Mapping for the Tribes: Ascend SDK

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Mapping for Tribes: Ascend SDK


Thanks to Altimor, we have copy of T:A that we can mod and create maps for. This guide will go over what you need to download, and how to set up your UDK to create maps for T:A.

Setting up the UDK

  1. The January 2011 version of the UDK is needed since that is what T:A was built on.
  2. If you wish to play test your maps, which is highly recommended, the T:A SDK will be needed, and it is 5.5 Gb
  3. Once the UDK is installed, you will need to download the T:A Actor Classes. These allow you to place generators, inventories, turrets, radar, etc.
  4. Go to your UDK\UDK-2011-01\UDKGame\Config\ folder and open UDKEngine.ini, search for [UnrealEd.EditorEngine] and at the end of that section, write ModEditPackages=TribesGame.
    • Save and close the file.
  5. Start the UDK, it will tell you your scripts are outdated and ask if you want to update them, press Yes.
    • When it is done, it will tell you that it was successful. Close the window, and restart the UDK.
  6. The UDK should start without any errors.


Working with the Actor Classes

In the Content Browser, go to the Actor Classes tab. You will now see a Tribes category. In the Tribes category, you will see BloodEagle, DiamondSword, and Neutral categories. These have their respective items in them. Drag and drop the items you want, and they will show up in the editor. They show up with a checker pattern in the editor, but will show up correctly in-game.

Spawn Points

To create spawn points, you will need to use the UTTeamPlayerStart, located in Common\PlayerStart\UDKTeamPlayerStart.

  • Be sure to select the spawn point, and press F4 and change the team number to 0 for BloodEagle and 1 for DiamondSword.

Flags

The flags are in their respective teams' section, and are called TrCTFBase_BloodEagle and TrCTFBase_DiamondSword. CTF can only have one flag per base, CTFBlitz needs 5 flags per base.

For Blitz, you need to select the flag and press F4. Set the CTFBlitz Index value to 0-4. 0 will be the first flag location, 1 will be the second, etc. Be sure to name your map with the prefix TrCTFBlitz, otherwise it will not work correctly.

Generators

Only one per team.

Vehicle Stations

You have to link the vehicle station to the vehicle pad. Vehicle stations are team specific while the vehicle pad is not, not sure why they didn't bother to make it team specific, but anyway...

  1. Place your VehicleStation and VehiclePad. Select the VehiclePad and press F4. Read the title on the properties dialog box to get the name. (TrVehiclePad_0 Properties)
  2. Select the VehicleStation and bring up its properties. In the m_Vehicle Pad field, type in the name of the VehiclePad and press Enter.
    • TrVehiclePad_0
  3. It should location the vehicle pad in the world and change the text to the format it wants.

Vehicle Stations only work on dedicated servers, not listening servers.

Downloading Art Packages

I have ported most of the art assets from T:A so that we can use them in the SDK. They can be found here: :http://library.theexiled.pwnageservers.com/category.php?id=202

The materials may not match 100% exactly what you see in T:A, but they are close enough. The main goal was to get all of the models and textures available for everyone. The map creators can modify the materials however they like.

For more information about working with packages, read this.


IMPORTANT INFORMATION

While working with the UDK, it may ask you to save your packages, do NOT save over the existing packages. If you do, no one will be able to play on your map. This means you can not import any meshes or textures into any of the existing packages. Even if you have not made any changes to the packages, it may ask you to save them when you close the UDK. Do NOT click save on the existing packages. If you wish to create your own packages, read the section below.


Play testing your map

  1. In the UDK, click on the Build All button.
  2. Once it finishes, save your map, and any custom packages.
  3. Browse to your UDK\UDK-2011-01\UDKGame\Content folder and copy any packages that you used, and paste them into your TASDK\bin\TribesGame\CookedPC\Maps folder.
  4. Browse to where you saved your map, generally it is in the UDK\UDK-2011-01\UDKGame\Content\Maps folder, and copy your map and paste it into your TASDK\bin\TribesGame\CookedPC\Maps folder.
  5. Browse to your TASDK\bin\Binaries\Win32 folder and right click on TribesAscend.exe and create a shortcut.
  6. Right click on the shortcut and go to Properties.
    • In the Target field append your map name to the end followed by -seekfreeloading
    • Example: C:\Users\Krogoth\Downloads\TA_Dev\Binaries\Win32\TribesAscend.exe TrCTF-Broadside -seekfreeloading
    • My map is TrCTF-Broadside (The TrCTF tells T:A that it is a CTF map)
    • Press OK
  7. Double click your shortcut
  8. The game should jump right into your map.
  9. Enjoy and share your maps!
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