QuakeMap

   

QuakeMap is an editor for Quake made in 1996 by Armin Rigo. It is made for Windows 95 and features editing with any number of sides; the user is not limited to cubes.

This editor was released as "Shareware" with a charge of $20 to register. Note that this was not designed to be commercial and there was no "registered" alternative, as the non-registered version was explicitly full featured. The charge was simply for a donation, and Armin Rigo would tell the donator how to remove the "Please Register" message from the startup screen.

The last version of QuakeMap released was version 2.8 on January 29, 1997. After this, QuakeMap was renamed to QuArK.

QuakeMap Explorer

QuakeMap was later expanded from just a map editor to a full-fledged suite; the editor portion was referred to as the QuakeMap Editor. Beta releases (of which there were four tests) started coming out on September 20, 1996 and culminated in a full 2.0 release on October 19, 1996.

Editors could still load .MAP files like in the older version, but they can also load .QME proprietary files that could store additional information such as libraries, documentation, new textures, new sounds, and QC files. Files released in the .QME format could be used as a front-end, allowing all the files to stay together, with the side-effect that another user would need QuakeMap to run the files.

.MAP files require the user to compile out the levels, which was an extremely demanding task for users in 1996. While .BSP files were much easier to release, they often end up being much larger to download, which would make it harder to acquire on the limited internet connections in 1996. Furthermore, Rigo argued, .BSP files were technically illegal as they contain the id Software textures. This was fixed in QuakeMap by reconstructing the textures from the PAK file on the local computer; the editor would simply distribute an untextured BSP included inside the .QME file. Custom textures would be included with the .QME file.

On top of the original QuakeMap Editor, there was also a compiler/editor for QuakeC patches. .QCC files often had the issue that, to compile it, the user would need all of the files of the original game. This became more of an issue when trying to use multiple modifications at once, the user would specifically have to determine what changed in each file, then rework it so both sets worked together. QuakeMap would instead only hold changes that were made to the engine, which combined with a patch compiler would check multiple patches to give priority in the case of overlap.

Another common issue with the original game is that there could be a large number of impulse commands. They will be remapped as needed in the event of conflicts by QuakeMap. QuakeMap will also write an autoexec.cfg to bind each individual bound key with a specified key that the player has chosen.

Files that were compiled or built would be stored in a separate temporary directory called QMapExec that would be found just inside the main Quake directory. For example, the user could press a button to compile the QCC, which would generate the PROGS.DAT in this folder. While there are failsafes intended to prevent it from happening, Armin Rigo highly warns individuals against storing files inside this directory.

Various .QME files were included to serve as methods to expand to the vanilla game. For example, there is a Models.QME file that allows the player to add their own individual entities. This particular file cannot be opened directly, a copy will instead be opened that will give the player the ability to edit and possibly overwrite the original. Models.QME is always loaded with QuakeMap and contains a lot of the vanilla files, including link references to PAK texture files and the default cube. Trying to rip the files from this .QME file will result in errors, meaning it can only be used as a reference.

Included example files also included Radar and AutoRockets and PipeBombs. A third QCC modification, BINDTEST, existed only in the beta releases (which in turn did not include any of the level examples).

A section of the documentation found in the .QME file for Water Cubes - by Armin Rigo. Note the different tabs for more detailed information.

The texture browser found in version 2.0. Note that it never shows the textures, even if they are custom.

The Wizard used to import custom stuff to QuakeMap, found in 2.3.

Levels

See Category:QuakeMap levels

Gallery

The main screen of the editor, currently viewing the default of No caption. The yellow section is a top view, while the green section is a front view; both are in wireframe. To the left is an entities list (note cubes show brushes, while circles show entities) and map orientation.

Water Cubes - by Armin Rigo, an example file included with the editor, as it appears in QuakeMap

By double clicking on an entity, you get detailed information about the properties, including its exact location in the level. This is also made visible with a temporary circle in the map. If you hover over the selected entity, you can easily drag it around.

The properties of the entity are separated into two sections. Specific is a parameter name, while Arg is the variable. This changes based on the entity. Lights for example have an additional "light" parameter to state the brightness.

Worldspawn is always included with any .MAP and includes all of the geometry in the level besides Movable Walls and Buttons. This is also where you can name your level.

Clicking on a brush (defined as polyhedrons) allows the editor to resize them. In the .MAP files, a polyhedron is defined only by the texture it uses and the side it lies on. Vertexes cannot be manipulated, only the plane which defines a side.

Clicking in the yellow (the XY position) will only allow you to select what the red line (Z coordinate) goes through. Adjusting this can help filter brushes.

To move a brush, simply drag the black box in the middle of a brush and drop it where you want the center of the brush to be located. Its specific location in the world is shown in the properties menu and can be adjusted as needed.

Clicking a side instead of dragging selects a side. Besides resizing, a normal vector appears from the face. Dragging this around the shape will skew the polyhedron. Also visible is texture selection, which can be offset, scaled, or rotated as needed.

Right-clicking can allow the designer to create either a new polyhedron or a new entity. The entity list not only includes classname, but comments attempting to describe what the entity is.

Creating a new polyhedron starts by simply defining the shape and default texture, the rest is done by modifying parameters. Note the lack of texture names.

To get textures in the level, the user must search for their WAD2 files. This feature is relatively limited, only finding one or two textures at best.

The newer entity selection menu seen in Version 2.0. Note all entities are now combined in one list and furthermore, that the user can import additional entities.

Version History

2.3

• Added an Import Wizard to aid in importing files to QuakeMap.
• Polyhedrons are displayed in the heirarchy list, allowing the user to see where they are. The Zoom button also works with polyhedrons.
• Holding control will now force entities to snap to the grid.
• Enhanced the QuakeC compiler. While QCC can only handle so many lines, QuakeMap can add tens of thousands of lines to PROGS.dat.
• Multiple brush selection can be done by clicking and dragging with a selection rectangle.
• New substraction algorithm. The previous sometimes created small spaces when QBSP thought they were not properly glued together.
• Better grid-aligned cut and paste.
• Quake menu is customizable. QBSP, LIGHT, VIS, and other programs can now be added and changed.
• .QME files are more frequently frushed to prevent corruption on crashes.
• Any PROGS.DAT can be used as the base for a code patch, not just the vanilla one.
• Duplicators can be moved with the mouse, automatically updating the offset as it goes, to create any number of copies of brushes and entities.
• Impulses can be bound to anything, not just keys.
• New entities now can have their own icons, spawnflags, and help texts.
• Minor fixes.

2.1

• Minor changes to 2.0, still shows 2.0 in Explorer.
• Objects may now be moved using the arrow keys.
• Anything that is not a group can be greyed out.
• If the mouse leaves the window while dragging, it will scroll.
• Shortcut key for cut/copy/paste also work for text as well as entities, allowing code to be easily placed.
• More information is given when a .map file fails to open, such as line number.
• Improvements to the compiler.
• SpawnFlags now can tell what modes each entity must appear.
• Other small changes.

2.0

• The map editor now is just a small part of the larger QuakeMap Explorer.
• Unlimited undo/redo.
• Rotation support for anything, including the entire level.
• Brush subtraction.
• Polyhedrons now change in real-time.
• Clicking around the same point will allow the editor the ability to select something that is completely enclosed in something else.
• Zoom now zooms to the direction of what is selected, instead of the center of the map.
• Enlarge/shrink can now be done to just a single axis to further distort objects.
• QuickGO bypasses VIS for quicker level launches.
• Support for registered Quake, including all new Monsters and entities.
• Plane tagging, select a side of a polyheron and then paste to get that second to get the two to touch exactly.
• New cube shortcut button instead of needing to open up the "New" menu.
• Zoom button can instantly show entire level.
• Some maps couldn't be loaded before due to a polyhedron error, this will now be ignored.
• Duplicators, build 1 step and you can make the brush be duplicated x number of times.
• The amount the polygon is dragged from the original location is displayed to measure various things like the distance an Elevator trip will take.
• Group button selects each item in a group instead of the group itself.

1.0

• Initial release.