The Forge - News

July 16th, 1997

wQBSP 1.65

Well, what can you expect but a bigger, better version? :) I'm most impressed with the QBSP.INI option. Very cool. Anyway, here's the list of new features in Ken Alverson's latest release of wQBSP:

Fixed a nasty wad string length problem. The wad code handled it fine, but it ran into a problem writing it to the BSP file due to a Quake engine string length limitation. Now, the full wad string is used by QBSP, but only the first 128 characters are written to the BSP.
Added an option, "-ignorecase" that ignores case while searching for textures in the wad file. Someone requested it...
Added support for options read from a file. Simply put options in QBSP.INI in the working directory, and they will be read as if they came on the command line. This allows people to use options like "-alternateaxis", "-ignorecase" or such from an editor that doesn't directly support them. Options can be seperated by spaces or carriage returns.

Check out the file in the Files section. (as always, "duh" :) And of course, be sure to send any bug reports an requests for new options to Ken. Dammit, pretty soon wQBSP is just going to make the map for you. :)

-autolycus

July 15th, 1997

Things a changin'

With re-newed vigor, autolycus and I are furiously working on the page hoping to get it up to snuff for the new version of Worldcraft which should be out sometime this August.

Some of the things we're doing include :
- Finishing off the Tutorial finally and updating it for the latest version of WC. If things go well, it will include vertex manipulation and other things that will be in the new version of WC.

- Autolycus is finishing up the entity section for all the entities for Hipnotic and Rogue packs. He'll get it done just in time to start on the Hexen II entities :)

- I'm going to add some new sections to the Tips/Tricks section. This will include a section on the use of clip brushes and a section on copyright information and what you should know before you release a level to the public.

- Updating the files and links sections. (Got an editing or Worldcraft related page we don't list? Tell us!)

- If anyone else has any ideas for things you'd like to see on The Forge let us know. We'll get right on it!

- Loki

July 13th, 1997

Let there be LIGHT...

Tim Wright sent me an awesome new LIGHT program this morning that could make things quite interesting. It has a few new features that will be of interest to all editors, and is completely compatible with Worldcraft, as its features are usable directly through entity variables. For more info, check out the text file included. Here's a list of its features:

Scale fade distances of individual lights (like Janis Jagars' "Lightdis")
Set a global minimum light level (like Eric Sambach's "Minlight")
Supports Ritual's "Scourge of Armagon" map extensions.
Fast (consistently outperformed all other versions of light I could find)
Slightly more feedback output

Also, included in the text file is the information needed to alter the quake.fgd so your light entities will easily take advantage of its new features. The file is located in the Forge files (how original!). Be sure to send Tim feedback if you encounter any problems or have any cool ideas that he may implement.

-autolycus

thanks to Chris Mair for pointing out that it is in fact July, not May, dammit...

July 10th, 1997

Oh my god, its an update! :)

Once again, Real Life has been interfering with updates to the Forge, but I finally had time to do a few things around here. I'm leaving last month's news up here for a while, 'cuz its got a bunch of cool stuff.

Entity section

First off, i've completed the entity section, at least where the standard quake, hipnotic, and rogue entities are concerned. That's not to say i'm done with the section, but you can now get the basic (and sometimes not-so-basic info) on all the entities. I think the Rogue section turned out quite well, although I don't have any linked references to any outside entities (unlike what I did for id and Hipnotic entities), just related entites within the Rogue section.

New wQBSP

Ken Alverson sent me a new version of the wQBSP, version 1.61, with a couple new things:

Changes from v1.60 to v1.61:

Changed Point off Plane from error to warning
Actually went back and idiot proofed "-leakspace #"

Be sure to send Ken any bug reports and/or requests for new features, and also to read the documentation that comes with the .zip file, as it will outline all of the existing features. The file is available in the Files section (wow!) in the Worldcraft Files section.

-autolycus

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