SectorCut version .2 Alias Conrad Coldwood 2017 == I N T R O D U C T I O N == "sectorCut" is a rewrite of "cutAlpha" (which is a Build Engine to Quake Engine map converter). This new code might still be a little rough around the edges, but it is cleaner (and so easier to expand upon); plus it already includes a few nifty features such as multiple resources support (for custom maps), Doom and Jedi Engine support (even though the original Dark Forces maps are still a mess right now). The program runs under Windows and can be controlled via the command line or a simple batch file. == W H A T ' S N E W == Release .2: - New sector conversion system: existing vertices are reused when slicing sectors into multiple brushes, which means there's no vertex approximation. The code is not perfect yet and some maps cutAlpha could converted are currently broken, but the output map need only little tweaking before being launchable in Quake. Very promising stuff. - Fixed a bug where PAK files (Quake) wouldn't be read properly. - Rewrote part of the notification system - Renamed some parameters - Added two new parameters: DebugVerbose and DebugLog, both of which are only useful to programmers. == P A R A M E T E R S == -Level Source map (always specify the file format for this one) and target map (will always be set to ".map"). For DOOM, the source map will be something along the lines of ExMy, where x is the episode number and y is the map number. For Duke Nukem 3D, it will be ExLy.map (x is the episode, y is the level). DOOM II and Hexen uses MAPxx (where xx is a value between 1 and 32 included). Dark Forces uses .lev maps; Important: you can only load files from the working directory, or located inside resource files. -ResFile This parameter enables the use of files stored inside resources (such as GRP, RFF, WAD, GOB, DAT or PAK). Resources files must be separated by a comma. When specified, resources are used to setup the proper conversion mode (Build, Doom or Jedi). You cannot mix multiple types of resources (for instance, loading a WAD and a GRP). Later resources overwrites earlier. -ResFile "DOOM.WAD, GREED.WAD" Load both DOOM.WAD and GREED.WAD; however, GREED.WAD overwrites DOOM.WAD -textureTGA -textureMIP -textureWAL -textureWAD2 -textureWAD3 Extract textures as TGA (32-bit per pixel), WAD2 (Quake), WAD3 (Half-Life), MIP (Quake), or WAL (Quake II) files. In some instances, a target palette is required (for Quake and Quake II). Palettes are simple files of 768 bytes, three bytes per color, one byte per attribute, in RGB order. To extract Build textures, make sure all TILES###.ART files are available. -SkipWall -SkipFloor -SkipCeiling Skip wall, floor, or ceiling conversion. -Quake1 By default, maps are exported to Quake II format (which is used by many other games, such as SiN, Soldier of Fortune, Quake III Arena, etc); Using this parameter will enable Quake I format instead (used in Quake, Hexen II, and Half-Life... maybe more, but it's all I can remember from the top of my head). -Replace Replace existing files without prompt. -DebugVerbose Provide more details on current operations: "0" displays only minimal info, "1" displays fixing attemps and automated tweaks, "2" displays non-trivial function calls, "3" displays information processed in loops (that's overkill), "4" gives an in-depth log of all operations (really overkill). -DebugLog Writes "debug.log" in real-time (can be HDD intensive in overkill modes). sectorcut.exe -RF doom2.wad -L map11 CircleOfDeath.map -TGA tex_cod Load resource file "DOOM2.WAD", convert MAP11 to CIRCLEOFDEATH.MAP, extract textures as TGA files to TEX_COD/ (in the current directory). sectorcut.exe -L e1l1.map hollywood.map Convert E1L1.MAP (the file must be located in the current directory) to HOLLYWOOD.MAP; no texture conversion. == S U P P O R T E D G A M E S == GAME (BUILD ENGINE) MAP RELEASE DEVELOPER 1 Legend of the Seven Paladins 3D v4 Sep 1994 Accend Incorporated 2 Duke Nukem 3D beta (aka. Lame Duke) v5 / 3D Realms 3 Witchaven v6 Jul 1995 Capstone Software 4 William Shatner's TekWar v6 Aug 1995 Capstone Software 5 Duke Nukem 3D v7 Jan 1996 3D Realms 6 Witchaven II v7 May 1996 Capstone Software 7 Fate v7 / DogBone Software 8 Powerslave (aka. Exhumed) v6 Dec 1996 Lobotomy Software 9 Redneck Rampage v7 Apr 1997 Xatrix Entertainment 10 Blood v7.0 May 1997 Monolith Productions 11 Shadow Warrior v7 May 1997 3D Realms 12 Nam v7 Jun 1998 GT Interactive Software 13 Extreme Paintbrawl (untested) v7 Sep 1998 Creative Carnage 14 World War II GI v7 Jul 1999 TNT Team GAME (DOOM ENGINE) RELEASE DEVELOPER 15 Doom Dec 1993 iD Software 16 Doom II: Hell on Earth Sep 1994 iD Software 17 Heretic Dec 1994 Raven Software 18 Ultimate Doom Apr 1995 iD Software 19 Hexen: Beyond Heretic Oct 1995 Raven Software 20 Strife: Quest for the Sigil Feb 1996 Rogue Entertainment 21 Final Doom Jun 1996 iD Software 22 Chex Quest (untested) 1996 Digital Cafe GAME (JEDI ENGINE) MAP RELEASE DEVELOPER 23 Dark Forces v2.1 Feb 1995 LucasArts FILES (IN) GRP - Duke Nukem 3D, Powerslave, Redneck Rampage, and Shadow Warrior MAP - Ken Silverman's 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 and Monolith's 6.00, 6.03 and 7.00 ART - Build Engine art files version 1 RFF - Blood (version 2 -demo- and 3 -retail-) WAD - Doom Engine (both IWAD and PWAD) GOB - Dark Forces (version 1.0) LEV - Jedi Engine version 2.1 BM - Jedi Engine art files (no compression supported yet) FILES (OUT) WAD - Quake (v2) and Half-Life (v3) texture files MIP - Quake texture file WAL - Quake 2 texture file TGA - TrueVision Graphics MAP - Output levels for Quake-based games (Quake, Hexen II and Half-Life) as well as Quake 2 and Quake III Arena based games (Quake 2, Kingpin, Soldier of Fortune, SiN, Quake III Arena, Soldier of Fortune II, Return to Castle Wolfenstein, etc.) == N O T E == About four months ago, I posted a message on http://kingpinforever.yuku.com, hinting I would add Doom support to cutAlpha, I had completely forgotten about it until recently. I finally went back to work and rewrite most of the code. This project is still a little "rough around the edges"; use at your own risks. Dev notes and file specifications to come in later releases. - Alias Conrad Coldwood, April 2017