PreReleaseChecklist

From Goldeneye: Source

Pre-Release Checklist

This is designed to be a checklist for things to be checked for before creating an installer for the mod. Please feel free to add anything that may be missing

The Checklist

Level Design

• Build the map from a vmf without the usual _a# tagging. To prevent cubemaps being jacked, bsps should never be renamed post build.
• Make sure you have a fog_controller in the vmf, and that it is set to ON. If you do not want fog, set the start and end values really high. This prevents dynamic shadows not showing on some systems (though I wonder if SDKBase fixes this?)
• Make sure you have a shadow_controller in the vmf. Angles and color can transfer over between map changes if the map you are changing to does not have a light_environment entity (I think). Even if it does, its good practice to include a shadow controller anyways.
• With your final build for release make sure your sound manifest is up to date. type 'snd_writemanifest' in the console. manifest files are written in the maps\soundcache directory.
• Check your spawn point count. We try to aim for 16 minimum.
• Check for any possible exploits in the map. Make sure people arnt going places they shouldn't be, ect.
• It is recommended you have soundscape entities in your map. DSP effects transfer over into maps on changelevel as well, so undesired effects may occur. If you just want a general 'meh' soundscape, a basic one will be created later. Another alternative is using a music soundscape directly if you want to have music playing. Get in touch with me (fourtecks) if you have any questions on this.
• Use Minimum Light Level on doors to ensure faces that touch BSP aren't unlit. Small values like 0.02 to 0.10 are often plenty to give a door edge visibility without making the door glow brighter than cast lighting.
• Player clip models with corners sticking out and thin bits that protrude, like door frames, so players don't become unexpectedly hung-up on them.

General

• do not include the cache files in the maps\soundcache directory in the installer, only include the manifest files. Cache files will be generated client side on first loading of the mod. Saves on installer disk size, and its also very likely ours are borked up anyways. Starts them off clean.

Scripts

• config.cfg shouldn't exist in the installer. A set of default configurations should exist in config_default.cfg including the names new players will have if they haven't modified there settings.
• Weapon scripts will need to be 'Iced' (encypted) so users and servers cannot change them. http://developer.valvesoftware.com/wiki/Vice . Do not use the default hl2dm key
• Update maplist/mapcycle so that the file includes all current/official maps