For all those people who can''t decide what 3D file format to use, use the map file format. It is so easy to use, yet powerful also. -e

Easy? What are you smoking?

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Captured Reality

What, didn''t you read the posters name? He''s not smoking! He, he, he... ;-)

No, I''d be interested in seeing something on the .map file format. Then I could see for myself... although right now I''m still working with 2D.
- Ben

Here is some info on the .map format : http://www.niklata.com/quake/qmapspec.html. Its not really an easy format to work with unless you hack id''s tools to output what you want, then its easy

Nate Miller
http://nate.scuzzy.net

Yeah the .map format is cool, It took me quiet a while to figure out how to use it properly, but at last I found a program which converts the cryptic output of the .map file (y know these:
( -512 512 0 ) ( 512 512 0 ) ( 512 -512 0 ) 03WSEAT-0-A 0 0 0 1.000000 1.000000
) into a list of vertices and then a list of faces out of those vertices. And creating a 3d-map out of these is easy. The cool thing about the .map format is that there are plenty of editors out there, I speak of Qoole (ok, old but cool), or Worldcraft (which I''m currently using), so you don''t have to bother writing your own .map editor. The only prob was that at some point I needed entities, but with worldcraft even to create custom entities (lights etc) were possible, and with some extra code I could adapt them into my engine. So if you''re looking for a good geometry format, either use .bsp''s (if you''ve got some time to spend, cause it''s not easy), or the .map format.

Well, nes8bit, it was easy for me . Seriously though, once you learn it, it is real easy. I used it to make a Half-Life clone engine (barebones, just CSG, BSP, PVS, and lightmaps, no particles, models, sprites, etc...). NoNseNse is totally right. There are many .map editors out there, and adding custom entities is a snap. All in all, IMO, the .map format is excellent.

Rating: / (9/10)

-e

Edited by - e on July 27, 2000 8:37:57 PM

I used to be a Q2 mapper so am rather used to the format, I''d probably use it too except that I''ve never being able to work out how to convert float verticies in to integer plane points...

gimp

You use integers for the A, B, C, and D of your planes? You must have some major accuracy problems

-e

NoNseNse, mind giving us the name of the program you used to translate the .map files? Or is it a custom coded app?

C=64

If you want to see stuff like that just open the .map with notepad.

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Help me program my 3d game
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