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Naming your map, pk3 and readme files

I've noticed a few things about naming:

1. Once you release a file on the Internet, your screwed. It is too late to change the name after that. So select the name VERY carefully.
2. New versions may cause you trouble, if your map is not named properly.

Because of this, we need a standard to avoid most of the common pitfalls of erroneous map naming. This is not to be a control freak, its to avoid as much unnecessary problems as possible. This tutorial handles map, pk3 and readme naming. It ends with an explanation on WHY you need to name your files in a certain way.

Map file name

Naming your *.bsp file ( compiled from your *.map file ) is the most important part of naming. It affects if the correct map is loaded when entering a server. Giving an SP map a bad name, is less problematic as there is no server involved, but giving an MP map a bad name may make problems appear:

This is a good map file name:

 <GAMETYPE>_<MAPNAME>_<VERSION>.bsp 

Example: obj_vemork_1_1.bsp

Key	Value
<GAMETYPE>	sp, obj, dm, tow, ctf or any other kind of crazy game type.
<MAPNAME>	Shortest possible name to describe the map.
<VERSION>	Major and minor version ( 1.0 -> 1.1 for small change, 1.1 -> 2.0 for big change ). Or just a single number ( few maps get more than 2-3 versions until they are final ). Don't use a dot in the version number! More than one dot in the file name is known to cause the map not to load on Mac computers.

PK3 file name

Naming the *.pk3 file correctly is more a question of giving the players a consistent and recognizable naming structure, than affecting map loading behavior:

This is a good pk3 file name structure:

 user-<GAMETYPE>_<MAPNAME>_<VERSION>.pk3 

Example: user-obj_vemork_1_2.pk3

Key	Value
user-	Tells the players that this is not a standard pk3 that was shipped by the games creators.
<GAMETYPE>	SP, obj, dm, tow, ctf or any other kind of crazy game type.
<MAPNAME>	Shortest possible name to describe the map.
<VERSION>	Major and minor version ( 1.0 -> 1.1 for small change, 1.1 -> 2.0 for big change ). Or just a single number ( few maps get more than 2-3 versions until they are final ). Don't use a dot in the version number! More than one dot in the file name is known to cause the map not to load on Mac computers.

Readme file name

Naming the readme file in a consistent way will increase the chance that a player that actually wants to see what's in it ( rare indeed ), can find it. Naming a readme file readme.txt as is the application standard does not work well when there are more readme files than one expected in the same directory.

This is a good readme file name structure:

 user-<GAMETYPE>_<MAPNAME>_<VERSION>_readme.txt 

( or <PK3NAMEWITHOUTSUFFIX>_readme.txt )

Example: user-obj_vemork_1_2_readme.txt

Key	Value
<GAMETYPE>	SP, obj, dm, tow, ctf or any other kind of crazy game type.
<MAPNAME>	Shortest possible name to describe the map.
<VERSION>	Major and minor version ( 1.0 -> 1.1 for small change, 1.1 -> 2.0 for big change ). Or just a single number ( few maps get more than 2-3 versions until they are final ). Don't use a dot in the version number! More than one dot in the file name is known to cause the map not to load on Mac computers.

...this way you can easily find the readme to tell someone an error or send them love letters, because the readme will be located next to the *pk3 in main, because it has an almost identical name ( and wont be overwritten by the next map you install's readme file ).

So why these naming conventions?

• <GAMETYPE> because soon you will realize how easy it is to make a map of another type once you made a map of the first type... BUT you must change the maps name for stuff like loadscreens to work for the different game types.
• <MAPNAME> because... I don't have to explain that one do I?
• <VERSION> because when you release a new version, there is no way to separate the versions from each other if the new version has the same name... you can enter a server using the wrong map version, and usually get VERY weird things happening ( Doors replaced by spinning barrels, and stuff like that ).
• Short map name because a server admin has to write ( and remember ) the maps name to make a map change in RCON. And because a player has to write ( and remember ) the maps name to make a map vote ( and you want players to want to play your map... right? ).
• pk3 and README lookalikes because that makes the readme file connected to the pk3 file in the file system ad makes it easy to find in the main directory ( and it won't be overwritten by other map makers readme files ).
• Using similar names in the map file and tha pk3 because it is REALLY annoying when a new map that you download is called "user-a_cool_name.pk3" but the map is named "test2.bsp".

- Bjarne

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