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[Download] BAP Map Tool (Obi.exe) + Manual

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 Alexrd
02-18-2015, 6:16 AM
#1
Regarding the manual:

This is an initial stab at a manual for the BAP Map Tool, colloquially known as 'Obi.exe'. It is woefully inadequate. We'll be updating this multiple times, and we need your help. Read this to get the most basic, ugly understanding and go play. Look for what stuff does and if you can clearly describe what's happening, do it! We'd like your input on. Then we'll assemble what we've learned and update this manual. Repeat ad nauseum.
Right now you're looking at V0.1. I apologize in advance since it'll become clear how much of this tool I didn't use. I was primarily dealing with the AI scripting language and actor placements within the Map tool, plus some Model assembly.
Here's the obligatory "with great power comes great responsibility" speech. The absolute best way to get this shut down is if we do something stupid with this. We're not going to make money, we're not going to use LucasArts property inappropriately, this is strictly for private use. We shouldn't be distributing this since many of the sound effects are straight out of Lucas archives. Technically, it's in our EULA to not monkey with the TPM files.

Download links:

BAP Map Tool (https://mega.co.nz/#!uZBxTTwY!bbxi4VQ3U0ymFgE0gucdmKs5qy8bE56pMgxaJjI) 8aBI)

Manual (https://mega.co.nz/#!2ApAjYqK!3eVN6tCyHw__DJW2T8V_HLExwrTjmJAyqfofux-NsYw)

If in the future anyone finds the links to be down, PM me and I'll re-upload them.

Once again, a big thanks to Zanzibar for this.
 florida
02-18-2015, 9:15 AM
#2
Incredible work on this guys. Thank yo so much Zanzibar. I'm going to play around and see what it can do.

Can't wait to find out what it can do!
 SkyEye
02-18-2015, 10:23 AM
#3
Windows 7 64 bits
Radeon 6850 :
Results:

Can open netobi from CMD normally.

Edited Mos Espa.. had to save two times because the first time it didnt save it.. the file had 0 kb.

Also, i still didnt figure how the Collision works with the objects..
i placed a random object on mos espa and it was fully blocked...


But its awesome nonetheless :)
 Zanzibar
02-18-2015, 12:00 PM
#4
Many, MANY thanks to Alexrd for hosting all the TPM files!

I'll see what I can do about getting more info on the collision.

The 'save twice' suddenly comes to mind as something that we routinely did for that exact reason. 'Save, then save again' was a catchphrase during TPM development. Good advice!
 florida
02-18-2015, 6:25 PM
#5
Many, MANY thanks to Alexrd for hosting all the TPM files!

I'll see what I can do about getting more info on the collision.

The 'save twice' suddenly comes to mind as something that we routinely did for that exact reason. 'Save, then save again' was a catchphrase during TPM development. Good advice!

Exciting times while we try to figure out what it all does!

When we do, maybe we should try and work out what people want modded? That way we can have some sort of overall idea rather than each of us fiddling about independently which won't really amount to very much otherwise, IMO.

In the meantime, thank you again Zanzibar!
 SkyEye
02-19-2015, 10:44 AM
#6
Is it possible to put an item in top of an item?
 Zanzibar
02-19-2015, 12:03 PM
#7
I know you can place library cube blocks on top of other blocks, but I don't know about placing actor placements on top of other actor placements. I think our physics system was pretty hacked-together and imprecise so I'm guessing not.
 SkyEye
02-19-2015, 1:46 PM
#8
Oh ok.
I tried puting a block solid, on top of another... i will read the manual again :P

Also, the items positions...Are they possible to set? Also is the script coded?
Whats the difference between netobi and others?
 Zanzibar
02-19-2015, 2:13 PM
#9
Netobi was created as a LAN-capable multiplayer version as a test after TPM shipped and we were waiting for our next project. We had some of our team working down at Lucasarts on the delayed Playstation version but the rest of us didn't have a lot to do, so some of our programmers created a networked version that used hard-coded IP addresses for each of our machines. I wish I knew why it was the version that appears to be the most stable.

Obiold.exe uses a previous version of the Monster 3d drivers that got updated right before we shipped. RobsObi.exe was done by our programmer Robert for some debug testing, I forget what it was made for, but it evolved into BafObi.exe, which let us debug some of the issues we were having with models. I think it prevented a crash that was happening when we monkeyed with .baf files and tried to jump into the game.

I totally forgot about this, in order to 'elevate' a Map Cube after it's copied, you need to use the XYZB buttons in the top right to choose which worldspace you want to move the Cube around in, it definitely isn't intuitive. Uncheck either the X or Y and check the Z, now the copied blue Cube will move along the Z axis in addition to the axis you left checked. I don't know what the B button does.

Not sure what you mean by items, let's split up our terms so that we're talking 'map cubes' or 'actor placements.' Anything that is placed within the game that uses a .baf model file is an Actor and can also have a script placed on it. Map Cubes are level geometry built within the tool.

Adjusting the position of an Actor placement is a real pain, you need to use the xyz buttons in the lower left. If you highlight a particular Actor and press New, it will duplicate that actor's settings in a new Actor placement but inconveniently puts it airborne in the middle of the screen.

The .bai scripts you see are indeed just a visual language that gets converted to code when the game gets built.
 Zanzibar
02-19-2015, 3:52 PM
#10
Something I just figured out:

The pTag window shows all the tags that are associated with a particular poly on a Map Cube. If you want to make a poly non-collidable, press the f toggle in the GMI1 row. Remember that any changes you make to any poly on a Cube will be applied to all instances of that Cube on the level.

The other fields are all a mystery to me at this point.
 LukasTom
02-23-2015, 6:23 AM
#11
Oh my Yoda!! I never knew, that i see the light of a day, which will give people a chance, to mod this amazing game. :) Thank you Zanzibar very much.
 ggctuk
05-26-2015, 5:35 PM
#12
I too can run "netobi.exe" from the command line with no crashes. Compatibility mode does make it crash however.

Just noticed some stuff in there regarding STAPs and AATs. It looks like there was stuff ready to make them playable. Do you know if they were ever made so?
 Zanzibar
05-29-2015, 3:43 PM
#13
Heh, I remember talking about it at one point but it looks like that thread isn't available anymore.

The STAP was built as a minigame that raced through the Swamp level, I think the track was on the perimeter. It got cut mainly because we didn't have the time to devote to it to make it feel smooth. Our physics system wasn't designed for high-speed collision checks and so forth, so a fast-moving STAP race through our tools felt really chunky. We drew up some ideas on how to improve the physics but we basically got word from Lucasarts that unless it could feel as comparably awesome as what the Racer guys were doing, it's not worth the time.

The AAT level was going to be the transitional level between Coruscant and Assault on Theed levels. It would start with a cutscene of the Gungan Army heading off towards war, while the Jedi capture an AAT on the outskirts of Theed to blast their way to the Hangar. (Originally the Assault on Theed area at the beginning had the battle-damaged AAT placed right there.) Again, the amount of time it would take to tune the physics was prohibitive, not to mention that our cube-based art system really didn't look very good when you did a low-angle camera behind the Tank so you could see far ahead at the enemies. My biggest regret is that we created a new version of the Baron droid to use in the AAT level - a Black Ops version that had black markings on it and held a Rocket Launcher. I had high hopes that it would make its way into Star Wars canon. :)

We went through a phase where they were functional, then disabled as we were considering whether they were cut, then re-enabled, then disabled. I wouldn't be surprised if the code is still there but just unreachable. I wouldn't know how to turn them on.
 Alexrd
05-29-2015, 4:35 PM
#14
My biggest regret is that we created a new version of the Baron droid

Out of curiosity, what droid is that?
 ggctuk
05-30-2015, 4:28 AM
#15
Out of curiosity, what droid is that?

http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Baron_Droid)

I assume the rocket launcher would have replaced one of its blaster hands.

It's interesting how many ideas dropped for this game made it into other Episode I-based titles, such as Jedi Power Battles.
 Danjb
07-12-2015, 10:47 AM
#16
Hey,
I searched for "Phantom Menace mods" on a whim and found this - awesome! Has anyone made anything interesting yet?
 Zanzibar
07-20-2015, 6:17 PM
#17
I think it's pretty daunting, with a whole helluva lot of trial and error, so therefore is pretty frustrating.
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