introduction | entities | environment | gameplay | performance | publishing
When your map is finally ready for consumption, your job is still not quite finished. There are some important things you need to do before actually releasing your map to the public.
When you release your map, you will want to put everything in a ZIP file that will be easy for your users to extract. All of your custom textures, sounds, and so on need to be placed in this file so that users who don't have them will still be able to use your map. Even if you don't have any custom media, you should always have more than just your BSP, so you still need a ZIP file. It is not recommended that you create a PAK file, as Quake 2 can only read a limited number of them. Putting your textures, sounds, and BSP files in the appropriate folders of a ZIP file is a far better way of distributing the map. If you do need to use a PAK file for some reason, there are no basic archivers such as WinZip that allow you to edit them... you will have to use something such as PakScape (available in the Quake 2 downloads section here).
To make your ZIP file easier for people to extract, you should put all your files in the folders they will be under in Quake 2's \baseq2\ directory. BSP files should go in the \maps\ directory, textures will be in \textures\, skyboxes will go in \env\, custom models in the \models\ folder, and, finally, all sounds will go under \sound\. For any other files, you can look at Quake 2's PAK0.PAK to get an idea of its structure. Make sure you use whatever directory your map points to. To create the ZIP file in a program like WinZip, you would create the folders as if they were in the Quake 2 \baseq2\ directory, put your map's media in them, and then add the folders to the archive. Maximum compression is recommended, as it will result in a smaller file size. When you save your ZIP file, use the name of your BSP somewhere in its name. This will make it far easier for users to run your map, as they will know its name without having to look in the \maps\ folder.
Aside from the map itself and its custom media, the only thing you need to include is a "readme", or a descriptive text file (usually named "ReadMe.txt"). These are very important, as they allow you to attach your name to your work and reserve certain legal rights. At the very least, the file should contain your name, the date the map was released, a website players can find it at (if you have one), your email address, and some basic information about the map such as the recommended number of players, supported gameplay types, and so on. You should also include legal information. Typically, a copyright date is given along with a statement that warns users against distributing the map through profitable means. Other information can include a development log with information about software that was used, people who tested the map, and changes throughout the beta versions. Commonly the readme is placed in the root directory of the ZIP archive the map is being distributed in. You should look at some other mappers' readme files to get some ideas on how to format your own.
Before you make a final release of your map, you should distribute at least one or two beta versions so players can test your map and give you some feedback. If you release a map without releasing a beta first, you're making a pretty big mistake - not only do betas greatly reduce the chance of unnoticed bugs showing up in your map, but they also allow users to give you feedback on the basic layout and design of the arena - and, since they're the ones who are going to be using it, you want to hear what they have to say. While releasing a test version, make sure you clearly indicate that it's a beta so that players will understand it's not the final version. The best places to distribute these are message boards or newsgroups, as few map review sites will feature them.
When you get feedback, don't make the mistake of taking criticism too personally... more than likely, your critic has a good point. You also have to remember that a lot of people are going to think, "man, this is an awesome map!", but they aren't going to tell you that. The people who will feel the most compelled to respond are going to be the ones that noticed something wrong. Take all criticism into consideration, because everyone - no matter how absurd it may seem - probably has a point. You shouldn't do everything they suggest, of course, but if you at least think about their ideas you'll find that you can greatly improve your map.
If you are interested in having your map featured here on The Deathmatch Zone, send an email to dzone@denken.com and you can have it added to the Map Reviews area.
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