Sparky's Video Tutorial Series (See Tutorial Video 1.1)

Moderator: Halo Moderators

Post Reply

Video series for the win?

Yay, we get to hear Sparky's voice now!
7
100%
Ew, no.
0
No votes
 
Total votes: 7

Sparky
Delta Force
Posts: 4194
Joined: Wed Mar 31, 2004 8:59 pm
Location: New Jersey, USA
Contact:

Sparky's Video Tutorial Series (See Tutorial Video 1.1)

Post by Sparky » Thu Mar 15, 2012 1:46 am

I'm making a video tutorial series on how to mod and make maps using all our current essential tools, from the HEK to Eschaton to swordedit. This includes screen recordings plus my voice.

The first video tutorial shows me making a bloodgulch map using the technique of importing and attaching existing bsp terrain model data. This is meant for people who have access to Windows XP and any version of 3ds Max (I'm using the student license version) and shows basic techniques, taking you from step 1 to playing the level in-game in the most straightforward manner possible. I mention pitfalls and potential errors that you could get during the process while showing you step-by-step what to do.

Subsequent video tutorials will cover basically everything else we Halo modding enthusiasts deal with, including explaining all the functions of Tool, taking a comprehensive look at Eschaton and its plugins, and discussing modding approaches with various techniques.

EDIT: In sum, despite great difficulty and much effort, below are the videos. Grab some carrots, sit back, relax, and enjoy.


Halo Modding Complete Tutorial Series: 1.1 -- HEK Setup & Basic Level Structure
by [MT] Sparky
sparky@halodemomods.com

http://www.macgamingmods.com
http://www.halodemomods.com

--

Hello, my name is Sparky.

This is the first video in my Halo Modding Complete Tutorial Series.

I plan to organize the tutorials into categories using a numbering scheme as "category#.video#". This first video is 1.1, which means it is the first video in the first category. Categories will be based upon the types of tools used in the map-making or modding process.

This first category of tutorials involves using the Halo Editing Kit (HEK). [I'll provide a legitimate categorization scheme after further consideration.]

In this first tutorial, I will introduce you to the applications that we will be using. Using these applications, I will take you through the basic steps towards creating a level from existing scenario structure tags in the Halo campaign. The end product will be a playable map using Halo Custom Edition.

--

Links:

Tutorial Series @ MGM:
viewtopic.php?f=40&t=18113

Halo CE and HEK Starter Kit (download from this wiki page):
http://www.halodemomods.com/wiki/File:H ... er_Kit.zip

AutoDesk 3ds Max (register for a free student license or 30-day trial):
http://usa.autodesk.com/3ds-max/

--

Additional Comments:
- The command prompt (cmd) that you should duplicate and place inside your Halo Custom Edition folder is located within the Accessories folder found under the Start : Programs menu.
- If you get radiosity errors in Sapien, which would likely result from errors in the structure compilation process, then these can be imported into 3ds max from the Debug.wrl file inside the Halo Custom Edition folder. Tool's WRL error file takes the name of your JMS file, but Sapien just names its WRL error file "Debug" (which gets overwritten regardless of the difference in scenario loaded!).
- In a subsequent video, I'll go into further detail about the use of Devices.
- I made some mistakes, and you saw how they were fixed. Learn from that.
- The red base +exactportal issue will be investigated and I'll get back with the details here later.
Last edited by Sparky on Thu Mar 22, 2012 4:43 pm, edited 13 times in total.
Either you are groping for answers, or you are asking God and listening to Jesus.

Vegerot
SEAL
Posts: 615
Joined: Thu Nov 26, 2009 10:13 pm
Location: Behind you with an Energy sword.
Contact:

Re: Sparky's Video Tutorial Series

Post by Vegerot » Fri Mar 16, 2012 3:11 pm

I've already heard your voice, so...
Bunneh wrote:Now, please don't spam my newsfeed on how you need like 3 dildoes to make a giant dick statue on penisland or any of those other shitty facebook games.
Image

Sparky
Delta Force
Posts: 4194
Joined: Wed Mar 31, 2004 8:59 pm
Location: New Jersey, USA
Contact:

Re: Sparky's Video Tutorial Series

Post by Sparky » Sun Mar 18, 2012 11:34 am

Quick survey:

The first video, which is probably the longest of them all, is 21 GB because it's at highest quality and 1920x1080. It is 4 hours and 30 minutes long. Question: Is this ok to have people download, or should I reduce the size and quality to make it maybe 10 or 5 GB instead? (It will still be at 4h 30m duration.)

OR... should I make a really really "fast" version where there is no audio included but I just run through the processes visually? That would take about 30 minutes, I think, and might be 400 MB at 1920 x 1080 without sound. But that would include far less information than that which I included this time in the audio track.
Either you are groping for answers, or you are asking God and listening to Jesus.

TaxiService
Night Stalker
Posts: 6887
Joined: Thu May 24, 2007 5:52 am
Location: 41.896198, 12.4165945
Contact:

Re: Sparky's Video Tutorial Series

Post by TaxiService » Sun Mar 18, 2012 3:53 pm

the audio is needed. Can't you snip the videos in more parts each one dedicated to a specific subject?
  • TaxiService! Shitposting since 2007!
MGM Sig

Sparky
Delta Force
Posts: 4194
Joined: Wed Mar 31, 2004 8:59 pm
Location: New Jersey, USA
Contact:

Re: Sparky's Video Tutorial Series

Post by Sparky » Sun Mar 18, 2012 5:09 pm

This first one covers a single subject, essentially. It's about using 3ds max to design levels using existing campaign and multiplayer level structure tags. There are a few different "parts" to the video, but they are all necessary to the whole and can't really be taken separately; this is kind of like an introductory video, and there is no point in breaking up an introduction into several segments. Videos 2 and on will be shorter and more in-depth regarding the different tools. With those, I might break them into segments based upon tag types, but that would mean separating the tutorial video on using Eschaton into different groups of tag types also.

Taxi, I'll still need to segment them, and I was thinking of using the unix "split" command... but then why not just divide them into separate movie files anyway? The server can only "serve" 2 GB at a time, which is basically a collection of about 10 25-minute segments. I'm going to try using the split command to parse this 20 gig file into 10 segments which would be downloaded individually. If that doesn't work, then it will mean that I should do what you're saying and re-export the video into smaller segments. If it comes to that, then I might as well upload it all to YouTube, maybe in 10 minute segments (or do they have a 100 MB size limit also? We'll see.)

EDIT: Seems like it might be possible to upload the videos to YouTube at their full size. I'll get back here with an updated link once it looks like it's finished uploading there... ok it looks like it will be possible now.

I'll be adding the videos to the first post here.
Last edited by Sparky on Wed Mar 21, 2012 2:15 pm, edited 4 times in total.
Either you are groping for answers, or you are asking God and listening to Jesus.

Sparky
Delta Force
Posts: 4194
Joined: Wed Mar 31, 2004 8:59 pm
Location: New Jersey, USA
Contact:

Halo Modding Complete Tutorial Series

Post by Sparky » Sun Mar 18, 2012 8:02 pm

I'll provide a list of videos in this reply.

Each individual tutorial when followed has a usable end product, typically a map or some tags.

Category 1: Halo Editing Kit & Map Design
  • Introduction, Setup, 3ds Max level design basics, Designing a level structure from existing structure tags, General map-making workflow
Category 2: Map Modding Techniques
  • Introduction, Tools involved, General modding workflow using Eschaton on PC and Mac
Category 3: Converting Maps Between Versions and Platforms
  • Introduction, Tools involved, General map conversion workflow using Halo Editing Kit and Pearl
  • Using Pearl, Eschaton and SCNR Swap for when maps get buggy in Halo Custom Edition
Additional categories will cover:
- using sapien
- using tool
- using guerilla
- using swordedit
- using eschaton
- converting maps between versions / platforms (category)
- using resources from HDM including the INCY and HaloMD (category)

I'll probably make a separate tutorial category for each application, specifically, while leaving the general modding techniques to the first categories.
Either you are groping for answers, or you are asking God and listening to Jesus.

Fonzeh
Ranger
Posts: 1894
Joined: Tue Oct 16, 2007 3:57 am
Location: "I didn't just take your mom out to dinner. I ate your mom for dinner."
Contact:

Re: Sparky's Video Tutorial Series

Post by Fonzeh » Sun Mar 18, 2012 10:09 pm

ilove you sparky but the files to download are way too much, you need to do more research on video compressin techniques. iwould go with the yootube idea and cover ever topic possible, im also down on creating some eschaton tutorials using my modding methods such as ai respawning and using the jpt! tag to create realistic melee camera shaking / bullet force etc.

also i haz a sexy voice so.

also shorter / quicker to the point videos are less frustrating to create and can easily be chopped into parts. im sorry but no one can chill for 4 hours to learn, break it down into 10 / 20 minute bit size bits. when i make you some eschaton vids i think youll like my style of presentation, not to mention you have to keep the viewer entertained no matter how dull the subject.
G[v]N wrote:HUGE NOTIFICATION
THIS GRAVY HAS BRAINS
Mota-Lev was here 30/4/2010@2:18pm
Image

Sparky
Delta Force
Posts: 4194
Joined: Wed Mar 31, 2004 8:59 pm
Location: New Jersey, USA
Contact:

Re: Sparky's Video Tutorial Series

Post by Sparky » Mon Mar 19, 2012 3:26 am

See what you think about this first one, whether I should do another version with no mistakes at all. It's nice to make some small mistakes like the Red open edge errors so that viewers know what to do in those cases and don't need to search the internet further for assistance.

I think my computer went to sleep before the upload could finish on YouTube, so I'll have to update the video link.
Either you are groping for answers, or you are asking God and listening to Jesus.

Sparky
Delta Force
Posts: 4194
Joined: Wed Mar 31, 2004 8:59 pm
Location: New Jersey, USA
Contact:

Re: Sparky's Video Tutorial Series

Post by Sparky » Tue Mar 20, 2012 12:36 pm

I've left the computer on for about four days now, and this entire day it seems to be hung around 95% of its second time in a row saying that it's uploading this.

I already had to relocate the data on my main hard drive to provide 22 gigs of free space on my OS drive, and I've retried this upload about four times now. I guess that averages once per day 0)

EDIT: dang, it says "failed. upload aborted." seems as if it didn't like re-uploading it.

Is there a 20-gig filesize limit for these uploads, or is that only with the continued uploads?

hmm... I'm going to give this a rest and try it again in the morning.
Either you are groping for answers, or you are asking God and listening to Jesus.

Sparky
Delta Force
Posts: 4194
Joined: Wed Mar 31, 2004 8:59 pm
Location: New Jersey, USA
Contact:

Re: Sparky's Video Tutorial Series

Post by Sparky » Wed Mar 21, 2012 2:30 pm

I THINK it worked this time. I've edited the first post with embedded videos.

Tutorial 1.2 will be a focus upon modeling techniques relevant to the Halo engine. The end products this time will be a playable level and a piece of random scenery.

After 1.2, I'd like to get started on a complete set of tutorials for using the Tool program.

After that, I'd like to get started on a complete set of tutorials for using the Sapien / A Hobo program.

After that will be tutorials on Guerilla.

After that will be tutorials on how to set your computer up to use HDM's most common Halo Demo modding tools.

After that will be an introduction to Halo Mini Demo. (I think nil should do that one.)

After that will be tutorials on Eschaton and MAP MODDING techniques.

After that will be tutorials on scripting.

After that will be tutorials on converting maps (hopefully Pearl 2.0 will be out by then) [in an attempt to propel HDM's new setup].

Speaking of HDM, I think I'll go make a quick tutorial on how to use MGM and HDM, in an attempt to invite more people here.
Either you are groping for answers, or you are asking God and listening to Jesus.

Sparky
Delta Force
Posts: 4194
Joined: Wed Mar 31, 2004 8:59 pm
Location: New Jersey, USA
Contact:

Re: Sparky's Video Tutorial Series (See Tutorial Video 1.1)

Post by Sparky » Thu Mar 22, 2012 4:45 pm

Success! Tutorial 1.1 is up! See the first post for all the embedded tutorial videos. It's 4 1/2 hours long, so grab a water bottle with your carrots.

I look forward to your comments.
Either you are groping for answers, or you are asking God and listening to Jesus.

Sparky
Delta Force
Posts: 4194
Joined: Wed Mar 31, 2004 8:59 pm
Location: New Jersey, USA
Contact:

Re: Sparky's Video Tutorial Series (See Tutorial Video 1.1)

Post by Sparky » Tue Mar 27, 2012 10:12 am

Sparky wrote:I look forward to your comments.
Also, I'm going to do a really quick tutorial for 1.2, where you model a piece of scenery to fit within a specific area of a level and export the scenery independently from the level, then apply some different LODs to it, touchup its metadata values and place it in the map at that spot in Sapien, then build a cache file. The result will be the piece of scenery and a level with the scenery inside it.
Either you are groping for answers, or you are asking God and listening to Jesus.

Post Reply

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 18 guests