New Compile Tools for any Source game

Furyo · 10-10-2008, 08:54 PM

qUiCkSiLvEr just released his latest tool called VBCT (Valve Batch Compile Tool) which acts as a replacement for the Hammer interface to compile your map.

It also brings a vast list of improvements over Hammer as it gives you help and description of each of the processes along the way, yet still acts as a simplified expert mode.

I was fortunate enough to be among the beta testers for qS for the past few weeks, and I must say this tool is my new best friend mapping.

Give it a try !

http://qsextreme.com/vbct/

cashed · 10-11-2008, 08:20 AM

are there any major benefits over Nem's Batch Compiler?

[be]moroes · 10-11-2008, 08:44 AM

I'll try it

Furyo · 10-11-2008, 09:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cashed

are there any major benefits over Nem's Batch Compiler?

Nem's batch compiler is less user friendly I found, particularly towards those less in the know of the intricate tweaks. This was the main thing this tool was built around. It had to remain easy and simple to use.

It supports every game and mod for Source, it has individual help and links for each command line, yet remains very accessible

Woj1485 · 10-11-2008, 03:15 PM

It's entirely possible that I'm just an idiot but I can't get the thing to work. When I start it up I get the following error:

Quote:

Oops! Steam doesn't appear to be installed!
or you haven't run the SDK Launcher and selected a gametype!

Remember that you must run the game at least once for the SDK to work properly.

Would love to think the error means exactly what it says....but I definitely have steam installed, I've definitely run DoD:S at least once. And I have SDK open and have selected DoD:S.

I click OK, and it looks like VBCT opens, but for the life of me I cannot figure out how to change the mod to DoD:S.

Also, I can't figure out if I need to do any set-up such as specifying the paths to vbsp, vvis, etc, like I had to do for other compile tools.

Furyo · 10-11-2008, 03:33 PM

It's precisely looking for the game config your SDK is currently set under so you don't have to enter the paths yourself, it does it automatically. I'll get qS to weigh in on this

qUiCkSiLvEr · 10-11-2008, 03:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Woj1485

It's entirely possible that I'm just an idiot but I can't get the thing to work. When I start it up I get the following error:

Would love to think the error means exactly what it says....but I definitely have steam installed, I've definitely run DoD:S at least once. And I have SDK open and have selected DoD:S.

I click OK, and it looks like VBCT opens, but for the life of me I cannot figure out how to change the mod to DoD:S.

Also, I can't figure out if I need to do any set-up such as specifying the paths to vbsp, vvis, etc, like I had to do for other compile tools.

Woj1485, can you run hammer on your system?

I might need to do some additional checking for the gameconfig.txt and gameinfo.txt files.

You have to use the SDKLauncher to set the engine and game you want to map / compile for.

Checking, if SDKLauncher has not set the environment strings it can cause that problem, or if the Steam registry settings are missing. I'll beef up those detections so they have a more informative message.

qUiCkSiLvEr · 10-11-2008, 05:13 PM

Woj1485,
I updated the tool to have more robust startup error detection, download the 1.0a version and give it a try.

PyROZen · 10-11-2008, 05:19 PM

tool works great. For some reason vrad always crashes when i compile through hammer. not so with this tool. it seems to compile the maps a wee bit faster as well. (probably due to less resources being stolen by hammer.)

btw, what are the VMPI modes for? I noticed they try to access the network, but aside from a graphic progress bar, what else do they do?

lee

qUiCkSiLvEr · 10-11-2008, 05:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PyROZen

tool works great. For some reason vrad always crashes when i compile through hammer. not so with this tool. it seems to compile the maps a wee bit faster as well. (probably due to less resources being stolen by hammer.)

btw, what are the VMPI modes for? I noticed they try to access the network, but aside from a graphic progress bar, what else do they do?

lee

Very good! Vrad needs a lot of memory and getting hammer out of the way will help.

VMPI gives you the ability to use several computers at home to assist the compile. It isn't 2 computers = 2x as fast, more like 1.5x but it can make a difference on long compile times.

Unfortunately, Valve needs to release an update to the VMPI tools for this to work reliably.

You can use the vmpi switches in EP1 level compiles as a very nice progress meter, vvis works ok in orangebox but don't use vmpi with OB VRAD.

PyROZen · 10-12-2008, 10:37 AM

okay, i give this a 100% for effort and functionality. I've been using it for the past few days and i have no complaints at all.

The only thing i feel that is missing would be a "Run map after compile" check box. I know you can click on the button to launch the game and run your map, it just feels like i should be able to compile, launch, and run all in one shot. Just a suggestion, i'll continue using it either way. keep up the good work.

lee

Woj1485 · 10-12-2008, 04:06 PM

Ok, I downloaded the latest version and it still gives me an error.

However, I managed to fix the problem. For anyone else who runs into my situation, go to My Computer, right click and go to properties, then advanced system settings, then go to environmental variables. Click new, then add:

variable name: vproject
variable value: C:\Program Files\Steam\steamapps\name@address\Day of Defeat Source\dod.

I remembered running into a similar problem with detecting gameinfo.txt when using vtext a while back. Same solution. No idea why this was necessary. Maybe windows vista?

Anyway, appears to work like a charm now.

qUiCkSiLvEr · 10-14-2008, 02:46 PM

Yes, this appears to be some permissions problem in vista, I don't have it here on my vista system and a number of other vista users are not seeing this but there is at least one other person that is seeing the exact same problem.

wood250 · 10-14-2008, 02:59 PM

using now quicksilver! wow!
means i can now final use my dual core cpu whilst it compiles.
very simply to understand and will be recommending to other hammer users!

thx quicksilver ----

Punishment · 10-14-2008, 03:13 PM

Just downloaded it, and I'm about to try it. Are there any recommended advanced settings?

10-10-2008, 08:54 PM	#1
Furyo Volunteer Moderator Join Date: Feb 2006 Reputation: 1565 Posts: 2,974	New Compile Tools for any Source game qUiCkSiLvEr just released his latest tool called VBCT (Valve Batch Compile Tool) which acts as a replacement for the Hammer interface to compile your map. It also brings a vast list of improvements over Hammer as it gives you help and description of each of the processes along the way, yet still acts as a simplified expert mode. I was fortunate enough to be among the beta testers for qS for the past few weeks, and I must say this tool is my new best friend mapping. Give it a try ! http://qsextreme.com/vbct/

10-11-2008, 05:13 PM	#8
qUiCkSiLvEr Volunteer Moderator Join Date: Aug 2003 Reputation: 1326 Posts: 4,849	Woj1485, I updated the tool to have more robust startup error detection, download the 1.0a version and give it a try. __________________ Would you like a little Cheeze with that Whine? Discretion is urged, precision called for, objectivity a must.

10-14-2008, 02:46 PM	#13
qUiCkSiLvEr Volunteer Moderator Join Date: Aug 2003 Reputation: 1326 Posts: 4,849	Yes, this appears to be some permissions problem in vista, I don't have it here on my vista system and a number of other vista users are not seeing this but there is at least one other person that is seeing the exact same problem. __________________ Would you like a little Cheeze with that Whine? Discretion is urged, precision called for, objectivity a must.

10-14-2008, 02:59 PM	#14
wood250 Join Date: Nov 2005 Reputation: 43 Posts: 642	using now quicksilver! wow! means i can now final use my dual core cpu whilst it compiles. very simply to understand and will be recommending to other hammer users! thx quicksilver ---- Last edited by wood250: 10-14-2008 at 03:11 PM.

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10-11-2008, 08:20 AM	#2
cashed Join Date: Aug 2006 Reputation: 6 Posts: 167	are there any major benefits over Nem's Batch Compiler?

10-11-2008, 08:44 AM	#3
[be]moroes Join Date: Sep 2005 Reputation: 78 Posts: 342	I'll try it

10-11-2008, 03:33 PM	#6
Furyo Volunteer Moderator Join Date: Feb 2006 Reputation: 1565 Posts: 2,974	It's precisely looking for the game config your SDK is currently set under so you don't have to enter the paths yourself, it does it automatically. I'll get qS to weigh in on this

10-11-2008, 05:19 PM	#9
PyROZen Join Date: Feb 2008 Reputation: 18 Posts: 646	tool works great. For some reason vrad always crashes when i compile through hammer. not so with this tool. it seems to compile the maps a wee bit faster as well. (probably due to less resources being stolen by hammer.) btw, what are the VMPI modes for? I noticed they try to access the network, but aside from a graphic progress bar, what else do they do? lee

10-12-2008, 10:37 AM	#11
PyROZen Join Date: Feb 2008 Reputation: 18 Posts: 646	okay, i give this a 100% for effort and functionality. I've been using it for the past few days and i have no complaints at all. The only thing i feel that is missing would be a "Run map after compile" check box. I know you can click on the button to launch the game and run your map, it just feels like i should be able to compile, launch, and run all in one shot. Just a suggestion, i'll continue using it either way. keep up the good work. lee

10-12-2008, 04:06 PM	#12
Woj1485 Join Date: Feb 2008 Reputation: 0 Posts: 44	Ok, I downloaded the latest version and it still gives me an error. However, I managed to fix the problem. For anyone else who runs into my situation, go to My Computer, right click and go to properties, then advanced system settings, then go to environmental variables. Click new, then add: variable name: vproject variable value: C:\Program Files\Steam\steamapps\name@address\Day of Defeat Source\dod. I remembered running into a similar problem with detecting gameinfo.txt when using vtext a while back. Same solution. No idea why this was necessary. Maybe windows vista? Anyway, appears to work like a charm now.

10-14-2008, 03:13 PM	#15
Punishment Join Date: Feb 2008 Reputation: 271 Posts: 4,294	Just downloaded it, and I'm about to try it. Are there any recommended advanced settings?

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