Mission Editing Review - The basics

[Tom_Anger]

Sorry for the book - my curse....

Please reply and correct anything that I have misinterpreted if I am off in my understandings.  I have had the game for a few days and am getting into mapping daily.  I want to try and summarize what I know up until this point to help me and maybe others understand the mapping process for ArmA.  By me fine tuning this and having noobs (like myself) take 10 minutes to read and make notes it will help bring together the general idea on what it takes to make a basic map then go from there.

From what I have seen and understand a generic map should have approximately 3 files.
mission.sqm - gets created by saving within the map editor
briefing.html - you create by hand or use some tool that people wrote (where are these interfaces again?)
description.ext - you create by hand or use some tool that people wrote

That is enough to get you started to basic map construction with the finalized map "mapname.pbo"


ArmA I. BASIC MAPPING FILE REFERENCE- the mission.sqm file (bare bones creation)

Without getting into adding items such as vehicles, spawn markers, etc. and just focussing on what takes place for map filing, map creation starts with the Map Editor, giving the mission a name, then saving it.  Upon saving the map it stores the file "mission.sqm" local to the My Documents folder location My Documents/Arma and Other/Player Name/missions/mapname_folder (for reference I will call this location the "mission" folder.  If you choose to save it for Multiplayer gameplay it takes any associated files within the "mission" folder, creates a .pbo file and stores it in the ArmA Multiplayer Mission Folder in the Program Files section (for reference I will call this the "ArmA MPMission" folder.  That is the main file for the map.  Those in the "mission" folder are for the map maker to play around with, update maps, etc.


ArmA II. BRIEFING SCREEN - the briefing.html file (optional file, but 99.99% a must for mapping)

From this point forward, all files discussed are those that get stored local to the "mission" folder (in the My Documents/.../mission location).  By creating a briefing.html file you give the map a little more descriptive information to the players.  This is basic html code and an example template can be seen here
BREIFING DOC.  There are interfaces which can help you create this file easier, but you should review this link so that you get the idea on what it is and what it is used for.


ArmA III. INTERNAL DESCRIPTIONS/HANDLING - the description.ext file (needed for many reasons)

Items such as respawn, mission intros, setting scores, sounds, etc can be setup with this file.  For a little insight on this file visit BIS wiki on description.ext.  This file goes in the "mission" folder as do all other files.


ArmA IV. YOUR MAP OVERVIEW - the overview.html file (totally optional and not always used)

Used to enhance your map load with a name and picture reference.
BIS wiki on overview.html.  Again - this goes in your mission folder.


ArmA V. SCRIPTS - the guts and glory and a must for mapping

I have seen a couple of ways that scripts are used.  There may be more.  One is in the map editor prompts itself by adding in the logic to perform actions for waypoints triggers, objectives, etc.  The other has been through additional file coding and calling those files for execution.

1. Scripts using the editor - Within the map editor you have various prompts which allow you to add conditional types of scripts that can bring your map to life.  You will never know all of them so focus on the basic ones and go from there.  By adding different types of conditions within the map editor it will populate the logic to the mission.sqm file which in turn ends up imbedded to the .pbo file for gameplay.  From a beginners standpoint I don't know how to point someone in the right direction because seasoned mappers who reply in threads are cut and dry assuming people know what to do with the command they enter.  This is where people like me get confused.

2. Additional file scripts - an example can be seen by visiting the SCRIPT DEPOT, downloading a script, and looking at the different files to see that the functionality requires various files to perform the actions.  I can't begin to figure out how a coder knows how to do all of these different types of functions and a beginners course seems to be a need so any "reference material for idiots" may be very helpful.  Knowledge such as how to create a file and how to have that file executed can help.  It looks like C+ style writing where variables are declared, but basic map makers can benefit from a reference point to get them to write the logic as well.


ArmA VI. RESPAWNING VEHICLES - A good idea and sometimes a bad idea (depends on the pupose for the map)

I am not 100% sure but will try to get specific vehicles to respawn within the map editor if there is an item prompt allowing for a line to be entered to tell it to respawn.  For example if a vehicle is given the name "bh01" without the "" there should be a way within the editor to tell it to respawn.  I will edit this post when I can get this working fine.


ArmA VII. BASIC ENDING A MISSION
Any insight please add and I will edit this part.


ArmA VIII. MULTIPLAYER Gametype scripts
As I map or find other maps and what was done to make them playable for multiplayer I may edit this.


Without going further I think this is enough for the basics to have some type of understanding.  As I read replies I will see how close or far off I am, but I think I have some type of general idea.  Again - if you read this and I am off or misinterpreted something please reply so that I can make sure I understand.

[h-]

Moved this here because after quick looksee it looks like this belongs here, since this looks to be more of a tutorial than a editing question..

Anyways, please change the 'mapping' word to something more suitable.
'Mapping' is a word related to modelling, more precisely texturing a 3D model, and gets highly confusing when misused in situation like this.

In OFP/ArmA you do not make maps, you make missions.
When you say 'map' people instantly think of the map you see in the briefing or by pressing the map key..
And as above, the word 'mapping' is in a completely different ballpart..

So, in this case mapping should be replaced with a phrase like Making a mission/Creating a mission, or something like that..

EDIT:

Upon saving the map it stores the file "missionname.sqm"

Not completey correct, it saves only mission.sqm regardless of the mission's name.

This is basic html script

Just nitpicking, it's not script, it's more of a code.. 

the overview.html file (totally optional and not always used)

Note that for missions given for review here at OFPEC this file must be included and properly done.
Mission boards should have some instructions about this..


As for the links directing to the wiki, tutorials for those can also be found at our Editor's Depot, admittedly they are in zip format (mostly) and for OFP but the html side of things has not changed (not that I know of)..
Dunno about the description.ext though, it probably has something new ArmA specific stuff..

[Tom_Anger]

Thanks, so I guess I do understand this.  I had the word mission.sqm originally then changed to misisonname.sqm, not sure what I was thinking.  3rd shift sleeploss, lol.  Anyway, thanks for the reply.  My background is in Joint Operations and Ghost Recon Advance Warfighter "mapping" where we create a map/mision from nothing other than a piec of terrain.  I like ArmA alot.

[Cheetah]

Mapping sounded weird to me to. Thought that you were going to explain something about using markers on the map and the map itself  guess not.

Anyway I'm busy working on another tutorial. Good to see more and more tutorials being written. Hopefully most of them will be packed with a readme in a zip - good comprehensive ones. It's time for the submission system for tutorials, scripts etc.

[Tom_Anger]

Well I am a die hard "mapper", lol.  Give me a terrain and tons of buildings, objects, etc and I will bring the map to life with great details.  JO and GRAW made it easy because the gametype was imbedded for the most part.  ArmA is incredible for mission diesign, however, you (I) need to become familiar with the ability to trigger and mark objects so that a game can play out correctly.  There are some real nice ArmA maps out there already so kudos to those mission designers.

For JO (joint operations) I worked with others to put campagn style events together for servers.  I am director of http://www.nova-inside.com, http://www.action-inside.com and tourny director of http://pro-gamingleagues.com/.  With this game I am hoping to get something going and possibly have others get invovled as well - in time.

My focus will be mainly on helping players get familiar with the gameplay on a more multiplayer team vs team, army vs army style of play so anything you can help me with as far as Setting 1 simple base flag so that both teams can fight for it until time expires, 4 base flags to be captured to end the map, simple Team Death Match, would be greatly appreciative.  I may be able to figure it out on my own.  I have only messed with the editor over 2-3 days and so far I have the elephant stuck in my throat.  Got to eat it little by little,    I need steps for idiots at the moment, but I am sure I will be able to figure it out after days of learning....

[hoz]

I think you should go depth a little with the description.ext. Its a very neseccary part of the mission package especially in arma.
Some important highlights of the description.ext:

Code: [Select]

*Class header is needed to identify the mission type to the gamespy broswers
*Onmissionload is needed to identify the mission name to the admin
*Respawn is a frequently asked question.
Not so important items:

Code: [Select]

Sounds
Dialogs
identities
Are all part of the description.ext and if you want to add immersion this is usually where it begins.

AS far as briefing.html is concerned... its a must have even without a pic its necessary to inform the player of what to do.