Differences in Singleplayer and Multiplayer mapping?

[FarbrorGnur]

I know there are some differences in what's possible to do when mapping for sinleplayer or multiplayer. But does anyone know if there's a list or an overview of the differences?

 

I'm mapping for singleplayer right now, but it seems like many of the coolest things don't work in multiplayer. Example: Switchable lights.

In singleplayer it's as easy as triggering the light entity. But I've seen madness in multiplayer such as changing skyboxes with buttons, but I've never seen workarounds of switchable lights, togglable elevators... and... and stuff! I was just wondering if anyone knows what the boundaries actually are?

[FarbrorGnur]

Or maybe the main problem I seem to have: The lighting in singleplayer is totally different from multiplayer. Much brighter, almost over exposed. Light emitting shader works differently in singleplayer, making it look ugly instead of nice, like in multiplayer.

[ds615]

I don't know of any list of the differences, though I agree it would be handy.

 

I don't map for SP, just MP, so I can only speak to the things I know don't exist in MP.

I know you can't toggle lights in MP (and you'll never be able to), there are no weather effects, no ladders, and you can't toggle doors or func_trains. I know of no "workarounds" for those things.

I wasn't aware of any shader differences between the two, that's interesting. Do you have the SP settings doing a fullbright compile vs. a regular for MP? Or maybe SP has a default ambient built in.

 

My only suggestion is to write a mod, or find someone that can. That's the only real way of getting the most of the code.

 

My brother is my coder. He's given me more amazing stuff to do in maps that I could easily count, including ladders, toggle door and trains, rotating trains, timers, model specific triggers, and so on.

 

So it can be done, it just can't really be done my a mapper alone.

[FarbrorGnur]

Ah, interesting

 

Hmm yeah I don't know how it compiles really, I'm just everytime doing first BSP -meta, then a (single test) -light -fast.

The weird part with a light emitting shader I have, is that in multiplayer it seems fine. In singleplayer, it's acting brighter than the other textures.

 

The weird part: My friend sees it the way it should be, in singleplayer too. Which leaves me with the suspicion that it might have something to do with my quite incompatible ATI graphics driver (laptop). I have a fix to be able to play the game, but it has proven to give some decreased graphics at certain areas.

 

 

Possible workaround for switchable lights:

 

I managed to make a test, and it's a bit farfetched, but depending on the complexity of your map, it could be useful.

 

Light emitting shader + a copy of the texture you're using, but without a light emitting shader on it. Then Func_usable on the light emitting surfaces + the non-light emitting surfaces, and two triggers in the same position, with use_button checked. This way, when you click the light switch, the wall or floor or whatever you're making will instantly be replaced by a wall or floor with different texture (but looks the same).

 

I've seen multiplayer maps with both weather and ladders too, and possibly toggled stuff as well, but not sure about that. I think Grand Flaw has some of these features.

 

 

 

I'm actually in the process of making a singleplayer campaign, and thus I plan to change stuff even in the code, if necessary (and possible, for one like me). We're talking about adding weapons (or replacing for that matter), changing speed of shots, damage, and generally stitching storylines and levels together with common single player features, so I suppose I'll also need to look into the "code" (*says with a spooky voice*).

[ds615]

There are mods that do those things, yes. Except weather, it can be faked with shaders or fx_runners, but JO just won't do it in MP.

 

Your idea for the lights would sort of work. Yes, you can toggle the brushes, however the lightmap will not change. It was created with the light emitting shaders, and it will always look that way. You could fake it by using textures that are brighter/darker, but the lighting on the player will not change regardless of what state the "lightswitch" is in, so would look odd.

 

You also run into a problem because by default (as in no mod), the func_useable will disappear if a player presses Use while close to it. I would use a func_relay and use that to simply change the shaders. It would have the same partial success, but at least my walls wouldn't vanish if they were used.

 

I know little about code, but my brother is a guru. So I can pass along any questions you may have to him if you post them here.

 

Good luck on your mod!

[FarbrorGnur]

Ah, you're right about the lighting. I feared that would happen.

Hmm I don't have func_relay in GTKradiant latest (also looked in JK2radiant just to be sure, but didn't find it there either). Changing shaders is definitely interesting, on a general basis!