Issues with map making, Zennode/ZDBSP and netgames

[Varren]

In DB2 and SRB2DB2, the zennode nodebuilder fails entirely on large maps, mostly because of BLOCKMAP creation failing. SRB2 is capable of making its own BLOCKMAP at runtime, but a previous version of the DB2-friendly configuration files that was available when 2.1 was first released was incorrectly set up such that the BLOCKMAP lump was considered to be crucial, and that if it didn't get made to throw everything else out as well.

Since map building failed for me I switched to zdbsp a while back. However, with the way things are now it causes several problems (sight checking, positioning)
Since zdbsp is made to be quick, it doesn't make a REJECT lump. SRB2 can fill this manually too, but its not netcode friendly whatsoever. Until the game's netcode is rewritten/fixed, zdbsp isn't recommended for nodebuilding with, and you should probably stay away from it for anything other than singleplayer testing.

Since apparently I've learned that I may not be the only one doing this, I hope getting this info out there helps map makers who may have been using zdbsp as a fill-in when zennode wouldn't work.

You can get the current configuration file [here]

 

[Lat']

I do believe I am making a "month bump",
but what happens in the case where you are actually forced to use ZDBSP? Saving with anything else than it or Zennode causes things such as the game saying that the level doesn't even have nodes, for me at least. (And so crashes)

Also this does explain why my New Horizons level pack synchs so much in netgames, I saved everything with ZDBSP, my Zennode failing to build the nodes in Icicle Inferno and I was lazy to switch back to Zennode. Yes, you're not the only one doing that.

 

[toaster]

Lat', this was fixed with the latest version of the SRB2DB2 configuration at the bottom of the post. Download it (replacing the one in your SRB2DB2's configuration folder) and switch back to Zennode, and this will fix most (if not all) of your synch errors. You should not be forced to use ZDBSP anymore as a result of this.

(also since this is a sticky, bumps aren't really much of a problem if you have a valid question)

 

[toaster]

Note that this issue was fixed with the release of 2.1.16. This topic should probably be unstickied as a result less people get the wrong idea from it.