VG Mod / Test Server

[Iffn]

Just updating the thread some for those that have not been following this thread much.
I and other admins will be updating this post when there's a new release or if something is changed or whatever.

From page 8 in this thread:

BLuDKLoT LAN_WROTE ...

Ok, we need some testers, below is the info:

TEST SERVER READY FOR TESTERS! (pw: VGTesters)

Ok guys, Fastjack has finished a version of Karbala for our Test Server. The installation directions are critical! Make sure you follow them or else you might have issues, please read below.

Installation of the testmap Karbala:

1. Unzip the new Karbala map folder to your desktop

2. In the pr\levels folder you need to create 2 new folders named ORIGINAL & TESTMAP.

3. Drag & drop the original Karbala map folder into the ORIGINAL folder.

4. Install the unzipped Karbala map folder into the bf2\mods\pr\levels folder.

IMPORTANT!!! IMPORTANT!!! IMPORTANT!!! IMPORTANT!!!

MAKE SURE YOU REMOVE THE TEST MAP AND REPLACE IT WITH THE ORIGINAL BEFORE GOING BACK INTO ANY OTHER SERVERS!

If anybody joins another server with the VG test map installed you will CTD, or even worse you could get banned by PUNKBUSTER!
Its important to know and remember which map version you currently have installed.

There is a README in the Karbala ESAI map. The original doesn't have a readme, so it is easy to identify which karbala map is the testmap and the original.

PRIORITY BETA TEST RULEZ:

AFTER TESTING THIS ESAI VERSION OF KARBALA THE MAP MUST BE REMOVED AND REPLACED WITH THE ORIGINAL KARBALA MAP OR THE TESTER RISK 'S CTD'S AND OR PUNBUSTER BANS ! ! !

KARBALA MAP: Look below.

Latest download:
- Download - KARBALA ONLY, READ INSTRUCTIONS IN THE QUOTE ABOVE!

Older downloads:
- None yet.


IF YOU HAVENT READ THE QUOTE, THE PASSWORD IS: VGTesters

- CC


**********ORIGINAL POST BY IFFN************
Almost one and a half year after release of prsp and the start of the veterans-gaming coop server, VG is now a well known clan with a impressive community. The idea of a VG-mod is pretty old but this might be the right moment to dive into the world of modding.

VG already tried to make a zombie mod for pr but it failed because of the bf2 engine (main problem = navmeshing: http://www.realitymod.com/forum/f318-2009/64877-prsp-what-hell-navmeshing.html)

But is it possible to create a mod on the bf2 or on an other engine with this clan?

suggestions, thoughts?

[=VG= BLuDKLoT]

I would like to make a mod of PR. But with us fixing all the things they left out, overlooked, or didn't care about. I think we could do it better intellectually, but do we have the skills to produce? I don't have any real modding experience except from the Rogue Spear days http://www.teamfcf.com/digga/ but I would learn and help the best I could. If we picked Operation Barracuda for example as the map and built the mod from there it just might work. We could open that map completely, change the skyline, assets, equip, game play, oh there is so much stuff! This would be epic, I would love to make a PR mod, better than the PR modders. It's my dream.

[=VG= DEEPINYOO]

Ya, what Blud said.

[=VG= Fastjack]

To change the Teams or vehicles is not a big thing.
U can change some codelines in the GamePlayObject.con (can be found in the levelsfolder, Server.zip)
Go into the Gamemodefolder and select the Gamemode and Maplayer (16/32/64).

To change the Team, u must only change the teamnames and kits (Levelsfolder / Server.zip Init.con)

gr

[Iffn]

@fastjack / battlefield 2142

the engine might be good but we would need to create all the textures, skins, weapons, buildings and vehicles by our self and that's a huge work that needs to be done before we would be able to play it.

"release early, release often" would be the main point of a mod built by a clan like vg.

[=VG= Fastjack]

Yes thats true and many work.
U need pythoncodders too, to make Gamemodes, u need Mappers and 3dsmax & Photoshop pro's.

Lets make a MODmod from PR

[=VG= BLuDKLoT]

Fastjack, it would be allot more than changing skins. Like we don't use Huey's to transport troops, we use the CH46, CH53 and they are not in the game. The Huey is a commanders tool, or specops insert method, not typical Infantry. Certain vehicles aren't used when they should be, the equipment and load outs are off a bit, AI needs improvement (like AIX) I'd need to make a list of all these things, but they are numerous. It's like I spot something I want to change every time I play. I'd like to make it more players as well, like the Dep Server 64/64.

I also want to make the Cooperative aspect the dominating factor so people can see COOP isn't a training tool!

[=VG= CCCode]

We should use something like Filezilla

Oh and we should start the actual modding after the next client release of PR since it will fix a lot of the current bugs and give us a more stable ground.

[=VG= OniBlood1986]

I wish more could be done with AIX, But I will support a PR mod addon

[Pvt. Pirate]

the idea sounds good so far.
i was wondering if the modders of PR really knew every detail about equipment of the infantry and loadout of the vehicles.
if you'd need information about these information on the german vehicles/infantry, i have a few friends who served in the german army and would likely tell you every detail they knew.
still i must say its a lot of work and will be complicated.
i hope this will be done someday :)

[=VG= Solar]

Think you guys might be under estimating the skill required to pull this off.

Look at the PR developers, some are actual programmers for their careers, they have massive donations to help out. They have a TON of extremely skilled programmers/coders, mappers, designers, testers and they struggle to keep bugs to a minimum etc.

Editing a few values in a settings file ans over writing is one thing. Creating a whole new mod with new vehicles, altering the AI and making changes that some of you mentioned is incredibly difficult lol...

If you want an idea for how hard you could mail a PR dev.

Also, we have NO programmers except me. I'm the only one that knows how to code and even at that, I've only dabbled with python. I don't know it to write comfortably.

[Ambumann]

Are you talking about building a new map or making i vg mod, like the pr mod?

[Iffn]

I agree with solar, but I need to expand it

Propject Reality is built on the bf2-engine, which is not suposed to be modified. The pr-mod is at the limit, of what you are able to do with the engine and it isn't possible to build it better than they did.

But it is possible to modify an other engine like ArmA 2. That engine is ment to be modded, the AI is WAAAAY better than the bf2 bots. It wouldn't be a problem to jumpstart in this engine and the possibilities are almost endless. ;)

Official ArmA 2 tutorials can be found if you http://www.youtube.com/user/ARMA2official#p/u/6/W2Af6e0n7fQ

[=VG= CCCode]

Guys.. First off, you don't need python to do huge modifications to the gameplay.. It helps, but its not needed.

Also, the PR team started like we do now.. Some dudes putting ideas together.. The PR team was like 4 or 5 to begin with too and they didnt even know how BF2 was set up before they started planning PR.. They did it.. WHY CAN'T WE?

And PR can be imrpoved.. Especially coop after what's been done to it in the last patch.

Oh and @Iffn, VG consists of mostly PR players.. Why and how would we make a ArmA 2 mod?

[Iffn]

Start building a mod in 2010 on a 5 year old version for an engine that was never meant to be modified?

ArmA 2 is nothing else but a huge sandbox for modders. I bought it a few weeks ago, never realy looked into the creating of levels and i would be able to create a nice level with bots, vehicles and triggers in a few days

[=VG= CCCode]

A 5 year old engine that is an engine.. Game engines ain't like a car motor.. it still runs after 100 years without maintenance..

And again.. Why make an AmrA 2 mod? For who are we making it? The few of us VGs that got ArmA 2?

[Iffn]

The thing that i'm trying to say is "there is nothing worse than working with a bad program" and the bf2 mod tools (aka bf2editor) are ridiculously stupid.

I tried to work with it but it crashes more ofthen than you are able to save you progress.

And how many people are going to buy ArmA 2 CO just because they release PR:A2?

[dman248]

And only a select few will play it, i dont like arma that much as i like pr.

[=VG= BLuDKLoT]

Look guys, this will be a BF2:PR Mod, not Arma. i don't think this will be as hard as you think. We'd be working with what they've already done but making it better. If anything new is created it may be just a few new Assets which cannot be that hard if they've done it.

You're right Solar, the PR Devs are all those things you mentioned, plus some more that you left out and that I won't mention here (!@#$) but so what. CC is right, they started small too. I want to take what they made and make it better and only coop. Even if it's just one map, we can do this and there are people willing to help with the more complicated stuff. If we build it, they will come.

[Iffn]

Alright, how about that:
We build 2 prototypes, one in BF2/PR and one in ArmA 2 until the end of 2010. We test both mods in january 2011 and see, on which one we work on with VG.

Everybody can work on the project they want to, we have some kind of competition and we all learn more about the whole thing even if we never want to build a VG-ArmA 2 mod. :)

[=VG= BLuDKLoT]

Not a good idea to split forces when we're so few. How about we stay with BF2: PR and so it's decided....again. :p

[dman248]

Just mod pr to our liking

[=VG= Fastjack]

Its possible to build a PR map, that use MODCONTENT , without making a newmod. U can change things or put new stuff inside the map (like EuroForces Booster method). U can run it in the INIT.con from the map. U can create a new Objects.zip with new Stuff. pack it into the server.zip from the map.

For excample : The soldierskins. u can make new skins. copied into the Map and run it via customtexturesuffix.

To build a Coop Map for PR, u must have installed BF2, next installation is python 2.4.2 and at last u must install the BF2Editor and PR.
Think we must first create a new PR Map and later we fit it up to Coop (fix the navmes(t)hings)

[Pvt. Pirate]

i for myself know that i wouldnt buy arma2 for a mod.
and yes, making some changes should work.
if we arent making everything up from sketch it should work.

[=VG= BLuDKLoT]

That was how I imagined it, just put new stuff/change stuff, within the current build of PR.