A while back, I offered to help out Silk to compile his maps since my PC is high end and wasted during the week since I'm not allowed to play games. Well, the Hammer setup and use made me just ditch it because I didn't understand it at all. Well, I'm working on a re-creation of Team Fortress Classic as a Soldat mod, and I need a gcf viewer to get at the TFC files. I'm on the Empires IRC, I'm told to use GFCSCAPE, and on this same site I find Batch Compiler, which looks like it would allow a nub like me to compile a map. I was just talking to Silk, because I wanted to try to make an exact recreation of one of his maps to test it, but neither of us know what settings would be used. Can anyone help us out? Batch Compiler can be found at http://nemesis.thewavelength.net/index.php?p=2 Any help would be appreciated.
No. Batch compilers are not for people who don't know how to simply compile a map in hammer. Compiling in hammer is a lot easier, the batch compiler is for people with lower-end PC's who don't want to run hammer while compiling, to free up resources.
I personally use the batch compile GUI all the time. So much more control over the settings used, and you don't have to remember all of those command lines. Plus, the status window doesn't freeze, the whole process seems to work much faster, and you can continue mapping in one window whilst it compiles away in another. It was a long time ago that I set it up, so I don't know how much assistance I can be, but if you get any specific trouble I'd be glad to help. As I recall, you install it, point it to the compile tools, and away you go.
My problem is that Silk knows the commands, but not what they are on the GUI, so we have no idea what settings to put. He 'Thinks' that some of the will make the map non-solid... I just want to do this because I have a 3.0GHz Dual Core w/HT, 1.5GB ram, so from what I can tell of other compile volunteers specs, mines the fastest, unless I missed something. I cant use my PC for gaming during the week, so its not a bother at all for me.
Are you talking about the -novirtualmesh command? If so, that's on the second BSP tab. Just tick the box to set it, the same as any of the others. P.S. I didn't realise you could buy 3ghz core 2 duos yet. Where'd you get it?
its not a core 2 duo. I got it Christmas 2005, its a standard Intel Dual Core, and it was stock on the model.
still better than the other PC.. I wonder if a 8800GTX compiles stuff faster... There should be a compiler somewhere for that thing
no like, use the processor on the 8800 to compile stuff for you much like how ATI was saying their Crossfired GPUs could perform some processor heavy applications (I assume I'm thinking of Folding@home, but I can't remember)
Yeah I meant that knighttemplar :D Nvidia made a C+ compiler for the 8800/8600 series, they have a lot of "cores" so It could help compiling I think... I only hope valve makes a compiler for the 8800, so when I get it I don't have to wait 24 hours for the compile to finish :/
Valve is heading in the CPU direction, actually. They've been tinkering around, and found that once you get quad cores and beyond, you start getting a performance return that's really worth it. Their RAD compile times went from like half an hour to thirty seconds.
I'm compiling on my desktop, which has 512mb RAM and a 2.66 Ghz P4. My compile times are never more than three or four hours, perhaps pushing it to six on a final lighting run. I don't understand what you guys are doing :D But yeah, I heard Valve's workstations are all being upped to core 2 quads. I'd love to get my hands on their old scrap...
well put in a lot of lights and difficult corners and stuff and the compilers go wild :D Really an urban warfare map set in the evening with lots of lighting tends to raise the final compile times to 20 hours and beyond :/
But thats with hammer going, isn't it? Broccoli: would it be possible for you to type up a little guide that describes which hammer commands = which checkbox? I understand it may be a little much considering the number of boxes, so no sweat if you cant remember the commands or find the time. i just want to be able to use Batch Compiler because hammer confuses n00bs like me.
If you use the Normal compile mode things shouldn't be too hard. If you use Expert, check the VALVe developer wiki.
I am mapping illiterate. I have no idea what anything means except bullet block, and I only know what that means because 2 people had a flame fest on a CSS surf server some time ago about adding it to the map.
better wait for someone else to compile it then... btw.: http://developer.valvesoftware.com/wiki/Expert_compile_mode http://developer.valvesoftware.com/wiki/Saving_and_compiling
