Preparing your map for publishing and distribution

[Originalwoodster]

Ok I was following along with this tut but now I'm lost, where do I edit this .ini file in step 4 of "Adding A screenshot texture"?

4. Set up the ini file for the screenshot.
- Edit the <mapname>.ini file that was created when you published the map.
- Change the line:

PreviewImageMarkup=<Images:UI_FrontEnd_Art.GameTypes.DeathMatch>

to read

PreviewImageMarkup=<Images:<mapname>.MapPic.map-pic-<mapname>>

for example:

PreviewImageMarkup=<Images:DM-MyMap.MapPic.map-pic-dm-mymap>
or
PreviewImageMarkup=<Images:CTF-MyMap.MapPic.map-pic-ctf-mymap>

[DGUnreal]

.. but now I'm lost, where do I edit this .ini file in step 4 ...

Read the entire tutorial from start to finish. Everything you need to know is there. The step right above the Screenshot section is this:

Do an initial Publish

1. Click on the Publish button on the top right of the editor. A first run through will be done to create the additional required files for the map. Publishing will optimize the map for file size and load time.

There should now be a <mapname>.ini and <mapname>_LOC_int.upk file in the "My Documents\My Games\Unreal Tournament 3\UTGame\Published\CookedPC\CustomMaps" folder. eg. DM-Mymap.ini and DM-Mymap_LOC_int.upk

The .ini file contains information on your map, the _LOC file is a localization (region) file.

[Originalwoodster]

Yes I understand where the file is as I said I've followed through the tut exactly, maybe I asked the wrong question, maybe I should have asked where do I find this code seen in the boxed areas named code? Do I need to republish to find it or is it somewhere else? Srry for the inconvience but I'm still only learning my way around this editor.

[DGUnreal]

I don't follow what you are asking.

When you publish your map, an .ini file of the same name as your map is normally automatically created in the same folder as your published map .ut3 file.
Double-click on the .ini to edit it in Notepad. An .ini file is just a regular text file that has a few lines of text in it.
As stated in Note 6, sometimes after performing multiple Publishes, you won't get an auto-created .ini, so just create one yourself and make sure it has all of the proper lines in it.

A couple of the lines are not normally in the auto-generated .ini file, so you have to enter them in yourself.
The rest of the lines should be there by default, as created by the publish process. So just change those line to read what they should according to your map name etc.

As shown in Note 6, a proper complete .ini will look like this, just be sure to change the appropriate lines so that they properly reflect the name of your map, the friendly name (what shows up in the menus), the location of the screenshot in your map, the description, and number of players.

[DM-Mapname UTUIDataProvider_MapInfo]
MapName=DM-Mapname
FriendlyName=Mapname
PreviewImageMarkup=<Images:UI_FrontEnd_Art.GameTypes.DeathMatch>
Description=None
NumPlayers=2 to 8 Players

[Originalwoodster]

Double-click on the .ini to edit it in Notepad.

Ahh, clear as day now, you answered my question fine, I didnt relise you simply double clicked on it, I was in the editor attempting to do it, thnx for the patience with such a simple thing.

[Flux101]

Just looking at the ini file, is it possible to control whether objects are visible in the ini file?

[DGUnreal]

No, but what exactly do you mean?
Are you referring to whether specific objects in the map itself are visible? eg. Flags or Cores? If you are trying to control specific objects in your map file, use Kismet.

[Flux101]

No, but what exactly do you mean?
Are you referring to whether specific objects in the map itself are visible? eg. Flags or Cores? If you are trying to control specific objects in your map file, use Kismet.

I have things like weather effects in my map - so I'd like to be able to toggle the rain meshes from outside of the file somehow. They're currently set on a random timer in kismet so they're turned on and off automatically, but I'd like to have them controllable.

Can Kismet actions be controlled externally?

[DGUnreal]

Can't be done this way.
You would have to devise some method of triggering keyboard or mouse input, or sending proper replication information over a network.

[Flux101]

Can't be done this way.
You would have to devise some method of triggering keyboard or mouse input, or sending proper replication information over a network.

Oh it wouldn't be online, only on a local machine, it's only intended to be like a single player type thing.

I can think of creating an interface with triggers in-game that would accomplish what I need, but this is a last resort, as it wouldn't save the settings (like toggling visibility of objects) that are changed.

I've set it up to trigger the events manually in Kismet via console commands (with causeevent), but again this isn't ideal, as it can't be saved - unless you can prove me wrong on this? That's why I'd like to have it from a text file that can be changed outside of the game, so it will startup with the selected settings.

[DGUnreal]

With UScript you should be able to read/write to ini files.

[Flux101]

With UScript you should be able to read/write to ini files.

It appears exec [filename] is the command I need - I'll call this at startup and hopefully this will let me do what I need. It looks as though there's a weird glitch when I just tried it, the first line doesn't seem to work, but every other line does. I guess it'll just have to have filler in the first line, since it doesn't do anything. It was a bit confusing when I only had one line of text in there and nothing was happening!

[feisar32]

Hi DG - if possible, I need some help here - I'm attempting to cook a map for PS3 on behalf of the creator (with his permission, in case anyone was wondering!)

I've read, digested & followed a number of guides, including this one

Whenever I try to cook the map, I get a number of these errors (from the log):

ShaderPrecompiler: Failed to save to file C:\Program Files\Unreal Tournament 3\Binaries\..\Engine\Shaders\Material.usf - Is it READONLY?
Warning, Failed to compile shaders for Material VH_Cicada.Materials.M_VH_Cicada_ExhaustCone, Default Material will be used in game.
ShaderPrecompiler: Failed to save to file C:\Program Files\Unreal Tournament 3\Binaries\..\Engine\Shaders\Material.usf - Is it READONLY?
Warning, Failed to compile shaders for Material VH_Cicada.Materials.M_Rocket_mesh, Default Material will be used in game.
ShaderPrecompiler: Failed to save to file C:\Program Files\Unreal Tournament 3\Binaries\..\Engine\Shaders\Material.usf - Is it READONLY?
Warning, Failed to compile shaders for Material VH_Weapons.Materials.M_Raptor_SparkSpurt, Default Material will be used in game.
ShaderPrecompiler: Failed to save to file C:\Program Files\Unreal Tournament 3\Binaries\..\Engine\Shaders\Material.usf - Is it READONLY?
Warning, Failed to compile shaders for Material VH_Raptor.Materials.M_Raptor_Explo_flames_red, Default Material will be used in game.
ShaderPrecompiler: Failed to save to file C:\Program Files\Unreal Tournament 3\Binaries\..\Engine\Shaders\Material.usf - Is it READONLY?
Warning, Failed to compile shaders for Material VH_Manta.Materials.M_Darktest_Manta_smoke, Default Material will be used in game.
ShaderPrecompiler: Failed to save to file C:\Program Files\Unreal Tournament 3\Binaries\..\Engine\Shaders\Material.usf - Is it READONLY?
Warning, Failed to compile shaders for Material PICKUPS.Deployables.Materials.M_Deployables_SlowVo lume_Cube_01, Default Material will be used in game.
ShaderPrecompiler: Failed to save to file C:\Program Files\Unreal Tournament 3\Binaries\..\Engine\Shaders\Material.usf - Is it READONLY?
Warning, Failed to compile shaders for Material PICKUPS.Deployables.Materials.M_Deployables_SlowVo lume_Projector, Default Material will be used in game.
ShaderPrecompiler: Failed to save to file C:\Program Files\Unreal Tournament 3\Binaries\..\Engine\Shaders\Material.usf - Is it READONLY?
Warning, Failed to compile shaders for Material WP_Redeemer.Materials.M_Redeemer_DeemerSphere, Default Material will be used in game.
ShaderPrecompiler: Failed to save to file C:\Program Files\Unreal Tournament 3\Binaries\..\Engine\Shaders\Material.usf - Is it READONLY?
Warning, Failed to compile shaders for Material WP_Redeemer.Materials.M_WP_Redeemer_mesh_Flair, Default Material will be used in game.
ShaderPrecompiler: Failed to save to file C:\Program Files\Unreal Tournament 3\Binaries\..\Engine\Shaders\Material.usf - Is it READONLY?
Warning, Failed to compile shaders for Material Envy_Effects.Explosion.Materials.M_EFX_Explo_SubUV _01, Default Material will be used in game.
ShaderPrecompiler: Failed to save to file C:\Program Files\Unreal Tournament 3\Binaries\..\Engine\Shaders\Material.usf - Is it READONLY?
Warning, Failed to compile shaders for Material WP_RocketLauncher.Materials.M_Flair_R, Default Material will be used in game.
ShaderPrecompiler: Failed to save to file C:\Program Files\Unreal Tournament 3\Binaries\..\Engine\Shaders\Material.usf - Is it READONLY?
Warning, Failed to compile shaders for Material WP_Redeemer.Materials.M_WP_Redeemer_mesh_Flair2, Default Material will be used in game.
ShaderPrecompiler: Failed to save to file C:\Program Files\Unreal Tournament 3\Binaries\..\Engine\Shaders\Material.usf - Is it READONLY?
Warning, Failed to compile shaders for Material WP_AVRiL.Materials.M_Dark_Smoke, Default Material will be used in game.
ShaderPrecompiler: Failed to save to file C:\Program Files\Unreal Tournament 3\Binaries\..\Engine\Shaders\Material.usf - Is it READONLY?
Warning, Failed to compile shaders for Material WP_AVRiL.Materials.M_Flair_large_Soft, Default Material will be used in game.
ShaderPrecompiler: Failed to save to file C:\Program Files\Unreal Tournament 3\Binaries\..\Engine\Shaders\Material.usf - Is it READONLY?
Warning, Failed to compile shaders for Material WP_AVRiL.Materials.M_Distortion_mesh, Default Material will be used in game.
ShaderPrecompiler: Failed to save to file C:\Program Files\Unreal Tournament 3\Binaries\..\Engine\Shaders\Material.usf - Is it READONLY?
Warning, Failed to compile shaders for Material WP_AVRiL.Materials.M_Rock_Fakelit, Default Material will be used in game.
ShaderPrecompiler: Failed to save to file C:\Program Files\Unreal Tournament 3\Binaries\..\Engine\Shaders\VertexFactory.usf - Is it READONLY?
Warning, Failed to compile shaders for Material VH_Goliath.Materials.M_Goliath_Dark_Dirt_01, Default Material will be used in game.

That's just a part of the error list. The files & folders are NOT read only, I've checked that, & I've reinstalled a number of times. The cook will finish, but the map will have only default, untextured surfaces

You indicated that the problem could be that I was using a Shader Model 2 graphics card (Sapphire Radeon 9600XT) - however, today I've upgraded to a Shader Model 3 Sapphire Radeon X1950 Pro, & I'm STILL having the same problem

It doesn't appear to be a problem with the (uncooked) map file as another user has been able to successfully cook the file (again with permission)

This has happened on four different files now (all of which I've attempted to cook with the relevant mapper's permission)

Can anyone shed any light on why this is happening? I can't find any solutions & it's driving me nuts ...

[the_witness]

hello mappers! I have been following along with this thread for a few days now.
i published my map today, figuring out that "initial publish" and "final publish" are the same buttons XD

anyway..just wondering..how do i know when the "initial publish" is done..whats the last message i should get before i move onto "adding the screenshot texture" step

thanks in advance for whoever responds =]

edit: i hope this thread isn't dead >.<
edit2: the execution of commandlet took: 22.23 seconds what should i see/do next?

[DGUnreal]

Hi DG - if possible, I need some help here

I haven't encountered that error before, so at this time I cannot offer any solutions.

i published my map today, figuring out that "initial publish" and "final publish" are the same buttons XD

anyway..just wondering..how do i know when the "initial publish" is done..whats the last message i should get before i move onto "adding the screenshot texture" step

I should re-write this tutorial to make some of it a bit easier to understand.

All that the "initial publish" is doing is creating a copy of the final built map in the UTGame\Published\CookedPC\CustomMaps folder so that you can play the map in UT3 and do a screenshot capture.
Normally, the source map will only be in the Unpublished\CookedPC\CustomMaps folder, where it won't be seen by UT3's in-game menus.
If you wanted, you could skip the initial publish and manually copy the map file to the Published\CookedPC\CustomMaps folder so that it can be played in UT3.

Once the Publish dialog gets down to the x errors and execution time, you can close that window and continue on with what else needs to be done.