Map Hacks

[endmilled]

I thought it would be a nice idea to start a thread dedicated to Map Hacks and fixing goofy little problems in the game such as 3D models turned the wrong way and "hidden" switches sticking out of walls. I attached the ones I have so far. e1l2.mhk was made from the example in the release notes of the JFport. It fixes three hidden switches and a toilet that's turned the wrong way. e1l3.mhk is the file that comes with space marine model. It turns the model to face the right direction and I added a "notmdr" for fixing the hidden switch in front of the alter. Copy the MHK files to your Duke3D directory. Please add more map hacks here as they're made

[DSotM]

good Idea. would be good if someone told meexactly how we work out what numbers to put in these map hacks.

I can work out angles by trial and error but I assume there is too many numbers for the trial and error method to be feasable with my current time restraints.

[Tijnemans]

You can make map-hack by doing this:

First check which sprite is not correct. In 2D mode in the Build editor, point your mouse cursor on the sprite and press [CTRL]+[TAB]. It will then show the number of the sprite and the angle it's facing (the spritenumber is in left-top of the info-panel and the angle is in right-top).

Then create a file with the following name:

NAME-OF-MAP.MHK (i.e. e1l1.mhk)

Create this file with a plain text editor (like Notepad).

Then type for every sprite:

sprite number-of-sprite

then followed by:

notmd2
To make the sprite not use it's model. This is needed for "hidden"switchs etc.

OR

angleoff angle-to-add
To add angle-to-add to the current angle of the sprite. As said before, you can find that by using [CTRL]+[TAB] while pointing the sprite with the mouse cursor.
To add 90 degrees use 512 as angle-to-add.
You can also use minus ( - ) to decrease the angle instead of increasing it.

angoff
is the same as angleoff


to add a comment (text that is not used but to mention something), put // in front of it.

Some examples from the Release Notes for JFDuke3D:


// Map hack file for JFDuke3D
// Level: E1L2.MAP (Original Atomic Edition version)
// Prepared by JonoF

// Invisible switch behind hand dryer in toilet of porn shop
sprite 191 notmd2

// Invisible switches on telephones near billiards room in club
sprite 254 notmd2
sprite 517 notmd2

// Toilet in restroom in club
sprite 478 angoff -512

// --- end of example ----


Save the file, and you're ready!

Forgotten:

The hacks are NOT used when loading a saved game with did not already used the hack. (so a savegame made before making a hack)

[DSotM]

yay I figured it out, open build.exe, load the level you want, hold rightmouse to move to where the texture is then hover mouse over it and press "<" or ">'" and that shows the angle and sprite number

iyou can work out the calculations for angoff for yourself, this method worked for the E1L3 toilet in the prison cell.

sprite 381 angoff 512

now I know how to do it I can fix other things yay!

[DSotM]

decided to do this one and took me ages to choose the right number....trial and error :S

I kept looking for it in the editor and choosing the wrong one, mustve got lost on the map.....:@ made me rage but I found it and HAXXD it

shove this in E1L3.MHK

//escape map reveal switch
sprite 715 notmd2

its the switch that shows the map with the red dot saying "possible escape route" or whateva.

[endmilled]

Here's one to put in a map hack file named E1L1.MHK:

// cash register hidden switch
sprite 543 notmd2

[Night Hacker]

angleoff angle-to-add
To add angle-to-add to the current angle of the sprite. As said before, you can find that by using [CTRL]+[TAB] while pointing the sprite with the mouse cursor.
To add 90 degrees use 512 as angle-to-add.
You can also use minus ( - ) to decrease the angle instead of increasing it.

Just a note, when in the level editor (for example, on E1L2) when trying to work out how much to turn the sprite, just point at the sprite (like at the turned toilet) and press CTRL+TAB to see the current angle it is at (for the toilet it is 1536) then use your < and > to turn the toilet the way you want it to face, and write that new angle down (in the toilets case, the new angle is 1024), then simply subtract the old angle from the new angle to get how much to turn it... for example, with the toilet on E1L2...

New angle minus old angle equals "angleoff"... or 1024 - 1536 = -512

so your angleoff for sprite #478 (toilet) is -512.

Very easy to figure out, no trial and error at all.

[endmilled]

Here's one for file E3L1.MHK:

// sushi bar poster hidden switch
sprite 642 notmd2

[DSotM]

I was saying trial error with selecting the right sprite in cases where there is several in the same place.....not trial and error doing simple calculations, simple addition and subtraction does obviously not require more than one attempt

[Night Hacker]

Did you think to go to 3D mode and look in build to see which you turned? You could also change the sprites to a flat sprite that doesn't follow you to see which way it is turned.



Anyhow... one more change to E1L3, I couldn't find anymore errors on that level...

// secret switch
sprite 749 notmd2

This is the little intercom near the large doors that makes a pigcop growl when you "press" it. I believe it's a secret switch, but I don't remember where the secret is! heh... either way, it needs to be fixed with this.

[DSotM]

hahah you can go to 3d mode rofl....I had never even opened build.exe before >>> I'll haveta find out how to do that

heh found it... kpEnter

[Night Hacker]

What were you using, if not build?

[DSotM]

I wasnt using anything at all berfore lol. I just decided to check build.exe out when someone mentioned that you can get the sprite number for the maphacks by opening the map in the editor.

[endmilled]

I'd like to fix more of these problems but I don't know where they are. Can anyone point me to their locations?

[Night Hacker]

Sure, just play Duke Nukem 3D, go through the levels and look for the errors.

(sheesh, if I knew where they all were, I wouldn't tell you, I would simply fix 'em! heh)

[endmilled]

Night Hacker said:
Sure, just play Duke Nukem 3D, go through the levels and look for the errors.

(sheesh, if I knew where they all were, I wouldn't tell you, I would simply fix 'em! heh)

Well... I was hoping to get the attention of those who don't want to bother fixing them. It's not that hard I suppose. I've gone through it a few times but get too caught up in the game play to worry about looking for errors and secret switches poking through. I truly suck at redoing the artwork of the game. (even Photoshop is a complete mystery to me .) I'd like to contribute in some fashion.

turn on opengl mode for build and look through there. 3D Models are enabled so its easier to see them.

[Boinky]

OPENGL + BUILD = LAAAAAAAAGGGGGGGGG!!!!!!

[TerminX]

Boinky said:
OPENGL + BUILD = LAAAAAAAAGGGGGGGGG!!!!!!

Blame the bloated texture pack.

[Mblackwell]

Yeah, with the PX2 optimized version of the pack, frankly, the game runs absolutely smoothly on a high resolution.

[Boinky]

Mblackwell said:
Yeah, with the PX2 optimized version of the pack, frankly, the game runs absolutely smoothly on a high resolution.

the whatsy whosy??? PX2 ?? what do you mean, Made em all JPG??

[Mblackwell]

No, shrunk grossly oversized files and made 8bit PNG files out of all the applicable images. Frankly while most people's folders are well over 100MB, ours is under 50.

And yet I guarantee things look pretty much the same from us to you, and yet run a million times smoother.

That should tell you something.

[Boinky]

Is there a link for this new texture pack?? Would be much obliged if yah were to post one .. even PM it

EDIT:: Mines 104 megs

[Roma Loom]

Mblackwell said:
Yeah, with the PX2 optimized version of the pack, frankly, the game runs absolutely smoothly on a high resolution.

The game runs smoothly? Maybe... But bulid still lags...

1. Most of 8 bit PNGs have visual quality loss compared to HiColor originals...
2. All 8 bit PNG's pass through "ExpandTo24bit"-like procedure taking some time, and reaching the same size-in-memory as HiColor PNGs, and HiColor PNG's bypass this procedure...
3. but You're right - the loading-from-disc time is shorter for smaller-in-size 8 bit PNG's...

[TerminX]

1. Most of 8 bit PNGs have visual quality loss compared to HiColor originals...

Not really. The difference isn't much.

2. All 8 bit PNG's pass through "ExpandTo24bit"-like procedure taking some time, and reaching the same size-in-memory as HiColor PNGs, and HiColor PNG's bypass this procedure...
3. but You're right - the loading-from-disc time is shorter for smaller-in-size 8 bit PNG's...

It's faster to load smaller files from disk and convert to 24 bit than it is to load larger files from disk. Nonetheless, all images undergo a conversion process anyways, regardless of color depth.

[Roma Loom]

TerminX said:
Nonetheless, all images undergo a conversion process anyways, regardless of color depth.

Hmm... I didn't expect such "unoptimization" from JonoF... I'm loading skins for models in Models Tool checking the depth, and "ExpandTo24bit" goes only for 8 bit images...

[TerminX]

Roma Loom said:

Hmm... I didn't expect such "unoptimization" from JonoF... I'm loading skins for models in Models Tool checking the depth, and "ExpandTo24bit" goes only for 8 bit images...

All textures have to be converted into a format the video card understands.

[Roma Loom]

True... But all I want to say that I don't perform "ExpandTo24bit" procedure on hi-color skins and everything works fine...
And what concerns quality loss... If the texture is complicated enough there's almost no difference... But for this case for example it is...
But anyway I don't want to argue about "what colordepth textures must have"... It's was already done in "modeling" thread...

[TerminX]

Roma Loom said:
True... But all I want to say that I don't perform "ExpandTo24bit" procedure on hi-color skins and everything works fine...
And what concerns quality loss... If the texture is complicated enough there's almost no difference... But for this case for example it is...
But anyway I don't want to argue about "what colordepth textures must have"... It's was already done in "modeling" thread...

Yes, that's an obvious example of quality loss. One would have to be an idiot to think I would seriously consider using 8 bit on things with alpha like that -- that's the single instance where there is noticible quality loss.

[Boinky]

Either way my P3 733 is having a horrible time running the hi res textures in the 103 meg file in build even tho I have 1.2 gig memory.. Wopuld lov to see the more efficient textures potest... I drunk. plz fogrive horible emglish.. thx

[DSotM]

haha speaking of image quality I went through a level in classic mode the other day....that mousemove is whacked makes my eyes and head hurt in classic mode, I cant believe what a difference polymost + all the communities updates have made

[Night Hacker]

I found no more problems in episode 1 that I could see, other than what has been mentioned. I have been working my way through episode 2 and this is all I have found so far...

E2L5

// switch
sprite 254 notmd2

Notice just above the crosshairs in this pic. This is the switch just before the exit.

[Piterplus]

Thanks, Night Hacker.

[endmilled]

I made some map hacks for the new key card models in levels E1L1 and E1L2. I preferred the keys to look as if they were at an angle in respect to the corners they were in.

Add to E1L1.MHK:

// red key card
sprite 451 angoff +256

Add to E1L2.MHK:

// yellow key card
sprite 179 angoff -768

[DSotM]

thx i mentioned thinking of that in the model thread....cheers.

[Night Hacker]

Okay, I just went through E1L1 and got a bunch of map hacks for you. Alot of the health packs needed to be rotated, the fire hydrant was not rotated properly etc... use these and go through the level and I think you'll agree it looks better, they're not facing you as they should be, this is my entire E1L1...


// cash register hidden switch
sprite 543 notmd2

// red key card
sprite 451 angoff +256

// healthpacks
sprite 42 angoff +512
sprite 43 angoff +512
sprite 78 angoff -384
sprite 85 angoff -1536
sprite 171 angoff -1280
sprite 172 angoff -1536
sprite 173 angoff -1152
sprite 531 angoff +768
sprite 549 angoff -1280
sprite 577 angoff -768

// armor on stage
sprite 532 angoff -256

// first aid in bathroom
sprite 376 angoff -512

// Fire Hydrant
sprite 215 angoff -512

[endmilled]

Another one for E1L2.MHK

// red key card
sprite 249 angoff -1536

It makes the card face forward.

[DSotM]

cheers didnt think of rotating powerups

[DissidentRage]

Make them rotate in CON.

[Renegado]

Here are some .mhk I did today...

E3L2.MHK

// Map hack file for JFDuke3D
// Level: E3L2.MAP (Original Atomic Edition version)

// Boots
sprite 537 angoff 524

// Chair
sprite 457 angoff 524

// Blue key card
sprite 440 angoff -1024

// Red key card
sprite 355 angoff -768

E3L5.MHK

// Map hack file for JFDuke3D
// Level: E3L5.MAP (Original Atomic Edition version)

// Cash register hidden switch
sprite 19 notmd2

// Invisible switch on telephone
sprite 187 notmd2

// Blue key card
sprite 258 angoff -512

And also, add this line to your E3L1.mhk:

// Red key card
sprite 457 angoff -512


On a final note, I´m hosting and updating regularly all the maphacks made here on my spanish site