I have compiled a list of errors that are most commonly posted about in the forums. Along with the errors and the reason for the errors, I have also listed detail instructions on the commonly used methods to fix the errors.
Common BSP/ Map making errors and solutionsOPENING BSP ERRORSError: Couldn't find pak file...Reason: Incorrect BSP directoriesSolution:STEP 1: First, you need to find the config file that stores all the file paths used by BSP. This file is found in the 'bsp/pball2' folder. Once you have found the folder, find the file called, 'Game.'
STEP 2: Now that you have the bsp path config file, you need to figure out the actual directory path on your computer, not the default, 'C:\'. To do this, go back to where you see the 'BSP' folder listed. Once you are here, right click on the 'BSP' folder, and go down to 'location.' Copy all of the text up to 'BSP'. An example would be, 'C:\ProgramFiles\bsp.' You need to copy 'C:\ProgramFiles\.'
STEP 3: Now that you have the BSP installation directory, paste the directory address over the default, 'C:\' in all of the following, 'map_directory', 'texture_path', 'bat_directory', 'pos_directory', 'entity_qc_directory', 'bspbuild_directory', and 'q2_pak_file'
Example:Old 'map_directory' = c:\bsp\pball2\quake2\pball\mapfiles\
New 'map_directory' = C:\ProgramFiles\bsp\pball2\quake2\pball\mapfiles\
LEAK ERRORSError: **** leaked **** Reason: The map is not properly ‘sealed’Solution:WORDS OF WISDOM: Leaks are a bad thing to have in your map and fixing a leak is a MUST. Remember that it is never okay to surround your entire map with a big box to repair your leaks. It will most likely give you more errors compiling and will also make you have a ‘hole’ in your map where a player could get stuck and not be able to get out.
BASIC EXPLAINATION OF LEAKS: The error will appear in the compile window. The leak error occurs when you have a ‘hole’ in it. This ‘hole’ is when you don’t have your brushes touching one another. The map will still be able to compile but you will most likely have extremely high r_speeds and you will get an odd ‘hall of mirrors’ effect or HOM. If you step into the leak in game, you will fall forever.
PROCESS 1: First things first, you need to find the leak. In a more complex map, finding a leak is extremely hard to find just by looking at the map in BSP. In a less complex map, you might be able to find the leak by studying your map in BSP but it would be easier to just compile and test your map with the qbsp compiler. Once you are in game, walk around every inch of your map, checking the walls, floor, ceiling, everything, looking for the HOM effect. Once you find it, remember the location and go back to BSP. Find the place in your map in BSP and repair the leak by connecting the brushes that aren’t touching.
PROCESS 2: Ok, you can’t find the leak in game, so now what? BSP has a leak checker built in and will be able to find your leaks for you. First, click
File and then go then click
Leak check. Now click
Load .pts. BSP will draw a line from the nearest entity to the leak. Find the line and follow the line to the leak. Once you have found the leak, repair it. Recompile with the qbsp compile and make sure it doesn’t say **** leaked **** is the compile window. Stop the current leak check and repeat this step until all leaks are fixed.
CLEANING UP: Beginner mappers will repair leaks in a less efficient way. They will make a new brush and just put the new brush in the place where the leak is. Although this works, it is not good practice. If you have done this, remember it is better to just select and stretch one of the neighboring brushes over to the leak. If you have done the less efficient way, press the “~” key. This key will select every brush in your map. Now press the ‘M’ button in BSP which will bring up the ‘merge brushes’ dialog box. Click okay and the next window will let you know if any brushes were merged. If this dialog box says that a brush was deleted, you know that some brushes were merged. Continue to merge the brushes until no more brushes were deleted.
TESTING IN GAME ERRORSError: can't find map/inprogress/mymap.bsp Reason: There is no inprogress folderSolution: STEP 1: Go into the 'paintball2' folder and then navigate to the 'pball' folder
STEP 2: Once in the 'pball' folder, double click the 'maps' folder.
STEP 3: Once in the 'maps' folder, search for a file called 'inprogress' and delete it. Once the file is deleted, right click, goto 'new', and then click 'folder'
STEP 4: A new unnamed folder is created. Rename the fold 'inprogress' and you are done.
STEP 5: Recompile your map in BSP and make sure your map loads in game.
Error: SZ_getspace: overflow
WARNING: msg overflow for 'Player'Reason: Too many entitiesSolution:STEP 1: Simply delete some of your entities. Having 50 paint grenade spawns isn't a good idea.
COMPILING ERRORSError: MAX_PATCHESReason: Map to complex for radSolution:STEP 1: First things first. Be honest. If you had a leak and took the lazy way out by putting a huge box around your map, you need to get rid of the box and find/ fix the leak. Although this may take some time in a more large map, it is necessary to make sure there are no leaks and no corner cuts. If this doesn't apply to you or if you are still getting the error after getting rid of the box and leaks, goto step 2.
STEP 2: If you have a lot of open areas in your map, you will likely get this error. You should try to avoid open areas because the brush's textures are big and 'patch hungry.' To make these brush's more usable, you will need to scale the textures up. You shouldn't scale a texture more then 100 due to the fact that any detail on the original texture is now just a blur. Scaling the textures up will show less detail and use less ram, but, the scaled up texture will use less patches. If you have any 'invisible' brushes in your map, you can scale them over 100 because you can't see them in-game.
STEP 3: If you still continue to have the error, simply put, your brushwork is too complex for the compiler. If you have barrels in your map, make sure they are only 8 sided. The more sides on the barrel, the higher your r_speeds and your numportals will be which is not good. If you still have the error with 8 sided barrels, select all of your barrels, crates, staircases, and other filler objects and push the 's' key while all of the objects are still selected. Now check off 'Detail' and click the 'Add contents' and the 'Set contents' button. Now that your total numportals are a drastically smaller number, recompile your map. If you still get the error, make your brushwork less complex and make sure you don't have any brushes 'inside' other brushes. Over lapping brushes are no good.
Error: Leaf with too many portalsReason: Too many numportalsSolution:STEP 1: First check the output to make sure you have no leaks. Once you are certain there are no leaks, select all of your filler objects such as barrels, crates, staircases, and other objects that aren't part of the shell of the map.
STEP 2: Once you have all of these objects selected, hit the 's' key. Once the new window is open, check off the 'detail' box and then click the 'Add contents' button and the 'Set contents' button. Your map will have a lot less numportals then what your started with and should compile and test properly now.
Error: Bounds out of RangeReason: Map exceeds the allowable range for the Quake2 map format Solution:STEP 1: Brushes cannot go beyond +/- 4096 units. In BSP, there is a purple box in each of the view ports. This box symbolizes the limit for the Quake 2 map format. Make sure your map is within this purple box. If your map can't fit in the box, make it smaller. A map that is over 8000 units long will end up with a lot of other errors besides just this simple to fix error.
MISC. ERRORSError: Can't make another world entity! Reason: Trying to make another worldspawnSolution:STEP 1: This isn't really an error. This is a common mistake a person makes when they edit the worldspawn. When you edit/ add keys to the worldspawn, don't click the 'make entity' button. The keys automatically take effect upon being entered.
MASSIVE List of Mapping & Compiling Errors and Solutionshttp://www.slackiller.com/tommy14/errors.htm
Feel free to remind me of some other errors. These the only the ones I could remember from countless forum threads about the same error, over and over again.
