What are nodes for maps and how can they be used in SMOD? SMOD is the only mod for any game in the world that allows one to open a map in game, pull out a special tool (nodemaker gun) and in real time shoot on the ground green boxes that are locations one wishes random enemies to spawn each time a new game is played. Additionally, one can join these nodes with the same node maker gun so that enemies and friendlies can navigate levels. Why is this significant? HL2 is the one of the best games out there and SMOD the most action-packed and violent mod in the world. Unfortunately, single player maps for HL2 are very few, but there have been 1000's of world-class Counter Strike: Source, Day of Defeat: Source and HL2:DM maps made. If one opens these in SMOD, they are empty with no enemies.
Not anymore, with SMOD and SMOD only, now you can put enemies in these maps. Each green node you put on the ground represents a location where an NPC COULD spawn, and if you connect them, that's where they can go to.
Before you read any of this, watch an example movie.
1) Download and install your favorite HL2:DM, CS:S or DOD map. SnarkPit or LanmaniaX (click the pimpage sign) are good places. Now, let's say you download a map called mynewmap.bsp, so you obviously install to c:\Program Files\Steam\SteamApps\SourceMods\smod\maps. If the zip file that contains the map has extra material and sounds and the like, install those too, but make sure you don't overinstall anything important over SMOD though.
2) Now, open up your map in the game (we'll call it dm_warehouse for simplicity). As soon as you spawn, take note at where you are. You don't want to start placing nodes right next to you so enemies will spawn and take you out in 1 second. Secondly, don't cheat and get all your guns or suit since that prevents you from getting the nodemaker gun. Bind a key to "give weapon_nodemaker; ai_nodes; ai_show_connect;wait;ai_show_connect_fly; wait; ai_show_connect_jump; wait; ai_show_hints; wait; ai_moveprobe_jump_debug 1"
Personally put in my config.cfg (located in smod/cfg) the following line:
Bind "F12" "give weapon_nodemaker; ai_nodes; ai_show_connect; wait; ai_show_connect_fly; wait; ai_show_connect_jump; wait; ai_show_hints; wait;ai_moveprobe_jump_debug 1"
So when you start a level, press f12 in game if you used the above in your config, it gives you the proper node maker gun and sets everything up for you. This lets you see where you put your nodes. They look like little green boxes.
If
you have a CS:S Map that has a nav file that came with it then just
open up the map in game and type nav_converttoainode. You then can add
a few more nodes and attach them to each other. Now type ai_convert_snl Skip to step
5.
3) Now go around and shoot places where you want enemies to randomly appear. Keep in mind when you are doing this, you are not only shooting where you want enemies to spawn but also making node locations for navigation. There needs to be more nodes made in your snl file (in other words shoot more green boxes on the ground) than you have enemies spawnable in your mapadd text file for your specific map. The way to get these node locations working for navigation is best described through an example. Shoot at the ground two nodes 5 feet away. Now shoot any one of the nodes with the right button on your mouse. The node should turn red and start blinking. Now shoot at the other node with the left mouse button. A line will go between them. Now not only can an enemy spawn from either of these nodes, he can navigate between them. As a rule of thumb, go around a map and make nodes in locations you want enemies to spawn and where you want them to be able to move around to and from. Then go back and connect them up. A node can have multiple conmnections. You can, as far as I know, make a TON of nodes, but there is a limit. If you press reload, you can see that there are air nodes, jump hint nodes and a few others. You want to work with ground nodes 99% of the time. If you want a combine to jump off a car and suck your fhit up, use jump hint nodes by putting one on the hood and one on the ground where he can jump down to and then connect them. Then from there you can connect them to nearby ground nodes. You have to make more nodes than you have enemies spawn or else nothing will show up. Two notes on this process: If you accidently pick up a weapon, just type dropprimary. Also, take note of the "use" button while in this mode. If you press it to open a door, you will see text that says something like direct and something else. Make sure you don't have it set on spawn direct since it will make a node in the air where you are standing. Just press e and observe what happens to your node placement.
4) After you place all your nodes, go to the console and type ai_snl_save. This makes a text file with an extension snl. You can then quit SMOD. *One thing to note is you CAN go back into a map later and add more nodes. See below on how to do this.
5) Go to C:\Program Files\Steam\SteamApps\SourceMods\smod\mapadd and look for your dm_warehouse.snl file and MOVE it to C:\Program Files\Steam\SteamApps\SourceMods\smod\mapadd\nodes.
6) Download, install and learn how to use the mapadd generator. This program lets you create two files, a lua and a txt that tells SMOD the amount and kind of enemies and gameplay to establish in a map that you have created or downloaded nodes for. You need the nodes (snl file) for the map you want to play in order for the mapadd generator to work unless it is an official Valve HL2 Single Player map where nodes are embedded in the bsp.
7) After you have used the mapadd generator and chosen dm_warehouse and made mapadds for it then start SMOD again and type dm_warehouse and there you go. Never the same game.
** I have created a bunch of nodes already found in the zip folder of my mapadd generator.
*Note: You can always reload a map with your nodes and add more by simply opening it back up and shooting more nodes and resaving the snl file with ai_snl_save. Now go back out to windows and move the snl file from mapadd to mapadd/nodes, overwriting the old snl file.
If you have questions you can email me at kh0rn3(at)gmail.com