Ported map not loading

[TrialSpace]

Hello, all.

So, I've recently converted a map from Garry's Mod to use in an animation. I've gone through the whole conversion process and have the map as a .bsp file, located in my usermod/maps folder.

I open up SFM and select the map, wait a while, and nothing happens. The viewport briefly displays 'Loading Map...', before displaying 'No Map Loaded' again. It only happens with this map. Other ported maps work fine.

I'm not sure what the problem could be. All help would be greatly appreciated.

[Zappy]

If you attempt to load the map two times in a row, does Source FilmMaker crash?

[TrialSpace]

Nope. Just goes back to saying 'No Map Loaded'.

[Capt Fuzzy]

I run into this from time to time with GMOD maps, the only fix that I have found that works (sometimes) is to decompile the map, load it in Hammer, make sure it's HDR enabled, and then recompile it and put it back into SFM.
On another note, you really shouldn't put files in the usermod folder, it is a key system folder for SFM and as such, you risk overwriting something important, breaking SFM and having to do a full reinstall to fix it.
Instead, in the same folder where usermod is, make a new folder for your downloads, I made a GarrysMod folder for all my GMOD stuff...

[Pte Jack]

After creating the Mod Folder like Fuzzy says in your SFM\Game folder, you launch the SFM SDK and use the edit Search Paths for Select Mod function to turn it on.

[TrialSpace]

I've never decompiled a map before, so forgive me.

So from what I've read, one would require the decompiler BSPSource. Yet I can't open the program, as it just downloads as a .rar file. Am I missing something?

[Zappy]

Originally posted by gsdfhf:

- Yet I can't open the program, as it just downloads as a .rar file. Am I missing something?

Yeah, you're probably missing WinRAR, a popular archive packing/unpacking tool. (7-Zip might do too, but I don't know if it supports WinRAR's Rar archive format.)

[TrialSpace]

Well, I've managed to decompile the map using VMEX instead. Except when I attempt to load the map into Hammer, a message pops up saying 'unexpected end of file'.

[Pte Jack]

Or 7Zip... Which I'm told does RAR files as well

[Pte Jack]

What version of Hammer are you using? And is your game configs set to SFM?

[TrialSpace]

I'm using build 6585 of Hammer. The gaming configuration shows the usermod folder, so I'm guessing it is set to SFM.

[Capt Fuzzy]

Originally posted by gsdfhf:

Well, I've managed to decompile the map using VMEX instead. Except when I attempt to load the map into Hammer, a message pops up saying 'unexpected end of file'.

VMEX is known to screw up maps, that's why most serious mappers will tell you to use BSPSource, it's much more dependable.
To reiterate what has already been said, a .rar file is an archive file like a .zip file and 7Zip WILL open them, you should find the BSPSource.exe in the unzipped folder, run that and try it again.
Also, since you are compiling for SFM, you should use the Hammer version included with the SFM SDK, you can access it through your Library by right clicking on Source Filmmaker in your Steam Library.

[TrialSpace]

I managed to get BSPSource running and decompiled the map. I opened it in Hammer and following a guide, recompiled it two different ways. However, attempting to open the map in SFM yields no different result than before. The screen will still say 'Loading Map', before returning to say 'No Map Loaded'.

[Capt Fuzzy]

That's the problem with "game" maps, they sometimes have entities and event triggers in them that can make SFM not want to load them.
I would try it again, but this time remove every entity but the lights, be careful though, some people use entities for some of the level geometry, so remove them one at a time, being sure to observe what changes in the map as you do it.
Do not remove any brushes, and do not move any brushes, that can create a leak and the only way to fix a leak is to hunt it down in Hammer. There's a tool in Hammer to find them, but I forget now what it's called.

[Zappy]

Originally posted by Capt Fuzzy:

- A leak in the map just might be what's causing SFM to refuse to load it, -

Nope. A leak causes the map to not even be able to be compiled.

[Capt Fuzzy]

Originally posted by Zappy:

Nope. A leak causes the map to not even be able to be compiled.

You're right, it's been a while, I may have to dust off the ol' manual... lol
I still think that some of the event triggers or entities may be the issue here, SFM probably just doesn't know what to do with them and takes a crap...