MapSpy
	Recent Changes Version 1.0 "List files used" feature New entity checks Weapons Factory support

MapSpy is a map diagnostic utility that traps errors in an uncompiled Quake2 .MAP file. If you make your own maps, you know how frustrating it can be to find annoying errors in your map after compiling for many hours. By using this freeware program, you can discover and correct those errors before the compiling process - a vast saving of time and aggravation. 

MapSpy does this by reading the .MAP file and performing checks against an editable database file. The interface allows for the use of a choice of databases. This makes it possible to use this program with different Quake2 mods, which have entity properties which may differ from those in the original game. 

Download MapSpy 1.0

This is a self-extracting file which will install to the directory of your choice. 

After installation, you'll find MapSpy has an intuitive interface and a Windows-style Help file. Additionally, all options and buttons feature context-sensitive help. 

MapSpy output will list all models, images, and sounds used in your map. It also takes entity inhibition into account, and organizes its report by the three single-player skill levels and deathmatch mode. 

Additional features include error reports grouped by type and severity, along with a brand-new search function with allows you to locate entities in your map according to user-specified criteria.

Background

MapSpy was developed by David Hyde (with a lot of nagging, creative suggestions, and completely off-the-wall yet strangely brilliant ideas from Mad Dog (Tony Ferrara to his creditors). Its original purpose was to determine if a map was a potential victim of Error: Index overflow, which causes a map to crash to the Quake2 console while in play. It is a result of having too many unique models, sounds, and/or images in the map. For more information on this error and how to eliminate it, see the article Quake II - ERROR: Index Overflow (and Other Horrible, Nasty Problems) SOLVED.

As time went on we've added more and more error-checking features to MapSpy. Many of the errors found by MapSpy are very similar to those found by the bsp compiler. Others include entity errors, and logic checks as well (these last are not 'errors' per se, but are the kind of things that can produce goofy results). 

MapSpy Reports

BSP Non-Critical Errors 

bounds out of range
duplicate plane
microbrush
mirrored plane
mixed face contents
no visible sides on a brush
plane with no normal 

BSP Critical Errors 

origin brushes not allowed in world
MAX_MAP limits exceeded
FloatPlane: Bad Normal 

Runtime and Logic Errors 

[key] is not a field
com_sprintf: overflow
entity needs targetname
entity targets itself
droptofloor
func_clock errors
func_door_rotating errors
func_killbox targeted by...
func_rotating errors
func_timer errors
func_train errors
func_wall errors
light errors
misc_strogg_ship errors
misc_teleporter errors
misc_viper errors
monster errors
path_corner errors
PF_Setmodel: NULL
point_combat errors
target_changelevel errors
target_help errors
target_laser errors
target_lightramp errors
target_speaker errors
trigger_elevator errors
trigger_gravity errors
trigger_key errors
turret_breech errors
turret_driver errors

Possible Inconsistencies 

info_player_start errors/warnings
invalid spawnflags
invalid spawnflag combinations
negative damage
no matching targetname
no teammates
surface light has 0 intensity
sky surface properties 

 

Possible Strange Entity Behavior 

startsolid for misc_ entities
func_train noise 

 

Texture Problems 

uppercase animated textures
bad animation name
missing/unextracted textures 

Oh yeah, and Error: Index overflow. 

MapSpy output will list all models, images, and sounds used in your map. It also takes entity inhibition into account, and organizes its report by the three single-player skill levels and deathmatch mode. 

Additional features include error reports grouped by type and severity, along with a brand-new search function with allows you to locate entities in your map according to user-specified criteria.  

What this means is that while we feel MapSpy should run absolutely fine with no problems, if something goes wrong, we'll feel really, really terrible but that's about it. However, this is about the level of guarantee you get from any freeware program you find on the web so this is really nothing new. 

Known bugs: None. If you find any please let us know.

Feel free to request other features for MapSpy that you think would enhance its usefulness (first check our "To do" list at the end of this document). Contact either David Hyde or Tony Ferrara for any questions, problems, or suggestions concerning MapSpy.