*** QuakeMap 2.3 ***


This is a level/patch/etc editor for Quake, the game by ID Software. This
file is an introduction to QuakeMap. Please have a look at it if you don't
know QuakeMap, or if you only knows QuakeMap version 1.0 or 1.1.

QUAKEMAP is centralized on a proprietary file format, with extension ".qme".
Although you may use it as a standard ".map" editor, I recommend using the
".qme" file format, because it can store a lot of things more than just a map.
You can store several maps, code patches (written in QuakeC), files like new
sounds or new models for Quake, and more, in a single .qme file. When you run
QuakeMap, the window you see is the "QuakeMap Explorer", which allows you to
edit such .qme files. See the introduction below and instructions in file 
EXPLORER.TXT. When you open a map, either a standard .map file or a map 
included in a .qme file, a new window pops up : the "QuakeMap Editor", a 3D 
level editor. See EDITOR.TXT for a detailed description of the editor.


 *** Requirements ***

Target Quake version : from 0.91 to 1.06 REGISTERED. It may work
with other versions, at least partially, but it has not been tested
with these.

The QBSP, VIS and LIGHT utilities from id Software are required to
"nodebuild" maps, i.e. to prepare them in order to play to Quake in them.

Using a more recent version of QBSP than id's first one is recommended.
Try out QBSP256, for example.

Estimated Hardware/Software Requirements:
- 486DX2/66 or better processor.
- 16mb RAM
- .8mb Hard Drive Space for QuakeMap
- Windows 95
- Registered version of Quake
These are estimates based on limited testing.


 *** Installation ***

Just unzip all the files in whatever directory you want. I recommend creating a
new directory, named for example "QuakeMap", and unzipping the archive there.
You will be asked when required where Quake is. You don't have to put QBsp, Vis
and Light in the same directory as QuakeMap; if they are elsewhere, QuakeMap will
ask you where.

When QuakeMap needs to run Quake, it sometimes create a lot of files
(.map and .bsp files, progs.dat, quake.rc, .cfg files, etc). That is why it
creates a temporary temporary directory structure under your Quake directory,
named "QMapExec\". Files are extracted at their correct location under this
directory : for example, maps are extracted in "QMapExec\maps\", sounds in
"QMapExec\sounds\", etc. When it launches Quake, QuakeMap uses a "-game QMapExec"
command-line parameter to tell Quake to use these files.

WARNING: consider this QMapExec directory and all its sub-dirs as TEMPORARY !
Never save your work under it. Do not put QuakeMap itself in it. QuakeMap may
erase the whole directory and its sub-dirs at any time ! It does so, for example,
when you click on the "GO!" button that tells it to extract all entries and run
Quake. A misadventure happened to someone how had all his work erased this way.
Since then, I have coded securities in QuakeMap to prevent it from erasing
something else than its temporary directory, and to prevent you from saving files
in this directory.


 *** QuakeMap Explorer ***

Quake Map 2.0 has numerous changes.  One of the most significant
is the new file format, .qme, which is the format used by Quake
Map Explorer.  The advantage of this format is that it allows
you to save many different types of data in one file.  In
addition to holding the .map file, a .qme file can contain the
text description file, Quake C patches and even .bsp's with
textures removed.  In this way, Quake Map can also be used as
a front-end to Quake, managing multiple patches for you.
Keep in mind, if you wish to distribute your files this way, the
user HAS to use QuakeMap to run it.  However, A DOS run-time
version of QuakeMap is available (30kb), which make it easier to
distribute files in this format. All you have to distribute with
your .qme files is a URL at which users may download this small
add-one. And these 30kb are well worth the possibilities of
QuakeMap ! Even if your .qme contains a single compiled .bsp, the
30kb to download will be smaller than the kb won by the absence
of textures in the .qme.

Let's take a closer look at the possibilities of the .qme format.
It allows us to associate QuakeC patches with particular levels.
With this, we are able to build level-specific programs, like we 
did in Hexen. For example, we could do something like Hexen's
first level, where there are walls that make a half turn, fire a 
few fireballs on you, and then rotate back in place. This could 
be done in a standard QuakeC patch, but associating this patch 
with the level make it far easier to use, and prevent oneself from 
playing the level without the patch or vice-versa.
               
It also provides a consistent way of assigning actions with new
keys - you know, "impulse" commands. You'll be shown a list of
new actions the installed patches provides, and you'll have to
choose a key for each of them. QuakeMap will then automatically
remap impulse numbers as needed (useful for several patches from
serveral sources) and write the "autoexec.cfg" to bind them with
the keys you have choosen.


 *** SHAREWARE ***

This is the final QuakeMap 2.3. You may *not* use any longer the
previously released beta versions. QuakeMap 2.3 is Shareware.

I will never take QuakeMap to a commercial level. Because it represents a lot of
work for me, I will make it Shareware, and except a few money feedback - but the
Shareware version will always be full-featured. There will be no separate
Shareware- and Registred- versions, the Shareware version being limited in some
aspect. I think that doing so is like giving away a Demo version and saying :
now buy the Commercial version !

Anyway, people how register will have all my gratitude ! ;-)   and maybe one or
two other things more... Is someone interested in looking at the source code ?

I just hope a few of **YOU** will think about this annoying thing that
registering is. Registering is $20.

I don't live in the U.S. But it might be a bit complicated to make international
checkes just for registering. So I think the easiest for you is to mail me a $20
bank note under cover, along with your name and your e-mail address, if any.
I will then tell you how to remove "Please Register" from the startup screen.
If you don't live in the U.S, just send me the equivalent sum in your currency.
Post to :

             Armin Rigo
             La Cure
             CH-1854 Leysin
             Switzerland


 ***

Any comment, suggestion or bug report is welcome.

Thanks: to Mike Melzer for writing and updating a large part of the documentation;
        to Steve ("sturm") for providing a home page for QuakeMap;
        to Christophe Weibel for having organized textures into groups;
        to Francesco Ferrara for letting me include his Radar.qc here;
        to everybody who wrote me comments and bug reports;
        and of course to id Software for Quake !

As usually, I won't assume any responsability for whatever might occur by
using my program, either directly or indirectly. No warraties !


 *** Legal stuff ***

You may distribute this program on any support, as far as you don't make anybody
pay for it. You may charge shipping and handling costs on users, but not more.
You may by *no* mean make profit from solding, leasing, or anything else with
this program. You may, however, do whatever you like with whatever you made with
this program.

id Softare does NOT support This program at all. The author of QuakeMap is by
no way related to id Software. DO NOT ask id Software anything about QuakeMap.

Quake is (TM) (C) by id Software, Inc. All rights reserved.
The Quake logo is (C) by id Software.


Armin Rigo.                           (armin.rigo@p22.gnothi.fn.alphanet.ch)