I'm hoping that someone here maybe able to help me on this one.

I'm trying to make up an overview for my next release of my map, and I've tried making up an overview about 20 times and from about 6 different tutorials. I seem to get the same result each time. I have all the flag points and players showing up but the map image is not, just the old purple and black checker board. Has this happen to anyone before and do you know what I might be missing or doing wrong?

The tutorial I’ve been going by most is the one from http://developer.valvesoftware.com/wiki/Creating_Level_Overviews
And I’ve been very careful to cross all the T and dot all my I too.

Any help would be appreciated...

Purple and black checkerboard imply something is wrong with the texture.

Make sure that the text file in resource/overviews/ has the EXACT same filename as your map file. So if your map is called "dod_anything.bsp", then the textfile HAS to be named "dod_anything.txt". That's the only thing that has to change among versions.

To sum it up, you need 3 files:

1. the texture vtf (in our example, "dod_anything.vtf"). This goes in the materials/overviews/ folder

2. the texture vmt ("dod_anything.vmt"). This also goes in materials/overviews.

3. Lastly, the overview description file. This MUST be named the same as your map. So if we are releasing beta 3 of dod_anything, then this file will be called "dod_anything_b3.txt" to match our map bsp name. Inside this file will look something like this:

"dod_anything"
{
"material" "overviews/dod_anything" // texture file
"pos_x" "-4569"
"pos_y" "4858"
"scale" "8"
"rotate" "0"
"zoom" "1"
}

You do NOT need to edit this file for new map versions, you only need to change the filename. So when beta 4 comes out, we'll just duplicate this txt file and change the filename to dod_anything_b4.txt

If you've done all that, it should work

Ok here's what I've got....

Map dod_putten_b5.bsp

In my C:\Program Files\Steam\SteamApps\XXXXXX@XXXX.com\day of defeat source\dod\resource\overviews\dod_putten.txt folder it reads...

"dod_putten_b5"
{
"material" "overviews/dod_puttun_b5" // texture file
"pos_x" "714"
"pos_y" "3362"
"scale" "6.2"
"rotate" "0"
"zoom" "1.0"
}


In my C:\Program Files\Steam\SteamApps\XXXXXX@XXXX.com\day of defeat source\dod\materials\overviews folder I have two files.

1. dod_putten_b5.VTF which is my 2d view of my map

2. dod_putten_b5.VMT at reads...

"UnlitGeneric"
{
"$translucent" "1"
"$basetexture" "overviews/dod_putten_b5"
"$vertexalpha" "1"
"$no_fullbright" "1"
"$ignorez" "1"
}

I have everything exactly as shown and I am still getting the cheackerboard for an overview.

A long shot, but try with .vtf and .vmt on the extensions. Might be case sensitive. Found that out on my models after about 6 months.

I take it you checked the console for errors?

Originally posted by [CS] Fuzzy_donkey

In my C:\Program Files\Steam\SteamApps\XXXXXX@XXXX.com\day of defeat source\dod\resource\overviews\dod_putten.txt folder it reads...


Just noticed this. The text file should be named dod_putten_b5.txt

Just noticed this. The text file should be named dod_putten_b5.txt

Sorry bone450 that was a typo it actually does have the _b5 at the end, but I did check the console for errors and I am getting one.

It reads...
--- Missing Vgui material overviews/dod_puttun_b5

dod_putten_b5"
{
"material" "overviews/dod_puttun_b5" // texture file
"pos_x" "714"

putten_b5 not puttun_b5

Originally posted by bone450
putten_b5 not puttun_b5

Oh good eye! That's gotta be it. Silly typos...

Oops... I can't believe it is something as simple as that, and the funny part is I looked all these files over and over to make sure it wasn't something like this. :o

It's all up and running now.

Thanks for the help Bone450 and Dustin Diamond.

Yeah when you are typing in the map name in 20 different files, I begin to mis-type things to.

for future reference, the only thing that has to be named dod_putten_b5 is the filename for the resource text file. Everything else can still say "dod_putten" without the _b5. This is nice because when making a new version, you dont have to edit the files. All you have to do is make a copy of the resource text file and change the name to match the new version.

For my map, the texture and vmt are both named dod_strand, and I make sure to reference these from within the resource file. The filename of the resource text file is the only thing that has "dod_strand_b4".

Thats good to know, espically if you have a final version of the overview from the start.

Dustin Diamond, Is it possible to make dod_strand use a different overview. One I make with names of locations that my clan can all use & follow during play? Making one is the easy part, just can't get the map to ignore yours & use ours.

Sorry for the mini hijack fuzzy.

Originally posted by freeranger
Dustin Diamond, Is it possible to make dod_strand use a different overview. One I make with names of locations that my clan can all use & follow during play? Making one is the easy part, just can't get the map to ignore yours & use ours.

Sorry for the mini hijack fuzzy.

This is possible, I'll use anzio as an example.

Anyways you need it setup like this...
Files needed:
\materials\overviews\
dod_anzio_new.vmt
dod_anzio_new.vtf
\resource\overviews\
dod_anzio.txt
\maps\
dod_anzio.res

The dod_anzio.txt should look something like this...
// overview description file for dod_avalanche.bsp

"dod_anzio"
{
"material" "overviews/dod_anzio_new" // texture file
"pos_x" "-3836" // X coordinate,
"pos_y" "3401" // Y coordinate,
"scale" "6.0" // and used scale used when taking the screenshot
"rotate" "0" // map was rotated by 90 degress in image editor
"zoom" "1.0"
}

The dod_anzio_new.vmt should look something like this...
"UnlitGeneric"
{
"$translucent" "1"
"$basetexture" "overviews/dod_anzio_new"
"$vertexalpha" "1"
"$no_fullbright" "1"
"$ignorez" "1"
}

Adding a res file to the server will make it download the new stuff to everyone who connects.
Example res file for anzio...
"resources"
{
"materials/overviews/dod_anzio_new.vmt" "file"
"materials/overviews/dod_anzio_new.vtf" "file"
"resource/overviews/dod_anzio.txt" "file"
}

I should also add this...
If a res file is used and a dod_anzio.txt already exist for that the regular dod_anzio overview then the txt file will have to be deleted so that the res file will download the new one.

Thx Rommels, that works on official & mayb some custom, but the trick is 2 get the custom built in overviews to ignore theirs & to take ours. (only dod_strand really tho). Wouldn't want to force the download on every1 playing on the server as well as it would be our tactics.

If the map is embedded in the bsp, like the one for dod_strand, I don't know of a way to make it ignore it and use your custom one instead. It might work for the stock maps, because Source checks the bsp for the files first, then the dod directory, THEN the gcf. So it seems safe to assume that it should work for the stock maps, but not for custom ones.

Oh well, Thx for the reply.