Re: The Evangel Map Project
« Reply #29 on: December 18, 2012, 01:11:33 AM »
Not quite, the geometry layer is present, but hidden, so it would be invisible even if you were to fly out there. I'm not 100% sure if demorecords capture the visibility state of groups or what the magic command is, but I can find out.

The DYNGROUPS DYNARRAY command takes care of the visibility of layers. If you want the Ski Chalet to show up in a Pocket D demo, add it near the beginning of the demo, after the "Time" command:

1 0 Version 2
0 0 Map maps/City_Zones/City_02_04/City_02_04.txt
0 0 Time 12
0 DYNGROUPS DYNARRAY |0,0