Unpack PAK0 if you can... WOW !

[randall]

Wow, this whole pak thing gets confusing after a while.<br><br>I don't have the room on my Casio to test the order-of-preference, with the pak1.pak, pak0.pak and individual pak files. Instead, I tested it on my laptop using a registered version of WinQuake. Dunno how this compares to PocketQuake.<br><br>For the record, unpacked or individual files are considered "modified files" by the Quake engine. Quake must be registered to use modified files.<br><br>The order-of-preference depends on the presence of the pak0.pak, pak1.pak and unpacked files. This is because of the way the engine looks up the "gfx/pop.lmp" file.<br><br>Here are four different ways of mixing the files, and the order-of-preference. (* identifies the preference)<br><br>(1.)  *pak1.pak<br>       pak0.pak<br>       (unpacked files)<br><br><br>(2.)  *pak0.pak<br>      (unpacked files)<br><br><br>(3.)  *(unpacked files)<br>       pak1.pak<br><br><br>(4.)  *(unpacked files)<br><br>The unpacked files came from pak0.pak and included "gfx/pop.lmp". Numbers 1 and 2 appear to be consistent, but unexpected. Number 3 completely switches with the absence of pak0.pak.<br><br>Mixing the unpacked files with PAK files can certainly be done. It doesn't appear to be as cut-and-dry as "THIS FILE ALWAYS GETS PREFERENCE" as I previously stated.<br><br>I'd recommend using ONLY pak files, or ONLY unpacked files, but not mixing the two.<br>

[randall]

So is this the same with PocketQuake, or did you change it, Dan?

[randall]

What I mean is, can someone actually test, this on a PocketPC?

[Dan East]

According to the source, it should search for individual files first, then look in the pak file. That's not something I changed.<br><br>Dan East

[Dr. Phat]

so we can load custom files now, or what?

[randall]

Here is the way I consucted the test.<br><br>I inserted a start.bsp file in pak1.pak<br>I inserted a start.bsp file in pak0.pak<br>I inserted a start.bsp file in the \quake\id1\maps folder<br><br><br>Start.bsp is the the first map of a SinglePlayer game.<br><br>Each file was actually a different map, which I renamed "start.bsp". This was to make it easier to differentiate which file was being loaded when I started a SinglePlayer game.<br><br>In the case of playing a custom map, the custom map only exists in ONE location: \quake\id1\maps\<br>So that location gets preference, since it doesn't have much of a choice.<br><br>I can't account for the discrepency when the file exists in all locations.<br><br>On a different note: I unpacked pak1.pak and pak0.pak and combined their contents. All the map files were deleted to reduce the total size to 9.0 megs.<br><br>Essentially I have pak1.pak and pak0.pak on my Casio- without all the bloat from the map files (I don't have a memory card or drive). Now Ican play pak1.pak maps! <br><br>Once again, repacking and gzipping the file will reduce its size even further.<br><br>Last modification: randall - 03/08/01 at 13:09:45

[randall]

Dr. Phat:<br><br>Yes, we can play custom maps. I suspect we have been able to do this all along, I just haven't been able to test it until now (limited space).<br><br>There are requirements that MUST be met in order to play custom maps with the current build(s) of PocketQuake.<br><br>1. PocketQuake requires pak1.pak to verify the game is registered (actually, only "gfx/pop.lmp" is required). Without this verification, playing custom maps and modified PAKS is not possible.<br><br>2. All custom textures, models, sounds and extra graphics must be present either in a PAK file or as individual files.<br><br>3. You must have enough room on your device to meet all these requirements AND have enough extra memory to run the game.<br><br>Normally, this would require at minimum 24 megs af storage for the PAK files alone (both files gzipped). I have trimmed it down to 9 megs + the size of the custom map. A typical custom map is less than 1 meg.<br><br>Keep in mind that custom maps can have a higher-than-normal polycount- especially nowadays since we have much faster computers. These kinds of maps will run painfully slow on a PocketPC... high polycount = low FPS.<br><br>SOOOOOOooooo, the short answer is YES, you can play custom maps. and YES, I have actually verified this by PLAYING a custom map on my Casio (IMP1SP1.bsp)<br><br><br><br>

[Moose or Chuck]

Let's say you have a gfx.wad file in both pak1.pak, pak0.pak, and pak9.pak.<br>The engine searches each pak file, starting with 0, going up to 9. The engine says, "Hey look, there's that gfx.wad file I need, horrah! But wait! I haven't looked through pak1 or pak9 yet. Let's take a gander." So it does, it then finds gfx.wad in both pak1 and pak9, so it has 3 to deal with! But... the pak files are numbered sequentially. And of course, a normal person start's (old) with 0 and ends (new) with 9. So, it looks like the newest files should be in pak9.pak, "I'll use pak9's gfx.wad," exclaims the engine.<br>That is how it works.<br>Knowledge learned from many months of Q2 and Sin pak editting, may or may not be applicable. Void where prohibited .Last modification: Moose Master - 03/09/01 at 12:14:53

[randall]

In a nutshell Moose, that is pretty much how it works. But Sin and Quake 2 seemed to be a little more consistent by ALWAYS giving preference to individual files, regardless how many times they appear in other PAKs.<br><br>For some odd reason I really miss the Sin days of editing...

[Dr. Phat]

1st one to make a playable map for quake gets dr. phat's phat seal of phatness! and a pat on the back! from everyone on the board! Hopefully!

[Moose or Chuck]

Hehe.. That won't be to hard. I'll make a big cube with no lighting, it will run at 80FPS!! Muahahaha, Deathmatch here I come .<br><br>I also miss the days of SiN. SiN had the most kick arse Deathmatch games ever, levels above Quake2. I don't know what made it so much fun either. I think it was the maps, they were pretty realistic (real world type realistic).<br><br>Oh, and Dr. Phat, you do need to get offline once in a while. ;D<br>Last modification: Moose Master - 03/10/01 at 07:48:56

[randall]

Dunno what it was about Sin that made it so cool.<br><br>Unfortunatly, not many people used SinScript in their maps- which was so easy to use and really enhanced the map. I wonder if anyone ever used those two prefabs I created with SinScript- "control tower" and "articulated boom lift".

[randall]

Sorry this is getting "off topic"<br><br>WOW, how 'bout them PAK files, huh? Lots of stuff packed in them PAK files. oh yeah, lots of stuff... and... stuff. Or something.

[Dr. Phat]

Randall- my point exactly, its not a crime to stray off topic. it is just the way the conversation goes!<br>Moose- A deathmatch would be so phat! like phat to the extreme!<br>Can you make like unlimited ammo and weapons and stuff in the .cfg file?

[randall]

Dan, I have pak0.pak and pak1.pak unpacked on my Casio. This method has worked very well so far, as far as game play goes.<br><br>For some reason PocketQuake doesn't like it when the *.dem files are unpacked. It won't even run the demos.<br><br>These files MUST reside in pak0.pak, so as a quick fix, I repacked the *.dem files. The resulting PAK is very small. But the fact that I am forced to use a pak0.pak is irritating.<br><br>I can't use a different PAK number (pak3.pak for instance) because the game requires the existence of pak0.pak and pak1.pak.<br><br>This doesn't happen on the PC version. Any ideas?