BEN - Random Deathmatch Map Generator for Quake2

[[BTF]DeathStalker]

when I see this all I can think of is Quadz, Jehar, or jdolan getting their mitts on it and getting something going with it so we can have some cool FFAs using random maps at Quake-Con 08.
This would definatly create some good LAN action at Q-Con.

[Yendor]

when I see this all I can think of is Quadz, Jehar, or jdolan getting their mitts on it and getting something going with it so we can have some cool FFAs using random maps at Quake-Con 08.
This would definatly create some good LAN action at Q-Con.

QuakeCON still goes on!  Trip on that!  Sounds like a kewl event!  I don't think I can make it though...but would love to have Ben there!  Looks like I need to fix a couple bugz and maybe add a new feature or two before then.  We'll see, schedules and all that!  Looks like I better install Dev Studio here at home again!

[ReCycled]

I used to dabble in map-making a while back so maybe I'll check this out. It might be valuable just to generate a rough structure idea and then go in and construct the real map around that. It could save time. BTW I love having a spawn point under an elevator....

[Yendor]

OK, That's like five people that have noted the starts-under-elevators problem.   So, I loaded Microsoft Visual Studio once again, and cracked into that ancient code, and Tada! a new version. (1.1). 

Fixed the items-under-lifts problem (since a lift will destroy any item placed under it, except player starts).  Also fixed a couple other annoying bugs, mainly in how the settings are saved (no one else noticed).  Very slight improvements in item placement (in fact, y'all likely won't notice any improvements! )

Item placement process is VERY VERY slow.    I mean really lame-ass slow.  I plan to improve this greatly over the next couple weeks.

CAN ANYONE TELL ME HOW TO GET PERMISSION TO ATTACH FILES TO A POST?  I know I'm new here, but I'm being contributor for once in my life!

[console]

CAN ANYONE TELL ME HOW TO GET PERMISSION TO ATTACH FILES TO A POST?

Hi,

No special permissions should be needed... just click the triangle to the left of "Additional Options..." below... (when posting)


Regards,

[The Happy Friar]

It's ever so cool to see (positive) responses to my little Ben.  Not sure what you mean by "real time".  Don't know if Q2 could be made to be played in a map while it's being created - but that would be way cool - Q2 meets Dark City!
What was done in Doom3?  A random generator?  Haven't heard of it, but I only recently got a computer capable of running anything better than Q2, so I'm a little behind  the times on the newer games (Yes I know Doom3 is no longer a new game )

Yea, i didnt understand what you meant either.  And, is there a random map generator for doom 3 too?

Not a level generator, a Doom 3 Diablo-esque mod generated the dungeon maps when you loaded up the level: http://dungeondoom.planetdoom.gamespy.com

very very cool!

[Yendor]

CAN ANYONE TELL ME HOW TO GET PERMISSION TO ATTACH FILES TO A POST?

Hi,

No special permissions should be needed... just click the triangle to the left of "Additional Options..." below... (when posting)


Regards,

H'mm I'll try later when I get home, but it always says "Maximum attachment size allowed: 0 KB, per post: 4".  Ben2.exe is 200KB.  I hotlinked for the original download, but just wanted to slap the update on here.  I tried once at first, and I didn't have permissions.

[console]

it always says "Maximum attachment size allowed: 0 KB, per post: 4".  Ben2.exe is 200KB.

Weird.  Might try a .zip, in case it's freaking out about attaching a .exe...

[Yendor]

OK, That's like five people that have noted the starts-under-elevators problem.   So, I loaded Microsoft Visual Studio once again, and cracked into that ancient code, and Tada! a new version. (1.1). 

Fixed the items-under-lifts problem (since a lift will destroy any item placed under it, except player starts).  Also fixed a couple other annoying bugs, mainly in how the settings are saved (no one else noticed).  Very slight improvements in item placement (in fact, y'all likely won't notice any improvements! )

Item placement process is VERY VERY slow.    I mean really lame-ass slow.  I plan to improve this greatly over the next couple weeks.

And now - the attachment!  This is the EXE only, you'll still need the other goodies in my first post in this thread to make it all go.  Thanks for the upload advice, Console!

[[BTF]Gator]

i love the idea of a server that generates new maps for each new game of DM.  Puts everyone on the same playing field, and changes the strategy a bit.  I think it would take up alot of Server and client HD space quickly, but i would love to see it in action.  i guess what would be needed is a script that would create a map, then add that map to next in line in the map list.

But seeing this BEN makes me think of a public server that creates maps, loads maps, then downloads the maps to clients to be played in an ever changing random string.

[Yendor]

i love the idea of a server that generates new maps for each new game of DM.  Puts everyone on the same playing field, and changes the strategy a bit.  I think it would take up alot of Server and client HD space quickly, but i would love to see it in action.  i guess what would be needed is a script that would create a map, then add that map to next in line in the map list.

But seeing this BEN makes me think of a public server that creates maps, loads maps, then downloads the maps to clients to be played in an ever changing random string.

Having random maps does indeed change DM play quite a bit.  No map experts and that one guy that know all the killer jumps and secrets!  There's no need for a script, since Ben2 already supports this type of system - it creates a map to start with, which is itself linked to the next map that it will generate, and so on, generating and cimpiling the next maps while the first is being played.  Maps have a "NextMap" specification that Ben2 uses to facilitate this.  It works quite well once you get all the network shares set up correctly.   

Copying maps is much faster through the network than through the game.    Seems an online version would simply be a matter of setting up an FTP client (or even just generating a command line script (batch file) to move each map to a series of FTP servers.   I'm not a net programmer gtuy so this is a bit beyond me, but it would be kewl!  I'd dig seeing a Ben2 Random Map server up on Tasty some day

For now, I'm embarking on getting the item placements in the maps that Ben2 makes improved vastly.   It really sucks now, and it's slow.  The new algorithm I thought up will make this much better...

[[BTF] Reflex]

random map server sounds sweet...   maybe have a way to save/replay some that turn out more fun to play than the others.

[[BTF]Gator]

yeah, i was thinking the same thing. "vote savemap".

[QwazyWabbit]

The map would already exist as a file unless the server and client clean up at the end of the level after moving into the new map. There would be no need for a "vote savemap" command unless you were going to keep a collection of favs. Saving faves would be self-defeating of a "random map" server but a good map is a terrible thing to waste.

Depending on the map sizes and textures it looks like a typical Ben2 medium sized map is about 1MB, simple download from game server to the clients would be sufficient unless you want to que them to the client before play to be sure everybody has them and can enter the map simultaneously. This would guarantee that no one would have advantage of exploring the map before everyone downloaded and entered.

[Yendor]

Might be a good thing to do it in rounds of "x" number of maps.  Say ,every 8 maps, the game pauses while the maps generate and compile, then download, which would take all of 3 minutes I'd think, with modern hardware, then the game begins.

I'm not familiar with more modern versions of Q2.  I run 3.20 stock, so I don't know about newer download options.  I do know that the stock Q2 download is hideously slow (for reasons of preserving gameplay).   Would be cool to see what would be needed to make a Random Map server a reality!  It would definitely be the first in the world!  Of course, the quality of the maps generated should be improved a bit ...  Hey, at least there's no more deathmatch starts under elevators