CMM - map validation service

[johnnyenglish]

After this comment

Frankies comment about CMM

I've been thinking about a CMM QA and stamp granted to map makers to use on their levelshot (and/or ingame) to show that their map has been tested by CMM and has no missing textures/shaders/sounds on all platforms and is suitable for 4.1 or HD.

Among the CMM membership we have people who are exceptionally good at finding minor problems in maps, the trouble is these problems are reported AFTER a map is released when, had the mapper known BEFORE releasing his map to the world he could have fixed it.

Just a thought, wondered what you think? Would this require a sub forum for map submission and testing results?

[xandaxs]

I like the idea!
A stamp would be really great, but I really mean a stamp image...

I think the Only thing you need to make this work is adding the map to the public server (but not to the auto-download). You could create a separate Sub-Forum for map-sharing or people can just PM the testers they wish

[johnnyenglish]

I've been thinking something similar xandaxs - map testers would run down a checklist

textures (power of 2 and present)
shaders (shader file syntax correct, all lower case)
models (not packed the md3 or ase)
arena file, bot file, read me file

blah blah

If all these check out a stamp bitmap is applied to the levelshot somewhere and a checked by note added to the maps readme and the map can be released -- or sent back to the mapper to sort out the problems.

[xandaxs]

I never understood what is the power of 2 in textures..
Nor I know how to make a bot file (.aas right?)

[DagF]

This is a really good idea.

But what i like the most is the checkilist idea. When there is a cheklist it's possible for the mapper to go trough it and fix what he finds first before doing a release.

It's easy to forget some details when packing the map.

[xandaxs]

Well, something like X-RaY does over at URTJumpers when testing maps is really really good, I'll post a link showing what he does and post a default feedback list.

[v3nd3tta]

wow, nice idea :3
does power of 2 textures only count for own textures?
some of the default urt textures are not even power of 2...
the Readme is something I always do, I do not want to get upset because someone took my map because there was no readme.

I would have to work a bit more on my map to get a CMM Tag for the Final Version on it, and PLEASE make the Logo or sth like that Recognizable and not too small, make a svg or any other vector-based format or a 2048x2048 png/jpg (/xcf/psd) or somthing like that.

[Markinho]

Good idea

I never understood what is the power of 2 in texture

http://www.gotdelirium.com/site/articles_9.html

[xandaxs]

I've read that already, but didn't quite get it...

I've an idea for a good stamp, I'll try to show you, but only this weekend, gotta study during this week

[Rayne]

If you don't understand power of 2 rule then you definitely should not be a mapper.
No offense intended, but it's true.
Power of 2 is simple.
Each next is 2 times bigger then the previous one.
This applies not just in textures but in other computer related things. Like RAM, you'll never see a computer with 456 MB of RAM, or 2367 MB.
Manufacturing standard always has and always will be a power of 2.
Lets take 128 as our starting point, 128*2=256, 256*2=512, 512*2=1024, 1024*2=2048....and so on.
Why is this important for UrT. idtech3 engine uses power of 2 textures, which means a 768*768 texture won't be accepted or displayed at it's true resolution. UrT will automatically resize it to the lowest first power of 2 value.
So your 768*768 will in the end be displayed as 512*512. All you achieved is an increase in pk3 file size without any benefits at all.