How to make Custom map content [ Tutorial & Ongoing Support ]

[Poncho]

I DO have a question though. One that can be answered by yourself, and anyone who has uploaded this city into their server. Do your roads work properly? I have tried to incorporate new roads into the map, but when extracted and sent to my admin.. he does not see the roads I took the time to place. Is this just a glitch? (if he uploads the file into the server, will the roads show?)

 

 

As long as your code is okay then you should have no problem once it is in the server. I have experienced this myself checking over content sent to me by an editor for my server, it can happen for a number of reasons, conflict in versions e.t.c for example he might not be launching the editor the same way you do so does not get the right one initializing. Either way if you can see it all and it is all aligned then you good to go :)

 

If he is worried about putting it in the server before he knows it is working tell him to sling it into his test server or you do it, either way you should be okay.

 

*Just brought this across from another of my threads to bolster the questions and answers in this tut thread - Thanks to Hero2None for the addition.

[Poncho]

 

great guide, apologize if this has been asked before but how do you place a building flat when it is inserted like below.  Example, on a flat hill, I want the building placed so that it is perfectly level, not following terrain.

_vehicle_0 = objNull;
if (true) then
{
  _this = createVehicle ["Land_Mil_Barracks_i", [4246.855, 10413.166, 0.12567125], [], 0, "CAN_COLLIDE"];
  _vehicle_0 = _this;
  _this setDir 143.43208;
  _this setPos [4246.855, 10413.166, 0.12567125];
};

Is there a way to specify a default azimuth of 0 or does 0 just mean follow the terrain?  

 

looks like this may work?  will have to test when I'm home.

_this setVectorUp [0,0,1];

 

 

Add the "setVehicleInit" line to the SQF file for any buildings that are leaning.  

_this setDir -415.88132;
_this setVehicleInit "this setVectorUp [0,0,1];";
_this setPos [1939.5042, 14563.26, -0.068630017];

Beidi file should look as follows:

Add the "INIT" line between the "AZIMUT" and "PARENT" lines.

AZIMUT="-67.231117";
INIT="_this setVehicleInit "this setVectorUp [0,0,1];";";
PARENT="";

*Again, brought this over from another thread. Big thanks to Wesley for this one, hope it helps hambeast, althought it looks like you were on the right track.

[ZS.Raven]

What a great tutorial! It pretty much summarizes 10-15 various past and outdated tutorials - now people only need to go to one page to look stuff up, so thumbs up ;)

 

Thank you for the shoutout, Poncho :)  It really warmed to see an honest guy.

Unfortunately, I need to be honest as well and pass the credits for optimization on to Charlatan, maker of the Ghost of Chernarus add-ons.

 

It is great to see, how you add and execute your files server-side only. This is the proper way of doing it, and reduces the mission file size needed for clients to download to play on your server.

Also, it gives you some kind of protection of your files, to some extent.

However, if you want to protect them even better, only a few people are skilled enought to snatch them just by joining your server and look in the temp folder:

 

1. Make the folder for your custom .sqf file in the server folder, as described in the tutorial and put your .sqf file in there.

2. In the top of server_functions.sqf, you will see lines somehow like this:

server_spawnEvents =  compile preprocessFileLineNumbers "\z\addons\dayz_server\compile\server_spawnEvent.sqf";

Right under these lines, you put in this line:

mapedit = compile preprocessFileLineNumbers "z\addons\dayz_server\Maps\mapedit.sqf";

You just defined a function that compiles your buildings into the server code, and it of course needs to be called in init.sqf (in the dayz_missions folder).

Somewhere in the "if (isServer) then {" section, you add this line:

call mapedit;

Of course, you edit the names of your files and functions to your liking.

 

 

About critisism - please give authors more credit for spending their time trying to help you? If the author was to cover every single detail and exception to the rules of thumb, it would be 15 pages long.

However, if people used commenting to kick in their knowledge on specific issues related to this tutorial, it would make a great reference in the end.

[Poncho]

Added Charlatan to the thanks on the original post. As for the guide, all outside and additional pointers are featured at the end and with credit. As for all the rest of it, it is entirely my work, written by myself from personal experience with this editor.

 

Thanks for the feedback  and praise Raven.

[Ireon]

Hello, if got a quick question, how is it possible to see all the Traders etc. on the Map when editing it? Cause we want to edit the Trader Citys etc. but we aren't sure how this works, particularly cause we want to move the Traders a bit either. Would be great if we could get a quick response on that :)

[ZS.Raven]

Unless there is an official .biedi file for the traders I dont know of, they cannot be edited.

You need to build the location of the new trader yourselves, and delete the old location buildings.

 

Trader buildings and tables etc are located in mission.sqf, including the traders themselves defined as units.

 

.sqf files uses [XYZ] coordinates and for their markers, the .sqm files use [XZY] coords.

[Scenic]

Unless there is an official .biedi file for the traders I dont know of, they cannot be edited.

You need to build the location of the new trader yourselves, and delete the old location buildings.

 

Trader buildings and tables etc are located in mission.sqf, including the traders themselves defined as units.

 

.sqf files uses [XYZ] coordinates and for their markers, the .sqm files use [XZY] coords.

 

Oh but there is ;), give me a few minutes :)

 

Your welcome ;)

https://www.mediafire.com/?6tig61496obvs7u

 

contains up-to-date traders & wholesalers/boat traders

:D

[Poncho]

Great help Scenic! Adding a section to the Original Post for editing trader layouts, much appreciated :)

[Scenic]

Great help Scenic! Adding a section to the Original Post for editing trader layouts, much appreciated :)

 

You're more than welcome! I spent ages trying to learn to edit the traders so this is my thank you too the community for the support ;)

[Poncho]

This community really is one of the best within the different dayz mods. Take this thread for example, I remember what it was like trying to get my head round all this, and how much easier it would have been with help, so I made this. Even here my knowledge is limited, but where I falter others step in to support the weight. 

 

It happens time and time again throughout these forums with people grouping together to better this mod, our servers, and the community in general. Thanks to all who have helped in this thread, and by doing so set people on their way to producing more map content for all of us to see. 

 

If I was allowed to drink on ship here (which unfortunately I am not :angry: ) I would raise a glass to you all!  :D

[seb]

Hey guys, is there a limit on how many items you can add into one map?

 

Ive got quite a large base with modular items also ( cinderwalls) etc... and in the map editor its spawning everything fine, but once i put it up on my test server, it only spawns half of the modular items,

any ideas?

[Xvil]

Argh. This house I keep trying to place, no matter location, rotation, height, or optimization and "fixes" I apply; leans... 

[Narray]

Hey :)
I have a question when about getting the map edit on my server.
I've been fighting with this for that last few hours, but no matter what I do, it dosn't seem like I can get it to work.
I think the problem is in the part where you put the mapedit.sqf ... I can't really get it to make sence :S
And where exactly to put the

 

execVM "\z\addons\dayz_server\Missions\mapedit.sqf";

 

You say it should be put in the bottom of the file, but sadly I'm don't really have any idea what I'm doing, I just keep on trying untill it works..

but now I'm stuck and I need help :)

[Poncho]

 

Hey  :)
I have a question when about getting the map edit on my server.
I've been fighting with this for that last few hours, but no matter what I do, it dosn't seem like I can get it to work.
I think the problem is in the part where you put the mapedit.sqf ... I can't really get it to make sence :S
And where exactly to put the

 

execVM "\z\addons\dayz_server\Missions\mapedit.sqf";

 

You say it should be put in the bottom of the file, but sadly I'm don't really have any idea what I'm doing, I just keep on trying untill it works..

but now I'm stuck and I need help  :)

 

1. Unpack your server.pbo                                                                      <-- If using ViLayer then there is no need,

                                                                                                                     you use the browser tool.

 

2. Create a folder in the root of the server.pbo called: Maps                  <-- This means make a new folder called

                                                                                                                      'Maps' In the server.pbo.

 

3. Drag your mapedit.sqf into this folder.                                                 <-- This means add your mapedit.sqf into

                                                                                                                      the above folder you just made.

 

4. In the init folder you will find a file called server_functions.sqf, at the bottom of the file add this line:

execVM "\z\addons\dayz_server\Missions\mapedit.sqf";                           <-- Literally just paste this line right at the

                                                                                                                       bottom of the  server_functions.sqf

                                                                                                                       file on a new line.

 

 

 

Argh. This house I keep trying to place, no matter location, rotation, height, or optimization and "fixes" I apply; leans... 

 

Which house is it, and what type of terrain are you trying to place it on?

 

 

 

Hey guys, is there a limit on how many items you can add into one map?

 

Ive got quite a large base with modular items also ( cinderwalls) etc... and in the map editor its spawning everything fine, but once i put it up on my test server, it only spawns half of the modular items,

any ideas?

 

Are you putting it server side or mission side?

[WEB11]

How do I save my Trader edits? to my mapedit.sqf? wouldn't that cause a duplication? Confused... :wacko:

[Ireon]

How do I save my Trader edits? to my mapedit.sqf? wouldn't that cause a duplication? Confused... :wacko:

Same Question here, a quick answer would be appreciated :)

[WEB11]

I'm doing some digging and I guess my trader edit goes inside my server.pbo? does it replace DayZ_Epoch_11.Chernarus\mission.sqf entirely? Or do I mission fix it in my init.sqf and put a copy inside my mission.pbo?

[Raziel]

Thanks for the thread Poncho, It was a little tricky for me at first (Im on a Vilayer server) but once I got my path correct for my files it worked perfectly!!

 

Thumbs up my friend!!

[Raziel]

Hey :)

I have a question when about getting the map edit on my server.

I've been fighting with this for that last few hours, but no matter what I do, it dosn't seem like I can get it to work.

I think the problem is in the part where you put the mapedit.sqf ... I can't really get it to make sence :S

And where exactly to put the

 

execVM "\z\addons\dayz_server\Missions\mapedit.sqf";

 

You say it should be put in the bottom of the file, but sadly I'm don't really have any idea what I'm doing, I just keep on trying untill it works..

but now I'm stuck and I need help :)

My path for vilayer ended up being:

         execVM "\vilayercodecustom\dayz_epoch\maps\mapedit.sqf";

 

 

I went to: File manager

select: Vilayercodecustom

then: dayz_epoch  

At this point I hit the New Folder icon and named the folder maps

then opened maps folder and hit upload and browse for my mapedit.sqf file (that i had edited previously to Poncho's instructions) and hit upload

then I hit the page back icon

then open the init folder and at the bottom I added   execVM "\vilayercodecustom\dayz_epoch\maps\mapedit.sqf";

which is a little different to Poncho's original instructions but it worked for me.

 

I hope this helps and doesnt add to your problem

I am in no way good at this stuff

[gunnar]

For the step: Want to optimize your .sqf? you can replace the vehicle_xxx with a simple command using notepad++

 

Make sure you have regular expression selected in Notepad++.

search for:   _vehicle_(\d+) = objNull;


and replace with:   _bldObj = objNull;

[WEB11]

My path for vilayer ended up being:

         execVM "\vilayercodecustom\dayz_epoch\maps\mapedit.sqf";

 

You could still use "execVM "\z\addons\dayz_server\Missions\mapedit.sqf";" on Vilayer if you paste your mapedit.sqf to "vilayercodecustom\dayz_epoch\missions\".

[ranoko]

_bldObj = objNull;
if (true) then
{
  _bldObj = createVehicle ["MAP_asf2_0_2000", [1139.8907, 2393.6802, 9.5367432e-007], [], 0, "CAN_COLLIDE"];
  _bldObj setDir -26.330427;
  _bldObj setPos [1139.8907, 2393.6802, 9.5367432e-007];
};

So if you have something like this:

 

• _vehicle_19 = objNull;

1. if (true) then
2. {
3.   _this = createVehicle ["Land_SS_hangar", [8135.5732, 13685.411, 0.58342779], [], 0, "CAN_COLLIDE"];
4.   _vehicle_19 = _this;
5.   _this setDir 89.437462;
6.   _this setPos [8135.5732, 13685.411, 0.58342779];
7. };

Would you replace every _this =  with _bldObj ?? and i would also assume that in the example above i would remove _vehicle_19 = _this; Is that correct?  And last does the first bldObj have to have a number after it or can they all just start with _bldObj? for example above that first line it has vehicle 19... would it have have to be bldObj 19?  Any help would be great and thank you for this great post!!!!!

[Aristoi]

Great thread, lots of good tips here.

 

My question is regarding fine manipulation of objects, specifically small objects near to bigger ones.  I find it very difficult with the editor to do that.  More often than not the smaller object cannot even be selected.  Is there some way to select the object from the text list and then "lock" on to it so I can move small items (especially interior) around?

 

Any help is aprpeciated, thanks!

[gunnar]

@ Ranoko yes its correct.

• replace _vehicle_19 with _bldObj
• delete line _vehicle_19 = _this;
• replace _this with _bldObj

Final result looks like:

		_bldObj = objNull;
		if (true) then
		{
		  _bldObj = createVehicle ["Concrete_Wall_EP1", [7936.5615, 13740.813, 0.00021362305], [], 0, "CAN_COLLIDE"];
		  _bldObj setDir -69.370018;
		  _bldObj setPos [7936.5615, 13740.813, 0.00021362305];
		};

		_bldObj = objNull;
		if (true) then
		{
		  _bldObj = createVehicle ["Concrete_Wall_EP1", [7935.1016, 13737.817, 0.00012207031], [], 0, "CAN_COLLIDE"];
		  _bldObj setDir -58.284298;
		  _bldObj setPos [7935.1016, 13737.817, 0.00012207031];
		};

 

@Aristoi use the 2D Editor to select small Objects

[Aristoi]

@Aristoi use the 2D Editor to select small Objects

 

Thanks for the reply, gunnar.  You mean the 2d map view in the 3d Editor, or the actual Arma 2d Editor (never used that one)?  I'm specifically trying to place small objects in the interios or a building, where there is not a lot of space.