Dark Messiah Singleplayer SDK Tutorial

[marvelm]

Dark Messiah Might of Magic Single-player SDK

This is a tutorial on how to set up the Dark Messiah Singleplayer SDK to create your own singleplayer maps.

Needed for this tutorial

Dark Messiah Might and Magic Singleplayer SDK from Hammer-Tutorial.com
Dark Messiah Might and Magic Singleplayer SDK from FileFactory.com
Dark Messiah Might and Magic Singleplayer SDK from Gamefront.com
GCFScape
7-Zip


1. Installing the SDK

1. Extract the contents of 'mm_sdk_sp.7z' using 7-Zip. It should contain two Game Cache Files.
   
2. With GCFScape installed, double-click a Game Cache File to open it. In the window that appears, select all folders and extract them to:

'Steam\steamapps\STEAM USER NAME\dark messiah might and magic singleplayer'

2. Extracting the Dark Messiah Game Cache Files
Now you need to extract the contents of the following Dark Messiah Game Cache Files into your Dark Messiah singleplayer folder because the editor can't access the .GCF files:

• mm_materials_a_pub.gcf
• mm_materials_b_pub.gcf
• mm_materials_c_pub.gcf
• mm_models_pub.gcf
• mm_sound_lang_en_pub.gcf
• mm_sound_pub.gcf

The Game Cache Files can be found in the 'Steam/steamapps' folder and need to be extracted to

'Steam\steamapps\STEAM USER NAME\dark messiah might and magic singleplayer'

3. Configuring the Hammer editor
Once all the files have been extracted, you still need to tell the Hammer editor where to look for these files. To do this, open the GameConfig.txt file located at

'Steam\steamapps\STEAM USER NAME\dark messiah might and magic singleplayer\bin\GameConfig.txt'

Replace the contents of the GameConfig.txt with the code below and replace USER with your Steam user name. You may have to correct the whole path (in ORANGE):

"Configs"
{
"Games"
{
"Dark Messiah"
{
"GameDir" "C:\Program Files\Steam\SteamApps\USER\dark messiah might and magic single player\mm"
"hammer"
{
"GameData0" "C:\Program Files\Steam\SteamApps\USER\dark messiah might and magic single player\bin\halflife2.fgd"
"TextureFormat" "5"
"MapFormat" "4"
"DefaultTextureScale" "0.250000"
"DefaultLightmapScale" "16"
"GameExe" "C:\Program Files\Steam\SteamApps\USER\dark messiah might and magic single player\mm.exe"
"DefaultSolidEntity" "func_detail"
"DefaultPointEntity" "info_player_start"
"BSP" "C:\Program Files\Steam\SteamApps\USER\dark messiah might and magic single player\bin\vbsp.exe"
"Vis" "C:\Program Files\Steam\SteamApps\USER\dark messiah might and magic single player\bin\vvis.exe"
"Light" "C:\Program Files\Steam\SteamApps\USER\dark messiah might and magic single player\bin\vrad.exe"
"GameExeDir" "C:\Program Files\Steam\SteamApps\USER\dark messiah might and magic single player"
"MapDir" "C:\Program Files\Steam\SteamApps\USER\dark messiah might and magic single player\mm_content\mapsrc"
"BSPDir" "C:\Program Files\Steam\SteamApps\USER\dark messiah might and magic single player\mm\maps"
"CordonTexture" "tools\toolsskybox"
"MaterialExcludeCount" "0"
}
}
}
"SDKVersion" "1"
}

4. Using the editor to create your own maps

Double-click 'hammer.exe' located in 'Steam/steamapps/dark messiah might and magic singleplayer/bin’ to start the editor.

NOTE: If you have compiled a map, ensure that you close Hammer before starting the game, otherwise Hammer might lock up until you restart your computer.

UPDATE: See the Valve Developer Wiki page for Dark Messiah Single-Player Level Creation tutorials:

http://developer.valvesoftware.com/w...Level_Creation


5. Known Bugs and Issues

Shading Issue

Problem: In the 3D viewport ‘3D Textured Shaded’ looks the same as ‘3D Textured’.
Solution: There is no solution to this right now. As a workaround, you could block out your map in a different Hammer editor. Any Source Engine game that ships with the Hammer editor will work for that. You can later add models and entities in the Dark Messiah editor.

White Textures

Problem: Some textures appear white in the editor.
Solution: Exporting and saving the affected texture’s .vtf file again might fix this issue.

NPC Issue

Problem: Some NPCs look like a different NPC type: E.g. a Goblin has the appearence of a dragon.
Solution: This happens when you copy and paste a NPC entity or when you duplicate a NPC entity and then change the entity type. Make sure that you correct the model after duplicating an existing NPC: [Picture]

6. Screenshots




Credits
Credits to the author of the original German tutorial 'Lord_of_slyness', and to hammer-tutorial.com

Credits to 'HungryBentoBox' for proof-reading

Original tutorial (in German)
http://www.hammer-tutorial.com/forum...dk-einrichten/

[marvelm]

Finished Maps

I reserved this post, in case someone actually decides to make a map for Dark Messiah!

1. Test Map for this Tutorial

Download: http://www.filefactory.com/file/cadb...utorialmap.bsp
Description: The most original map imaginable: You, a Goblin, a sword and a light source.




Playing a map

To play a map you first need to enable the console:

1. Open Steam
2. Right click on Dark Messiah Might and Magic Singleplayer
3. Click on 'Properties'
4. Click on 'Set Launch Options...'
5. Enter

-console

6. Start the game
7. Access the console by pressing '~', and type:

map mapname

Example:

map sp_tutorialmap

Tutorials

The Valve Developer Community: Dark Messiah Level Creation

Breakable Shelves
Spike Racks
Creating Usable Ladders

Happy Mapping!

[acelove27]

You are incredible. Even if you just translated this, it's something I have been looking for since I first got the game, and I'm going to spend a lot of time on it now. Helpful people like you deserve recognition, I can't wait to get started with this.

[tschumann]

Good stuff. You might want to post this in the Dark Messiah forums too.

[acelove27]

Do you think it would be acceptable to create a page for this on the developer wiki? I'd be happy to try.

[marvelm]

Originally Posted by acelove27

You are incredible. Even if you just translated this, it's something I have been looking for since I first got the game, and I'm going to spend a lot of time on it now. Helpful people like you deserve recognition, I can't wait to get started with this.

Thank you for the kind words!!

If you need help feel free to add me on Steam:

https://steamcommunity.com/id/ichbinnekrabbe

Originally Posted by tschumann

Good stuff. You might want to post this in the Dark Messiah forums too.

Done: http://forums.steampowered.com/forum...4#post21128104


EDIT: http://developer.valvesoftware.com/w...Level_Creation

The least we can do is add a link to this tutorial at the bottom of this page. But it would be great if someone created a special page for the tutorial

preferably a native English speaker

[acelove27]

Originally Posted by marvelm

EDIT: http://developer.valvesoftware.com/w...Level_Creation

The least we can do is add a link to this tutorial at the bottom of this page. But it would be great if someone created a special page for the tutorial

preferably a native English speaker

I'll probably try and make one later today then, hopefully it'll turn out well.

EDIT: Here it is: http://developer.valvesoftware.com/w...Level_Creation

I edited it a little bit here and there, but tried to keep pretty much the same. I made sure to link to this and the original as well.

I even linked it from the Level Design page: http://developer.valvesoftware.com/w...y:Level_Design

Hopefully it won't be removed for any reason.

Also, I was hoping to use the image file of that little Hammer startup logo, but I haven't found it, so I just used a screenshot of the whole startup. If anyone finds it I'd love to know.

[marvelm]

Originally Posted by acelove27

Here it is: http://developer.valvesoftware.com/w...Level_Creation

Good work! I'm going to add the changes you made in the 'Playing Your Maps' section to my tutorial

Originally Posted by acelove27

I even linked it from the Level Design page: http://developer.valvesoftware.com/w...y:Level_Design

Hopefully it won't be removed for any reason.

I think they might remove the link on this page, because each game has only got one link for single- and multiplayer level creation.

Perhaps you could move the tutorial to the top of this page:

http://developer.valvesoftware.com/w...Level_Creation

Originally Posted by acelove27

Also, I was hoping to use the image file of that little Hammer startup logo, but I haven't found it, so I just used a screenshot of the whole startup. If anyone finds it I'd love to know.

I'll see if I can find it.

[acelove27]

Originally Posted by marvelm

I think they might remove the link on this page, because each game has only got one link for single- and multiplayer level creation.

Perhaps you could move the tutorial to the top of this page:

http://developer.valvesoftware.com/w...Level_Creation

Hmmm... I'm actually thinking about reorganizing the whole thing so that the 'Dark Messiah Level Creation' link will take you to a page containing both the multiplayer and singleplayer links, plus any other articles people add in.

EDIT: Annnnnnd, done. I moved the multiplayer article to a page with "Multi-Player" in the title, and used the "Dark Messiah Level Creation" page to link to both articles.

http://developer.valvesoftware.com/w...Level_Creation

[marvelm]

EDIT: Annnnnnd, done. I moved the multiplayer article to a page with "Multi-Player" in the title, and used the "Dark Messiah Level Creation" page to link to both articles.

http://developer.valvesoftware.com/w...Level_Creation

this is great

I hope to see some good mods & maps soon!

[Blade cop]

Originally Posted by marvelm

this is great

I hope to see some good mods & maps soon!

Or maybe a unofficial sequel to this game!

[Blue Lightning]

Holy tap dancing Jesus, this is great news!

Thanks to the OP, now we can get some SP mapping going on the worlds funnest FPS!

[marvelm]

You may want to take a look at the Dark Messiah level creation page at the Valve wiki:

http://developer.valvesoftware.com/w...Level_Creation

Acelove27 and I have done a few tutorials in the past week:

Breakable Shelves
Spike Racks
Creating Usable Ladders

You can make tutorial requests in this thread, if you would like to see a specific tutorial.

[Blue Lightning]

I'm really wondering about the general problem of managing of potential resources such as skill points vs map size. Dark Messiahs RPG elements offers the skill tree system with a quite complex array of skill/weapon-unlock choices that one earns as they go along. That whole thing cannot be built into an hour long map.

I guess the skill tree can be left out and the player can find weapons as they go along? Otherwise 5 hour long maps will have to be built.

[marvelm]

Or you could give the player the appropriate skills, spells and weapons at the beginning of your map. (e.g. night vision spell for a night map)